papers and stuff on Friday or Saturday and then we’re off. Technically the money’s not ours until the paperwork’s complete, but there’s only a day or two in it, so as long as you don’t spend it we should be fine.’
Gary leaned back against the car with his feet crossed and his arms folded.
‘I’m not that stupid, Sean. Penny might be too dense to notice if I bought some nice gear, but good stuff stands out a mile. It’s going in my escape fund, if you know what I mean.’
Gary stood up and glanced over at the girls.
‘I’d better be going, I suppose. They’ve been sat there a while, and they were po-faced enough about going to my mother’s as it was.’
The two men walked down the drive together.
‘When I arrived, I thought I heard you talking about Leo,’ Sean said. ‘It’s the first time I’ve met her. What do you make of her?’
‘Well, I don’t have much time for the life coach crap. I’ve told Penny to steer clear. But Leo? Well I’d certainly give her one - if only to see that aloof, snotty look wiped off her face. What about you? You’re the village stud after all.’
Sean laughed.
‘I don’t think I’d better comment on that. She’s not much like Ellie, though, is she?’
‘Ah Ellie. Now there’s a special case. Sees the best in everybody, that woman. Did you see how long she spent talking to that tit Charles the other night? God, I could hardly bear the suspense when he opened his mouth to speak, wondering what pearls of wisdom he was going to bestow on us. But Ellie looked enthralled. That’s the sort of person she is. Anyway, enough of lusting after other women. I’d better go. Talk to you tomorrow, Sean.’
Gary raised his hand to Sean as he walked towards Penny’s car, thoughts of women and the idiotic games they insisted on playing running through his head.
But he could handle Penny. She wasn’t the problem - it was the other one. He was tired of waiting. He was being played, and he didn’t like it. Not one little bit.
* * *
Nobody could miss the elegant and flamboyant figure of Fiona Atkinson as she walked up the High Street. Leo had decided that as the sun was less fierce today they could risk eating outside, and she could see Fiona was attracting a fair few stares as she headed towards the wine bar. Dressed in a simple but beautifully cut raspberry red shift dress that on its own would have been enough to draw attention, she had topped this off with a large black straw sunhat and a huge pair of sunglasses. She looked as if she should have been lunching in Paris rather than Little Melham.
‘Am I late, Leo?’ Fiona asked. ‘I decided to have a massage after my session at the gym this morning, and I think we got carried away with the time.’
Leo smiled. Despite Ellie thinking that she was at daggers drawn with Fiona, she actually found her quite amusing, and enjoyed the fact that they could vaguely insult each other without either taking the least offence. She didn’t remember much about Fiona from school - only that she was a bit scruffy, and although she’d been Ellie’s friend, friends were never welcome at Willow Farm. Since Fiona had moved back to the village, Leo had met her several times at Ellie’s old house, and she found her assumed airs and graces mildly entertaining.
While she’d been waiting, Leo had ordered herself a glass of wine, which arrived as Fiona sat down.
‘Sorry about this, Fiona. I didn’t know how long you’d be. Shall I get a bottle now, or would you like a glass of something different?’ Leo asked.
‘Just a glass of San Pellegrino for me, please. I make it a rule not to drink during the week. I have to look after myself, you know.’ Fiona laughed, as if to suggest that simply by looking at her one could see how her self-discipline was paying off.
‘Why do you feel like that, do you think?’ Leo asked.
‘Like what? Oh don’t start all that life coach bull with me, Leo. I know what you’re getting at. Why do I think I always have to look at the top of my game? Is that what you’re after?’
Leo just smiled and waited for Fiona to talk.
‘I want to look my best at all times. I never want Charles to be ashamed of me. I like to