Chapter 7
SEVEN
That evening, walking into Giles’s house, with the hum of chatter floating from the garden, I’m filled with an apprehension I hadn’t expected to feel.
Even with Leo clutching my hand, I can’t shift the feeling that we shouldn’t have come here.
There’s supposed to be safety in numbers, yet I feel even more on edge being around the neighbours.
‘Ria! Leo! Welcome,’ Giles says, leaning down to stroke Willow. ‘I hope she’s been good.’ He gestures us inside and closes the door.
‘Perfect company,’ I say, handing him Willow’s lead. ‘Oh, I’ve just realised I didn’t bring her things back.’
‘Not a problem. They were spares.’ He lets Willow off her lead, and she bounds upstairs. ‘She must be tired out,’ he says. ‘I saw you take her for a walk earlier. You were gone for a couple of hours.’
It unsettles me that Giles was keeping tabs on me, but I force a smile.
‘Well, everyone’s outside already,’ he continues. ‘Come on through.’
‘It’s my fault we’re late,’ Leo says. ‘I got held up at work. Apologies, Giles.’
‘Not a problem, Leo,’ Giles says. ‘I’ve only just fired up the barbecue.
’ He lowers his voice. ‘Actually, that’s a little white lie – I have a catering company taking care of the food so I can spend time socialising.
This is an important annual event in Silverleaf that I started last year.
I think things like this are vital to help us all feel part of a community.
’ He drapes his arm across Leo’s shoulder.
‘Plus, no point having money if you don’t spend it, is there? ’ He laughs.
Leo laughs, too, but I can tell my husband’s is forced – Leo might want this lifestyle, but splashing money around will never sit right with him. No matter how much he earns, inside he can’t let go of that poverty-stricken boy.
Out in the garden, under blistering late-evening heat, music plays softly from an outdoor speaker I can’t see. Knowing Giles, it’s been made specially to blend into his greenery.
Eleanor sits next to Rufus on one of the immaculate garden sofas, neither of them speaking; instead, they watch everyone, taking it all in.
Our eyes meet and she looks away, taking a long sip from her wine glass.
I contemplate joining her – I still haven’t asked her about my sketch – but I’ve promised Leo that tonight I won’t bring up anything about the woman.
‘Ria!’
I turn around, and Georgia is making her way to me, raising her glass as she does so. She’s wearing a light-green strappy dress that’s longer at the back, and beige ballet pumps. She seems unsteady on her feet, and I wonder how she could be tipsy when the barbecue only started half an hour ago.
‘Hey,’ she says, placing her arm around me and sloshing wine over my dress in the process. ‘Oh gosh, I’m so sorry, Ria!’
‘Don’t worry, it’s dark blue – it’s fine. And it will dry in this heat. At least that’s not red wine you’re drinking. Are you okay, Georgia?’ I don’t add that she seems manic.
‘Oh, yeah.’ She glances at Patrick, who is hovering near the barbecue with Declan, neither of them smiling.
‘Is Patrick all right?’ I ask, nodding my head towards him.
He gives a brief smile then begins examining the barbecue.
‘He’s grand, yeah,’ Georgia says. ‘He’s just trying to convince Declan to stay. It was hard enough getting him to come in the first place. Patrick had to resort to bribery in the end and promise Declan he could have my car all weekend.’
‘Why didn’t he want to come?’ I ask.
Georgia rolls her eyes. ‘Oh, it’s not really Declan’s kind of thing. He’s a young man – he’d much rather be hanging out with his friends than his boring old neighbours. Sorry, I don’t mean you. I just mean we’re all much older than him.’
‘That’s true.’
Georgia’s smile fades. ‘But when Giles invites you to his barbecue, you come,’ she says.
‘Even Patrick knows that, and he’s not the most sociable man.
He and I are very different. I’m sure you’ve noticed that.
’ She sighs. ‘I guess that’s why our marriage works.
He lets me do all the talking and I’m happy with his silence.
’ She laughs. ‘A match made in heaven!’ She glances at her husband.
‘Actually, have you even met Patrick?’ She doesn’t wait for an answer, but grabs my arm and leads me over to where he and Declan hover by the barbecue, standing silently with their drinks.
‘Honey,’ she says when we reach them. ‘You should be mingling. Chatting to people. I don’t think you’ve met Ria properly, so I’m introducing you now.’
Patrick hesitates for a moment, as if he’s not sure what to say, then he holds out his hand. ‘Nice to meet you, Ria,’ he says, narrowing his eyes. ‘I’ve heard a lot about you.’
Georgia nudges him.
‘And this is my handsome son, Declan,’ Georgia says, patting his shoulder.
‘Mum,’ Declan protests. ‘We’ve already met.’
‘Oh, yes,’ Georgia says. ‘Outside our house. Well, no harm saying hello, is there?’
‘Hello, Ria,’ Declan says, offering an awkward smile.
‘I need another drink,’ Patrick says, heading towards the kitchen. ‘Anyone want one?’
