Читать книгу All the Little Lies - Chris Curran - Страница 20

As she walked slowly along the damp pavement Eve was thinking hard. One thing was certain: Pamela had been lying.

Eve hadn’t mentioned the young artists’ show, yet Pamela had known Stella and Maggie were part of that. Of course, if her husband had been unfaithful to her with one or both of them she wouldn’t want to be reminded.

Just ahead was a coffee shop, its lights shining onto the pavement, and Eve was suddenly overwhelmed with exhaustion. It was busy, but she found a table in a warm corner and ordered hot chocolate and a falafel wrap. Her seat was comfortable and she leaned back almost in danger of falling asleep.

‘Excuse me, is this place free?’ She nodded absent-mindedly as the man sat opposite. Then she did a double-take. He was almost identical to the early photographs she had seen of Ben. This had to be his son. He gave a little laugh.

‘Don’t worry, I’m not trying to pick you up. I’m Simon Houghton and I was at the house to see my dad just now and overheard you talking to Mum. I’m ashamed to say I stayed on the landing and listened.’ Another laugh, soft and pleasant.

Like Ben he was dark and very good-looking, but this man seemed diffident, even shy, which didn’t fit the image she had formed of his father.

‘I was asking about my mother, Stella Carr, and her friend, Maggie de Santis.’

He regarded her silently for a moment. She knew she was flushing and was glad when the waitress arrived bringing her order. Simon asked for a coffee then turned to Eve again, shaking his head this time.

‘I can’t get over how much you resemble her.’

A heavy thump inside. Not from the baby, but her own heart. ‘You knew my mother?’

‘Hardly. I mean I was only fourteen at the time, but I saw her at the gallery because they let me come to that show. And then a few times afterwards. She was so pretty, I suppose I had a crush on her.’

Eve was glad she could fiddle with her food: pushing in a few bits of salad that poked from the end of the wrap. She knew she had gone pink. It was ridiculous. He was talking about fancying her mother not her and that was when he was a boy.

‘Your mother says she can’t remember Stella or Maggie.’

‘That’s not surprising. Maggie was one of Dad’s many affairs, which didn’t endear her to Mum.’

‘So do you have any idea how I can find her?’

He shook his head. ‘I’m sorry, I don’t, and it’s not likely Dad will either.’

‘I was hoping she could tell me more about my mother.’ She paused for a moment, but his smile told her to go on. ‘Thought she might even know who my father was.’

He nodded. His eyes looked brighter blue than his mother’s perhaps because of his dark lashes. ‘I could tell you that knowing all about your biological parents isn’t as wonderful as you might think and whatever you do find is likely to be very disappointing. But I don’t suppose that would convince you?’

It was impossible not to echo his laugh. ‘It wouldn’t. But I’m not after anything lifechanging. My adoptive parents are wonderful, and I know my birth mother is dead. All I want is to find out what I can. I feel I owe it to my baby too.’ It was very easy to talk to him.

‘I can understand that and I could try and get something out of my dad if you like.’ He took out a business card and wrote on the back. ‘These are my work and personal contact details.’ He handed her the pen and another card. ‘Put yours on there and I’ll get back to you if I find out anything.’

Her food was virtually untouched and she wrapped it in a paper napkin. She needed to get home in case Alex arrived early again. And it wouldn’t do to meet him on the train.

Simon said he was heading for the tube station too. It had stopped raining and Eve was still so tired she couldn’t walk fast, but Simon matched his pace to hers without comment. They needed to travel in different directions, so stopped by the station barriers. As they stood rather awkwardly to say goodbye Simon suddenly reached out and took both her gloved hands in his.

‘Good luck. I’ll be in touch if I find anything that might help you.’ A lopsided smile and one raised eyebrow. ‘I notice you haven’t mentioned the elephant in the room.’

He let her hands drop, but carried on looking at her with that quizzical smile.

She said, ‘You mean your father may have had an affair with Stella as well as Maggie?’

‘Precisely, my dear Watson. And of course what follows from that. The fact that I could be your brother.’