‘Thanks,’ she said in an upbeat voice, as if he was Barb and had just popped into her room and dropped off a pile of Ava’s washing.
‘No problem,’ he said, as if he’d done the same. ‘’Night, then.’
‘’Night, Abe.’
It was better this way.
Surely?
CHAPTER SIX
THEREWERENOfurther sightings of Abe.
Ava woke at two, and she could see the light coming from a room down the hall.
When she woke at six and she carried little Ava toward the stairs, Naomi caught a hit of his cologne, the clear, sharp scent of bergamot, and she knew, simply knew, he had showered and left.
And she knew, just knew, he would not be staying tonight.
She should be relieved, Naomi told herself, yet she felt anything but as she lay the next night, awaiting a creak on the stairs that might indicate he’d come home.
It never came.
Friday dawned.
Her official day off, and when she came down to the kitchen Barb told her she should have stayed in bed. ‘I was going to bring you up breakfast. I used to do it in the old days on the nanny’s day off.’
‘I don’t eat breakfast,’ Naomi reminded Barb, at the very same time that she selected a pastry and they shared a smile. They both knew she’d lied.
‘You can have breakfast in bed for your birthday,’ Barb said, refusing to be put off. ‘Merida said it’s coming up. I’ll make you my special.’
‘What’s your special?’ Naomi asked, licking her lips. ‘I am dying to try lox.’
‘Do you value your kidneys?’ Barb checked, and Naomi laughed.
‘I love salt.’
‘Hmm.’ Barb wasn’t so sure. ‘You’ll have to get yourself dinner tonight, given it’s the staff Christmas party. You should come,’ Barb pushed, for she’d asked her before. ‘It’s at Barnaby’s. Jobe takes his household staff there every year. Usually he’s with us, of course.’ She cast an anxious look at Naomi. ‘Have you heard how he is?’
‘Not really,’ Naomi fudged, and she truly felt torn. Abe had told her that Jobe had stopped all treatment, though that had been a very personal conversation. It was one of the reasons she had declined the offer to go tonight. She knew they might press her for more information and she didn’t think it was her place to share information. ‘I know he’s been off his food.’
‘We all know that!’ Uncharacteristically Barb snapped. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said quickly. ‘It’s just hell, not knowing. I pick up snatches of conversation but, of course, no one thinks to tell us.’
Merida came in then, her red hair freshly washed and looking a whole lot more like her old self. Barb snapped back into housekeeper mode, asking what time their luggage would be ready to take to the hotel.
‘Ethan’s going to meet me at the hotel,’ Merida said. ‘I should be ready to leave by five. Does that give you time to get ready for your party?’
‘Of course.’ Barb nodded but, Naomi noted, she didn’t ask Merida if there was any news on Jobe.
* * *
It was a lovely day, cold and brisk. They bundled Ava up and headed out to a café and had spiced Christmas coffees, just two friends sharing a gorgeous day out.
‘I thought you wanted to do the river cruise on your day off,’ Merida checked.
‘I’m going to do it after Christmas,’ Naomi said, slathering butter on a slab of warm gingerbread. ‘Are you looking forward to going away tonight?’
‘I am.’ Merida grinned. ‘Though I’m not so sure that Ethan is, given that he’s got to deal with the daggers flying between Abe and Khalid.’