The Forgetting(66)

I wondered if you’d had a chance to talk to Dominic yet about us meeting up? I honestly don’t want to cause any trouble. I just want to see you and Leo, and ideally Dominic too, if he’s ready. I’d be so grateful if you might meet up with me.

It was Imogen’s first communication in more than three weeks. Livvy had dared to imagine that perhaps she’d given up. She reread the message, wondering what to do for the best.

‘God, it looks like a bomb site in here.’

Livvy whipped her head around, found Dominic standing in the doorway, casting a critical eye over the room. Heart drumming in her chest, she gripped her phone, finger groping for the activation button to turn the screen dark.

‘Have you only managed to fill three bags?’ He gestured out to the hallway, where a trio of bin liners were heaped together like children huddled close on a cold winter’s day. ‘There must be more to get rid of than that?’

Livvy stared at Dominic, tried to muster some words for a reply, found that none would come to her aid.

‘Are you okay?’

The truth skittered through Livvy’s mind in search of a secure hiding place. ‘I’m fine. Just lots to do.’

Dominic studied her face, took hold of her hand, led her to the edge of the bed. As he sat down beside her, Livvy willed her phone not to ping with another message from Imogen.

‘What’s wrong? Come on, you know I can always tell when something’s up.’

It was true. Sometimes Livvy thought Dominic had a direct line into her mind, could read her thoughts and feelings the way other people read the pages of a book.

For a moment she contemplated telling him the truth: Imogen’s text, the phone call at home, the second doorstep visit. The bequest of John’s watch, the request for access to Leo. But then she looked at Dominic, thought about all he’d had to contend with in recent weeks, and knew she couldn’t do it to him. Once they were in London, where Imogen could no longer turn up unannounced, she would tell him then. She needed time to think about how best to broach it, how to explain why she had concealed Imogen’s communications from him. Now was not the time. ‘The row with Bea. I haven’t been entirely honest with you. We didn’t just argue about my hair.’ The words tumbled out before she had a chance to assess whether this story really was the lesser of two evils.

Dominic’s eyes tapered at the edges. ‘Okay. So what did you row about?’ He placed his hand on top of hers, beneath which lay the mobile phone containing a message Livvy desperately didn’t want him to see.

Panic flitted in Livvy’s chest. ‘She found one of your ex-girlfriends online and made contact with her. She actually went to meet her. It’s crazy, I know. I’m so sorry. It’s such a huge invasion of your privacy. That’s why we fell out.’ The explanation spilled from her lips.

‘What ex-girlfriend?’

‘Some woman called Daisy. I’m sorry. I honestly don’t know what possessed her. I’m furious with her. She keeps apologising – she knows it was completely out of order.’

Dominic fell still, silent, and Livvy was aware of the air thickening around them.

‘What did Bea tell you?’ His voice was low, masquerading calm, but the words were braided with hostility.

‘It doesn’t matter. It was all a load of rubbish.’

‘It matters to me. Tell me.’

‘It’s not important. I shouldn’t have said anything.’

‘It’s not important? Your sister starts snooping into my life and I’m not supposed to care what she said? For god’s sake, just tell me.’ Dominic’s expression hardened as though set in clay.

Livvy tried to swallow, found that her mouth was dry. ‘It’s all nonsense. There was some ridiculous story about your relationship getting a bit intense, and this woman getting spooked and calling it off.’ Livvy hesitated, unsure whether to say the rest. But then she stole a glance at Dominic’s face and felt an uncanny certainty that if she held anything back, he would know. ‘She told Bea that you kept trying to contact her after it was over and she ended up going to the police.’ She paused, unable to silence the question now that the can of worms had been opened. ‘None of that happened, did it?’

Dominic stared at her, unblinking, and Livvy had to look away, the heat of his gaze too intense.

‘Do you really need to ask me that?’

‘No, of course not, I just . . . Did you ever go out with this Daisy woman? You’ve never mentioned her.’

Dominic hunched forward, elbows on thighs, hands clenched in fists. ‘You lied to me. You told me you and Bea had rowed about your hair.’

‘I know, I’m sorry. I didn’t want to upset you.’

Dominic shook his head with small, jarring movements. ‘So what were you going to do? Sulk with your sister for a bit and then make up? Pretend it never happened? Have me play nice with her when you know what she’s been doing behind my back?’

‘No, of course not—’

‘What then? What were you planning to do?’

There seemed to be no space in Livvy’s head to formulate an answer. She placed a hand on Dominic’s bare forearm. ‘I don’t know. I’m sorry.’

He reached out, grabbed hold of her wrist, fingers pressing into her flesh. ‘What kind of an idiot do you take me for?’