Philip looked as though he wanted to say something else, but clearly thought better of it. He dropped the case into his briefcase and gave a brief, courteous smile.
‘That was never in any doubt,’ he said. ‘It is his personal happiness which is precarious.’
So he wanted it all. A wife in Maraban and a mistress in London. She remembered something that Khalim had once said to her, and shrugged. ‘And that, I’m afraid, Philip—that goes with the territory.’
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
THERE were swathes of dark green holly leaves, their blood-coloured berries gleaming as Rose looped them through the bannister of the sweeping staircase which dominated the hallway of her parents’ farmhouse.
‘There!’ She stood back to admire her handiwork and turned to where her brother was standing holding all the pins and tacks. ‘What do you think, Jamie?’
‘Perfect,’ smiled her brother.
‘And you like the tree?’
He stared for a moment at the huge conifer which stood next to the hatstand. She had festooned it with silver and gold baubles and tied scarlet ribbons around the ends of all the branches. ‘Perfect,’ he said again, and narrowed his eyes thoughtfully at her. ‘You seem happier these days, Rose.’
She hesitated for a moment. Did she? Then appearances could be very deceptive. Because even though most of the time she did feel, if not exactly happy, then certainly more contented than before—the pain of losing Khalim could still come back to haunt her and tear at her heart with an intensity which had the power to make her feel weak and shaking.
She shrugged. ‘Well, it’s been over a year now since…’ Her voice tailed off. To say the words made it real, and so much of her wished that it were nothing but some cruel fantasy.
‘Since lover-boy went back to Maraban?’
She frowned. ‘There’s no need to say it in quite that tone, Jamie.’
‘What way is that? The disapproving way in which any brother would speak if their sister had had her heart broken by a man who should have known better?’
Rose sighed. ‘I keep telling you—he didn’t exactly have to kidnap me! I knew exactly what I was getting into, I just—’
‘Expected that the end result might be different?’ he prompted softly.
Well, no. Of course she hadn’t, not really. She had hoped, of course she had—because hope was part of the human condition, even when deep down you knew that to hope was useless.
She shook her head. ‘I gave up hoping a long time ago, Jamie. Let’s leave it, shall we? What time are Mum and Dad getting back?’
‘Their train gets in at three, and I said I’d go and collect them from the station. Though it beats me why anyone in their right mind should choose to go Christmas shopping in London, on Christmas Eve!’
Rose smiled. ‘It’s a family tradition, remember? And I like traditions! Now I think I’ll go and hang some greenery round the fireplace. Want to help me?’
Jamie grinned. ‘I think I’m all spent out where decorating activities are concerned! I might just go and put a light under that pot of soup. Going to have some with me, Rosie?’
‘No, thanks. I had a late breakfast.’
‘You are eating properly again now, aren’t you?’
‘I never stopped!’
‘That’s why when you turn sideways you could disappear?’
She forced a smile. ‘I’m not thin, Jamie—just slimmer than I used to be.’
‘Hmm. Well, Mum is planning to feed you up on Christmas pudding—be warned!’
‘Can’t wait!’
She went into the sitting room and sat down on the floor to begin tying together the greenery she had brought in from the garden.
Hard to believe that they would soon be into a new year, but maybe the brand-new start would give her the impetus she needed to get on with her life. Really get on with her life.