A Family Concern Read Online Free PDF Page A

sister’s happiness, and it looked as though once more it might explode in her face.
    â€˜Don’t play with fire, Linz,’ she pleaded. ‘You’ve been hurt too many times before.’
    Lindsey leaned forward to top up their glasses. ‘Don’t you worry about me, sister dear,’ she said lightly. ‘I can take care of myself.’
    Rona doubted it, but there was no point in pursuing the matter. Returning to a safer topic, she said, ‘So you’ll fall in with whatever we decide about Christmas?’
    â€˜Hang on, I didn’t say that. Will Pops be with Catherine?’
    â€˜As it happens, no.’
    Lindsey stared at her. ‘You haven’t got some wild idea about us all spending it together? Have you gone out of your
mind
?’
    â€˜I’ve not thought it through yet, but provided we’re not at Maple Drive, where we’ve always been before—’
    â€˜You really imagine we could get Mum and Pops round the same table? If we had to choose between them, you know you’d go for Pops and I’d go for Mum. It’s dream stuff, Ro.’
    â€˜So much for peace and goodwill,’ Rona said flatly.
    An hour later, as she drove back to Marsborough, she reflected that although she and Lindsey were back on an even keel, neither of the points she’d hoped to settle – the retirement party and Christmas – had been resolved.
    â€˜Describe it to me,’ Catherine said.
    Tom leaned back in the chair he already privately considered his, and took another sip of his drink. ‘Well, it’s on the first floor – nothing very fancy, but quite adequate, I’d say. There’s a lift, though I suppose with my history I ought to use the stairs.’
    â€˜I said
describe
it, Tom!’ Catherine protested, laughing. ‘“Nothing very fancy” conveys not a thing. Talk me through it, from the minute you go through the front door. Is there a hallway?’
    â€˜A small one, yes. Immediately to the right is the door to the bedroom – there’s only one: did I say? – and opposite it, on the left, is the bathroom. Next to that, as far as I remember, is a walk-in cupboard with hooks and things for hanging coats. The living room’s straight ahead and, as I said, pleasant enough. Sofa, two armchairs, small dining table, bookcase, TV.’ He smiled. ‘Is that enough description for you?’
    â€˜Kitchen?’
    â€˜Ah, that leads off the living room. And –
pièce de résistance
– from its window I can see your roof and a couple of the trees in your back garden!’
    â€˜That must put thousands on the price! Will we be able to semaphore each other?’
    â€˜Seriously, take a look tomorrow, in daylight.’
    There was a moment’s silence. Then she said, ‘Well, I’m glad that’s settled so satisfactorily. And it’s lovely that you’ll be so near.’
    He looked across at her, marvelling at the good fortune that had come his way when he most needed it, when Avril had almost succeeded in persuading him he was fit only for the scrapheap. Compared with his wife, who’d become so sharp and critical, Catherine was a joy to be with, calm and comfortable in her skin. Her husband had died tragically young, but she’d built a life for herself as headmistress of a primary school in Buckford, until forced to retire four years ago and come to Marsborough to look after her mother. When she’d died, Catherine, deciding against returning to Buckford, had bought this bungalow, which Tom now loved almost as much as she did.
    She had suggested, matter-of-factly, that he move in with her once he’d retired, but he’d firmly vetoed the proposal. Though he knew he’d be thought old-fashioned, he had no intention of compromising her in any way, and until they were married they would sleep under separate roofs. Which, he thought now with an inward smile, did