have any trouble? It's years since she went out with Ashby.
She's happily married now and pregnant. Do you really think the press will be the
slightest bit interested in her? Get real!"
Marsh's lips parted, but no sound came out. He stared at her as though
too stunned to speak. Stevie closed her eyes and stifled a groan. Marsh adored his
wife. She had managed to make it sound as though she was accusing Jane of being
unattractive and uninteresting. She opened her eyes again to find Marsh turning to
leave. She grabbed his arm.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean that. I meant... I meant that Jane's
been out of the limelight for a few years now. The press won't be interested. They
didn't even cover your wedding. I honestly think she's safe now."
Marsh didn't turn round. "And what if you're wrong."
"Then I did a terrible thing and I totally deserve it if you never speak to
me again."
He sniffed, part disbelieving, part amused. "You never cease to amaze
me." He turned to face her. "You just do stuff without thinking."
Stevie relaxed, relieved to be on familiar ground. "And you think about
everything, but don't do very much."
"Yes, well it works for me."
They stood in silence for a minute as the argument simmered down
inside.
"So, how's the ball organising going?" Marsh straightened his sleeve,
avoiding eye contract. They had argued enough over the years for Stevie to know
that this was a peace offering. He was trying to make small talk while he calmed
down. Eventually they would part and tomorrow they'd both feel sorry and peace
would return. All she had to do was keep up the conversation and not needle him
and everything would be okay.
"It's going okay, actually. It's hard work though."
Stevie wondered if he knew whom she was working for. Given his
interaction with Tom in the past, it was probably best to steer clear of that topic
too.
"There's only a week to go. I'm going to stay over there for the next few
days, so that I don't have to keep bussing it up from London every day. Evelyn
wants to open the place up as a B&B, so they've got plenty of rooms available."
She pointed to the bag that had clothes poking out of it. "I'm in the middle of
packing."
"That's a good idea. It means you'll be a lot less tired too. Do you want me
to give you a lift up there?"
"Oh, no need," said Stevie. "Tom's picking me up in a bit." Immediately as
she said it, she knew she'd slipped up. She bit her lip and hoped Marsh wouldn't
pick up on it.
But her brother knew her better than she'd realised. Her slight hesitation
gave her away. He raised an eyebrow. "Tom?" he said. A small smile appeared. "Tell
me about this Tom."
"Oh, he's not important," she said, in what she hoped was a nonchalant
tone. "He's Evelyn's son. He works in the city and is giving me a lift in his car, which
now smells of curry since he took the ingredients for the food up to Oxford."
Marsh was watching her intently. "Stevie," he said. "What is it that you're
not telling me?"
Damn. She should have looked him in the eye. Stared him out. Damn.
"Nothing. Why?"
"Come on. I know when you're being cagey."
That was true. He did always know when she was hiding something, just
like she normally knew when he was. She'd always thought it was her superior
intuitive powers. Perhaps it was just a side effect of growing up with your brother
as your best friend and guardian rolled into one. "I don't know what you
mean."
Marsh thought for a moment and then shrugged. "If you say so. I guess
you're entitled to a few secrets."
Just like you feel entitled to yours . "Yes. Actually, I am."
There was another silence.
"How's Jane?"
"She's okay. She's starting to show now. It's not too obvious yet, but she's
definitely getting a tum."
"She'll probably have a tiny designer bump," said Stevie. "Has she
stopped feeling sick?"
"Yes, that's much better now, which is a relief."
"Good."
More silence. Stevie shifted her weight. "Listen, Marsh. I've got to finish
packing and do some
She's happily married now and pregnant. Do you really think the press will be the
slightest bit interested in her? Get real!"
Marsh's lips parted, but no sound came out. He stared at her as though
too stunned to speak. Stevie closed her eyes and stifled a groan. Marsh adored his
wife. She had managed to make it sound as though she was accusing Jane of being
unattractive and uninteresting. She opened her eyes again to find Marsh turning to
leave. She grabbed his arm.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean that. I meant... I meant that Jane's
been out of the limelight for a few years now. The press won't be interested. They
didn't even cover your wedding. I honestly think she's safe now."
Marsh didn't turn round. "And what if you're wrong."
"Then I did a terrible thing and I totally deserve it if you never speak to
me again."
He sniffed, part disbelieving, part amused. "You never cease to amaze
me." He turned to face her. "You just do stuff without thinking."
Stevie relaxed, relieved to be on familiar ground. "And you think about
everything, but don't do very much."
"Yes, well it works for me."
They stood in silence for a minute as the argument simmered down
inside.
"So, how's the ball organising going?" Marsh straightened his sleeve,
avoiding eye contract. They had argued enough over the years for Stevie to know
that this was a peace offering. He was trying to make small talk while he calmed
down. Eventually they would part and tomorrow they'd both feel sorry and peace
would return. All she had to do was keep up the conversation and not needle him
and everything would be okay.
"It's going okay, actually. It's hard work though."
Stevie wondered if he knew whom she was working for. Given his
interaction with Tom in the past, it was probably best to steer clear of that topic
too.
"There's only a week to go. I'm going to stay over there for the next few
days, so that I don't have to keep bussing it up from London every day. Evelyn
wants to open the place up as a B&B, so they've got plenty of rooms available."
She pointed to the bag that had clothes poking out of it. "I'm in the middle of
packing."
"That's a good idea. It means you'll be a lot less tired too. Do you want me
to give you a lift up there?"
"Oh, no need," said Stevie. "Tom's picking me up in a bit." Immediately as
she said it, she knew she'd slipped up. She bit her lip and hoped Marsh wouldn't
pick up on it.
But her brother knew her better than she'd realised. Her slight hesitation
gave her away. He raised an eyebrow. "Tom?" he said. A small smile appeared. "Tell
me about this Tom."
"Oh, he's not important," she said, in what she hoped was a nonchalant
tone. "He's Evelyn's son. He works in the city and is giving me a lift in his car, which
now smells of curry since he took the ingredients for the food up to Oxford."
Marsh was watching her intently. "Stevie," he said. "What is it that you're
not telling me?"
Damn. She should have looked him in the eye. Stared him out. Damn.
"Nothing. Why?"
"Come on. I know when you're being cagey."
That was true. He did always know when she was hiding something, just
like she normally knew when he was. She'd always thought it was her superior
intuitive powers. Perhaps it was just a side effect of growing up with your brother
as your best friend and guardian rolled into one. "I don't know what you
mean."
Marsh thought for a moment and then shrugged. "If you say so. I guess
you're entitled to a few secrets."
Just like you feel entitled to yours . "Yes. Actually, I am."
There was another silence.
"How's Jane?"
"She's okay. She's starting to show now. It's not too obvious yet, but she's
definitely getting a tum."
"She'll probably have a tiny designer bump," said Stevie. "Has she
stopped feeling sick?"
"Yes, that's much better now, which is a relief."
"Good."
More silence. Stevie shifted her weight. "Listen, Marsh. I've got to finish
packing and do some
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