Secrets Between Sisters: The perfect heart-warming holiday read of 2018. Kate Thompson

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СКАЧАТЬ not Lady Bountiful’

      ‘Giving your sister half a house—’

      ‘One-third of a house, Finn.’

      ‘OK–one-third of a house–is a pretty bountiful thing to do, I’d have thought.’

      ‘I like to keep things simple. Think of the alternatives. For instance, if you decided to contest Frank’s will, Río, things could get really messy’

      ‘Hello? I’m an illegitimate daughter. How could I contest it?’

      ‘They don’t use the word “illegitimate” any more. And, anyway, so-called “illegitimates” have the same rights as their natural-born siblings.’

      ‘So that means Ma could contest it if she wanted to?’ said Finn.

      ‘Yes. But do you want to, Río?’

      Río thought about it. ‘No. You’re right. It would be messy. And risky. I’d end up in Stubbs Gazette if the case was decided against me.’

      ‘So what are the conditions, then?’ asked Finn.

      Dervla recrossed her legs, and gave Río a look of assessment. ‘I don’t want you to sell your share of the house within my lifetime, nor do I want you to rent it out.’

      ‘Oh. Why not?’

      ‘If I’m letting it as a holiday rental, it stands to reason that I have someone to keep an eye on the place. And who better to have ensconced in the upstairs apartment than my own sister?’

      ‘So I’d be like a kind of caretaker?’

      ‘I don’t know that “caretaker” is the right word. It sounds rather menial, doesn’t it?’

      ‘I’m not proud, Dervla. I told you that. I’ve had a long history as a jack of all trades. I can turn my hand to most things.’

      ‘Well. Let’s use a rather more genteel euphemism. How about “resident supervisor”?’

      ‘But I could be a complete liability, for all you know. I could throw wild parties and trash the joint and entertain unsuitable men and—’

      ‘Ma!’

      ‘Sorry, Finn.’

      ‘But I know you won’t do any of those things,’ said Dervla. ‘Because I know you’ve always wanted a home you can call your own. We both have.’

      The sisters regarded each other for a long moment.

      Finn broke the silence. ‘Will Ma be consulted about the design of the place?’ he asked. ‘It seems only fair to let her have some say in what it’ll look like.’

      ‘Of course,’ said Dervla, reassuming her brisk manner. ‘You’ll be glad to know that I’ve asked my architect to include a balcony to the front, Río, so you’ll have a view of the sea. Subject to planning, of course.’

      ‘Hm. This all sounds very good.’ Finn reached for the wine bottle, and Río could tell by his expression that he was thinking that this all might be too good to be true. ‘I hope you don’t mind me saying this, Dervla,’ he said, moving across the room to top up her glass, ‘but I’d like to have a look at anything Ma has to sign, because she finds red tape a bit–well–intimidating.’

      ‘That won’t be a problem, Finn. Cheers.’

      ‘Cheers.’ Río gave her son a big smile as he refilled her glass. How sweet of him to look out for her! And he was right about the red-tape thing. Río had a fear of filling in forms and signing contracts that verged on the pathological. ‘What will being “resident supervisor” involve, sis?’ she asked.

      ‘Turning the place around between rentals. Laundry, a bit of cleaning, making a note of meter readings, that kind of thing.’

      ‘You mean skivvying,’ said Finn.

      He said it in a jokey voice, but from the detectable hint of steel, Río could tell that Finn didn’t like the idea of his mother doing Dervla’s dirty work. Hell, she didn’t mind! The prospect of living rent and mortgage free in exchange for doing a bit of housework was a heady one. She’d had worse jobs. She’d worked in a call centre once, where she’d been glad to be fired after she’d called a customer a dickhead (in her defence, he’d called her a cunt).

      ‘Will I have to clean the loo?’

      Dervla looked taken aback. ‘Well–yes,’ she said.

      ‘In that case,’ said Río with mock hauteur, ‘I might have a few conditions of my own.’

      ‘Shoot.’

      ‘Can I keep a marmalade cat?’

      ‘Yes,’ said Dervla, with a laugh.

      ‘Then I guess it’s a done deal. W.B.’ll be glad to know that he’s found a home. Have you got your Dalmatian yet?’

      ‘No. I’ll have to move into the Great House first.’

      ‘With the Pierce Brosnan lookalike?’

      ‘I’ve lowered my standards a bit since then.’

      ‘What are you two on about?’ asked Finn.

      ‘We used to have a fantasy,’ said Río, ‘when we were little, that Dervla would marry a man who looked like Pierce Brosnan and live in a Great House with a Dalmatian and manicured lawns.’

      ‘And where were you going to live, Ma?’

      ‘I was going to marry a Pierce Brosnan lookalike too, and I was going to live in a cottage by the sea with an orchard and a marmalade cat. Ha! I’ll have to forgo the orchard–unless I get a load of bonsais for my balcony.’

      ‘Well, at least you got the cat bit right,’ said Finn, as WB. marched into the room, authority manifest in his ramrod-stiff tail. He was followed by Mr Morrissey, who was saying: ‘Yes, yes, yes. I am, of course, Your Grace’s most obedient servant.’

      Mr Morrissey ended his call, and slid his phone back into the pocket of his suit. ‘His Grace is ebullient as ever,’ he announced with a self-satisfied smile. ‘Now. Is everything settled?’

      ‘We think so,’ Dervla told him.

      ‘Excellent!’ said Mr Morrissey, with great enthusiasm. ‘In that case, I’ll be off. His Grace has invited me to cocktails at the palace.’

      ‘As the actress said to the bishop,’ quipped Finn.

      ‘I beg your pardon?’

      ‘Stop being facetious, Finn,’ said Dervla, waspishly.

      At the front door, they all shook hands, and Mr Morrissey said: ‘May I just say again how sorry I am for your trouble. Your father was a real character.’

      And Río СКАЧАТЬ