What Goes on Tour(43)

Adrian closed his eyes briefly before he stepped back. She knew the right thing to say.

Forcing a smile on his face he looked at Kate and said, "See you later."

"Bye, Uncle Ade."                       
       
           



       

Libby squeezed his hand.

He needed to go but he wanted to stay here with them.

This was his safe place.

Maybe Libby was right. They would work it out.

Together.





Chapter 17




Adrian walked to the door slowly, his shoulders hunched up defensively.  Libby wanted to run after him and tell him everything would be fine, but  she couldn't guarantee it.

She wanted to call Adrian's father and tell him what a monster he was, tell him to leave Adrian alone and withdraw his comments.

It wouldn't help, though. What was done was done, and if he retracted  his statement there would be speculation as to whether Adrian had paid  for his silence. There was nothing she could do for Adrian.

Next to her Kate sniffed.

Libby turned and saw Kate's watery eyes. She pulled Kate into a hug. It  would have been a shock to find out her grandfather was an alcoholic who  beat his children. "How are you feeling?" Libby asked.

Kate stepped back. "I know Grandpa is lying but I'm angry he's made  Uncle Ade so sad. Uncle Ade's nothing like his father says." She sighed.

Libby was sure there was more to it. "Is there anything else worrying you?"

That made Kate look up. She bit her lip. "Aunt Susan won't like it."

It was what Adrian had said as well. Did this woman know nothing about  Adrian? "Does it matter what your aunt thinks, if you know it's not  true?"

"Yes," Kate said. "I overheard Uncle Ade talking to George. He thinks  she's waiting for a reason to take me from him." Her eyes showed her  misery. "I don't want to live with Aunt Susan. I like living with Uncle  Ade."

Of course she did. Adrian was a fantastic father figure. Libby gave her a  hug. "There are ways of proving that what Emily and your grandpa are  saying isn't true. Your Aunt Susan won't have a reason then."

Kate didn't look convinced.

Before she could soothe Kate further, Libby's phone rang. It was Adrian.  He'd only just left. Concern skittled over her skin. "What's wrong?"

"Susan phoned. She's read about my father." He was grim.

It wasn't good news. "What did she say?"

"She insisted on talking to Kate immediately so I've given her your cell  number. She'll probably ring the second I hang up. Don't let her rile  you up."

Libby wanted to swear. She wasn't sure what she should say to this  woman. She was expecting an ogre, from what Adrian had told her. "What's  she likely to say?"

"She thinks you and I are carrying out debauched acts in front of Kate. She's not being at all rational."

Still listening, Libby sat down on the couch and gave Kate a small  smile. Kate hovered next to her, twisting her hands together. Libby  patted the couch and Kate sat.

"All right," Libby told Adrian. "I'll do my best not to sound debauched."

Adrian barked out a laugh. "Call me after." He hung up.

Libby turned to Kate. "Aunt Susan is going to call. She's seen the  articles about Emily and your grandpa and she's worried about you."

"I don't want to talk to her. She makes me mad when she says stuff about Uncle Ade."

Libby placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "I know she does. Try to remember she's doing this because she cares."

Libby's cell rang. She checked the display. International number. "Are you ready?"

Kate nodded.

Libby answered her phone. "Hello."

"This is Susan Montgomery, Kate's aunt." The American accent was  southern but refined, reminding Libby of old movies set on cotton  plantations.

"Adrian told me you might call," Libby said into the silence.

"I'm sure he did. I'm sure he told you what to say." The refined accent couldn't disguise the snide remark.

Libby forced herself not to smile. "No ma'am. He knew I wouldn't let  Kate speak to anyone I didn't know, so he rang to tell me you were  calling. You wouldn't believe the number of people who've rung believing  the rubbish that's been printed about Adrian. First Emily and now  Adrian's father. Honestly, you would think people would have more sense  than to believe everything they read."

There was silence and Libby pictured all the wind going out of Susan's  sails. "Yes, well, those magazines can be very convincing. One assumes  they check their facts before going to print."

