The Desperate Wife’s Survival Plan (39 page)

‘Of course, you don’t get them out in Greece. I
said to your father, it’ll be the mosquitoes we’ll have to worry about. We’ll have to get those plug-in things for the night time. Never had this kind of trouble when we went to Torquay . . .’

Charley sucked on the end of the pen. She would have to keep a close check on the amount of ice-cream that was being sold. She must always make sure that there was some spare, just in case.

‘But we might
have to ask you to pop in to water the pots every evening. I won’t have my petunias going to ruin just because your father’s taken it upon himself to book us a fortnight in Crete.’

Charley was just counting up the boxes of wafers when her mind focussed on what her mother was saying.

She spun round. ‘You’re going on holiday?’

‘Yes, silly. What do you think I’ve been talking about all this time?
Two weeks in Crete at the end of the summer. Isn’t it exciting?’

Charley nodded. ‘Very. But how can you afford it?’

‘Well, you won’t believe it . . . I had the most marvellous piece of luck. Didn’t I tell you?’ Maureen frowned. ‘No, that’s right. You were too busy with all of this. I’m so proud of you, by the way.’ She broke into a smile. ‘And I’m so glad our nice Mike has finally got his act
together. I never did get on with that Steve. I was always worried about his mother. You know how insanity can run in a family . . .’

Charley rolled her eyes. She knew. ‘About the marvellous piece of luck?’ she prompted. ‘Has Cousin Sylvia finally died?’

‘Lord, no! It’ll be a good few years before I get my hands on her Japanese figurines. No, Peggy saw the advert for the
Antiques Roadshow
up
at the castle. She wanted to take that blue vase of hers she’s always bragging about.’

Charley stared at her mother. ‘What was it? A Ming vase?’

Her mother laughed. ‘No, silly! It was completely worthless. The chap doing the valuations was much more interested in the little bowl I took along. I had just grabbed it at the last minute, to take something with me. You know, the one with all the
keys next to the telephone?’

‘The green one?’

‘Exactly. Well, it turns out that it was Chinese jade. Your grandfather must have got it in the war, I suppose. Anyway, this chap valued it at £20,000!’

Charley gaped at her mother.

‘But he was wrong.’

Charley rolled her eyes. She had known it sounded too good to be true.

‘It actually sold for £42,000 at auction last weekend. So you don’t need
to worry any more about that money you owe us.’

Maureen’s face broke into a huge smile as she stared at her daughter’s shocked expression.

‘You know what? I think I’ll have the vanilla. With chocolate sprinkles on the top.’

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Copyright © Alison Sherlock 2013

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