Grace put down her mug. ‘I don’t know much about it. He’s only said that he had a big falling out with your parents and they’ve been estranged for years.’
‘Well, I bet he didn’t mention how much grief he caused Mum and Dad when he was younger – he was quite the tear-away for a while … Perhaps he was sick of being stuck out here with a load of teenage girls – it can’t have been easy. He crashed Dad’s car into the pub one night after he’d had too much to drink … lost control and it skidded right down the hill.’
‘So is that why he’s still barred?’ Grace asked. ‘I saw him getting thrown out.’
Claire smiled. ‘Len and Joyce think “yance a bad egg, allas a bad egg” – as do most people round here. They probably don’t realise how much time has passed. Once Ben got his reputation it was always going to be difficult for him to shake it off. Moving away was probably his only option – but then he set our house on fire …’
‘What!’
‘Oh, he didn’t mean to. He fell asleep in our old lounge room and left a candle burning. Woke up to find the room ablaze. Mum and Dad were out at the time, but all us girls were home. Ben came flying up the stairs to warn us, but we couldn’t get down past the fire, so we ended up climbing out of Veronica’s window and over the schoolhouse roof. It took the fire engine nearly an hour to get here, and half the house had burned down by the time they got it under control. We were lucky not to lose everything, but Mum and Dad never really forgave him. They pretty much kicked him out – or should I say they made his life hell from then on, until he’d had enough.’
Grace pictured the elegant room at the back of the house. ‘So the huge dining room with the picture window is part of the refurbishment?’
‘Yes.’
‘And how did you keep in touch with Ben, after he left?’
‘He would write to us. Mum and Dad never mentioned him, but we would tell them bits and pieces about what he was doing. The rift appeared to come from both sides, though I thought Mum might back down now Dad has gone. At least it has jolted Ben into making an effort, even if it is too late with Dad. But I don’t know why he’s come all this way and now seems stuck at the last hurdle, even if Mum should be meeting him halfway. Perhaps he’s just too proud to beg …’
‘Well, I hope they can sort it out.’
Claire finished her tea and stood up. ‘So will you come tonight?’
Grace hedged. ‘It’s a really kind offer, but it’s difficult with Millie …’
‘She can sleep in the lounge, if you like – it’s right next door to the dining room, and we have a baby monitor we can put in there as well. That’s what we did when Veronica’s boys were babies.’
Grace couldn’t think of another reason not to go, and so found herself reluctantly acquiescing. ‘Okay, I’ll come. Thanks.’
‘Great.’ Claire began to pull on her gloves. ‘Come around eight.’
They walked to the door. ‘Good luck with Ben,’ Grace said as she showed Claire out.
‘Thanks.’ Claire paused. ‘He’s fond of you – you and Millie. You’re doing him good. When he talks about you, he smiles – and it makes a change. It’s almost like we have the old Ben back.’
And she walked down the path towards the garden gate without waiting for a reply.
Grace stood in front of the schoolhouse, her hands gripping Millie’s pushchair, summoning up the courage to go in. She was missing Adam terribly tonight. Two years ago they had been standing in Times Square together, after Adam whisked her away to New York as a surprise. They had only been married a few months, and were thinking about trying for a baby sometime in the next year – unaware that Millie would be conceived ahead of schedule a month later. As they had held one another close, wrapped within a crowd of thousands all rejoicing, life was crammed with excitement and opportunity.
Last year she had been in her parents’ villa. Her mum had given her two sleeping pills and she had gone to bed at ten.
She peered up at the forbidding house, the only Christmas decoration a prickly wreath of holly on the door. However, despite her hesitation, she had to admit to herself that spending the evening with Meredith’s family was more appealing than sitting in her fusty old cottage on her own, watching TV. And maybe Ben would come too.
Claire greeted her at the door.
‘Did you speak to Ben?’ Grace asked as she manoeuvred Millie’s pushchair inside.
‘Yes. He didn’t agree to show up, but he heard me out and said he’d think about it,’ Claire confided in a whisper. ‘I reminded him that there’s never going to be a perfect time for this. I’ve told Mum he might be coming – she grimaced and has avoided me since, so I’ve no idea what she makes of it. But that’s Mum for you. All my sisters have seen him already, so there won’t be any big reunions. It’s just him and Mum finally being in the same room together. Keep your fingers crossed for us all, won’t you.’