Chapter 36
‘Please don’t forget that we are going to dinner at Regina’s tonight,’ said Charlotte as Lew opened the door to leave for work the next morning.
‘Promise I won’t,’ he replied.
‘Can’t you come home early and just leave thingy in charge if she’s so wonderful,’ said Charlotte.
‘Bonnie. And no, not at the moment, it would be unfair . . .’ Lew instantly regretted saying it because Charlotte leapt on it.
‘What do you mean “unfair”?’
He batted away the subject with a wave of his hand if it were of no importance. ‘Just personal problems, I don’t know all the details.’
‘Huh. This from the man who said that personal problems should never interfere with work,’ humphed Charlotte.
Lew looked at her in puzzlement. ‘When did I ever say that?’ He knew he hadn’t because it wasn’t something he believed was true. ‘Personal problems do impinge on work life sometimes, it’s inevitable.’
Charlotte shrugged. ‘Oh well, if it wasn’t you it was someone else, but it’s true though, isn’t it? You get paid to do a job, not mope around. Besides, work should take your mind off things. What’s up with her anyway?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘Yes you do, Lewis. Why so secretive?’ There was a suspicious note in her voice.
‘Her marriage has ended,’ said Lew, feeling slightly disloyal that he was discussing Bonnie’s business. Even to his wife.
‘No wonder. Bet her husband is out partying now,’ smirked Charlotte.
‘What a horrible thing to say,’ Lew barked, which made Charlotte’s mouth drop open with shock.
‘Lewis!’
‘You have no idea what the woman has gone through, have you? Not everybody has your privileged easy life, Charlotte.’
‘Lewis!’ she said again, but he hadn’t finished.
‘You’ve got a bee in your bonnet because of the other day—’
‘I have not . . .’ Charlotte gave a shrill protest.
‘You might live in a grand house and have a gold visa card, Charlotte, but that does not give you the right to treat people like shit. You came from a semi on the edge of Ketherwood, or have you conveniently forgotten that?’
‘Will you stop shouting at me,’ Charlotte screamed at him. ‘I’m having a really rotten time at the moment with Gemma and that whole baby thing and I could really do with you and me being on the same side.’ Her hands shot to her face and her shoulders started shaking.
Her distress threw a bucket of cold water over him and he felt instantly annoyed at himself for being so insensitive.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said and rushed over to give her a hug. She turned into his shoulder and he buried his lips in her hair.
‘I thought you said you weren’t upset by Gemma trying for a baby, love.’
‘I lied,’ said Charlotte, sniffing hard. ‘I didn’t want you to think that I was petty and jealous. But obviously I am. I’m a horrible person.’
‘Oh don’t,’ said Lew. ‘You’re not.’
She pulled herself away but kept her head down. ‘Go on, get off to work. I’ll see you tonight.’
‘I won’t be late and we’ll have a lovely time this evening.’ He placed his finger under her chin and lifted it up, then he kissed the tip of her nose.
It was only when he got to the car he realised that for all her sobbing, Charlotte’s eyes had been totally dry.
*
As Bonnie started to wake up on that first morning in Rainbow Lane she felt as if something were holding her against her will and her arms pushed against the force and, as she came to full consciousness, she realised that it was only her quilt that was pinioning her arms. But the sensation had freaked her, because it signified something she already knew: that her new-found freedom was an illusion. She had run from Greenwood Crescent and she would divorce Stephen, but he had an ace card and she knew he would use it. He would do everything he could to try and bring her to heel or grind her beneath it if she resisted.
She lifted her left hand and looked at her ringless finger. She could still see the faint groove in her skin where the gold band had sat and she rubbed it and hoped it would smooth away so there was no trace of it. She wondered if Stephen was still wearing his, but she reasoned that he would be because he had complete confidence that he would keep his marriage away from the divorce court. She sat up and looked around her. She might have to leave this little house for a prison cell, but she would not leave it to go back to Greenwood Crescent.
Her limbs felt jittery with nervous tension as she drove to work because she expected to see Stephen’s car parked on Spring Hill waiting for her. But it wasn’t there and that surprised her. She started second-guessing what he might have planned instead but reprimanded herself. There was no point in leaving him if she were to bind herself to him mentally.
She had forgotten that she would need an iron. Her shirt was creased and she was embarrassed about it. She had put on a long dark cardigan to cover it up but the sun was bursting out of the sky and she looked ridiculous. Lew was already in the shop, sorting out the till float. He raised his head when he heard her open the door and smiled.
‘Good morning. And how are you today?’ he asked.
‘I’m fine,’ she said, returning the smile.
‘How was your first night in your new living quarters?’
‘Wonderful,’ said Bonnie, ‘although there’s a lot of paperwork to sort out now that I’ve moved. Council rates and water and driving licence, and I’ve got to find a solicitor. I’m filing for divorce as soon as I can.’
‘I can give you the name of the firm I use,’ said Lew. ‘The divorce solicitor there is a woman and she’s very good. And thorough. She’ll get you what you’re owed.’
‘I’m not bothered about taking any money, I just want it all to end quickly and smoothly,’ said Bonnie, trying not to notice that Lew was shaking his head at that.
‘Let her deal with it all for you. She will do the negotiating on your behalf, but you should start your new life with what you’re due. Here . . .’ He pulled his mobile out of his pocket and looked up the number, then he scribbled it on a piece of paper and handed it to her. ‘Adriana de Lacey is her name.’
‘She sounds expensive,’ said Bonnie, raising her eyebrows.
‘She’ll be worth every penny you pay her. She often works Saturdays too so you’ve got a good chance of speaking to her today if you wanted to set the ball rolling.’
Bonnie hadn’t considered how much a divorce would cost her. As if Lew could read her mind he then said, ‘I think you’re looking at around a couple of thousand pounds, in case you’re wondering. It won’t be much cheaper with anyone else either so take my advice and use her.’
Bonnie’s eyes rounded. She hadn’t expected it being anything like as much. Would she have to pay it all or would Stephen be liable for half? She guessed the former.
‘Look,’ Lew began, scratching his newly shaved chin, ‘Bonnie . . . please don’t be offended but if you need me to advance you some wages or even to borrow money—’
Bonnie held up a protesting hand. ‘No, I don’t want to go down that road—’
He interrupted back. ‘All I’m saying is that the offer is there should you need it. Okay?’ She nodded, grudgingly, but both of them knew she wouldn’t ask. Some people weren’t used to taking because they had so little experience of it.
‘I’ll put the kettle on,’ he went on. ‘You nip next door to Leni’s for a couple of toasted teacakes so we can toast – if you’ll excuse the pun – your first day of freedom. What do you think about that?’
‘That sounds smashing,’ said Bonnie, but she couldn’t quite believe it was freedom. Not yet. More of a fool’s paradise, knowing Stephen.