‘All Marcella knows is that Maddy’s seeing a married man,’ Jake said soberly. ‘That’s what she isn’t thrilled about. If she found out it was Kerr McKinnon – well, heads would definitely explode.
How do you know about this anyway?’ He gave her a sharp look. ‘Who told you?’
Rather wishing she hadn’t raised the subject now, but at the same time experiencing a tiny flicker of schadenfreude, Kate said, ‘I saw them together.’ Then, because nobody liked a peeping Tom, she added hastily, ‘In his car.’
‘But they were definitely together?’
‘Oh yes. Absolutely.’ The image of Maddy and Kerr cavorting semi-naked on the lawn was indelibly imprinted on her mind.
‘Right.’ Jake’s expression was grim.
Clearly he was intending to confront Maddy, and not in a supportive brotherly way. Beginning to envisage the repercussions, Kate said, ‘Look, don’t involve me in this. I’m not exactly Maddy’s favourite person as it is.’
‘Right now, she isn’t my favourite person either,’ said Jake.
I’m serious.’ Kate clutched his arm. ‘I’ve just started working at the pub, this is important to me. Don’t tell Maddy it was me who told you,’ she begged Jake. ‘Promise.’
He looked at her, then nodded. ‘OK, I promise. You did a good job in the pub today, by the way.’
‘Thanks, I—’
‘Sophie, get down from there,’ Jake yelled, spotting his daughter making her wobbly way along the top of the bridge over the River Ash. ‘If you fall in I’m not rescuing you. Look, I’ll see you around,’ he told Kate distractedly, setting off up Ashcombe Road and leaving her standing by the memorial.
‘Yes, fine. Bye.’ Attempting to sound casual but actually feeling bereft and abandoned, Kate watched him go. Oh well, cricket was boring anyway.
She just hoped Jake wouldn’t forget his promise.
Chapter 23
As she pushed open the front door of Snow Cottage at ten o’clock that evening, Maddy realised that she’d at last discovered the true meaning of the expression dancing on air. She actually knew how it felt, and it was as addictive as any drug. Once you’d danced on air, how could you ever be satisfied with trudging on boring old ground again?
‘Good time?’ Jake glanced up from his computer screen.
‘Not so bad.’ Maddy beamed, flinging her car keys onto the dresser and suppressing the urge to do a little jig to show him just how deliriously happy she was. A little jig several inches above floor level, needless to say. David Blaine, watch out.
Stretching and leaning back on his chair, Jake raked his fingers through his dishevelled blond hair.
‘His wife’s been here.’
‘What?’ Halfway to the kitchen to put the kettle on, Maddy turned. ‘Whose wife?’
‘Your man’s. Remember?’ Jake prompted. ‘The married one you’ve been seeing? Big mistake.’
He shook his head sorrowfully. ‘Really. It’s always bad news when the wife finds out.’
Maddy was beginning to wonder if she’d stepped into a parallel universe. This was like falling asleep during one film on TV and waking up in the middle of another. Bemused, she said, ‘What did she look like?’
‘Funny, I’d have thought you’d’ve been a bit more shocked,’ Jake said idly. ‘Horrified, even. Almost as if you can’t believe what you’re hearing because you know for a fact that this chap of yours doesn’t have a wife.’
‘OK, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I’m off to bed.’ Something dodgy was going on here; loftily refusing to join in, Maddy did an about-turn and headed for the stairs.
‘Oh no you don’t.’ Jake’s hand shot out, his fingers curling round her wrist as she attempted to slip past him. ‘And keep your voice down, because Sophie’s asleep.’
‘I’m not shouting.’
‘We haven’t started yet.’
Maddy went hot and cold all over. Surely he couldn’t know. They’d been so careful. But what other explanation could there be for the look in Jake’s eyes? And why was she even bothering to wonder, when she was clearly about to find out?
‘Go on then, let’s get it over with.’ Defiantly she wrenched her wrist free and turned to face him.
‘Kerr McKinnon,’ said Jake coldly. ‘Are you out of your mind?’
Oh God.
‘Who told you?’ Maddy demanded.
‘Never mind that.’
‘ Who?’
‘ I’m not telling you.’ Firmly, Jake shook his head. ‘I gave my word I wouldn’t and don’t change the subject. Have you considered Marcella for one moment? Can you even comprehend what this would do to her?’
‘She isn’t going to find out,’ said Maddy, feeling sick. ‘Because you aren’t going to tell her.’
‘I found out, though, didn’t I? I bloody wish I hadn’t, but I did. Because secrets don’t stay secrets around here.’ Jake took a gulp of cold coffee and grimaced. ‘You’re going to have to finish with him.
You know that, don’t you?’
In the space of five minutes, Maddy discovered, one of the most idyllic days of her life was turning into one of the very worst. And she knew who she had to thank for it too. Nuala, unable to work, had spent the afternoon in the Angel knocking back drink after drink. From there she had headed on down to watch the cricket. Keen to get the lowdown on Maddy’s married man, Jake had paid her a bit of flirtatious attention and in turn Nuala, her tongue by this time thoroughly loosened, would have tipsily confided in him. It was all so obvious, so predictable. Nuala had always been a blabbermouth.
‘Where are you going?’ demanded Jake.
In the split second before the front door slammed, Maddy shouted, ‘To sort something out.’
Nuala was upstairs in the living room wrestling with her long-sleeved T-shirt when she heard footsteps on the landing. With her top pulled half inside out over her head and her bra on show, all she could do was call out in a high-pitched voice, ‘Who’s that?’ and pray it wasn’t an after-hours gas man come to read the meter.
‘Me.’
Maddy. Well, that was good news. ‘Perfect timing,’ Nuala said happily. ‘I’m completely stuck. Can you give me a hand getting this off? Oh, and I can’t undo my bra either.’
‘How could you?’
Blindly, Nuala turned in the direction of Maddy’s voice. ‘What are you on about? I can’t, can I?
That’s why I’m asking you to do it for me.’
But the expected help didn’t materialise. Instead she heard Maddy say coldly, ‘You just couldn’t keep quiet, could you? I asked you not to tell anyone but you couldn’t resist it.’
Trapped within the confines of her T-shirt, Nuala’s face burned with indignation. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘I really thought I could trust you,’ Maddy retaliated furiously, ‘which just goes to show how stupid I am. You told Jake about Kerr and now, thanks to you, everything’s ruined.’
‘ I didn’t! I didn’t tell Jake! Oh, for God’s sake.’ With her good arm, Nuala managed at last to wrench the T-shirt back down over her head. Did he tell you I did?’
‘You and Juliet are the only ones who know. Juliet would never breathe a word.’
This was true; Juliet made sphinxes look garrulous. Appalled, Nuala recalled lying on the grass all but ignoring the cricket, far more interested in chatting away to Jake. Let’s face it, she’d had a fair few drinks this afternoon — oh God, had she somehow managed to give the game away without even realising it?
‘I-I’m sure I didn’t,’ Nuala faltered, but it was too late; Maddy had seen the worried look in her eyes.