Chapter 5 #2
‘Impressive, isn’t it?’ said India. ‘Apparently, Nick and Mum had it built after his father died, a sort of revenge because he had thought there was nothing more vulgar than a swimming pool in a house and had always refused to install one, even though Nick was a promising swimmer when he was younger.’
‘This is some revenge,’ I said, gazing round at the sight before me.
An extension had been added to the side of the house with the most incredible gabled glass roof that ran for nearly its entire length.
Huge bifold doors opened out onto the garden, and it must have been glorious in summer, or heavy rain or, well, whenever!
The pool itself was large and blue and the square floor tiles surrounding it were smooth, creamy porcelain.
At one side stood a sort of circular pergola, containing a bubbling jacuzzi and on the other side there was a fountain, surrounded by shallow steps.
There was also a seating area with luxurious chaises longues and a low table.
It was like something out of a film and like no swimming pool I had ever visited.
My most recent experiences hadn’t even been in municipal pools, which I disliked for the chill, the almost guaranteed verrucae and the reek of chlorine.
I had, however, done some work using hospital hydrotherapy pools, which tended to be tiny, brightly lit and strictly utilitarian in design.
‘I bet you were dreading getting your swimsuit on every day when you heard about that part of the job,’ said India teasingly. ‘I would have been. Still feel the same?’
‘You’re right,’ I replied. ‘It wouldn’t normally be my first choice of activity on a winter’s morning, but this is going to be a treat.’
‘I’ve brought Marilise a couple of times myself,’ she went on.
‘Nick had those steps by the fountain installed so that she could get in easily. Come over this way.’ She led me around the side of the pool to two glass doors.
‘This is the sauna, which she doesn’t like, but this one’ – she tapped one of the doors – ‘is the steam room, which she adores.’
‘It will be good for her heart, too, in small doses,’ I said. ‘I’m beginning to think I should be paying the family to be here, rather than the other way around.’
We started to walk back around the pool.
‘Look, I’m sorry about the Cousin Itt thing,’ said India. ‘I was being silly. I’m glad you’re here, and I’m glad Sofia’s coming. It should cheer Christmas up a bit, even if…’
She stopped abruptly.
‘Even if what?’ I asked.
She stared at me, doubt in her eyes.
‘You can trust me,’ I said. ‘I won’t pass anything on, unless I think you’re in danger. I’m a nurse, I’m good at keeping confidences.’
She sighed.
‘Thank you,’ she said, looking at me again and then giving a small nod, as if she had decided to trust me. ‘I was going to say, even if Philip, Mum’s fiancé, turns up.’
‘You don’t like him?’
‘No. I don’t think he’s good enough for Mum, he doesn’t treat her kindly. Just because she’s a bit scatty and gets lost in her gardening, then panics about doing enough for everybody. Obviously, I never met Nick’s father, but he sounds horrible, too. I think she’s got pretty bad taste in men.’
‘She must see something in him, if she’s going to marry him.’
‘I think she’s convinced herself that it’s the best thing for me.
He has lots of horses and of course I’d love to be amongst all that, but I’d never want her to sacrifice herself for me.
I’m happy here, but I think Mum’s worried that Nick’s going to sell, although he’d see right by us, I know he would. ’
I didn’t mention the conversation I had been there for in the kitchen earlier, when Nick had indeed announced his intention to sell Lyonscroft.
‘I’m sure he would,’ I said, although I wasn’t at all sure how loyal he would be to the family he didn’t seem to believe loved him. ‘Do you see your father?’
She nodded.
‘Yes, sometimes, although he’s often away with work. He’s horsey, like me, but he stopped riding a few years ago after an accident. Now, he photographs horses.’
‘What, like portraits?’ I asked in surprise.
India grinned.
‘Sometimes, but mostly he takes pictures of them in action. He’s at all the big events: the Olympics, the Horse of the Year show, important races all over the world. He does reportage stuff as well, taking pictures behind the scenes; people trust him.’
‘It sounds very interesting,’ I said in a neutral voice, sensing that there was more to this story than India had indicated. For a moment, we stood in silence, looking at the glistening pool, then she spoke.
‘It is. I’ve gone with him once or twice, but I don’t like leaving Mum on her own.
She knows that and I think it’s another reason she’s marrying Philip, so that she’s not a burden to me.
But she’s not!’ She turned her face to me, as if imploring me to believe her.
‘We want each other to be happy so much that we end up doing or not doing things to try and help, and then neither of us gets what we want. It’s so stupid. If only…’
I waited without interrupting or prompting for her to carry on. I knew all about ‘if onlys’ and ‘might have beens’ and how they can make you feel stuck in life. She darted another look at me and continued.
‘If only Mum and Dad had made it work when I was born. They did the same thing, I think: tried to do what they thought the other one wanted, and I don’t think either ended up happy.
’ With a sudden movement she turned away, but not before I had seen the tears in her eyes.
‘I’m going for a ride,’ she said abruptly, and strode out of the pool room, leaving me staring at the blue waters and trying not to think too much about my own life and what it might be like now if only I could have saved Paulo.