Buried in Cornwall by Janie Bolitho Read Free Book Online

in the room.
    A few minutes later they all went downstairs and Stella unlocked the door. Guests were by invitation only. Stella stood at the front to welcome them into the brilliantly lit showroom whose lights now spilt out into the blackness of the narrow street. Earlier Stella had hurried her friends through the darkened gallery, allowing them no chance to glimpse her work.
    Daniel went to the back to open the wine for Julie who had just arrived and had begun to take the foil off the trays of food. This was Stella’s night, she must be allowed to enjoy the credit due to her whilst he and Julie handed around the food and drinks.
    Spotlights had been switched on and the early arrivals, glasses in hand, wandered around admiring the paintings. Rose stopped in front ofone she particularly liked. If only, she thought, almost able to feel and see the waves as they crashed over the headland.
    ‘You will.’ Stella, having silently positioned herself behind Rose, seemed to have read her mind. Ash from her cigarette sprinkled the front of Rose’s blouse as Stella placed an arm across her shoulder. ‘It’s in you. Really it is. Of course there’s a long way to go yet, and a lot of hard work in store for you. It isn’t that easy to make it to the top.’
    Rose nodded. Could it be possible that one day she would be in Stella’s position? She was about to answer when she saw Nick’s lanky figure duck through the doorway. He came straight over to her and Rose was glad there was a partition between her and Maddy and Jenny who were in conversation on the other side of it. His face lit up. ‘I didn’t say I was coming because I wasn’t sure I could make it. Once you said you’d be here I had to come.’
    ‘She’s good, isn’t she?’ Rose ignored the compliment because there was a sudden silence on the other side of the partition.
    ‘Better than she realises. You like this one?’
    ‘Very much.’ Rose accepted her second drink and took a canape from one of the trays Julie was handing around.
    ‘How’re you getting home?’ Nick didn’t seem at all interested in the exhibition but he had probably attended so many, including his own, that it wasn’t much of a thrill for him.
    ‘I’ve got the car.’
    ‘Ah. Never mind. Are you all right? After yesterday, I mean?’
    ‘Yes. Must’ve been my imagination.’ She paused, and was unsure what then made her blurt out, ‘I’m going back tomorrow if the weather’s fine. I really want to finish that painting.’
    ‘Yes, you must,’ Stella insisted, having heard the last remarks as she approached them.
    Rose moved away, intent on seeing the rest of Stella’s new work. Nick followed, knowing that two pairs of eyes were on their backs.
    Rose stopped to admire a small canvas, as yet unframed. It was an amusing piece showing a half-naked woman of a certain age; a little raddled, a little overweight but, judging from the smirk on her Picasso-style face, completely uncaring as she painted her own portrait from a full-length mirror. Rose wondered whether Stella intended it to make a statement or whether it was a work of pure fun. Her own smile faded as she overheard Jenny’s words.
    ‘Oh, there’s no doubt about it, he’ll haveto take me back. How can he not? I am his responsibility, after all.’
    ‘Is that what you really want?’ Maddy asked, her voice clipped. ‘Think about it, Jenny. You’re the one who’s always saying there’s no going back. And there’s … well, there’s you know who to contend with.’
    Rose felt suffocated and wanted to leave. With a determined stride she went out to the little kitchen and placed her glass on the fridge and her paper plate and serviette in the bin-liner put there for the rubbish, before returning to thank Stella and Daniel for inviting her.
    With what she hoped was a cheerful wave to the others she walked out of the shop and straight back to the car. He’s making a fool of me, she thought. And for the first time since she