at the few cars for sale. “Not that he can sell many of them, especially if there are fewer tourists. Everything here is so ancient. I’m kinda surprised he’s still in business, to be honest. I never understood how he made a living.”
“They’re vintage cars, Jude, not old bangers.” Rob patted the steering wheel of his car as though she might’ve been listening. “Just like Betsy. And I’ll think you’ll find there’s just as much money in selling vintage cars as there is in letting out boutique hotel rooms. Even if there are fewer people around, the ones with money will pay a lot for something rare.”
Jude pondered that as Rob got out and the car lot owner emerged from his showroom. He greeted Rob with far more warmth than Jude expected, nodding when Rob pointed between his car and the pump like sparing petrol for him would be no problem. Jude got out too rather than sit as they chatted, checking out some of the cars he’d written off as ancient. One was as big as a boat, tyres so fat they looked buoyant.
“That’s a Humber,” Rob said from behind him. “They don’t make them like that anymore, do they?” He reached past Jude and opened the door, letting out the scent of leather. “Look at all that walnut.” He opened the back door as well. “And look at the size of those seat-back trays.” He unclipped one and lowered it. “That’s the way to have a picnic in style.”
“I liked where we had ours better.”
“Yeah?”
Jude nodded, so distracted for a moment by Rob’s closeness that he forgot where they were until the sound of a car horn tooting had him sharply stepping backwards. At least Rob seemed as flustered as he reached for his wallet. “Let me get this over with and then we’ll be on our way.”
“Get what over with?”
“Him trying to buy Betsy from me while I pay for the petrol. He ups his offer each time I come here.”
“But not enough to make you sell it?”
“Her, not it,” Rob insisted. “And there isn’t enough money in the world to part me from Betsy.” He flicked open the wallet to pull out a creased Polaroid. Jude studied it after Rob left to pay. A young woman with Rob’s smile sat in a car that was Betsy’s double. Jude climbed back in, waiting until Rob got back in before he asked, “Was this your mum’s car?”
Rob nodded, raising a hand in farewell to the car lot owner as they left.
“And how much did he offer this time?”
“Not enough,” Rob said. “Like I said. There isn’t enough money on the planet.”
They drove away from Porthperrin, Jude pictured a simple set of door keys and a kiss-the-cook apron, understanding what Rob meant completely.
A half-hour later, the conversation returned to vehicles as they dawdled behind a line of camper vans and trailers, some of which at least would usually have headed for the beach at Porthperrin. Now they all drove farther south. Rob pulled out to overtake some, saying, “That’s the same Range Rover model that Dad has. He offered to swap it with me for her.”
“For Betsy? Why did he give her to you in the first place?”
“He didn’t give her to me. I found her on a vintage sports car website. Cost me pretty much everything Mum left me to buy her. He couldn’t believe that I spent most of Mum’s money on her. Wasted it.”
Jude had a better idea now than ever before about why finding the car might have mattered so much. “If he thought it was a waste of money, why’d he try to swap it with you?”
“Control freak, remember?” Rob said, like that was a complete answer. “But can we not talk about him?” he asked. “And no overthinking about your sister either. What?” Rob glanced his way. “I can tell you are by the look on your face.” His tone softened, his gaze darting from the rearview mirror to Jude again as he passed a slow-moving camper van. “Louise asked for some space, that’s all, Jude. We both know that she loves you. She’s just having to wrap her head around rewriting her past. Your past. Your whole family’s, to be honest.” He took a moment as they paused at a junction to meet Jude’s gaze head-on, humour hovering at his mouth’s corners. “But she won’t need much longer, I reckon.”
“How do you know?”
“Because she’s nowhere as slow on the uptake as you.”
“I’m