The Secret Life of Evie Hamilton - Catherine Alliott [135]
Later that afternoon, she found me sitting at the kitchen table in the fading light, a cold cup of tea in front of me, the violet light of a long autumn evening beginning to threaten. My mobile flickered feebly in my hand. I'd thrown it at the wall when an anonymous voice had informed me for the tenth time Ant's mobile was switched off.
Anna stood in the doorway. ‘I've just spoken to Phoebe. You know this Pony Club thing is a three-day event?’
‘Is it? I didn't.’
‘She says why don't I stay there. At the farm. It's happening in next door's fields.’
I looked at her. She felt like a stranger. ‘Do you want to?’
She shrugged. ‘It would be easier.’
She did. Wanted to get away.
‘OK. I'll drop you over there.’
‘Tonight?’
‘If you like.’
Even though it didn't start till tomorrow. I saw relief flood her face, which she tried, amateurishly, to mask. Then she disappeared to get ready. I heard her footsteps bounding quickly up the stairs, taking them two at a time.
I didn't go in at the farm. Brenda was in the yard with Megan, and came wagging towards us, jumping straight on the back seat when I opened the door. I just dropped Anna off, with her overnight bag and her jodhpurs and hat, and some chocolates for Caro, telling Anna to let her know I'd got the dog. Normally I'd always pop in, have a chat, a cup of coffee, thank her, but I knew Caro would take one look at my face, drag me to the sitting room, shut the door on the children, and then the floodgates would open. I kissed Anna goodbye, turned the car around in the yard, and was just driving away when I saw Tim, limping towards me with an empty barrow, a cigarette hanging from his mouth. I buzzed down the window.
‘Hiya. Whacha doing?’
‘Looking busy,’ he said, deadpan, without removing the fag.
I grinned. ‘How's the hip?’
‘So-so.’ He leaned in at my window; threw the butt on the gravel and ground it out with his boot.
‘Doesn't look great.’
‘Always looks worse than it is. You don't look so great yourself.’
‘I'm tired.’
‘Aren't we all.’
‘I've just dropped off Anna.’
‘I saw. Phoebe will be pleased. You coming in?’ He jerked his head.
I shook mine, not trusting myself to speak. My lovely, kind, caring brother. Just what I didn't need right now.
‘I'm in a bit of a rush. Give Caro my love.’
‘Will do.’
He was looking at me closely but, being a man, didn't push it. As I drove away, though, I glanced in the rear-view mirror and saw him standing in the gateway, watching me.
Ten minutes later found me parking at Worcester College, in a private car park where they talked a big clamping story, but where the cognoscenti knew it was an empty threat. I walked, head bent defensively against the wind tunnel, around the side of the building and then down a dark alleyway. Under normal circumstances I didn't take this short cut in the dark, but in my present state of mind I felt a friendly cosh from a shadowy figure in black might well be a blessed relief. The alleyway led to the playing fields, which in turn led to the longer grass of the meadows that ran down to the canal. A couple of students were slowly making their way back to the college towards me, and in spite of myself I marvelled that they could walk, snog and grope all at the same time. I joined the towpath halfway along, achieving the canal at its longest stretch. It was dark, but Malcolm's boat was always lit up like a Christmas tree, making it easy to find amongst the other barges, which lay like so many sleeping crocodiles at the water's edge. As I approached, I saw Cinders and Sooty rolling around together in the grass. I stopped. What might I be interrupting? I hesitated.
‘Well, hello.’ Malcolm's voice, not discernibly