Chapter 9 #2
She gasped dramatically and squeaked as he tugged her hand again, pulling her along the path as if he hadn’t just teased her and also nearly kissed her.
‘Come on,’ he said, still holding her hand as they walked.
‘Lead the way! And while I have you to myself, I’ve got to say that you kept the fact quiet that your grandfather was actually the Vales’ apprentice! Why didn’t you say?’
Theo gave a small smile and glanced towards the flooded path before answering.
‘Like I said during the interview, because I didn’t want that to be the reason anyone took me seriously.
’ He shrugged. ‘When I got into horology, I made a choice to earn my place on my own merits. My research. My papers. My own name.’
Pippa stared at him. ‘You really are ridiculous,’ she said softly.
Theo’s brow creased. ‘Thanks?’
‘Ridiculously honourable,’ she clarified. ‘Most people would’ve name-dropped whenever possible to open up every door in the clock world.’
‘Maybe,’ he said, brushing a hand through his hair, ‘but I guess I’ve always thought that time should be earned.’
Pippa laughed. ‘You are one on your own.’
He looked up at her, eyes crinkling. ‘I’ll take that as a compliment.’
‘What was Sebastian’s motivation in there, do you think?’ Pippa asked. ‘What was all that about a scapegoat?’
‘For a second, I thought he was just trying to get under my skin, but the way he went on, it felt like his problem was with Horace, not me. But even if something did happen all those years ago, what on earth has it got to do with Sebastian?’
She looked at him. ‘I’m not sure, but it still doesn’t justify ambushing an old man in front of an entire convention.’
‘Agreed,’ Theo said. ‘But Sebastian’s never played by the rules. He only cares about the story, not the people.’
‘Thankfully, you’re not like him,’ Pippa said before she could stop herself.
Theo looked at her. ‘I hope not,’ he said gently.
‘My guess is that that interview will hit every national newspaper and all the wannabe detectives on social media will soon be voicing their opinions, but for now, all we can do is get out of these wet clothes.’
As they walked along the path, Pippa became aware of a distant voice, faint but insistent, cutting through the sound of the sea and the rain.
‘Can you hear someone shouting?’ she asked, slowing.
Theo frowned. ‘I thought it was just the wind.’
She stopped. ‘No… That sounded like my name.’
She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. The screen was lit up, and a familiar face filled the display.
Oh no.
Rob.
He must have FaceTimed and somehow she’d accepted the call.
He was shirtless and wearing a baseball cap while standing on what was very clearly a golf course in Portugal.
‘Did you go on the honeymoon?’
‘Pippa!’ he bellowed, his voice tinny through the speaker. ‘Finally! I’ve been shouting for you for about five minutes. You FaceTimed me, you realise?’
She stared at the screen, wondering if she’d actually hit her head falling out the window and this was some kind of mild nightmare.
Rob apparently clocked Theo standing next to her as he demanded, ‘And who is that?’
‘This is Doctor Theo Blake,’ Pippa said automatically. ‘He’s—’
‘Clock Boy,’ Rob interrupted. ‘Of course it is.’
‘Rob,’ she sighed, ‘why are you shouting at me from another country?’
‘Because you left me at the altar!’ he shot back. ‘And now I’m standing on a golf course in Portugal on what was meant to be our honeymoon, trying to work out how my life went so wrong!’
He swung the camera around briefly, showing palm trees. ‘We should be here together right now,’ he continued. ‘Instead, I see you soaking wet and laughing with another man like you haven’t got a care in the world!’
‘We were running out of the rain.’
‘Of course you were,’ Rob said bitterly. ‘Very romantic.’
Theo lifted a hand in an awkward half-wave. ‘Hello.’
‘Don’t,’ Rob snapped. ‘Just … don’t. You could have been honest if there was someone else.’
Pippa rubbed her forehead. ‘Rob, we’re not having an affair.’
‘Then why are you with him?’
‘Because we’re both at a clock convention,’ she said. ‘I’m networking! Life didn’t stop when I ran away.’
‘You ran away from me,’ Rob corrected her. ‘I gave you everything! A ring! A future! A subscription to the Waitrose Wine Cellar!’
Theo’s eyebrows shot up.
‘And all the while,’ Rob continued, apparently just warming up, ‘you were sneaking around with Clock Boy like some sort of…’
‘Don’t,’ Pippa warned.
‘…horological hussy!’
Theo choked. ‘Did he just…’
‘I did not sneak around,’ Pippa snapped. ‘And stop calling him that!’
‘We had a plan, Pip,’ Rob said, his voice cracking slightly now. ‘A house. Holidays. Kids. A life. You don’t just walk away from that.’
She swallowed. ‘Rob, you never really saw me. You thought debating was arguing. You rolled your eyes when I got excited about clock mechanisms. You made me feel like I was too much, when really I was already shrinking to fit your idea of what I should be.’
Theo shifted beside her, close enough to be quietly supportive without intruding.
Rob stared at her through the screen. ‘So this isn’t about him?’
‘No,’ she said gently. ‘It’s about me. And the fact that we never quite fit.’
There was a long pause, the silence broken only by the soft sound of waves crashing somewhere behind them.
‘Please, Pip, can we talk some more? This can’t be the end.’
‘Look, I’m currently in the street, trying to get out of the rain. I’ll ring you back later on.’ She hung up and the screen went dark.
‘I’m so sorry about that,’ she said, glancing at Theo.
‘You probably do need a proper conversation with him.’
‘I know. Ultimately, he is a good guy; he’s just not my guy.’ She smiled. ‘Did he really call me a horological hussy?’
‘He did,’ Theo confirmed, grinning. ‘With confidence.’
She laughed despite herself, brushing wet hair off her face. ‘Good to know what he really thinks of me. Let’s go back to the cottage,’ she murmured. ‘We’re soaked.’
They started walking again, falling into an easy rhythm, shoulders brushing now and then. The silence between them felt comfortable.
For the first time in ages, her thoughts weren’t stuck on what she’d left behind.
They were on what she might be walking towards.