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Chapter 32
She led me through into an adjoining room and then on to a utility area that led to the garages. Although there was space for at least four cars, there was just one occupant. It was dark green, had a flying lady on its bonnet and would look very out of place in your common or garden High Street, which was of course what its owner would want. Mother stretched out her hand and slid her finger elegantly along the bonnet of the Bentley as if she were presenting it in court.
"This is my problem," she said. "For sentimental reasons, I can't sell it and I can't leave it here so the question is what to do with it. I'm never in one country long enough to get it delivered so I wondered whether you would keep it for me."
"It's not really my style," I said, dubiously. "Where I live, they'd be after the wheels in a flash."
"All the documentation is in the glove compartment and also there is the address of the garage that's been caring for it. If anything happens, just take it there and tell them to fix it on the account. These beasts need servicing regularly so you can put that on the account too. I'll set up a direct debit facility to make sure the account is paid on time without any need for you to worry about it."
"Where did you get the car from?"
"You don't need to worry about that. It was a present."
Some present! But mother is not the sort of person you argue with so I accepted my fate and the car gracefully and kissed her to say thank you.
"If I can use your phone, I'll fix for the rental company to take the other car away so I can take this one back with me this afternoon if you like."
As we stood there gazing at this gleaming and refined monster, mother casually looped her arm round my waist slipping her fingers between my pullover and my shirt. It was casual, it was familiar and it made me feel very much part of her. I wondered how often she had done that with other men and whether there had been the same rush of warmth in them that I felt in that moment.
"I was hoping to be able to have lunch with you... and Tommy, but we have to leave shortly. It's something to do with the tides or some such thing."
She waved her hand as if dismissing an annoying technicality.
"You must join me on holiday somewhere soon. Bring Tommy, if you like - and perhaps his mum, if you are in a relationship with her."
I didn't reply; it was too complicated.
"I'll see if I can get the time off from my work."
We walked back to the lounge to find Tommy demolishing some cocktail cherries from the bar. My mother gently took the bottle from his hands and replaced it on a shelf beyond his reach.
"I think it's time that you had to lunch, don't you?"
"Can I have a ride on the boat? The man said I could if I ask you."
I could see from mothers face that this was not part of her plans.
"He could give Tommy a short ride," I said, quickly, "while we're waiting for the rental car firm to come and collect their car. Then we would all leave at the same time."
She nodded and went down to the shoreline to give her orders to the crewman with Tommy running and dancing happily beside her.
Within minutes we were casting off and the cruiser was picking up speed in the direction of the island in the center of the bay.
I made the call with mobile phone in one hand and an excited Tommy in the other which was just as well since he was desperate to see the propellers going round and was leaning dangerously out over the churning water.
Mother had said five minutes and the crews timing was exact to the second. It made me wonder exactly how much power she held over them. What would have happened if they had taken more or less time than she had specified? From the way they timed the short trip, obviously they had no intention of finding out.
Later, as I was driving back to London, the world seemed somehow changed. As the Bentley slid silently through the traffic, I felt as if I was wearing the Emperors clothes and couldn't help wondering what the Emperor would say if he knew.
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