The Way We Were_ A Novel - Marcia Willett [104]
‘Hello, darling,’ she said, flustered. ‘I wasn't expecting you.’
‘I passed Aunt Em at the bottom of the road,’ Liv said. ‘She said you'd been over to see Caroline.’
‘We had coffee with her and we haven't been back very long. Is everything OK?’
‘Oh, I just needed to get away for a minute.’ Liv bent to pat the recumbent Frobisher and then sat down at the table. ‘Driving around calms me down. You know the feeling?’
‘Yes,’ said Julia. ‘Yes, of course I do. As long as nothing's really wrong …’
‘No. Well, I've decided to take up Matt's offer and I can't decide whether I'm deliriously happy or scared to death.’
‘Oh, darling.’ Julia sat down opposite, almost forgetting the bag hanging at her shoulder in her delight. ‘But that's wonderful news.’
‘I hope so. After all, Penharrow was never going to be for ever, was it? To be honest, I think the time's come for us to make the break. And Val and Chris will need the extra income from the annexe.’
‘Well, it's a very wise move. You know how I felt about you being a bit too close …’ Julia paused rather awkwardly, wondering if there had been a particular problem. ‘You can always come here, you know, until you find somewhere of your own. I imagine you'll go on working at Penharrow for a little while yet?’
‘Oh, yes. Until the end of the season. Thanks for the offer. Are you OK, Mum? You sound a bit breathless.’
‘I'm fine. Of course I am. I told you, we've just got back from Tavistock.’
‘My decision to come and see you was a bit sudden.’ Liv smiled reluctantly. ‘Like I said, I'm having a fit of the wobbles. By the way, what's all this about the little Merlin? Andy keeps going on about it. Something to do with an art fraud, apparently, and one of the pieces looks just like ours. He mentioned it weeks ago and asked me to ask you about it but I forgot all about it, I'm afraid. Have you seen anything about it in the papers?’
Julia kept her eyes fixed on Liv's; carefully she assumed an expression that combined faint surprise with a casual indifference.
‘I don't think so.’
‘I've told him he's nuts.’ Liv snorted. ‘He must be to be going out with Cat. Apparently it's her idea that our Merlin is this missing treasure. It's just so likely, isn't it? Where is the Merlin, by the way? I don't remember seeing him around for years.’
‘I've no idea. I expect he was some kind of cheap copy. Like one of thousands of Michelangelo's David or the Madonna and Child. He probably got lost when we went out to Washington. Is Andy still seeing Cat? I hoped it might have just been a flash in the pan thing. He can't be serious about her.’ Julia shivered slightly at the prospect of Cat as a daughter-in-law. ‘I hope she hasn't been back to Penharrow, causing any more trouble?’
Liv shook her head. ‘It was embarrassing, though. It really worries me that I can dislike someone as much as I do her.’
‘I think it must be genetic.’ Julia tried for a lighter note. ‘I felt exactly the same way about her mother, though with some cause. Cat's a troublemaker. From childhood onwards she's had a destructive gift for upsetting people and she enjoys the results. I think we both instinctively fear that aspect of her character. I've always felt guilty that Zack found out the truth from her rather than from me. That was my fault. Nevertheless, I know that even at eight years old she would have really enjoyed telling him. I suppose that's why neither of us wants to see Andy involved with her. We fear that she'll hurt him. Well, there's nothing we can do about it. Have you had some lunch? Would you like something?’
‘I had a sandwich with Val and Chris. A kind of working lunch. Thanks, Mum, but I have to get back. I've just told them I shall be moving on and I thought we all needed a short breathing space.’
‘Well, I'm absolutely thrilled at your decision,’ Julia told her. ‘Matt sounds great and he's obviously got some very good ideas for The Place. And so have you. It's certainly clever of him to ask you to help him.’
Liv