Friend of the Family

Amy shrugged. ‘Nothing,’ she said.

‘Come on, you haven’t spoken to me all evening.’

‘You embarrassed me. At the shoot. Implying I was a bloody bad mother in front of everyone. About the cream.’

‘I didn’t mean it like that. But come on, Amy. She was burnt to a crisp.’

‘I put suncream . . .’ She stopped. There was no point trying to convince him. And anyway, it would have been a lie. She’d simply forgotten. People did.

‘Look, I’m sorry, okay?’ she said. ‘I didn’t mean any harm; we were all just having such a good time and . . .’

David took her gently by the arms. ‘I know, honey,’ he said. ‘It’s just that the stakes are so much higher when it’s Tilly, aren’t they?’

She moved to pull away, but he kept hold of her.

‘Amy, everyone knows you’re a great mother,’ he said firmly. ‘Beautiful and brilliant. If Tilly grows up to be half the woman her mum is, then I’d say we’ve raised a pretty sensational human being.’

Amy looked at him and nodded. She wasn’t sure if the situation had been reversed that she would have been so understanding. ‘Thanks,’ she said. ‘You’re pretty good too.’ She turned back to the window.

‘So what else is bothering you?’

She looked down at the water, blue black in the moonlight, ripples spreading slowly to the edge. Should she mention it? From this distance, it all seemed so stupid.

‘Look, I’m sorry, but I just didn’t like the way you seemed so cosy by the pool this afternoon.’

‘Cosy? Who?’

‘You and Josie.’

‘What?’

Amy didn’t say anything.

‘I was acting! Playing some stupid role for the camera.’ He stepped towards her, but she wriggled away. ‘Come on Amy,’ he said, staring at her. ‘What’s going on here? You’re jealous of the nanny now?’

She shook her head, struggling to put her feelings into words. ‘There’s just something . . . not quite right about her. I feel on edge having her here.’

She stopped herself, not quite sure why she’d said it. Yes she’d felt jealous by the pool, but that sounded . . . well, neurotic. Crazy, even. She looked up at him expecting accusations, but he just smiled and put his hands on her shoulders, gently massaging the knots.

‘I know it’s weird when we’re so used to Claudia, but Josie’s helping us out, remember? We asked her to come, not the other way around.’

‘I know all that,’ said Amy, arching her back, enjoying his touch. ‘It’s just it looked . . . like she was flirting with you. She was flirting with the photographer, too.’

David laughed. ‘Honey, she’s just a child. I think I can manage to control myself. And anyway, Tills loves her.’ He turned Amy around to face him, his hands still working on her neck. ‘And do you seriously want to spend the whole holiday staging Red Riding Hood?’

She gave a soft laugh. ‘No, not really. I mean, I loved it while it lasted, but it’s so exhausting.’

‘Exactly,’ said David. ‘And as you have other things to be doing . . .’ He nodded towards the notebooks and papers strewn over her side of the bed.

‘David, you know why I’m doing this,’ she began defensively, but he held up a hand.

‘Not a criticism, don’t be so sensitive. My point was that the application is important to you, and without Josie’s help, it won’t get done. You can’t have it both ways.’

Amy pulled a face. She hated it when he was right.

‘Look, I’d rather it was just us too,’ said David. ‘But it is what it is. We have to make the best of what we have, right?’ He bent to kiss her nose. ‘And don’t forget that you gave her this opportunity out of a desire to help her pull herself up out of the same place you came from, which was – and is – a nice thing to do.’

‘I suppose. But—’