It galled Frank that Des Williams had waltzed in and ingratiated himself with his sister and ended up living in that magnificent flat, while half of what was left of Beatrice’s estate had gone to various charities. He had ended up getting far less than he had anticipated. There was no love lost between him and his son-in-law, and it gave him no small sense of satisfaction that Colette had kept her own name after marriage because she preferred it to her husband’s surname.
Des was a wide boy, in Frank’s estimation, and not the man he would have chosen for his daughter to marry. He had made damn sure to ring-fence his own estate into a trust for his daughter and granddaughter and that devious little shit wouldn’t be getting his greedy mitts on any of it when the time came.
‘Will you buy a place or rent in New York?’ Jacqueline laid down her knife and fork. She wasn’t feeling very hungry any more and she was annoyed with herself for losing her temper with her daughter. This damn menopause was knocking her for six. She was too young for it. It was a shock to realize that she was, if not wholly menopausal, very much peri. These mood swings and short-tempered outbursts that she was prone to lately were unexpected and unnerving. Time to go on the HRT, she thought gloomily.
‘We’ll rent for a while until we get settled in and then we can start scouting for somewhere we’d like to live. Or perhaps we’ll just rent in New York and buy somewhere along the coast.’ Colette thawed a little.
‘Greenwich Village is lovely.’ Jacqueline offered a placatory smile. ‘Or Chelsea.’
‘I’d like a view of the Park,’ Colette admitted.
‘You’ll pay for that,’ Frank scoffed.
‘It’s something to aspire to.’ Des glanced at his watch. ‘We need to keep an eye on the time. The car will be here in twenty minutes.’
‘I would have given you a lift to the airport,’ Frank protested.
‘Not at all, Frank. I have a driver and car 24/7 when I’m here on business.’ Des couldn’t hide a note of self-importance. ‘I’m sure you’ll be wanting to get in a round of golf. I played a damn good eagle in Foxrock yesterday. I heard on the grapevine that there was a bit of a ruckus between a consultant and a doctor in your clubhouse recently, and it’s being called “the kickboxing club” by the Southsiders.’
Frank’s mouth tightened into a thin line. ‘Is that so? I never listen to idle gossip.’
‘Amusing though.’ Des wiped his mouth with his linen napkin.
‘Do have a cup of coffee while you’re waiting for the car,’ Jacqueline urged, getting up from the table to bring the coffee percolator from the kitchen. This brunch had been a disaster from start to finish. If they couldn’t even have brunch without sniping at each other how would they manage a week together in the Hamptons or wherever? ‘We will get to see Jasmine before you go, won’t we?’ she asked when the gleaming black car pulled into the circular drive.
‘Yes, Mum. How about I bring her over for Rowena’s wedding and we’ll stay with you,’ Colette suggested, ready to make amends.
‘Oh darling, that would be wonderful. I’m sorry I er . . . lost my temper. I’m a little stressed lately. Time of life business, I think. Very inconvenient,’ she murmured when Des had excused himself to use the bathroom.
‘Oh!’ Colette was surprised. It was almost inconceivable to think of her soigné, poised, imperturbable mother suffering the ignominy of the menopause.
‘I know you felt I had some shortcomings as a mother and perhaps you’re right. Don’t make the same mistake with Jasmine,’ Jacqueline said awkwardly as her son-in-law came back into the room.
‘Jasmine is well looked after,’ Colette said stiffly.
‘I know, and so were you, but not enough by me, it seems. I just don’t want her to be at loggerheads with you, like we are now, in years to come,’ Jacqueline said wryly, proffering her cheek for a kiss.
‘That won’t happen,’ Colette said firmly but she hugged her mother more affectionately that she normally did before turning to her father to kiss him goodbye.
‘That little jumped-up chancer. The bloody nerve of him to talk to me like that. Why she married him I will never know. She knew from the start I didn’t like him. She married him to spite me, and after all I gave her.’ Frank was fuming as he strode around the conservatory.
‘Don’t be ridiculous. Why would she want to spite you?’ Jacqueline said wearily, a hormone headache throbbing at her temples.
‘He didn’t even try to be civil,’ Frank raged. ‘With his smart comments. Did you hear him about the fracas at the club? Jeering he was. Sneering and jeering. But I got him good with the prawns. Smothered in sauce they were, the pretentious little spoofer. And he thinks he’s going to make enough to live Uptown NY. Ha! He has as much chance of that as I have. He’ll be out of his league with the big boys over there, the little braggart—’
‘Will you listen to yourself, for God’s sake. You’re a highly respected senior counsel and you’re acting like a ten-year-old. There’s a pair of you in it. Cover up what’s left of the food and put it in the fridge. I’m going to lie down. I’ve got a headache.’ Jacqueline had had enough. Why couldn’t a simple brunch go right? Why