Georgia glares at him. ‘Maybe you should slow down? That’s your third, and it’s not even eight.’
‘What, so you’re keeping tabs on me now, eh? What’s the world come to when a man can’t enjoy a few drinks on a Friday evening?’ He notices I don’t have a drink in my hand and asks what I’m having.
‘I’ll get something in a bit,’ I say.
‘Grand.’ Patrick heads to the kitchen, shaking his head.
‘Sorry about my husband’s rudeness,’ Georgia says, her cheeks reddening. ‘Please excuse me.’ She rushes after Patrick, leaving me alone with Declan. I glance around, and everyone is engrossed in conversation, even Leo, who is nodding enthusiastically at something Xander is saying.
Declan shrugs and takes a swig of his beer.
‘Your mum said you’d rather not be here,’ I venture. ‘Can’t say I blame you.’
He nods. ‘Not my thing.’
‘And your dad. I’m guessing he doesn’t like socialising?’
Declan frowns, as if he’s trying to work out why I’m asking him all this. ‘That’s what drink does,’ he says, after a moment. ‘It makes my dad not even realise he’s being—’ He stops short, as if he’s only just realised he’s oversharing. But this is just what I need him to do.
‘I get what it’s like to live with someone who drinks too much. An ex of mine used to. It destroyed our relationship.’
Declan glances at Leo, then back at me. ‘Yeah, it kind of sucks.’
‘People don’t change,’ I say. ‘Unless they really want to. Maybe your dad—’
‘No, he’ll never change. Mum thought coming here would be a fresh start for us – as if he’d magically stop drinking.’ He shakes his head. ‘I feel sad for her. She’s trying her best. But she’ll never admit she’s fighting a losing battle.’
I look past Declan, into the kitchen, where Georgia is shaking her head at Patrick, while he points his finger at her then flaps his arms and storms back into the garden. ‘I’m sorry,’ I say.
‘That’s their issue to sort out. I don’t have time for it.’ He takes a swig of beer. ‘See this.’ He points to the label. ‘Zero per cent. It’s non-alcoholic. No way I’m ending up like my dad.’
I smile. ‘Well, I’ll leave you to your . . .’
‘Solitude? Yeah, Mum kind of forced me to come. She said we all have to be here, otherwise it’s an insult to the great Giles Barton. I mean, who made him ruler and king?’ Declan glances over to Giles, who is gesticulating wildly at something one of the caterers is saying.
‘He seems really nice,’ I venture, waiting for the pushback. I’ve only just met Georgia’s son, but clearly he doesn’t hold back from speaking his mind.
‘Yeah, he is. That’s what makes me wary of him. When people are too nice, you have to wonder what they’re hiding.’ He drinks more beer. ‘Mum says I’m just sceptical, but I call it self-preservation.’
‘Can I ask you something?’
He smiles. ‘Only if you’re prepared to hear the truth.’
My promise to Leo sits heavily in my mind, unwilling to be pushed away. ‘Yes, that’s exactly what I want,’ I say. ‘The truth. Okay. What are people round here saying about me?’
‘You mean since you saw a woman being strangled on our green?’
I stare at him.
‘Sorry. Like I said, you’ll always hear the truth from this mouth.’ He gestures to his lips. He looks around. ‘Let’s move over there. Nobody here wants to talk about that.’
I follow him to the empty seating area at the back of Giles’s garden. ‘So what is it they’re saying about me?’
‘They’re just worried. Because of what happened to you. They think it might have made you . . . I don’t know – paranoid or something.’ He shrugs. ‘Sorry.’
‘Don’t be. I already suspected that.’
‘People round here don’t want to talk about anything that isn’t perfect,’ Declan says.
‘Only roses and fluffy stuff. That kind of thing. It’s as if they think by ignoring negative stuff, nothing bad will be able to touch them.
’ Declan snorts. ‘How na?ve is that? And these are all intelligent adults.’
‘Fear paralyses people,’ I say.
He turns to me. ‘Fear of this facade crashing down?’ He snorts. ‘I can’t wait to leave this place. It’s stifling. And there are people out there with real problems.’
Georgia makes her way to us before I can answer. ‘What have I missed?’ she asks, sitting on the teak sun-lounger next to Declan.
I feel sorry for her and, after what Declan’s said, I’m not surprised that she’s making no mention of what just happened with Patrick.
She pats her son’s shoulder. ‘If this one has been harping on about the state of politics in the UK, then he needs to apologise, too. Declan, save it for when you’re a hotshot lawyer. Nobody here—’
‘He wasn’t at all,’ I say. ‘Declan was just telling me how university’s going.’
Georgia beams. ‘Well, we’re very proud of him. Anyway, it’s time to mingle, Declan.’ She ushers him off. ‘Go and talk to Xander, see if you can get a word in.’ She laughs.
Declan stands, and I notice his expression change, his eyes hardening as he glances at Xander.