E for England (27 page)

‘Leonie is coming back tomorrow. James thinks he's in love with her.'

‘I thought he was smitten. Not sure about her. But she's a real softie at heart, underneath the tough shell, so he might stand a chance.' She sounded as doubtful as he was.

‘He thinks the same thing. I'm not so sure. I don't want her to hurt him. My aunty Mary used to say that, except her comment was usually aimed at James in relation to a girl he'd grown tired of — “I don't want you to hurt her.”' He mimicked her stern tone.

Annie laughed. ‘He's a grown man, he'll cope.'

Hugh smiled at the wry note in her voice. ‘I suppose I still think of him as my little cousin.'

‘And you want to protect him,' she said softly. ‘Leonie can be very gentle and she genuinely likes James. She won't deliberately set out to hurt him, but if she doesn't love him back there's not much anyone can do. She'll only be here a few days. How's he going to cope when she leaves for good? You can't protect him from that.'

‘I don't know. He's hoping he can persuade her to stay.'

‘He might.'

That surprised him. ‘Do you think so?'

‘I think Leonie really only wants to be loved, even though she'd deny it, and if James can prove he does then who knows?'

‘“
Amor vincit omnia”
,' said Hugh.

‘
Canterbury Tales
.'

‘It's one of two things I remember from high school English.'

‘
The Nun's Tale
?'

‘Close. No, the Prioress's.'

‘Do you think that's true?'

Hugh laughed. ‘When I was sixteen I thought it was sentimental rubbish.'

‘And now?'

‘I haven't given it much thought.' Liar. ‘Do you?'

‘I suppose if it's strong enough I guess maybe it is true. For some people. They'd both have to feel the same way,' she added.

She sounded extremely doubtful about the possibility of a reciprocated love that strong. Was he hoping she'd agree wholeheartedly that it was true? She wouldn't, not after her experience with love.

‘Yes, otherwise it's doomed to fail.'

A tiny snorting laugh sounded in his ear. ‘Then there's that other phrase — do you know that song
Love Hurts
? I heard it on the radio and now it's stuck in my head. I'm more inclined to believe that.'

Were they still talking about James and Leonie?

He laughed, albeit a trifle forced. ‘I suppose you're the wrong person to ask about true love at the moment.'

‘I sure am.'

‘Listen, the other reason I rang… James and I are going to a pub in Annandale this afternoon to listen to a band. Want to come? They're friends of Leonie's.'

‘Oh, I'd love to but I don't think I can, thanks for asking though.' The response tripped lightly off her tongue. She didn't say why and he couldn't ask.

‘Okay, another time then.' Just friends.

He was about to say goodbye when she said, ‘What's the other thing you remember from English class? You said you remember two.'

He smiled. ‘“Call me Ishmael.”'

‘
Moby Dick
.'

‘Right. Did you read Tequila Mockingbird?'

She laughed. ‘Of course. It's a classic, along with I, Clavdivs.'

‘Clavdivs?'

‘That's what it looked like on our copies.
I, Claudius
.'

‘Haven't read that. See you later.' He hung up, laughing.

Annie answered the phone at work with a brusque, ‘Hello.'

‘Hi, I'm home. Just for a few days to finish up.'

Leonie. ‘Oh, hi! How are you?'

‘Fine. How are you and the kids? Everything working out?'

‘All good so far.' She lowered her voice. ‘He's on his best behaviour.'

‘Is Big Ears eavesdropping?' She meant Julia.

‘Yes.'

‘Can't mind her own business, that woman. The name is an omen. No Julias can keep their mouths shut.'

Annie snorted with laughter. ‘I'd better go. I'll call you tonight. Glad you're back. We missed you. The kids want you to come over and see their new bedrooms. Talk to you later.'

‘Okay.'

That evening Annie continued the conversation.

‘Can you come over for dinner tomorrow?'

‘Love to. I can't believe how much I've missed Mattie and Floss.'

‘They miss you too.' True. Floss had lined up her Barbie dolls ready for Leonie to inspect and play with. They'd been packed away for the last few months, along with their vast array of smart clothing and accessories.

