All in Monte Carlo by Anna Shilling

Author:Anna Shilling
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Contemporary Fiction
Publisher: Matador
Published: 2023-07-28T00:00:00+00:00

Part Two

REVENGE

13

Lucinda

‘Shall we spoil ourselves with a glass of Ruinart?’ said Lucinda.

Lucinda and Emily sat down on the outdoor terrace at La Voile d’Or overlooking the St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat port. Emily smoothed her silk crepe dress, hanging her pastel-pink Gucci bag on the chair, while Lucinda removed her taupe silk kimono to reveal a Forte-Forte blouse over skinny jeans, and settled Peanut at her feet. They could have been in London’s Notting Hill — very bohemian for the expat Riviera crowd.

‘Well, I’m having one,’ said Lucinda.

The waiter overheard, and walked over, smiling conspiratorially. ‘Bonjour Mesdemoiselles, un verre de champagne? Ou deux?’

‘Deux!’ said Emily.

Lucinda was relieved. She didn’t want to drink on her own.

‘I cannot believe how bloody blind I was,’ said Lucinda. ‘You know Mathieu, the concierge who flirts with me? He told me point blank that Victoria came to our apartment to see Leo while I was in London the other week.’

‘No!’ Emily’s eyes widened as she gave Lucinda her full attention.

‘Yes. She was in our apartment and neither she nor Leo said a word.’ She fingered the diamond heart necklace that Leo had given her in better days. ‘He told me he didn’t even like fake boobs.’

‘Oh Lu…’

‘And that’s not all. There’s this painting of a nude in our flat. Long story, but Leo didn’t buy it. Victoria did. And it’s in our flat.’

‘That doesn’t make any sense.’

The waiter arrived with two glasses of champagne, which he placed on round coasters with the hotel’s logo.

‘The thought of it just makes me feel sick,’ said Lucinda.

‘Yeah, I can imagine,’ said Emily, gulping down her champagne and staring unblinkingly at Lucinda. ‘Please don’t take this the wrong way, Lu. But I have to admit, I couldn’t bear meeting you and Leo together recently. He always puts you down. It’s really upsetting.’

‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ Lucinda asked.

Emily deftly changed the conversation.

*

Lucinda drove home past the train station entrance on boulevard Princesse Charlotte. The grand 19th-century houses, with port views, were hidden behind foliage from this busy Monaco thoroughfare.

As she approached her street, the front of her chest tightened. It had been a relief to spend time at Abigail’s with her three troubled book-club friends, playing pétanque in the olive grove to the sound of cicadas. The restorative glasses of Ruinart with Emily had helped too. But now they were back in Monaco, nothing could block out the reality. It took all of her energy to manoeuvre down the helter-skelter carpark, past Monegasque, Dutch and Swiss number plates to her space at minus five. Peanut whimpered with excitement. They were home.

Moments flashed through her memory. All those times Leo had given Victoria the cold shoulder. And vice versa. That hot afternoon at the beach when Leo and Victoria played backgammon. The dinner party at Frédéric and Caroline’s when Victoria chided Leo for being rude. And now the painting. A spectacularly expensive masterpiece gifted by Victoria to Leo. In their flat. An ugly painting. An ugly truth.

*

She exited the lift on the 35th floor, where she bumped into the son of her Monegasque neighbour with dementia.

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