you doing about schooling? Is there enough left to carry on sending them privately?’
‘No, but Stanbrooks did very well for us, especially you, so I’m sure it’ll do the same for Darcie and Nat.’
He nodded gravely. ‘Would you prefer them to be weekly boarders?’ he asked. ‘It would free you up…’
‘I can’t afford the fees for one of them, never mind…’
‘They’re my niece and nephew, and in the circumstances it’s the least I can do.’
Thrown by the unexpected generosity, and deeply touched, it took her a moment to answer. ‘Thank you,’ she said quietly. ‘It’s very kind of you, but I can’t accept.’
‘Maybe you should think it over.’
She regarded him frankly. ‘Have you thought about what your wife would say if she found out?’ she countered. ‘No Robert, please listen. I haven’t come here to make trouble. I just want to get on with my life the best I can, and give my children some semblance of security after what they’ve been through. If the circumstances were different I’d be more than happy to let you see Nat through sixth form, but I don’t want to be responsible for causing you any more problems at home, and we both know it would if you do anything to help me.’
Sighing, he sat back in his chair. ‘So what are you going to do?’ he asked, letting the offer drop for now. ‘How do you intend to make a living?’
‘Actually,’ she said, taking a sheet from the basket, ‘I’m going to open up the shop again.’
He seemed confused. ‘But there’s no money to be made in that…’
‘I’m going to turn it into a kind of gallery to sell my sculptures,’ she told him. ‘There’s space at the back I can use as a studio, and I thought I’d promote other local artists and artisans as well, and charge a commission. I can learn how to make jewellery, and there’s nothing to stop me buying in various things to sell at a profit. It would be a kind of arty gift shop, if you like.’
‘I see,’ he said, in a way that managed to sound both doubtful and encouraging. ‘You seem to have given it some thought, so I wish you every success. Have you sold any of your sculptures to date?’
‘As a matter of fact I have, through a gallery on Primrose Hill. One of them went for fifteen hundred pounds, and two others for seven apiece. After the owner had deducted her commission and VAT I went away with just over a thousand.’
His eyes boggled.
She smiled. ‘Surprised they went for so much?’
‘No, shocked by the owner’s percentage. If it’s that high you definitely ought to be selling them yourself. How much do you need to get started?’
‘I have enough,’ she assured him, hoping it was true. ‘And I have six finished pieces ready to put on display. Seven if I count the one I’m working on now.’
‘Where are they?’
‘Still in London. A removal van is coming tomorrow with all our personal belongings. I sold everything else with the house.’ How easy it was to say those words, I sold everything else with the house . How devastating the reality was, letting go of everything she and Craig had collected and built together. It was as though someone else was moving into their skin, taking over their dreams and living their lives in strange and different ways. Would she ever be able to think of that house as belonging to anyone but them?
Clearly still trying to get his head around how she’d lost it all, Robert said, ‘Is the sale actually complete yet?’
‘It should be by the end of next week. I have to admit, I’m dreading it, but I’ll probably be able to sleep a lot better once it has gone through. The buyer’s got himself a great bargain and no one’s anticipating any delays or disasters.’
He still wasn’t looking especially impressed. ‘Why didn’t you tell me what was going on?’ he demanded. ‘There might have been something I could do.’
Deciding to speak honestly again, she said, ‘Your wife wouldn’t have appreciated it
‘No, but Stanbrooks did very well for us, especially you, so I’m sure it’ll do the same for Darcie and Nat.’
He nodded gravely. ‘Would you prefer them to be weekly boarders?’ he asked. ‘It would free you up…’
‘I can’t afford the fees for one of them, never mind…’
‘They’re my niece and nephew, and in the circumstances it’s the least I can do.’
Thrown by the unexpected generosity, and deeply touched, it took her a moment to answer. ‘Thank you,’ she said quietly. ‘It’s very kind of you, but I can’t accept.’
‘Maybe you should think it over.’
She regarded him frankly. ‘Have you thought about what your wife would say if she found out?’ she countered. ‘No Robert, please listen. I haven’t come here to make trouble. I just want to get on with my life the best I can, and give my children some semblance of security after what they’ve been through. If the circumstances were different I’d be more than happy to let you see Nat through sixth form, but I don’t want to be responsible for causing you any more problems at home, and we both know it would if you do anything to help me.’
Sighing, he sat back in his chair. ‘So what are you going to do?’ he asked, letting the offer drop for now. ‘How do you intend to make a living?’
‘Actually,’ she said, taking a sheet from the basket, ‘I’m going to open up the shop again.’
He seemed confused. ‘But there’s no money to be made in that…’
‘I’m going to turn it into a kind of gallery to sell my sculptures,’ she told him. ‘There’s space at the back I can use as a studio, and I thought I’d promote other local artists and artisans as well, and charge a commission. I can learn how to make jewellery, and there’s nothing to stop me buying in various things to sell at a profit. It would be a kind of arty gift shop, if you like.’
‘I see,’ he said, in a way that managed to sound both doubtful and encouraging. ‘You seem to have given it some thought, so I wish you every success. Have you sold any of your sculptures to date?’
‘As a matter of fact I have, through a gallery on Primrose Hill. One of them went for fifteen hundred pounds, and two others for seven apiece. After the owner had deducted her commission and VAT I went away with just over a thousand.’
His eyes boggled.
She smiled. ‘Surprised they went for so much?’
‘No, shocked by the owner’s percentage. If it’s that high you definitely ought to be selling them yourself. How much do you need to get started?’
‘I have enough,’ she assured him, hoping it was true. ‘And I have six finished pieces ready to put on display. Seven if I count the one I’m working on now.’
‘Where are they?’
‘Still in London. A removal van is coming tomorrow with all our personal belongings. I sold everything else with the house.’ How easy it was to say those words, I sold everything else with the house . How devastating the reality was, letting go of everything she and Craig had collected and built together. It was as though someone else was moving into their skin, taking over their dreams and living their lives in strange and different ways. Would she ever be able to think of that house as belonging to anyone but them?
Clearly still trying to get his head around how she’d lost it all, Robert said, ‘Is the sale actually complete yet?’
‘It should be by the end of next week. I have to admit, I’m dreading it, but I’ll probably be able to sleep a lot better once it has gone through. The buyer’s got himself a great bargain and no one’s anticipating any delays or disasters.’
He still wasn’t looking especially impressed. ‘Why didn’t you tell me what was going on?’ he demanded. ‘There might have been something I could do.’
Deciding to speak honestly again, she said, ‘Your wife wouldn’t have appreciated it
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