A Family Concern Read Free Page A

married into the Tarlton family, whose prestigious shop was further along Guild Street.
    â€˜So-so, but it doesn’t really get going till December. If you’re thinking of buying anything, I’d advise an early visit.’
    â€˜Now that you mention it, I could do with a new watch,’ Rona said reflectively. ‘This one’s been playing up for weeks, and it’s so old, it’s probably past repairing.’
    Kate eyed Rona’s wrist. ‘The style’s a bit dated, too,’ she observed with professional detachment. ‘We’ve a lovely selection at the moment, well worth a look.’
    â€˜I’ll see if I can talk Max into it.’
    Kate gave an embarrassed laugh. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to subject you to a sales pitch. We’re not the only jewellers in town.’
    â€˜Relax – we always come to you, it’s family tradition. This watch came from Tarlton’s, as did my engagement ring, not to mention Lindsey’s
and
my mother’s.’
    â€˜I’m preaching to the converted, then.’ Kate took a bite of her teacake. ‘Your links go back a lot further than mine.’
    â€˜How long have you been there?’
    â€˜Six years, three as a member of the family.’ She smiled. ‘Funny to think of it now, but the first year I could hardly bring myself to speak to Lewis, he was so disagreeable. Mind you, I was prickly myself at the time. If you remember, I’d just extricated myself from a sticky relationship.’
    Rona nodded. A married man, who, contrary to protestations, had never even contemplated divorce.
    â€˜Lewis, of course, was married at the time,’ Kate continued, ‘and later, when I realized how unhappy he’d been, I forgave him his bad temper. Then we started to come together, and it seemed I was destined to go through life as the Other Woman. Fortunately, it didn’t work out that way.’
    â€˜Did it create any embarrassment,’ Rona asked curiously, ‘your continuing to work there while all that was going on?’
    â€˜Did they blame me for the break-up, you mean? No, I don’t think so. The family hadn’t expected the marriage to last; it was a flash-in-the-pan thing – mutual attraction and little else. Once the first flush had worn off, he found Sophie too sweet and docile. Lewis needs someone like me. I give as good as I get, and strike sparks off him. That’s what keeps our marriage alive and exciting. Also, he’s fanatical about the business, and apart from the end product, she wasn’t interested. Hotel work was her scene, and she continued to work at the Clarendon, which Lewis resented. After the divorce, she married Chris Fairfax, the son of the owners. Any embarrassment – or awkwardness, rather – came from the family connection.’
    Rona looked up enquiringly.
    â€˜The Tarltons and Fairfaxes are related,’ Kate explained. ‘Didn’t you know?’
    â€˜No, I didn’t.’
    â€˜Not all that closely – second cousins or something. We don’t see much of them. Anyway, enough about me. How’s life with you? You and Max still living in different establishments?’
    â€˜For three nights a week, yes.’
    â€˜Unusual for a married couple, isn’t it? How did that come about?’
    â€˜Basically because we both work from home, Max painting, me writing. And he can only work with music blaring, while I need complete silence.’
    â€˜Jack Spratt and his wife?’
    â€˜Exactly. So he invested in Farthings, a cottage twenty minutes’ walk away, where he can happily break all the sound barriers and leave me in peace.’
    â€˜I can see the sense in that – but nights too?’
    â€˜Well, that evolved because he gives classes three evenings a week, and by the time the students have gone and everything’s tidied away, it’s after ten o’clock. It seemed hardly worth coming