‘Even with their Dad around?' Leonie was pleased, Annie knew from the tone. But then, who could help but love her pair?

‘Yes, of course. Floss wants to show you her dolls and he's not much good with Barbie. I'm wondering should I invite Hugh and James as well. Make a dinner party of it. It's a pity you're not here over the weekend; we could have done a barbecue. The backyard is great and we have a verandah that's perfect for eating on.'

‘I'm pleased it's working for you, Annie. I'm glad I was wrong.'

Whether that was the truth or not didn't matter, she'd said it, it sounded convincing and with any luck she'd stick to that line when she came to dinner.

‘Thanks. It's early days yet. We're both being ultra polite. That'll wear off.'

‘Have you seen much of Hugh?' Leonie sounded suspiciously casual.

Annie licked her lips. ‘He phoned yesterday. He's been really busy with a flu epidemic.'

‘I think you should invite him, if he can make it. It'd be nice to all be together. Will Kevin be there?' Another very polite, restrained question. Japanese manners had rubbed off on her very quickly. Most unusual. What had happened to her in Tokyo?

‘Maybe. I'm not sure what he's doing. We have been eating together, though. It's easiest. I can hardly ask him to go out or stay in his room.'

‘Don't see why not. It's a share house not a marriage, remember. Anyway he may not want to talk to us.' A cackle came from the other end of the line. Much more like the old Leonie.

Annie grinned. ‘You can tell him about your chart.'

‘I filled in D for Denmark. Blue.'

That made her sit up straight. ‘Really?' She shouldn't be shocked, this was Leonie. But she was. ‘What about James?' she blurted.

‘What about him?'

‘I thought you and he…'

‘What?'

‘You seemed very interested in each other when we had takeaway that night.'

‘Annie, you know me.'

‘Yes, I do. As long as
you
know what you're doing. James could be a keeper.'

‘He'll have to prove that.'

‘He won't have much time if you're leaving on Friday.' My heavens, Leonie was a tough cookie. Poor, innocent James. He had no idea.

There was a pause. Leonie said in a much more subdued voice, ‘Just between you and me I may not go after all. Would you be furious with me if I stayed?'

That was unexpected. ‘Why? Why would I be angry with you? What's happened with the job? I thought it was all set. Have they stuffed you around or something?' Hard to imagine with Leonie's sharp wits, but things happen in corporate land. Positions come and go with the economic climate.

‘There are a few things in the contract I don't like, and it's not really a promotion the way they said in Japan, more a sideways step. The pay is almost the same, which I don't like. I'd want heaps more for such an upheaval but they won't budge. I like living in Sydney. I have friends here. You and the kids, for example.'

‘We'd love it if you stayed.' And was James part of this reversal?

‘So you don't mind I threw you out of my apartment for no reason?' The relief flooded through the phone. ‘I was so worried about it. If I'm still here you could've stayed and not had to move in with Kevin at all.'

‘But it's fine. Don't worry. We knew your place was temporary and it really isn't geared for kids. I was worried we'd outstayed our welcome ages ago.'

‘Whew! I'm so, so relieved.'

‘Anyway, what you decide to do is your decision; you shouldn't tailor it around what I might think, much as I appreciate the thought. Does James have anything to do with this change of heart?'

‘Come on Annie, you know me.' She chuckled.

Annie smiled. ‘Just be nice to him. Give him a chance to get to know the Leonie the kids and I know.'

‘I don't really do nice with men. They don't generally do nice with me.'

‘I think both Clelland men are different to the average guy.'

‘Hugh certainly is, but he's after you not me, unfortunately.' And with that neat twist the conversation veered onto a new course. ‘Are you giving him a chance, Annie?'

‘Apart from the fact I'm not up for a relationship at the moment, plenty of chances but he hasn't taken a single one. If he announced he couldn't live without me I'd seriously reconsider, but he's not interested beyond being friends.'

‘Why on earth not? What's wrong with him?'

‘He doesn't want the responsibility of children. He said that right up-front, which is why we got on so well so quickly. No pressure, no expectations.'

