Free Summer House by Marcia Willett

‘But even so …’
    He hitched himself up on to one of the stools. ‘Well, I need all the friends I can get at the moment.’

    â€˜Oh, Nick.’ She sounded exasperated. ‘Whatever is it this time? Has Alice really left you or is it just a sticky patch?’
    He leaned with both arms on the counter, not looking at her now. ‘It’s a bit more serious this time, Im.’
    She experienced a tiny thrill of fear. ‘Oh God, Nick. Have you been messing around?’
    â€˜Not in the way you mean. There’s no woman involved.’
    He looked at her, and she knew that he’d seen and recorded the tiny inexplicable flash of relief; though why, after all this time, should it matter to her even if there were? She stared back at him; her stomach contracted and her hands were icy.
    â€˜Well, that’s something,’ she said lightly. ‘Alice will be glad to know that.’
    His smile told her that he knew that she was glad too, and she turned away, confused, relieved to be occupied with the tea-making.
    â€˜I’ve cocked up big time financially,’ he said. ‘Borrowed some funds from the golf club I’m treasurer for.’
    â€˜Oh, my God …’ She turned back to stare at him, and he caught one of her hands. She made no attempt to resist him. ‘So what does that mean exactly?’
    His laugh was impatient. ‘Does it matter? Do you really want the details? I took some chances with money that wasn’t mine. A gross misjudgement. I was expecting to pay it back out of my end-of-year bonus but things are tricky in the City and I got only a quarter of what I was expecting. I don’t know how the hell I’m going to explain it to Dad but I really need some money very quickly.’
    Imogen drew back her hand, felt guilty and stretched it out to him again and he held it tightly. ‘I’m so sorry, Nick. Honestly. But I can’t see what I can do to help.’

    â€˜At least you haven’t recoiled from me in disgust and shown me the door. I suppose I just wanted a bit of … oh, I don’t know. Affection? Friendship? Before I face Dad.’ He lifted her hand to his lips, kissed it lightly, and let it go. ‘You were always special, Im, you know that.’
    â€˜It was a long time ago,’ she muttered, pushing a mug of tea across the counter to him.
    â€˜But nothing was quite the same afterwards, was it?’ he asked.
    â€˜We agreed,’ she said, not answering him directly. ‘We said that we were too close. Almost like brother and sister. We agreed ,’ she repeated more firmly. ‘We were rather like Milo and Lottie.’
    â€˜We weren’t a bit like Milo and Lottie,’ he said. ‘There was no family connection at all between us.’
    â€˜We were brought up almost like brother and sister,’ she protested. ‘Or at least like cousins.’
    He watched her thoughtfully. ‘I’m right though, aren’t I? Nothing was quite the same afterwards. I’ve never been so happy, Im, as I was then with you.’
    She flushed. ‘It’s in the past, Nick. Ten years ago. And what’s it got to do with now? What will you tell Milo?’
    He took a deep sighing breath. ‘It’s going to have to be the truth, I’m afraid.’ He smiled at her expression. ‘Surprised? Oh, make no mistake, I’ve thought of every possible story that might be believable but even I can’t think of anything plausible. I just hope he doesn’t throw me out.’
    â€˜You know very well that Milo would never do that.’
    He looked so desperate that her heart was wrung with anxiety and pity for him. There was no point in telling him what a fool he was; clearly he knew that well enough already.

    â€˜Is Alice very cross?’ She’d never really much liked Alice.
    â€˜She’s utterly disgusted with me,’ he muttered. ‘Said she couldn’t