Matilda Next Door - Kelly Hunter Page 0,50
trust. I’m not going to cock it up. And I’d appreciate your support more than you know.’
‘Your grandmother—’
‘Her mind’s going. She gets a pass to say whatever she wants about me, and I will turn the other cheek. But you … your mind works fine.’ He was getting hoarse. ‘I’ve looked up to you from the moment I met you, old man. That hasn’t changed. But you need to stop thinking I’m an emotional wasteland and start expecting more from me. Because I’ll give it.’
Henry got in the driver’s seat and his grandfather got in the passenger side without another word. Henry closed his eyes briefly and dug deep for calm. He’d never liked conflict. Had it beaten out of him years ago during those early years when his mother’s parade of boyfriends had been less than forgiving. But this particular conversation had been a long time coming, and he felt better for saying his piece.
He started the engine.
His grandfather waited a beat or two and then cleared his throat. ‘So, you and Tilly?’
‘Yes.’
‘Congratulations. She’s a wonderful girl.’
‘Thank you. Yes, she is.’
Conversation closed.
Chapter Eleven
The presence of Rowan made engagement ring shopping a challenge, and it was after four by the time Henry finally made it inside the door of Hardy Brothers jewellers with a relatively cheerful baby in tow. He had an appointment, and an all-black credit card in his wallet. Half an hour should do it, in and out. And then they ushered him into a private viewing room and a smiling assistant immediately asked if she could take charge of the baby and show her the glittering baubles and who was he to say no?
‘Traditional,’ he said when asked what kind of engagement and wedding rings he was after. ‘Diamonds. Platinum.’
‘And your price range, sir?’ the man asked.
Henry fished out the card and set it on the counter. ‘Let’s make her feel appreciated.’
The salesman smiled. ‘Very well. I can help you there.’
He’d narrowed it down to a final three—not bad for twenty minutes, when the second sales assistant returned with Rowan. Henry took her and she smiled her relief. ‘I have another customer in the main room. She’d quite like to buy your daughter but I’m going to try and shift her attention to the pearls.’
‘Thank you for minding her.’ Did he need a female opinion? ‘Okay, Rowan. There’s three to choose from. Which one?’
The saleswoman smirked at her colleague on the way out the door.
‘If I may, sir,’ said the beleaguered man, and seriously, if Henry had to do that much fawning over a client he’d have no clients left. ‘If you want the best diamond of the three, it’s the one on your left. The middle one, you’re paying more for the reputation of the designer. To the right, you’re paying for size. In my experience, while size definitely matters, there is such a thing as an engagement ring that’s too large. It catches on fabrics, it can be heavy to wear. Beyond that first moment of wow, it can become a liability. Similarly, a ring setting can go out of style. What’s on trend now, won’t be in thirty years’ time.’
‘You’re plugging for the one on the left.’
‘That I am, sir. It’s a flawless, colourless, radiant-cut stone of significant size in a truly classic setting. Never too much, never gets old.’
‘Wrap it up.’
‘My pleasure, sir.’
Henry’s phone rang shortly after the other man left the room, and he glanced at it with no intention of answering, until he saw the name of Amanda’s solicitors on the screen. Rowan in one arm, he took the call. ‘Church here.’
‘Please hold for Mr Bruce.’ Moments later Raymond Bruce came on the line.
‘Mr Church. Glad I caught you. It’s never easy dealing with clients halfway round the world.’
‘I’m sure you’ll charge accordingly.’
‘That’s true.’ The other man sounded smugly matter of fact, or maybe not smug at all and Henry was projecting his dislike of the circumstances surrounding Amanda’s death and the discovery that he had a daughter onto the man. ‘Mr Church, I had a drop-in yesterday. A male friend of Amanda’s, who’d only just heard of her passing. He left me his details and would very much like to speak with you.’
‘What about?’
‘The reason he gave was that he’d left some of his possessions in Ms Murphy’s apartment and would like to collect them. May I have my assistant send you Mr Bello’s contact details?’
‘Yes.’
‘Good man.’
Henry the good man hung up on him. Moments later the contact details of