Читать книгу The Affair: The shocking, gripping story of a schoolgirl and a scandal - Amanda Brooke, Amanda Brooke - Страница 23

Nina loved her husband and that love ought to be absolute, with no doubts and no uncertainties. It didn’t make sense that her skin should crawl as she looked at the man standing in the kitchen doorway. She had felt a similar sensation the day before when Bryn had tried to comfort her, reacting as if he were a stranger or, worse still, a threat. Her ears had strained each time he had gone upstairs. At one point she had thought she heard him go into Scarlett’s room and she had crept to the bottom of the stairs to listen. When Bryn had come out of the bathroom and caught her, she had given him a spurious excuse about trying to work out if Liam had got up, but she wasn’t sure he had believed her.

How had she failed as a parent so badly? She had assumed that, by giving her children more freedom, they could establish their independence, and if they made mistakes, they would learn from them. Now it would seem that the mistakes that had been made weren’t all of her children’s making, and there were some harsh lessons ahead for all of them.

Bryn was watching her intently as if he could read the thoughts turning in her mind on an endless reel of regret and recrimination.

‘Are you going to keep Scarlett off school too?’

Nina reached out for her cup of coffee in search of comfort, but it was stone cold. ‘No, definitely not. I have a feeling she’s going to miss enough school as it is.’

Bryn was about to ask a follow-up question, but decided against it. He picked up her mug. ‘Do you want a fresh one?’

‘You can go back to bed if you want, I’ll see to the kids this morning.’

Her husband scratched his head and ruffled his hair. Even half-asleep in nothing but a crumpled T-shirt and boxer shorts, Bryn was an attractive man. ‘I’m up now,’ he said, ‘and I don’t think I could sleep if I tried.’

‘I don’t know how long I can go on without answers,’ she said as he turned away to fill the kettle. ‘It’s eating me up inside, Bryn. You would tell me if you knew something, wouldn’t you? You and Scarlett talk.’

Bryn stopped what he was doing and, for a second, he didn’t move or say anything. His movements were precise as he placed the kettle down on the countertop without switching it on. His mouth was open as he turned towards her, but he was struggling to find the words. He knew. He knew what she was suggesting. She could see his chest rising and falling as his breathing became more rapid. ‘Yes, we get on well,’ he said.

Nina wished he hadn’t taken away her coffee cup; her mouth was dry and her lips stuck to her teeth when she said, ‘I’m struggling to understand how this happened.’

Bryn nodded. ‘Me too.’

When Liam sailed into the kitchen, he didn’t at first pick up on the atmosphere. He dumped his backpack on the floor before heading to the fridge where he swigged orange juice straight from the carton. Wiping his mouth, he turned and that was when he noticed his mum sitting at the breakfast bar.

‘What are you still doing here?’

‘I’m not going into work today.’

‘Oh, right,’ he said.

Liam had so far remained on the outer edges of the family skirmish. He had looked genuinely shocked the day before when he had risen from his pit nursing a hangover and Nina had told him that his sister was pregnant. She had known before she questioned him that he could offer no further insight into Scarlett’s secret life. They were hard pressed to share a bathroom, they would hardly share secrets. But Liam knew someone who would.

‘Will you speak to Eva for me?’ she asked.

Nina watched her son squirm. This was not a conversation he wanted to have. ‘Mum, I already have. Sorry.’

‘And you’re sure you can’t think of anything – anything that might hint at who Scarlett’s been involved with?’

She had heard a muffled argument between Liam and Scarlett the night before. He had gone into her room and whatever passed between them was over in a matter of minutes, concluded by the slamming of bedroom doors.

‘I’m meeting Eva before school. I’ll try again,’ he said.

‘And Linus. She says it’s not him, but it’s possible that she’s made up this story about a married man to protect him.’

‘Whatever she’s up to,’ Liam said, ‘I’m pretty sure it’s not with Linus.’

‘I’m not afraid to hear the truth, Liam. Do you understand?’

Liam gave a shrug as he grabbed a handful of biscuits and left the house. He hadn’t understood what she was getting at and maybe that was a good thing. Bryn, however, knew exactly what she had been implying.

‘Why haven’t you gone to work, Nina?’ he asked after they heard Liam closing the front door.