Sowing The Seeds Of Love Part 22

'Yes. I see it as an investment for the future.'

'But it's only an investment if you plan to sell it some time down the line.'

'I don't mean an investment for my future. I mean an investment for everyone's future.'

They heard voices at the front door. Mrs Prendergast's and a man's. They were too far away to make out what was being said. Then snippets of conversation floated in to them, although at first it wasn't clear if this was because the voices were getting louder or closer. After a while, it became evident that it was both.

'How much? Jesus Christ, you're joking.'

'Lance, please. I have guests for dinner.'

He entered the room and took in the scene. 'I should have b.l.o.o.d.y well known.'

His white s.h.i.+rtsleeves were rolled up and his formal tie was skew-whiff. His dark hair was sticking up as though he'd raked a hand through it repeatedly. He looked as if he'd been drinking. The atmosphere in the room changed instantly.

'Who the f.u.c.k do you think you are, ripping my mother off like that?' Lance glared at Uri.

'Lance!'

Uri remained calm and still, as if he'd faced a lot worse in his time. 'I offered your mother considerably more but she refused to take it.' His voice was quiet but it carried. His dignified, almost regal, manner was totally at variance with that of Lance, who turned angrily to Mrs Prendergast.

'Is this true?'

'Mr Rosenberg paid the full market value.'

'You could have got double that, you stupid b.i.t.c.h.'

There was a sharp intake of breath all round.

'Don't speak to your mother like that,' said Uri, his face thunderous.

'What's it to you, you sly Jewish b.a.s.t.a.r.d?'

There was a moment's silence, then all h.e.l.l broke loose. Seth was on his feet so fast that his chair fell backwards on to the floor. His face was contorted with anger and it was clear that he intended to launch himself at Lance.

'Seth, no!' Uri was on his feet, too, grabbing Seth's arm. Aoife got up, intending to head him off.

'Come over here and say that,' roared Seth, his face puce.

'Daddy, what's wrong?' Kathy and Liam were standing at the door to the sunroom, eyes like saucers. They'd been inside watching a DVD. They must have heard the raised voices and come to see what was going on.

The sight of his daughter seemed to bring Seth to his senses. His rigid body visibly relaxed and the red in his face reduced to an acceptable pink. 'Nothing's wrong, sweetheart. Go back inside.'

'Daddy, why is your chair on the floor?'

'I knocked it over by accident, Kathy. Come on back inside with me and we'll watch the rest of the film.'

'It's over, Daddy.'

'Then we'll watch another.'

Seth herded the two children out of the room, not even looking at Lance as he walked past him. The four remaining adults stood staring at one another, the tension almost sickening.

'You won't get away with this,' Lance snarled at Uri, his voice quieter now yet somehow more menacing. Then he looked at his mother. 'This transaction isn't going through. I won't allow it.'

Then he was gone, as if he'd never been there, except that everything in the room was altered. No one spoke, moved even, until they heard the front door slam. Mrs Prendergast emitted a peculiar high-pitched sound and sank into the nearest chair. Uri was at her side instantly. Aoife noted with alarm that the other woman was trembling. She wasn't surprised. If Liam grew up and spoke to her like that... It didn't bear thinking about.

'Here. Drink this.' Uri poured some brandy out of a bottle that was standing in the middle of the table. He held the gla.s.s to Mrs Prendergast's lips. She took it in a shaking hand and sipped. Aoife began to lift dirty plates from the table.

'Leave that, Aoife,' said Uri.

'But hadn't somebody better clear up?'

'I'll take care of it. You and Seth take the children home. I don't want them seeing her like this.'

'You sure?'

'Quite sure.'

Aoife put down the plates and went to find the others. She followed the squeals of the Disney DVD. The children were transfixed, their faces lit by the swirling colours on the screen. Seth was sitting on the edge of an armchair, his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands.

'Seth.' Aoife's voice was soft. He didn't hear her so she walked over to him and touched his hand. He jumped and looked up. As if by instinct, he took her hand and held it to his cheek, brus.h.i.+ng her palm with his lips. Aoife pulled away. 'Come on, kids. Time to go.'

'I don't want to.'

'But, Mummy, it's only just started.'

'Come on. You can watch the rest tomorrow.'

She ignored their squeals of protest as she ejected the DVD and put it back in its case.

