Least Said (17 page)

‘Pity
you
have
to
get
up
early
for
the
shopping
trip,’
Jon
called
through
from
the
en-suite,
‘but
perhaps
Tina
could
go
without
you.’

‘I
don’t
want
her
to,’
I
scowled
in
the
direction
of
the
bathroom,
‘I
see
little
enough
of
her
as
it
is.’

‘Okay,’
he
said,
‘but
it’s
definitely
early
to
bed
for
you
tonight,
my
sweet,
and
no
arguments,’
and
with
that
I
heard
the
sound
of
running
water
and
the
shower
door
closing
behind
him.

Make-up
hid
the
ravages
of
a
disturbed
night
and
I
was
determinedly
up-beat
and
cheerful
as
Tina
and
I
dropped
William
off
at
school
and
drove
into
Poole
town
centre.
It
was
quite
like
old
times
as
we
headed
along
the
familiar
route
from
the
multi-story
car
park
and
into
the
Dolphin
Centre.

The
difference
was,
of
course,
that
this
wasn’t
a
leisurely
shopping
trip
such
as
we’d
enjoyed
many
times
in
the
past.
Time
was
of
the
essence
today
because
we
both
knew
that
Calum
didn’t
like
to
keep
clients
–
even
potential
ones
–
waiting,
so
it
was
straight
into
the
nearest
department
store
to
purchase
the
first
pair
of
suitable
trousers
that
we
came
across.

We
actually
had
to
make
a
determined
effort
to
avert
our
eyes
from
the
enticing
rails
of
clothes
in
the
women’s
department, especially
when
the
‘Sale’
signs
were
so
abundant.

‘Some
other
time,’
I
insisted
when
I
saw
Tina’s
eyes
stray
towards
some
brightly
coloured
tops.
‘Anyway,
you
live
in
London
now
with
far
more
choice
of
shops
and
clothes.’

‘You’d
think
so,
wouldn’t
you?’
she
pulled
a
rueful
face.
‘But
more
isn’t
always
better
in
my
book.’

Calum
had
the
door
open
before
we
were
halfway
up
the
path,
and
then
tried
to
pretend
he
wasn’t
looking
out
for
us.
He
made
a
good
job
of
not
snatching
the
department
store
bag
out
of
Tina’s
hands,
and
we
did
our
best
to
ignore
the
fact
he
was
still
wearing
Jon’s
trousers
and
posing
a
ridiculous
picture
with
his
ankles
on
display.

‘What
are
you
two
going
to
get
up
to
while
I’m
gone?’
he
queried,
adding
with
a
gleam
in
his
eye,
‘More
shopping?’

‘I’m
tempted,’
Tina
admitted,
‘but
I
really
must
go
and
see
Bette.
Yes,’
she
forestalled
the
interruption
that
hovered
on
Calum’s
lips,
‘I
know
you
saw
her
yesterday,
but
that’s
not
the
same
as
me
visiting,
is
it?’

‘No,’
he
agreed,
‘and
she
did
mention
yesterday
that
she
hadn’t
seen
you
in
a
while
–
just
in
passing,
you
know.
Why
don’t
you
both
go,
and
then
I’ll
treat
you
to
lunch
–
any
restaurant
of
your
choice?’

‘An
offer
we
can’t
refuse,’
I
smirked,
‘but
won’t
Bette
prefer
to
see
you
on
your
own?’

‘She’ll
be
offended
if
you
don’t
go,’
Tina
said
firmly.
‘She’s
always
so
glad
of
your
visits
because
the
business
means
I
don’t
get
down
to
see
her
as
often
as
I
–
and
she
–
would
like.
She
absolutely
adores
William.’

That
was
proved
by
Bette’s
first
words
as
she
opened
the
front
door
to
us.
‘Where
is
he
then?’
she
demanded,
peering
round
us
both,
her
eyes
scanning
the
pathway
behind
us.

‘Who
–
Calum?’
Tina
asked
innocently.

‘No,’
Bette
replied
impatiently,
dismissing
her
agent
by
reminding
them,
‘I
saw
him
yesterday.
Where’s
my
little
William?’

‘He’s
at
school,
Bette,’
I
reminded
her,
and
watched
the
corners
of
her
mouth
turn
down.

‘You’ll
have
to
make
do
with
us
today,’
Tina
said,
‘poor
substitute
though
we
might
be.’

‘Oh,
it’s
nice
to
see
you
as
well,’
Bette
said
over
her
shoulder,
as
she
made
her
way
to
the
kitchen
but,
from
the
clear
disappointment
in
her
voice,
we
were
left
in
no
doubt
that
we
were
second
best.

Bette
had
barely
changed,
I
thought.
Despite
the
fact
she
was
close
to
her
eightieth
birthday
it
was
clear
she
had
no
intention
of
giving
in
to
growing
old
gracefully.
Bette’s
clothes
were
as
flamboyant
as
ever,
and
multi-coloured
patterns
in
a
myriad
of
eye-watering
colours
jazzed
up
a
silk
top
that
flowed
down
over
ample
hips
that
were
covered
more
soberly
in
a
pair
of
black
trousers.
Her
hair
was
the
brightest
blonde
that
her
hairdresser’s
palette
could
come
up
with
and
a
pair
of
gaudy
earrings
swung
from
her
ear
lobes.