‘She thinks the kids need to see the sea, and she wanted us to have some time alone. I think we need it too. It’ll be good. She’s even searched out some local babysitting service for holidaymakers, checked and triple checked through some nursing network, so that we can have a couple of romantic meals out. Just what we need. I hate keeping secrets from her.’
‘I suppose. I thought, with the house and everything, she might prefer to stay around all summer. Obviously not.’
Max frowned, but at that moment Leo appeared in the doorway and started to make her way across to them. He needed to change the subject, because Leo never missed a thing.
16
Finally everybody had made it back to the dining room. Ellie couldn’t think what had got into Fiona tonight. She was practically skipping, and was flirting with every man in the room. Tom Douglas seemed to find it all mildly amusing, but considering the fact that Fiona usually played the role of a condescending, upper class socialite, it was all very strange. The only person getting the rough edge of her tongue tonight was Charles. Poor Charles. He had tried throughout the meal to steer the conversation towards the economic outlook for the UK and Europe, but nobody was interested in any more doom and gloom after all the talk about Abbie’s accident.
Ellie didn’t believe she would be winning any prizes for being the perfect hostess tonight. On top of everything else, a text had come from Georgia when she was in the kitchen, sorting out the dessert. ‘THANKS FRIEND. THAT WAS JUST WHAT I NEEDED’. She recognised sarcasm when she saw it, and had wanted to put her head down and cry. Maybe she had been insensitive, telling her about her own problems in view of everything that Georgia was going through, but she had thought her friend would understand. Clearly not. She couldn’t even remember what she’d written in that text.
Tom was turning into the saviour of the night. He had an easy way of talking to people - no doubt as a result of countless interviews with people from all walks of life. He was relaxed, although Ellie sensed that life hadn’t always been easy for him. Divorce never was. She could hear his gruff Lancashire tones as he tried to draw Penny into conversation, but she couldn’t hear what he was saying.
He had been chatting to people about their jobs all evening, normally a fairly safe topic of conversation, and his gaze settled on Leo as Ellie served the last ‘trio of chocolate’ plates to her guests. Ellie knew how much Leo hated talking about herself, but when Tom asked the inevitable question, she was left in a position from which there was no obvious escape.
‘I’m a life coach.’ The flat tone in Leo’s voice didn’t encourage further questioning, but Ellie could have put money on Fiona having something to say on the subject. And she’d have won.
‘Good Lord. I didn’t really think those people existed. What gives anyone the authority to tell somebody else what they should and shouldn’t do with their lives? And I don’t want to be picky, Leo, but what sort of role model are you, given your views on relationships and men?’
Ellie looked at her sister, whose chin was firmly raised. She wanted to leap in and defend her, but Leo would hate that.
‘I would say that I’m the perfect role model, actually. I have what I want in life. I’m happy. I’m living proof that there’s hope for women outside of a relationship.’ Leo said, keeping her voice level.
‘So is that what you preach, then? The glorious single life?’ Fiona asked, followed by a most unbecoming and uncharacteristic snort. Who’d been topping up her glass all night, Ellie wondered.
‘I don’t preach. That’s the whole point. I help my clients to identify what works and what doesn’t work in their lives. And then I try to help them find ways of achieving the goals they’ve set.’
‘Hah. That’s a joke,’ Gary said. ‘Goals? Most of us just have to suffer whatever life throws at us and make the best of it.’ He took a large gulp of his wine.
Fiona ignored him. She hadn’t finished deriding Leo’s chosen profession.
‘Leo, you hate men. You think they’re totally superfluous and out to ruin the lives of all women. You’ve always been absolutely clear that every woman is better off on her own,