'Kathy, it's way past your bedtime.'

They bundled the children out into the night air. It was ten o'clock and still bright. 'How are you getting home?' asked Seth.

'On foot.'

'We'll walk you there.'

'There's no need.'

'I insist.'

'Okay.'

They walked in silence for a while, at least the two adults did. Kathy and Liam skipped ahead, hand in hand, singing nonsense songs.

Eventually Aoife said, 'Do you get that kind of thing a lot?'

'What?'

'Anti-Jewish stuff.'

'Not really. But it does rear its ugly head every now and then. Some p.r.i.c.k like that.'

'Poor Mrs Prendergast,' Aoife mused.

'I know.'

They watched the children for a while. Then Seth said: 'I like your dress.'

'Thanks.'

'The colour suits you.'

'Thank you.' Aoife felt pleased and embarra.s.sed at the same time.

'I was beginning to think you didn't have legs.'

She smiled. 'They've been there the whole time.'

'So I see. They're quite long, aren't they?'

'Yes, they go all the way to the ground. Here we are.'

They stopped outside her front door.

'How are you getting home?'

'I have the jeep. It's parked opposite Mrs P's.'

'Are you okay to drive?'

'I only had one gla.s.s.'

Aoife nodded. She'd been so busy knocking it back that she hadn't noticed what anyone else was doing. 'Good night, then. Thanks for walking us home.'

'But, Mummy, I want to show Kathy my new excavator.'

'You can show her the next time.'

'But I said I'd show her now. Please, Mummy.'

'Please, Aoife.'

'Okay. Hurry up, though. You both need to get to bed.'

Aoife opened the door and the children ran inside, talking and laughing. She felt awkward now. 'Do you want to come inside and wait?'

'No, it's all right. It's nice out here.'

It was a lovely night but Aoife didn't like the way Seth was looking at her. It was making her feel fl.u.s.tered. He took a few steps forward and she fixed her eyes hard on the pavement. What happened next was what she wanted but at the same time didn't want. He put his arms around her waist and pulled her close. He stroked her lower back with the tips of his fingers. 'Aoife. Look at me.'

With huge difficulty, she met his eyes. They seemed to go on for ever. Oh, G.o.d, one more second and he'd kiss her. She broke away and stepped inside her front door. 'Kathy! Liam! Come on now.'

Sounding like a buffalo stampede rather than two small children, Kathy and Liam ran back into the hall.

'Ready, Kathy?'

'Yes.' She went outside and joined her father.

Aoife started to close the door. 'Thanks again for walking us home.' She didn't look at him.

'Aoife.'

'What?'

'You can't punish yourself for ever, you know.'

'Good night, Seth.' She shut the door.

'Mummy, what's punish?'

'It's what'll happen to you if you don't get into bed now. Come on. Up the stairs.'

The man didn't know what he was talking about.

29.

The sunlight poured in through the gap in the curtains, bathing Emily's eyelids. This was her favourite way to wake up from one dreamlike state to another. She lay there for some time, semi-conscious, believing herself back in her bedsit. And then she heard the tiniest whimper. Her eyes flew open. She sat up in the bed she'd slept in since she was a girl, in the room that had sheltered her childhood dreams: ponies and gymkhanas, her teenage fantasies of Westlife and Gary O'Connor. All of that gave way now to adult reality. (She must get rid of that ridiculous poster.) Rose had settled herself back to sleep, although her restlessness indicated imminent wakefulness. Emily knew it would be wise to go downstairs and prepare a bottle, but she couldn't drag herself away. Her reality now was so unreal. So magical.

'Wow,' she said to her sleeping daughter.

'Wow,' she said to herself, countless times a day. Because she loved it all. Every second of it. Even when Rose bawled her head off. Even when she did it in the middle of the night. That gave Emily the excuse to take her into her bed and hold her close, breathe her in.

Now Rose slumbered in the cot her mother had slept in, as had all the other Harte babies. There was a baby-shaped indentation in the mattress, and Rose fitted snugly into it. There was a gentle rap on the bedroom door. 'Come in.'

The door opened to reveal her father. He was dressed in his outdoor clothes and had the air of someone who'd been up for hours. He'd probably sorted the cows already. 'Is Madam awake?' he said.

'Not yet. But she will be soon.'

'Will I bring you up a bottle?'