Faith - Lesley Pearse [190]
David shook his head to signify he couldn’t stand anymore what-if’s. ‘Look, we’ll be seeing Laura tomorrow. She might be able to put a different spin on this. So let’s go out and get a Chinese or something. I’m starving.’
The prison visiting room was as full of people and as wreathed in cigarette smoke as on the previous occasion, but this time there were more older children, perhaps because their schools had broken up for the summer holiday. David noted how sulky or anxious many of them looked. He guessed that however much they wanted to see their mothers, the restrictions of a prison made it a distressing experience. He couldn’t imagine Abi and William coping with it.
Yet he was pleased to see how much better Laura was looking since the last time he saw her. He couldn’t work out what was different – she was wearing the same jeans and blue tee-shirt as before, and he didn’t think she’d had her hair cut either – but something had made her look pretty and far younger than fifty. Was it Stuart visiting her? Or just that she was feeling more hopeful now?
David remained silent while Laura and Stuart chatted. He often felt he could learn more about people by just watching and listening.
Over the years Stuart had told him a great deal about Laura. In the early days when he was still hurting from their break-up he would say bitterly that all she wanted was money and expensive clothes. Then when he’d had too much to drink he’d become a bit maudlin and say how beautiful she was, what a perfect figure she had, and how much fun they’d had their first summer together in Scotland.
David had gathered all this up and formed the opinion that she was a ball-breaking, self-seeking bitch, with a touch of the siren, because Stuart couldn’t seem to forget her.
But meeting her in here for the first time, a damaged, middle-aged woman in serious trouble, his constructed image of her had been erased. Now, a couple of weeks later, with a tremendous amount of information about her under his belt, some of which had come directly from her, more from other people, he had a rather confused picture.
For someone who once was a self-confessed serial liar, she had been remarkably truthful with him and Stuart. The child neglect, the pornography and drug-taking were all things which he could never take lightly, yet she had rebuilt her life honestly after Barney’s death, and that took courage and determination. She had never sought to blame others, or indulged in self-pity. Overall he felt she was more sinned against than sinner.
Looking at her now talking so animatedly to Stuart, he found himself understanding why Jackie had cared so deeply about her, and Stuart still loved her. She was so vibrant, her dark eyes glowed, her smile lit up the room, and her voice, low-pitched and slightly husky, with that curious mixture of a London accent and a faint Scottish burr, was so attractive. She was an intelligent woman who had graduated at the university of hard knocks, and there was a sensuality which wafted out of her like exotic perfume.
‘Are you with us?’
David almost jumped at Stuart’s question. ‘Of course,’ he said. ‘I was just thinking about something. Sorry. Where were you?’
‘I take it you were off sailing with Julia?’ Stuart grinned. ‘I’d just told Laura about the “Growler”, and I was just about to show her the star prize.’
Stuart had got the will photocopied that morning, and handed the original to Goldsmith for safe keeping. Oddly enough, suddenly this seemed to make Goldsmith far more animated and warmer. He even agreed that he felt there was something sinister about Fielding and Calder.
Stuart took the copy will out of his pocket and handed it to Laura. ‘Jackie’s will. Made just six months before her death. You read it while David and I get us some coffee. Would you like a cake too?’
‘Umm,’ she said distractedly, opening the copy will. ‘Yes, please. One of the flapjacks if that’s okay.’
The two men went over to the refreshments