A Perfect Match by Jill McGown

Author:Jill McGown [McGown, Jill]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pan Macmillan UK

They were in Charles Mitchell’s tasteful drawing room, not speaking much. Donald had something to say, but he had not yet fully worked out how he was going to say it.

Maria smiled; he just smiled back, like a stranger, like someone in a waiting room. He touched her to prove that he wasn’t.

‘It takes a bit of getting used to,’ she said. ‘That’s all.’

‘I know,’ he said, taking her hand in his. It was cold – he rubbed it gently. ‘I can’t stay,’ he said. ‘I’ve got to get back.’

‘You said.’ She took her hand away and stood up. ‘I’ll get your photograph. It’s in the bedroom.’

Donald walked round the room, touching the delicate furniture. He ran his hand over the smooth polished wood of the table.

‘It’s yours now,’ she said, reappearing at the door. ‘Isn’t it?’

‘I think so,’ he said. ‘ It’s a bit complicated, as I said.’ He took the photograph, and glanced at its general amateur fuzziness. ‘There aren’t any others?’ he asked.

‘No. Won’t that one do?’ She came over to him, and looked at it over his shoulder, pushing the fair hair away from her face.

‘It’ll have to, I suppose.’ He gave her a proprietorial peck on the cheek, and put the photograph down. ‘Are you going to be all right?’

‘Don’t worry about me, Donald,’ she said, with a touch of sarcasm. ‘You’ve got more than enough on your plate.’

He’d have to tell her. Donald crossed his fingers for luck – not, for once, because he was lying. ‘I’ve told Helen,’ he said.

‘About me?’ she asked sharply.

‘No, of course not. I told you – it’s a point of honour. But I have told her I’m leaving. I can’t just now, not with all this. But I’ve told her I will be going.’

‘Well, well. And I thought now you’d got all this money, you’d just pension me off.’ She smiled.

He could have, of course. But Maria had lasted longer than anyone, and he hadn’t outgrown her yet. They were holding each other, and the waiting room atmosphere had gone. Maria had been waiting for the blow to fall, and it hadn’t. But Donald’s fingers were still crossed. ‘There is one thing,’ he said. ‘I’ve told her she’ll have half the money.’

‘Half of the money from the will?’ She looked horrified.

‘Yes. Don’t worry – it leaves more than enough for anyone. How much do you suppose this place is worth, for instance?’

‘Too much,’ she said. ‘But even at that. Aren’t you being a little over-generous?’

‘I don’t think so,’ he said. ‘ I’d say it was the least I could do. Helen’s had a rough deal.’

‘Oh well, you know me. I wouldn’t have known what he was worth – too many noughts for me to understand.’

‘I could have lied to you,’ he said. ‘But I’d rather you knew the position.’ He put his arms round her. ‘ It was just that I thought she’d have Chris Wade, but God knows what’ll happen now. It was the only thing I thought might make up for everything.

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