‘Oh…’ Alison thought about it. ‘I see.’
‘Look, you can put that out of your mind, believe me. It seems to me the worst that’s happened to Kerri is that she’s having a few days with her dad. And maybe that’s not such a bad thing, eh? After they’ve got over the first excitement of seeing each other again, they may come to realise that the best place for her is here with you. It may clear the air, don’t you think?’
1
‘I thought I might bring the children up to town sometime before Christmas. Just for a couple of days.’
Brock nodded his head against the handset. ‘Good idea.’
He took a gulp from his mug of tea. The table in front of him was a jumble of newspapers and the remains of breakfast. He was still in his old dressing gown, although it was already mid-morning. A weak December sun glinting in through the bay window. He’d slept long and deep, the first chance in weeks, and felt expansive, reborn, completely relaxed.
‘The Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square, Hamley’s toyshop, Billy Smart’s Circus, the Science Museum, pantomime at the Palladium… wonderful. They’ll love it.’ He beamed nostalgically and reached for the last piece of toast.
The voice on the other end chuckled. ‘Half those things probably don’t exist any more.’
‘You may be right. You’ll stay here of course.’
‘Are you eating something? I missed that.’
‘I said, you’ll stay here.’
There was a pause. ‘No. That’s sweet of you, David, but I think not. I’ve got the address of a little hotel near Madame Tussaud’s.’
‘Do you know how much hotels in the West End cost, Suzanne? That’s absurd. I’m only twenty minutes away in the train. Of course you must stay here.’
A longer pause. ‘They’re very active, David. You’ve no idea. You’ve forgotten what young children are like. Miranda is five and Stewart eight. It wouldn’t work.’