Chapter 10
Though Will and the band had done their best to persuade her to go to the concert with them, she had refused, opting instead to have a quiet night in by herself.
If Tina hadn’t been around she’d have jumped at the chance to join them, but the thought of spending an entire evening in her company was more than Kate could bear.
She couldn’t relax around Tina, who seemed to go out of her way to make her feel like a fifth wheel, a terminally uncool hanger-on.
Besides, she was looking forward to a deliciously self-indulgent evening.
She would play with her purchases, take a long, luxurious bath, eat supper on her lap in front of the TV and have a long-overdue early night.
It was lovely being able to watch trashy TV like Celebrity Cell Block without Brian making faces.
Thinking of Brian, she realised that a phone call to him was also long overdue.
She’d ring him tonight. It was a good thing she’d managed to take in the frescos, even if it was an afterthought – at least it would give her something cultural to tell him and he wouldn’t think she was a complete philistine – or, worse, that she had become a slave to Mammon.
She could talk up the frescoes and play down the shopping.
Unfortunately, he was too high-minded to want to listen to scurrilous gossip about celebrities, which was a pity because she had loads to tell.
Besides, she was dying for a bitch and, with everyone out of the house, it would have been the perfect opportunity to let off steam about Tina and her friends. Maybe she’d ring Freddie first…
She arrived home at about seven. Expecting to find the house empty, she sailed into the living room, prepared to drop her bags, kick off her shoes and flop onto one of the couches.
She was taken aback to find Tina draped sulkily on one of them, flanked by two of her friends, bitching about something.
They were all stunningly beautiful and dressed to the nines, but Kate was reminded of the three witches in Macbeth.
Tina looked up as Kate came in, then resumed her conversation as if she wasn’t there.
‘I’m not being selfish, am I?’ she was saying in a low voice to Julie, a blonde, baby-faced waif.
‘No, of course not,’ Julie purred soothingly. ‘You’ve been looking forward to this for ages. Naturally you’re disappointed.’
‘If anything, he’s the one who’s being selfish,’ Gwen, an angular redhead with endless legs and cheekbones that could have cut diamonds, chimed in supportively. ‘He knows how much this means to you.’
‘It’s just my luck,’ Tina huffed. ‘Why do these things always happen to me?’
‘Why do bad things ever happen to good people?’ Gwen asked philosophically.
Kate’s first instinct was to make for the kitchen but, as they had seen her come in, she felt that would be rude. So she decided to tough it out and determinedly threw herself onto the couch opposite, greeting them with a cheery ‘hi.’
Tina looked at her as if the cat had spoken. Kate’s spirits sank. Faced with the clannish hostility of Tina and her mates, she felt suddenly lonely for a friend. If only Freddie was here for a post-shopping show-and-tell and an evening of giggly gossip and bitching over a bottle of wine.
‘You’ve been shopping?’ Julie enquired, nodding to Kate’s bags.
‘Yes. I got a bit carried away.’ Kate smiled ruefully.
‘Oh, the shops here are just to die for, aren’t they?’ Julie wrinkled her nose conspiratorially. ‘I love that place – their stuff’s amazing,’ she said, pointing to a bag from a trendy designer shop.
‘Let’s see what you got,’ Gwen said brightly, with a pop-eyed expression of enthusiasm and an inane smile. She might have been speaking to a three-year-old.
Reluctantly, Kate obeyed, pulling out a beautiful silk dress in a bold, richly coloured print.
‘Oh, that’s gorgeous,’ Gwen gushed, fingering the material.
‘It’s really sweet, isn’t it?’ Julie consulted Tina.
Tina eyed the dress sceptically. ‘I didn’t know they did plus sizes,’ she said.
‘Oh, you’re not a plus size, are you, Kate?’ Julie said kindly. ‘It’s only – what? – a twelve?’
‘A fourteen,’ Kate blushed.
‘Well, fourteen isn’t a plus size, is it?
’ Julie cooed. ‘Except in modelling, of course.’ She rolled her eyes.
‘Size twelve’s a plus size for us, isn’t it?
’ she said to Tina and Gwen. ‘Which is completely ridiculous. A friend of mine – remember Carla?’ she asked Gwen, ‘she’s a size 12 now and she can only get outsize work. ’
‘But she looks amazing!’ Gwen enthused.
‘Oh yes,’ Julie hastened to assure Kate. ‘Fantastic.’
‘I wish I had a figure like that,’ Gwen said.
‘No, you don’t,’ Tina said witheringly.
‘Well, no,’ Gwen admitted, with a laugh, ‘but that’s just because I’d be out of a job.’
Kate couldn’t decide which was worse: Tina’s open hostility or her friends’ being-kind-to-lesser-mortals condescension.
‘When are you all off to the concert?’ she asked, hoping she didn’t sound too eager. ‘I thought you’d be gone by now.’
