She turned to face Laura. ‘Sorry,’ she gave a bright smile. ‘I—er—I didn’t want to talk to Jordan right now. He—he looked busy,’ she excused, her face fiery red.
Laura pulled her towards a waiting taxi. ‘Come on,’ she pushed her inside. ‘We’ll eat at my place. That is, if you feel like eating.’
‘I don’t.’ Kelly bit her lip to stop it trembling, the memory of Jordan’s hand resting at the back of Anne Fellows’ waist still with her.
‘I didn’t think so. We’ll talk when we get to the house,’ Laura added gently.
Laura’s lounge overlooked the garden, the view very soothing, almost not seeming like London. Kelly sat down before she fell down, her hands kneeding together in her lap.
‘Coffee, Sue,’ Laura told the maid. ‘Are you sure you don’t want anything to eat, Kelly?’
‘No, thank you,’ Kelly replied dully.
‘Just coffee,’ Laura requested of the maid. ‘Now,’ she went to sit next to Kelly on the sofa once they were alone, ‘do you want to tell me about it?’
Kelly pulled herself together, on the outside at least. ‘There’s nothing to tell,’ she said firmly.
‘When you don’t want to see or speak to your own husband then there’s something wrong,’ Laura contradicted.
Kelly’s eyes flashed deeply violet. ‘It wasn’t a question of that, I just didn’t want—didn’t want him to know I’d seen him.’
‘Why?’
She gave a casual shrug. ‘I told you, he looked busy.’
‘Doing what?’ Laura scorned. ‘Who was the woman, Kelly?’
‘A nurse. She—she looked after my father.’ Kelly couldn’t see any point in prevaricating any longer, Laura was well aware of her distress. ‘I think she’s transferred her attention to Jordan now.’ She gave a shaky smile.
‘But you aren’t sure?’
‘What other explanation could there be?’ she said bitterly.
‘Any number of them, I would have thought.’
Kelly’s mouth twisted. ‘You don’t know Jordan. Besides, he has no reason to meet her, other than the obvious one.’
‘Don’t you think you should ask him?’ Laura suggested softly.
She shook her head. ‘There’s no need. I already knew about them, seeing them together only confirmed it.’
‘I see.’ Laura smiled at the maid as she entered with the tray.
‘You should have something to eat,’ Kelly told her new friend. ‘You have to keep your strength up.’
‘I suppose so. Just a sandwich,’ Laura told the young girl. ‘The usual,’ she added ruefully.
‘The usual?’ Kelly queried teasingly as the maid left.
Laura gave a selfconscious smile. ‘Ham and strawberry jam.’
‘Ugh!’ Kelly winced.
‘I know,’ she grinned. ‘Ian cringes every time I ask for one.’
‘I’m not surprised!’
‘We were talking about you,’ Laura reminded her pointedly.