The Duke's Affair

XXIII

"I want to see it," said Lauren, pressing her thumbs to the dashboard so hard that they hurt.

"It's really not a great idea," said Tony, turning on the windscreen wipers as the snow began to fall heavier and heavier. "There's hours of footage. Most of it just that girl getting dressed and undressed."

"Well whatever's on there obviously convinced you that Henry loves me, so I'd like to see it."

Tony slapped the steering wheel. "Ah, Henry. That's his name. How could I forget?"

Lauren closed her eyes and shook her head. She grimaced, feeling uncomfortable. "I'm really sorry Tony. I know this must be difficult for you-"

"It's not as difficult as you think. As it was."

"Will you let me see it then?" She reached across and touched his hand as he was about to press the indicator to take the turning for her house. She kept the pressure on the back of his hand until he flexed his fingers.

"Fine," he said, keeping the van on the road, heading to his house. "I haven't filed it or sorted it in any way. It's hours and hours-"

"I can skip and fast-forward though, right?" she asked.

"Yes. If you want I'll do it. You can tell me which bits you do and don't want to see. In case there's" - he pouted his lower lip - "anything you don't want to have to-"

"I've seen plenty. You don't need to protect me."

"It's not that." He tossed his head and bit his lower lip. "It's just that if you have feelings for him, there's stuff you shouldn't see."

Lauren knew he was right, but she'd made up her mind. Henry Banville was no longer part of her life. "I don't have feelings for him." But when she said the words aloud she knew she was lying.

Tony shrugged. "OK. Whatever you want. But if you don't care, then why do you want to watch any of it at all?"

"He told me something. I just want to see if he lied." Lauren licked her lips, dried out by the heating in the van, hoping that the video would give her the answer once and for all. Did Annabel really have the CCTV footage, or had Henry created the whole thing as an elaborate lie to excuse his own infidelity?

Tony drew the van into the driveway. In the front window Lauren could see the flashing multi colored Christmas lights that Tony's mother always draped her fake tree with. On the guttering of the tiny house were more flashing lights and a large inflatable Santa Claus attempting to climb onto the roof. "Wow," said Lauren, staring as she stepped out the van. "Your mother has gone even further than last year."

Tony glanced up briefly before reaching in his pocket for his house keys. "It's for the kids. My brother's little'uns. It's Chrissie's first Christmas. Not that she'll remember any of it," he said, waving his hand. "But mum's all over excited about being a grandmother." He stuck the key in the lock "Just leave your bags in the back. I'll take you home later."

As soon as Lauren walked in she could smell mulled wine and mince pies and all the scents of Christmas. Tony threw down his bag and hung up his keys, calling out to his mother.

A wiry looking woman with a hard face emerged from the kitchen. "Lauren, what a surprise," she said, wiping her hands on the corner of her apron. "I'm just finishing off my mince pies for your mother's party tomorrow. Would you like to try some? Secret ingredient makes all the difference." She smiled and Lauren was thankful that she didn't seem to hold it against her that she had broken up with Tony. Perhaps, she hoped, Tony had never told her the details. Lauren watched as the woman bustled back into the kitchen, returning with a plate of freshly baked pies.