‘Come on, Rachel. What’s wrong?’
‘Why are men arseholes?’ she said, turning to him.
‘Ah. Boyfriend trouble.’
‘I haven’t got a boyfriend,’ she snapped.
‘Whatever it is, believe me, it’s not as important as you think it is. Nothing that can’t be sorted by talking to someone.’
‘I didn’t expect you to be an agony aunt.’
‘I’m here if you need me.’
‘As I said, there isn’t a problem.’
‘Well let’s toast that with a Pimm’s.’
‘And hold the lemonade,’ she said grumpily. ‘I’m sick of it. I want to mainline on pure alcohol.’
He went to the drinks tent and came back with two plastic tumblers stuffed with cucumber and mint.
‘I don’t drink,’ Rachel confessed, taking a refreshing sip of the peculiarly British beverage and pushing all thoughts of Liam out of her head. ‘I haven’t done since I was arrested, but the last few weeks have been hard.’
‘Well alcohol isn’t the answer,’ he said, taking the Pimm’s out of her hand and putting it on the pavement.
She turned to look at him. ‘You know I was thinking of going to see Julian’s grave before I went back to Thailand. Where is he buried?’
‘In the grounds of the church near my parents’ house. I can take you there if you like.’
She nodded. ‘It’s something I have to do. You know there were aspects of Julian’s life I didn’t like, didn’t approve of. But I think he was a good man. Decent. Away from the affairs and the infidelity, he was moral.’
‘People are complicated,’ said Adam softly. ‘No one is just good or bad.’
‘I need a list of Denver Group shareholders,’ she said snapping into work-mode. ‘People with significant holdings in particular. Can you get that for me?’
‘It might take a few days, but yes, of course.’
She looked up and saw Liam walking towards them.
‘Finally. Here he is,’ she muttered, feeling suddenly anxious.
‘Someone you know?’
‘My business partner.’
‘Ah, Liam. The bronzed diving hunk. I heard about the mercy dash from Ko Tao.’
‘Does Diana tell you everything?’ He saw her annoyance and touched her arm.
‘Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. I meant that he sounds like a very good friend.’
‘Well, not everyone thinks I’m the Wicked Witch of the West.’
‘No one does, Rachel.’
‘Yeah? And who was it called me a bitch not so long ago?’ She was joking and he knew it.
‘I’ll leave you to it,’ he said, getting up to leave.