‘Crap! It's obvious he likes those kids.'

‘It's true, and it's more than not wanting to make a commitment. There was a family tragedy when he was young and he feels responsible for it. Someone died. His little half-brother.'

‘Oh my God, that's terrible. But surely he's over it by now. He's a doctor, he should be able to sort his head out. Or get someone else to.'

‘He said he can't help feeling he's not capable of looking after children of his own. It terrifies him, I think, even though he's so good with them and they love him.'

That stumped Leonie completely. ‘Gosh, and here I was thinking he was another commitment-phobic guy. Poor Hugh. He'd be such a great dad.'

‘I know. Leonie, don't say anything to him will you? That I told you?'

‘Of course I won't. James wants children, he told me.'

Annie laughed. ‘Ironic isn't it? We both want the wrong cousin. Hugh would be perfect for you and James would be perfect for me.'

‘And so do they want the wrong one of us. Men! We were both better off before we met any Clellands. What time should I come over tomorrow? I'll cadge a ride with one or both of them, whoever's going.'

‘About seven.'

‘Lovely. Thanks, Annie. By the way, please don't say anything about my move to James or Hugh. As far as James is concerned I'm leaving on Friday. But I'm definitely not going, I've just made up my mind.'

‘Okay.'

Leonie was right. Annie was certainly better off before she met Hugh, resigned to her single motherhood, viewing men with an eye soured by Kevin and his abrupt departure. Falling in love was chaotic at the best of times, falling in love in her situation was a disaster, falling in love in her situation with a man who just wanted to be friends was way too catastrophic for a girl to bear.

The front door crashed open and multiple pairs of feet tromped inside. The family was home. Annie pulled herself up from the couch cushions and went to greet them.

Later, clearing the table and tidying the kitchen after dinner, she said to Kevin, ‘I've invited Leonie around for dinner tomorrow. She's back for a few days.'

‘Okay.'

‘She suggested I invite our friends Hugh and James as well. I'll call them later.' She scraped plates and stacked them in the dishwasher. She didn't need to ask his permission, had to stop herself asking was it okay with him. It was awkward, this situation. With Leonie it had been easy because they never had anyone around for a meal, apart from James and Hugh with the Chinese takeaway. From memory, the other housemates were either invited if the friends were mutual, or went out to give the guests space. How did she and Kevin fit into that scenario? Housemates, Leonie said.

‘What do
I
do?' He sounded like an aggrieved little kid.

She shrugged and turned to face him. ‘Whatever you like.'

‘What about Mattie and Floss?'

‘I'll feed them first, but they know everyone so they'll want to say hello before they go to bed.' And she'd bet Hugh would be roped into story time.

‘You've got this all organised, haven't you?'

Annie held her breath for a moment then exhaled slowly. ‘We agreed we'd live separate lives, Kevin, that was the deal. I'm inviting my friends over for dinner. I've given you plenty of warning. You can do the same any time you like.'

‘Okay, I'll invite Edward tomorrow as well.'

‘He doesn't know anyone. I don't know him.' The bastard! ‘This is a farewell to Leonie.'

‘He's very good with people. He'll fit right in.'

Worth a fight? Annie studied the face staring back at her with a tiny smirk twisting the thin lips. She'd never noticed how thin those lips were until now. Petty man.

‘All right. Tell him seven.'

‘Fine. By the way Edward's a vegetarian.'

‘Fine.' She'd boil him some carrots. Or better still… ‘You can take care of his dinner. He's your friend.'

‘No need to be nasty.'

‘I'm not but I planned moussaka and salad and I'm not going to cook a special meal for the friend you've invited, on top of cooking separately for the kids.' She added her sweetest smile to demonstrate how reasonable her suggestion was.

He scowled and slammed the odds and ends drawer shut. ‘I haven't invited him yet.'

‘That's up to you.' And whether he was prepared to cook. Just what was his relationship with the mysterious, gregarious, vegetarian Edward? Secretly, Annie was pleased. She was itching to get a look at the man who'd stolen her husband's heart.