‘We should be,’ Gwen said gloomily. ‘The guys left ages ago. Except Rory – he’s waiting for us.’
‘So, what’s the matter?’ Kate asked, against her better judgment.
‘Will won’t take us,’ Julie explained, glancing warily at Tina. ‘We’re waiting for him to arrange a car for us.’
‘It’s ridiculous,’ Tina spat sulkily. ‘I don’t see why he won’t let me drive his. Just because he’s not going, there’s no reason why I can’t enjoy myself.’
‘Well, he probably knows you’ll want to have a drink,’ Gwen suggested diplomatically.
‘Will isn’t going?’ Kate asked, surprised. ‘Why not?’
‘Because his father died,’ Tina snapped waspishly, as if Kate ought to have known.
‘What?’ Kate gasped in shock. ‘His father? But – but he can’t have,’ she stammered.
‘Well, no one told him that apparently,’ Tina drawled, clearly relishing the impact of her words. ‘Because he did.’
‘He’s dead?’ Kate couldn’t take it in.
‘Yes,’ Julie nodded. ‘It was very sudden, apparently.’
‘A heart attack,’ Gwen added solemnly.
‘Oh my God!’ She surveyed the three of them. Through the doors to the terrace she saw Rory sitting by the pool listening to music on his phone, eyes closed, face upturned to the fading evening sun. ‘Where’s Will?’ she asked.
‘Up in his room, having a hissy fit.’ Tina raised her eyes to heaven.
‘Isn’t anybody with him?’
‘No, and if you’re planning on offering tea and sympathy, I wouldn’t, if I were you,’ Tina said. ‘I tried to talk to him and he threw a vase at me.’
Kate was astonished, but Tina appeared unscathed.
‘He missed,’ she said grudgingly. ‘But it was a huge bloody thing and it smashed to pieces against the wall. He could have done serious damage.’
‘He could have taken your eye out.’ Gwen shook her head reprovingly.
‘It could have been the end of my career.’
‘You were really lucky,’ Julie murmured.
‘He was lucky!’
Kate didn’t wait to hear any more. She left Tina wallowing in her grievances and made for the stairs.
‘You could have him for assault!’ she heard Julie say.
‘I’ve a good mind to. And all I said was—’
Kate was at the foot of the stairs but turned back and marched up to Tina. ‘What did you say?’ she demanded, forgetting to be intimidated by her.
Tina regarded her coldly. ‘I just said I didn’t see why he was making such a fuss. Will hated his father when he was alive. He’s just being a hypocrite, playing the drama queen now that he’s dead.’
‘You said that to him?’
‘Oh come on, it’s the truth – you know it as well as I do. He wouldn’t give the man the time of day when he was alive so it’s a bit late to be playing the dutiful son now, don’t you think?’
‘I’m not surprised he threw a vase at you.’
‘He lost it because he knows it’s true,’ Tina snapped. ‘Everyone knows he hated his father.’
‘God, you’re so stupid!’ Kate said scornfully, turned on her heel and made for the stairs.
As she approached the door of Will’s room, Kate started to lose her nerve.
She wasn’t any good at this sort of thing – she never knew what to say or if it was better to say nothing.
She wished Lorcan was there. Still, worrying about feeling shy and awkward at a time like this was selfish.
She should think of Will and what he must be going through.
She knocked timidly on the door of his room. When there was no reply, she pushed it open tentatively.
‘Who is it?’ Will was sitting on the bed.
‘Just me,’ she said apologetically.
At the sound of her voice, Will’s body relaxed and his features softened. She took in the lines of strain in his face.
‘Kate.’ He stood up, plunging his hands deep into his pockets. ‘What can I do for you?’ he asked. It broke Kate’s heart that he even mustered a weak smile.
‘Nothing!’ She was appalled that he thought she was coming to him with some problem.
He was looking at her expectantly.
She took a deep breath. ‘Will, I’m so sorry about your father,’ she said softly. ‘I’ve just heard.’
Will pressed a fist to his mouth and swallowed hard. His face crumpled and a muscle twitched in his cheek.
‘Come in.’ He frowned when he had regained his composure as Kate hovered in the doorway. ‘Don’t worry, I won’t throw any vases at you.’
As she moved into the room, Kate’s eye was caught by the huge blue vase that lay shattered in the corner.
‘I could have hit her if I’d wanted to,’ Will said, following her gaze. ‘I didn’t throw it anywhere near her.’
‘I’m surprised you didn’t want to. I heard what she said.’
‘I suppose she’s making the most of it?’
‘Yes,’ Kate said. ‘She’s downstairs telling her coven what a brute you are.’
‘Probably wondering how best to spin it to the papers. I think she’d be happier if I hadn’t missed – it would have made a better story.’
‘Mmm. I did get the impression she was a bit miffed not to have any scars.’
‘Well, the night is young,’ Will said grimly.