‘I can’t go to Switzerland for an obstetrician’s appointment,’ smiled Diana.
‘Then they can come to you,’ Patty said flatly.
‘Let’s not talk about it this evening,’ Diana replied gratefully. She wished that Patty the Powerhouse had been around more in the last few weeks. Perhaps she would have helped her make fewer bad decisions and wrong turns. She thought of Adam and puffed out her cheeks. She didn’t want to see him again, but he was still family and they had to talk it over, clear the air. He had been the first one to send flowers when he’d heard about the baby – no doubt when he had learnt that she was eight weeks gone. He had called twice; both times she had let it go to message, not knowing what on earth to say to him. When he had emailed her to suggest lunch, she had relented – she couldn’t avoid him for ever – and he was due round the next day. It was not something she was looking forward to; perhaps she could persuade Patty and Michael to stay over and make the gathering more of a social occasion. She would make sure that Rachel stayed away from the house. She wanted company when Adam came round, not a ménage à trois.
It was an enjoyable supper. Michael especially was on top form and kept her distracted with stories about his eccentric circle of friends, who included a shark hunter, a hot-air balloonist and a beekeeper.
Over crème caramel, Patty leaned forward and broached the elephant at the table.
‘So, are you going to tell me what your sister has been up to over the past few weeks? I saw Greg Willets for lunch today. Apparently the three of you went out for lunch to discuss Julian’s private life.’
They hadn’t mentioned him all evening. Sometimes she was just desperate to hear his name, but tonight it had been fun talking about the future rather than the past with people who had loved Julian as much as she had.
‘I’ve been conducting my own private inquest into his death,’ she said honestly.
‘Is that why she called me the other day?’ said Michael with surprise. ‘She was asking all sorts of questions about Julian although she didn’t really specify what it was all for. What have you discovered?’
‘I discovered how much I love my sister,’ she said quietly. ‘I’ve discovered how much I’ve missed her, how proud I am of her, how I never want her not to be part of my life again. I discovered that you can’t blame people and look back; you can only make amends and move forward.’
‘I think that’s sensible,’ said Patty, nodding slowly. Her phone was buzzing furiously. Looking irritated, she picked it up and went into the hallway to take the call.
‘Just let Jules rest,’ said Michael quietly when she had gone.
‘I know,’ whispered Diana, and for the first time she actually believed that that was the right thing to do. Nothing Rachel had discovered would bring Julian back. But living as happily and without drama as she could might mean a better, quieter, safer life for herself, Charlie and the baby. Elizabeth Denver had even called her the previous day to ask about her welfare, to send her congratulations about the baby and to explain, quite guardedly, that the challenge to Julian’s will had been a little bit hasty. She wasn’t sure if things were finally going right, but at least they weren’t all going wrong.
‘So how was Greg?’ she asked, dipping her spoon into the cold, wobbling custard.
‘A little worried about business, I detected. Although he didn’t admit that to me directly.’
‘Really?’
‘You know what investment banking is like, up one minute, down the next. Now that he hasn’t got Julian around feeding him deals, feeding him business, I think he’s worried whether his company will survive.’
‘I thought Greg’s company was doing well,’ Diana said with concern. She knew very little about what Greg actually did. It was the same with all of Julian’s friends in the world of finance – she didn’t know a junk bond from James Bond. But from what she understood, Greg’s company was a boutique investment bank working on smaller deals than some of the more established players. He had worked hard establishing his business over the past five years, ever since his world came crashing down when he lost his high-flying job with Lehman Brothers. Like many of their alpha-male acquaintances, he was an ambitious man and would not take any more failure well. She made a mental note to go and see him in the next week or so. People needed protecting, even the ones who seemed as if they could look after themselves.
Patty bustled back into the room.
‘So, who wants an Irish coffee?’ said Diana.
‘I’ll make it,’ said Michael. ‘Without the whisky for you, young lady.’
‘Why don’t you stay over? Adam is coming for lunch tomorrow.’
‘Oh, we can’t,’ said Patty with disappointment. ‘Michael has a very early flight to Namibia, so we should get back. Are you all right by yourself here? I mean, where is Rachel?’
‘She’s in London, back tomorrow, I think. And yes, I’m fine. Mr and Mrs Bills have been wonderful and my mother is here more often than not. What are you going to Africa for, Michael?’
‘Extreme sand-dune surfing,’ he grinned.
‘He couldn’t find any hobbies closer to home,’ said Patty, rolling her eyes.
‘Not these dunes.’
‘There’s always an excuse, isn’t there?’ replied Patty sharply.
Diana frowned. It was not like her friends to bicker.
‘You should come,’ said Michael.