The Affair: The shocking, gripping story of a schoolgirl and a scandal. Amanda Brooke

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       6

       Before

       Tuesday, 13 October 2015

      After parking her car behind Bryn’s taxi, Nina rubbed the back of her neck. It had been an especially long day at the shop which had been transformed into a witch’s coven for Halloween. After spending hours perched on top of step ladders draping gossamer thin spider’s webs across shelves stacked with autumnal wreaths and papier-mâché pumpkins, she was looking forward to a long soak in the bath, but before she could get out of the car, her phone started to ring.

      ‘Sorry I haven’t called. I know it’s been ages,’ Sarah began, ‘but I’ve been ridiculously busy.’

      ‘It’s all right,’ Nina said with a twinge of guilt. She hadn’t exactly gone out of her way to contact her friend either.

      ‘Anyway, I’ve got a spare five minutes and thought I’d check on things in the Carrington household.’

      ‘Thomas household,’ Nina corrected.

      There was a pause. ‘Are you OK, Nina?’

      Sarah’s remark hit a nerve. After barely two words, her friend was ready to assume Nina’s life was in freefall, which was why she had been less than eager to phone her. From the moment she had started dating Bryn, a lowly taxi driver and a bankrupt to boot, Sarah had been convinced Nina was going through a full-blown midlife crisis.

      The question alone made Nina check her reply, but she felt confident when she said, ‘I’m fine. A bit tired, that’s all. It’s been a busy day at the shop.’

      ‘You should see my desk. I’m snowed under with paperwork and Miles has gone on strike. He has some major project at work that’s slipping, so he’s never here. I’ve got planning objections to deal with and, to top it all, the delicatessen has just secured contracts to supply another two restaurants.’

      ‘And that’s bad news?’

      ‘Oh, you have no idea how draining success can be.’

      ‘Couldn’t you simply hire someone to help?’ Nina said.

      ‘You mean the job I had in mind for my darling daughter until she decided to betray me and turn her back on her heritage?’ Sarah asked. ‘I told her the other day that all this pressure will put me or her dad in an early grave, but she wouldn’t listen, said I was trying to manipulate her.’

      ‘I’d be happy to swap you one career-minded student for a teenage cave-dweller.’

      ‘Ah, so that’s what’s bothering you,’ Sarah said. ‘I knew there was something. Did you have that talk with Liam?’

      ‘In a fashion,’ Nina said. ‘He wants to do something in computers but I have a suspicion he thinks he’s going to invent some amazing new program that will earn him millions without ever having to leave his room.’

      ‘Maybe the problem is he doesn’t want to leave home, as in, leave you and Scarlett.’

      ‘And why would that be, Sarah?’ Nina said, already knowing the answer. ‘We have Bryn to look after us now.’

      ‘The kids do seem to be getting on well with him.’

      Sarah had been watching Bryn throughout their Sunday lunch the month before. Her friend’s eyes had narrowed every time Liam, or especially Scarlett had spoken to him. And when Scarlett had disappeared and Bryn had fetched her back to the table, Sarah had made a fuss about Scarlett looking unsettled. The only reason she was unsettled was because Sarah had pulled the ‘Are you OK?’ routine on her too.

      ‘Yes, they are. If anything, they’re starting to take advantage of him. I’m sure Scarlett thinks he’s her private chauffeur.’

      ‘It’s a shame he doesn’t get on so well with his own daughter. Did you ever find out why she didn’t show at the wedding?’

      Nina had never met Bryn’s daughter Caryn who lived in Wales with her mum. Bryn and his first wife had divorced when their daughter was in her early teens, around the same time his printing business had collapsed. Caryn was in her early twenties now and from what Bryn had told her, she hadn’t had that much to do with him since his move to Sedgefield a few years ago. He had been hopeful that she would come to the wedding, but not surprised when she hadn’t.

      ‘I’m sure she had her reasons.’

      ‘Doesn’t that worry you?’

      ‘Why should it, Sarah?’ Nina said, too tired to control her frustration. ‘If Adam were to remarry, I’m not sure either Scarlett or Liam would be rushing up to Scotland to wish him well. I’m not for a minute comparing Bryn to Adam, by the way, I’m only saying that family relations can get complicated.’

      ‘OK, don’t bite my head off,’ Sarah said, her voice echoing because she had pulled the phone from her ear. ‘I only say these things because I love you and I worry. And if I’m honest, I worry most of all about Scarlett.’

      ‘You think I don’t?’

      ‘Of course you do, but you still see a little girl, whereas I can see a beautiful young woman emerging.’ Sarah dropped her voice when she added, ‘Is she on the pill yet?’

      ‘No,’ Nina said levelly. Through the windscreen, she peered towards her front door, which looked more inviting than ever.

      ‘It’s just that Miles and I were talking, and you know how impressionable young girls can be. They try to act all grown-up СКАЧАТЬ