Читать книгу A Family Secret: No. 1 Bestseller of family drama - Josephine Cox - Страница 10

EILEEN PRIMPED HER perm with the large-tooth comb then patted her bubbly new hairstyle in place. She put the comb on the hotel bedroom dressing table and, peering into the looking-glass, applied a slick of coral lipstick.

‘Will I do?’ she asked Tony.

Tony heaved himself out of the armchair and came closer to admire his wife. She’d kept her slim figure and always made an effort to look good, but over the last twenty years her face had grown sharper, the line of her mouth disappointed. Not that he was looking so dapper himself these days, what with the extra weight and the thinning hair. Once she’d told him he was love’s young dream – that seemed a long time ago. He knew the lines of disappointment on Eileen’s once-pretty face were there because of him.

‘As proud to have you on my arm as always. You’d give any of those dolly birds on the beach a run for their money.’

‘Even though I’m old enough to be their grandma?’

‘To me you look as good as the day I married you.’ Tony beamed at her, pleased to make her happy this evening. ‘I’ve booked our favourite restaurant on the Promenade for seven o’clock.’

‘Oh, Tony, you are spoiling me. We’ve had such a lovely holiday that I shan’t want to go home.’

‘Me neither, love.’ For a moment he looked stricken, an expression on his face that Eileen had seen a few times over the last few days.

‘Tony, you are all right, aren’t you?’ she asked.

Tony was looking distinctly uncomfortable now. ‘It’s just that … well … I’ve had a letter.’

‘Bad news? It’s nothing to do with Beth or her brother, is it? I’ve never liked that fella she’s married to and it wouldn’t surprise me if he doesn’t treat her right. I know she’s only a friend and I should mind my own business, but she’s such a lovely girl and I’ve grown that fond of her I feel that she is my business, if you know what I mean?’

‘No, it’s nothing to do with Beth or Ronnie.’

‘Then what? Come on, Tony, I’m dying of suspense.’

‘If you’d just let me say—’

‘What?’

‘Marie. It’s Marie who’s written to me. She’s asked to see us and she’s coming here.’

‘What? Now? Marie’s coming out to dinner with us?’

‘Course not, love. No, she wrote last week asking to meet us. Suggested tomorrow, as it happens. She knows we’re here for our annual holiday and she … she just thought that after all the happy times we had together it would be a nice place to meet up – sort of neutral ground.’

‘Well she knows she’d never be welcome at our home again, not after what she did. I really don’t want to set eyes on her again. But why follow us here? The cheek of the woman, writing to you—’

Tony reached out and took Eileen’s hand as her voice became shrill and her face darkened with anger. ‘Listen, love, it was my fault as much as hers – possibly more. You’ve forgiven me –’ forgiven but not forgotten, he might have added – ‘and maybe she wants to try to put things right, to be friends again. And I suppose over the years we had so many lively, lovely holidays up in Blackpool she felt it would be easier here than home? Marie’s not getting any younger either; perhaps she’s the one who’s not well. I think we should meet her and hear her out.’

‘Oh, do you indeed!’

Eileen turned away and was silent for so long that Tony looked at his watch, thinking of the restaurant reservation. He silently berated himself for tackling the subject of Marie and her letter only now. He’d thought the prospect of an evening out would have offset the news he had to break to Eileen. Of course, this wasn’t the first time he’d totally misjudged the situation, he reflected ruefully.

When Eileen turned back Tony was not entirely comforted by the expression on her face, though her words could be interpreted as conciliatory.

‘All right, we’ll see her. Let’s hear what she has to say after all this time.’

‘Thank you, love. That’s very generous of you. She said she’d meet us late morning, at the Blue Bench. But actually, she said she’d be staying here tonight.’

‘Good grief, it gets worse! Why on earth …?’

‘I don’t know, Eileen. Maybe she didn’t want to miss us if I’d said no to the meeting or if we didn’t show.’

‘Sounds a bit desperate to me.’

‘Aye, well, I think you’re right there, love, but let’s just see what she has to say, eh?’

Eileen sighed heavily. ‘All right, Tony. Whatever you want.’

‘Good girl.’ He kissed her cheek, glanced again at his watch and started to gather his loose change into his pocket. ‘Time we were off. We might be a few minutes late, even.’

‘You go down, Tony, and perhaps you’d better phone the restaurant from the foyer to say we’re running late while I check I’ve got what I need in my handbag.’

As soon as Tony had closed the door behind him Eileen grabbed a sheet of the hotel stationery and quickly wrote a few words. Then she took one of the smart blue envelopes and addressed it to ‘Mrs Marie Foster’. If she were quick she’d be able to leave it at Reception while Tony was busy telephoning.