Errors of Judgment(78)

Mission accomplished, thought Sarah, as she headed back to the station. Her father was angry and sorrowful, as expected, but at least she’d managed to deflect his wrath towards Leo, and that would burn itself out harmlessly over time. As for how things worked out between her father and the Kitterings – well, she really wasn’t bothered. At least she’d escaped from the prospect of having Caroline Kittering for a mother-in-law. And an economics teacher for a husband.

She decided to put the conversation with her father to the back of her mind and concentrate on the rest of the day. The job interview had left her feeling pretty upbeat and in the mood for some retail therapy. It was almost eleven, so maybe she should get in a couple of hours of shopping, maybe rustle up a friend for lunch. Then in the afternoon she would buy some delicious food, and later on cook dinner for herself and Leo. She felt bad about the way things had been between them lately. Sarah had been convinced that Leo was having an affair with the girl she had seen leaving his house, and that he hadn’t told her because he was hoping to have the best of both worlds. So, not prepared to let herself be played like that, she had kept a cool distance, and stayed out of his bed. Whatever he thought, Leo had said and done nothing to alter the situation. But the girl, whoever she was, seemed to have faded from the scene. Leo was home most evenings, working, reading, with no sign of any woman in his life. So perhaps she had been wrong. In which case she should start making up for lost time. They could spend the evening together and see where things went from there.

On the way to the station she rang and arranged a late lunch with a friend who worked in a firm of solicitors in Chancery Lane, then she took the tube one stop to Embankment and walked up to browse the shops around Covent Garden.

Leo and Gabrielle were snatching a hasty lunch at a restaurant in Holborn, just round the corner from the arbitration rooms where Leo was involved in a two-week hearing.

‘I only ever see you for an hour here and there,’ complained Gabrielle. ‘It’s hardly quality father-and-daughter time. In fact, that evening when I first came to your house is probably the longest we’ve ever spent together.’

‘OK. So, what are you up to this weekend?’

Gabrielle thought of Anthony, and wondered if she should tell Leo she was seeing him. No, not till she got to the bottom of whatever strange relationship the two of them had. And it wasn’t something she could see herself exploring right at this moment. ‘Nothing in particular. Why?’

‘Feel like spending it in Antibes with me?’ He signalled for the bill.

She smiled. It sounded like an idea. ‘What’s in Antibes?’

‘I’m in the process of buying a small property down there. A friend of mine had a yacht down there that he wanted to sell, and in a somewhat rash and inebriated moment, I bought it. I think I had the vague idea I could live on it, but it’s not really practicable. Not at my age. So I decided I needed somewhere to stay as well. What started out as a minor indulgence seems to have snowballed into a major extravagance. I’m going down there first thing on Saturday to look at a couple of places I’ve earmarked. I think I know the apartment I want. It’s in a building tucked away in a cobbled courtyard behind the main market street.’ Gabrielle was delighted with the notion of helping Leo buy a house. ‘Yeah, OK – I’m up for it.’

‘Excellent.’ He paid the bill and got up. ‘In which case you’re going to have to let me dash back to my laptop and try and book flights. Come on.’

It was half one when Sarah emerged from Nicole Farhi with the last of her purchases, a very sexily cut pair of blue trousers and a wrap-over dress. She’d spent far more than she’d intended, but was feeling very happy about it. She was strolling up Long Acre with bags on either arm, heading towards the wine bar in Holborn where she had arranged to meet her friend, when suddenly she saw Leo coming out of a restaurant not ten yards away. Sarah stepped into a shop doorway. He was with a girl – the same girl Sarah had seen coming out of his house on the night she had moved in. She watched as they stood talking on the pavement for a moment. Leo said something to the girl which made her laugh, then he lifted a strand of hair from her face and kissed her lightly on either cheek, and they parted, Leo turning and heading towards Kingsway.

The girl walked past Sarah, oblivious. Sarah had time to look at her properly, see how young and lovely she was. So there it was. She’d been right from the outset. He was obviously in a relationship with her, this girl who looked barely more than a teenager. No wonder he had left her alone, made no moves towards her. Well, at least she knew where she stood now. He was only letting her stay in his house out of kindness – making love to her the night that Toby was away had been a piece of opportunism. Naturally he had behaved as though there was no one in his life, because that was what he wanted her to think. The plans for a cosy dinner and a pleasant evening of sex suddenly looked like a dismal joke. It was as well there was a job on the horizon. The sooner she got away the better, to rid herself of the delusion that there could be anything lasting between herself and Leo.