Chapter 17 #2
Alex held out his arms for the box containing the cake. ‘Here, Corrine, let me take that from you. Must be heavy. Don’t worry,’ he added, turning to Zoe now, ‘I’ll take a few photos of it in the kitchen. So tea for everyone? Billie?’
‘I’ll help,’ Corrine said without leaving a gap for Billie’s reply. But then, in Corrine’s mind, someone refusing a cup of tea was as likely as an alien invasion. ‘And I’ll put those flowers in some water for you, as Billie’s got her hands full.’
‘I can—’ Zoe began, but Corrine shook her head. ‘You’ve got your hands full too. I can manage.’
While they both left the room, Victor went to take a closer look at Louisa and chuckled. ‘She’s a looker, isn’t she? Bonny as the morning.’
‘She’s gorgeous,’ Zoe agreed. ‘I can’t stop looking at her.’
Billie gazed down at her daughter, but she didn’t acknowledge the praise. She didn’t even seem to have noticed it.
‘By the way’ – Victor looked up at Zoe – ‘I’ve had a payment into my bank from you.
Not sure how I’m meant to send it back to your bank; I’m not very good at this internet business.
I’ll get it back to you, lass, but you might have to wait until I can get into town.
Unless you want me to write a cheque… if I can find my old chequebook, that is…
I thought you might have stopped the payments by now…
’ He scratched at his beard. ‘I suppose you’ve been busy, though, haven’t you? ’
Zoe frowned. ‘I said I’d carry on paying rent to make up for what was left on the lease because I moved out early. You remember? Because I didn’t want to leave you without the money while you tried to find a new tenant… Wait! You’ve never found someone to take on Kestrel Cottage already?’
Victor looked even more puzzled than she had. ‘I thought you of all people would have known. Haven’t you spoken to him?’
‘Who?’
‘Your dad. He paid the deposit yesterday. You knew, didn’t you?’
‘Knew what?’ Zoe asked. She could guess what the answer was, despite asking the question, but she couldn’t quite believe it would be true.
‘Your dad’s taken Kestrel. I’m surprised you don’t know; I’d have thought… sorry, love. I hope I haven’t put my foot in it and said something I wasn’t supposed to.’
Victor’s apology drifted across her awareness.
She was distracted by his words. Had she heard him correctly?
Her dad was renting Kestrel Cottage? What on earth was going on?
He had a perfectly good house in Manchester, so why would he do that?
And it was so sudden. He’d never expressed a single sentiment that had suggested he wanted to relocate.
At this, Billie seemed to reanimate. ‘What’s that?’ she asked Zoe. ‘Your dad? He’s coming to live in your old house?’
‘I should think so,’ Victor said. ‘As he’s paying the rent now. He hasn’t given me a date to move in, but that’s his business.’
‘What did he say to you?’ Zoe asked.
‘Just wanted to know if it was available and if it was, could he take it on.’
‘For the remainder of my lease, or…?’ Zoe wondered if perhaps her dad was simply planning a very long getaway.
It was the only explanation that made sense.
Because of Chantal’s pregnancy they’d decided not to go on a foreign honeymoon, so…
that had to be it, didn’t it? Yes, the stay at Kestrel was sort of their honeymoon.
It still didn’t make sense. The more she considered it, the more unlikely it seemed, but she couldn’t think of anything else.
‘He’s renegotiated a new one with me,’ Victor said, breaking into her thoughts.
‘Says he’s planning to stay. Saw what the village was like, and him and the missus said that’s where we want to bring up our bairn.
Can’t say I blame them – good clean air, plenty of space to run about and play…
why would anyone bring up a baby anywhere else? ’
‘So I suppose you’ll be Chantal’s midwife too,’ Billie said. Her tone was suddenly shrewd.
It was hard to know how to feel about it, but it would take time to unpack. Zoe already knew Alex would have thoughts and she’d value them, but discussing it with him would have to wait too. For now, she forced a bright smile.
‘Well, there’s a turn-up for the books. I’ll have to phone him later to see what his plans are. Perhaps he thought he’d surprise me.’
‘Looks like he did that all right,’ Billie said under her breath.
Zoe heard but chose to let it slide. ‘He’s been saying how they’d fallen in love with Thimblebury, so I suppose they’ve decided life’s too short.’
‘Lucky you moved out when you did,’ Victor said. ‘For him, I mean. If he’s half as good a tenant as you were, then Corrine and me will be chuffed. It’s a relief to have someone in there who isn’t a complete unknown. You hear all these horror stories, don’t you?’
Zoe nodded. ‘I’m sure it must be.’
‘Good to have him close by too, I would imagine,’ he continued.
‘Absolutely.’
To a point, Zoe had to admit it would be nice to have her dad closer, but she dreaded the conflict that would inevitably ensue as soon as her mother found out. And there was no way she could avoid being sucked into it.
Alex returned from the kitchen with Corrine.
She was carrying a tray full of cups and a teapot – which Alex rarely used and had probably been forced to hunt the cupboards for.
Although outwardly he was wearing a blandly pleasant expression, Zoe could see the signs of some alarm.
It was likely only Zoe and Billie who could tell, and Zoe wondered if Corrine had just broken the same news to him as Victor had to Zoe.
It was a fairly safe bet, and would explain why he didn’t seem to know what to do or say.
Corrine put the tray down, and Alex set a plate of sliced fruitcake next to it before standing up, rubbing at his neck as he watched Zoe carefully.
Corrine didn’t wait to be asked – she began pouring tea as if it had always been her patriotic duty; meanwhile Victor didn’t ask if he could swoop on the cake either.
‘Zoe…’ Alex began. ‘Have you…? Did Vic…? Has your dad said…?’
‘About moving into Kestrel Cottage?’ she asked. ‘No, I’m just hearing all about it.’
‘It’s lovely news…’ Corrine offered Zoe a cup. ‘We weren’t sure who we’d get in, so it’s a relief for us. A bit sudden, isn’t it? Not that I’m complaining.’
‘That’s Dad.’ Zoe tried to keep the irony from her voice. ‘Always surprising us. You never know what he’s going to do next.’
Alex shot her the briefest look of sympathy.
It was appreciated, but she decided then and there she wasn’t going to dwell on what she couldn’t control.
The only thing she could do was try to find some positives in the situation.
There were many, if she tried hard enough to see them.
It was her dad, after all, and she loved him, and why wouldn’t she want him around?
She ought to be glad because when her parents had first split, she’d felt him become distant, spending all his time with Chantal.
Now he wanted to be where she was, and that had to be good.
She only had to look around this room to see how full her cup was, and having her dad move into Kestrel Cottage could only make things better.
She pushed a smile across her face, forcing herself to feel it. Yes, she was going to be glad about this or die trying.