Bad Boy (Invertary 5)

Lawrence burst out laughing. Out of the mouths of babes. Victoria frowned her censure at him and he held up his hands in surrender. If this was a battle, Katy was winning. He saw it in the way Victoria’s terrified eyes softened every time the child touched her.

“Flynn said he can’t help me find a boy for Muma. He said she needs to do it herself. He says she can’t marry someone unless she loves him. Do you think

she loved my daddy?”

Victoria hesitated slightly. “Yes. I’m certain she did love your father.” Lawrence heard truth in her words, and wondered how she knew about Abby’s relationship. As far as he could tell, the Montgomery-Clarks cut off contact with the pair soon after they got together.

Katy nodded. “That’s what I thought. Flynn has lots of parties.” Following Katy’s conversation made Lawrence’s head ache, and from the look of it, Victoria was struggling to keep up too. “Every night there were lots of people in his garden. They made a lot of noise. Muma doesn’t like noise. She said it made her want to kill the man. I think she meant kill Flynn.” She thought about it for a minute. “Would Muma really kill Flynn?”

“No,” Victoria answered instantly, looking slightly horrified. “It’s just something people say when they are very annoyed.”

“That’s good.” Katy visibly relaxed. “He might not be a proper grownup, but I think I like him. I’d like him more if he sat on the naughty step, but he’s going to buy me a pony so he can kiss Muma, so I guess that makes up for it.”

Lawrence was laughing so hard, he had to wipe his eyes. They stopped outside the little novelty shop that sold everything from real Highland souvenirs made in China to school supplies. Like all of the shops on the high street, it was an old converted house, whitewashed to make its crooked proportions blend in with the rest of the mismatched houses on the street.

“Maybe we should wait for your mother before we go inside.” Victoria looked back down the street towards the bank. There was no sign of Abby.

“She’ll catch up soon enough,” Lawrence said. The woman deserved her short reprieve from relentless scrutiny.

Katy tugged at her aunt’s hand, obviously annoyed about Victoria’s attention straying.

“Hurry up, Aunty Vicki. They have Barbie houses in here.”

As soon as they stepped into the tiny, overfilled shop, Katy dropped Victoria’s hand and ran in the direction of the toys.

Victoria slumped slightly beside him. Her stunned expression made Lawrence want to put his arms around her to comfort her. Maybe later. He suspected if he were to caress Victoria in public, she’d faint from the trauma.

“I don’t know what to make of any of this,” Victoria confessed.

“Just enjoy it. She’s five. She won’t always be like this.”

Such brutal, raw longing flickered in Victoria’s eyes it made Lawrence forget to breathe.

“You know, there’s no reason why you couldn’t visit regularly after this week is over. Get to know Katy properly. Spend time with Abby. Would you like that, Vicki?”

Yes. He saw it. A brief flash of desperate need. Then it was gone.

“Mother wouldn’t approve.”

“Your mother doesn’t need to know. You’re a grown woman. You can do what you want.”

She scoffed as though he were naive. “Not when she holds the purse strings. I am dependent on her for everything. Exactly how she likes it.”

“Then get a job. Become more independent. You have skills, I assume.”

“I know how to be a wife. It’s what I spent my entire life training to become. The perfect socialite wife.” Her smile was cold. “Ironic, considering I’m practically a professional spinster. Such a great disappointment to the family. A terrible waste of all that time in finishing school in Switzerland. I was supposed to marry well, keep home for my husband, sit on committees and lunch with the girls. Instead I spend my time catering to Mother’s every whim. What kind of job could I get with those skills?”

“Surely you have some money of your own.” Lawrence knew exactly how wealthy the Montgomery-Clarks were.

Victoria’s laugh was brittle. “Very little, I’m afraid. Our family doesn’t work on the principle of independent money. There are no trusts for the children. Charles has a job in the city, which affords him a tad more independence, but his house, his society parties and his wife’s indulgences are all paid for at Mother’s discretion. It’s been like that for generations. The parents hold the purse strings.”

“Abby broke away. You can too.”

“Abby had David. She had an education. She fought hard to be allowed to go to art college. Even then, Father only paid her tuition fees. He refused to give her any money to live on. It was his way of making his disapproval known, making Abby work while she studied. He thought she’d give in and run home after just a few weeks. Of course, she didn’t. In fact, it made her more independent. Abby worked several jobs while she was a student in order to pay her way. It wasn’t easy for her. I wanted to help, but Mother and Father checked all of our transactions. If I’d been married, there would have been more leeway. But as you can see, I’m terminally single.”

“I don’t get it.” Lawrence ran a hand over his face. “Why not just leave? I’m sure you could get work somewhere. You aren’t stupid. You’d manage fine. If it’s what you want, Vicki, you should go for it.”

“I learned a long time ago—I don’t get what I want. And wanting only brings pain. I’d rather not want anything at all. It’s much safer.” She gave Lawrence a tight little smile. “I’m not like Abby. I’m not courageous. I don’t have her confidence. I’ve tried to stand up to Mother in the past and it went terribly wrong. I learned my lesson. I shall just endeavour to do as I’m told until Charles is head of the family. I’m sure he won’t care to boss me around. He has his own concerns to occupy him.”