"You'd hope so, but I guess if one side doesn't comment by the deadline they print it anyway. It's so sad."

"But the way Adrian has treated his father is appalling. The picture of him in the paper showed he was suffering."                       
       
           



       

Libby tensed. The woman was determined to think the worst of Adrian.  Libby's tone was one of controlled anger. "Did your sister never mention  her father-in-law to you?"

"No." Susan's tone was full of grief.

"Then perhaps you need to consider why that was and not believe what you've read."

"Don't you dare make assumptions about my sister. You didn't know her." The grief had been replaced by anger.

Libby closed her eyes. She needed to tread carefully. "No, I didn't. I'm sorry."

The silence was full of indignation. Finally Susan said, "May I speak with Kate?"

"She's right here." Libby passed the phone to Kate. She hoped she hadn't made things worse.

"Hi, Aunt Susan."

Susan's voice was going a mile a minute, but Libby couldn't make out the  words. She breathed out slowly to defuse the anger still simmering.

"It makes me mad," Kate said to her aunt. "Those reporters are nasty,  but Uncle Ade and Libby have been protecting me. We haven't really left  the hotel, but hopefully it will be better when we go to Perth."

More talking and Kate rolled her eyes. "Uncle Ade never drinks."

Libby sighed.

"Are Jemma and Jason back from camp yet?" Kate asked, changing the  subject. A pause. "I'm fine, Aunt Susan. I had an awesome time at Sea  World. Can I speak to Jemma?" Another pause, then Kate grinned. "Hi Jem,  how was camp?" Kate stood and paced around the room as she spoke with  her cousin. The energetic ten-year-old who had been missing for the last  few days came back with a vengeance as she regaled her cousin with  stories of what she'd been doing in Australia and New Zealand.

Shrieks of laughter came from the other end of the phone. It suddenly  hit Libby that Kate was probably lonely for company of her own age.  Someone to laugh and swap secrets with.

"I'll Skype you tomorrow." Kate hung up and handed the phone back to  Libby. "Jem had to go because it's an international phone call."

"Are you close with her?" Libby asked.

"Yeah. She's my best friend. She wanted to come on tour with me but Aunt Susan wouldn't let her."

"That's a shame."

"Totally, we would have had an awesome time." Kate turned and put a hand  over her mouth. "Not that we haven't had fun," she said quickly.

Libby laughed. "Don't worry, I haven't taken offence. It must be hard being around adults all the time."

"Sometimes I wish Jem was here, but I'll see her in a week when we go back, and I didn't want to go to summer camp."

Another week and they'd be gone. Libby pushed away the sadness. "Feeling better now?"

"Yeah. Let's watch a movie."

Surely after talking with Kate, Susan would see there was nothing wrong. Kate was obviously happy.

Libby hoped Susan realized that.

***

Adrian's patience was rapidly dwindling. The past few days since his  father had been interviewed had been a nightmare. The media circus  outside the hotel had only intensified as reporters tried to get Adrian  to comment on his father. Then Emily was interviewed again and asked  about Adrian's father. She'd claimed not to know of Adrian's name change  and said Adrian had never mentioned his father.

At least one of those statements was true.

Today his father had hit the US talk shows. He'd been given some time in  the make-up chair so he appeared respectable, but Adrian could see  through it. He'd started watching one but quickly stopped. There wasn't a  sentence of truth that came out of the man's mouth and Adrian couldn't  bear to watch it. He left it to George, hoping his father would say  something that would trip him up.

Adrian refused to make a statement. Libby arrived one afternoon as he and George were arguing about it.

"You have to say something. Your silence makes you appear guilty."

"No." His voice was flat. "I don't tell people close to me about my  father  –  I'm not dredging up the past for a bunch of strangers." He was  not going to let the bastard have any more of him. His father had  already had too much influence over him. Adrian was still dealing with  the emotional scars from the first twelve years of his life.