Artistic Licence (24 page)

His eyebrow, raised infinitesimally, expressed his doubt. ‘You said I could help – when I said I couldn’t let you be without what little I can do.’

Thea looked away. She didn’t want to think about that conversation, ever.

‘And right at the beginning you were very clear about help including painting and decorating. You can’t reject my offer now.’

She forced a laugh, ignoring the offer he had rejected. They would spend the rest of the evening and all night being offended and giving offence if they weren’t careful ‘Let’s get to it then. By the way…’

It was too late. Before she could warn him, he had gone downstairs and she heard by his exclamations that he had met Lara and her puppies. Judging by the noises, Lara was very pleased to see him.

He came up a few minutes later carrying a roller and a couple of brushes. ‘What the hell is Lara doing there?’

‘Rory left them with me. He’s gone to London, to catch up on family, he said.’ She frowned slightly, still worried about it.

Ben looked intently at her. ‘Bloody inconsiderate, seeing how hard you’re working to get a good space for him.’ He frowned. ‘Molly told me you’re thinking about what to show after Rory. It’ll be nearly time for the degree shows. You should scour the colleges for promising young talent. Have a graduate show.’

Most of the time Thea managed to avoid the reality, which was that she didn’t know much about art; she’d had no formal training apart from what she’d learnt as a photographer and her exposure to modern art had been minimal. Now, her ankle was hurting, she was tired, Ben didn’t want her and she might never get the bloody floor varnished. This whole art gallery thing was a crazy idea. ‘Would I know promising young talent if it got up and bit me?’ Her question sounded horribly plaintive, but she couldn’t unask it.

‘You recognised how good Rory’s work was. I’ll come with you. You pick who you like and I’ll tell you if they’ve got talent or not.’

‘You’d never have time to do all that.’

‘I would if I get this job in Bristol. I’ll be working from home quite a lot of the time, so I can be with Toby more, and I’ll have far more autonomy.’

Thea allowed herself a sigh. It was still stinking hot.

‘What’s the matter?’

Thea bit her lip. ‘Probably nothing. I’ve just got a funny feeling about this trip of Rory’s to London. I’m worried he might back out. I didn’t let him have the slides or anything, so he’s got nothing to show – only his charm to work with.’ She sighed again. ‘But that’s not inconsiderable.’

There was the subtle change of expression again; something she’d said was wrong. ‘I think you’re wise not to trust him completely. Which is why it’s important to have a plan B.’

‘Oh, fuck it!’ she said. ‘I can’t think about all that now. Let’s get to work. Put the music on and if you don’t like my choice you can go home.’

At least the paint, being non-drip, hadn’t spread too
far, but the freshly sanded wood was thirsty and sucked it up. Thea had to scrub with sandpaper for ages to get the worst off and even then she suspected the shadow of her accident would remain on the floor for ever.

She was very aware, as she sanded, that Ben could well be looking at her bottom. Her shirt was long and she’d pulled it down as far as it would go, but she was aware that her by now filthy Sloggis, and certainly her thighs, would be on view for those who wished to see.

She had debated putting her jeans back on, but they were a bit tight and the weather was so hot that bare legs gave her much more flexibility of movement. Besides, if she put on her jeans now, it would make some kind of statement, implying she wasn’t decently dressed before. She hadn’t been, of course, but it was too late to worry about that now.

He had started applying the varnish with a roller. Thea had been worried about him getting his clothes dirty and had offered him one of the communal boiler suits. He had rejected them all as too small and, while she protested, she realised that she mustn’t sound motherly and irritating.

She thought of the paternal nature of his anger to her when he thought she’d been foolhardy. He had been very cross, far more cross than the situation warranted. The thought gave her a little breath of hope.

Chapter Fourteen

Thea managed to work well enough with her bad leg, although instead of standing and using a roller, she found it easier to stay on hands and knees and apply the varnish with a brush. By keeping on the opposite side of the room from Ben, she stopped herself worrying about her rear end and his attitude to it. The music kept them at it and they finished the first coat quite quickly.

‘You can still see where the paint was, though,’ said Thea sadly. ‘Should I get the electric sander back in, do you think?’

‘No–a few more coats and that patch will disappear into the rest of it.’

‘It was a silly thing to do. Now,’ she went on brightly, because she didn’t want Ben to start telling her off again, and hiding her fatigue and the sense of anticlimax, ‘shall we get a takeaway or do you want to go? You’ve worked very hard. You deserve something to eat.’ Too late she realised she was talking to Ben in the same way she talked to her student lodgers: ever so slightly patronisingly.

His glanced flickered over her, not noticing her manner. ‘I’ll get the takeaway, seeing as you’re not dressed. What would you like?’

‘Whatever you can find, but you really don’t have to
stay. I can carry on on my own.’

‘How will you get home? You’re surely not really going to stay here all night?’

‘I must. I’ve got to get that floor done and when I have, there are still two more rooms to prepare and that’s not counting downstairs, where Lara is. I’m going to need every inch of space. I’ve got Rory’s paintings but I’m still waiting for his drawings and sketches to come over from Ireland. The opening’s less than six weeks away.’

She hadn’t actually voiced her anxieties out loud before. She smiled, trying to pretend she had been joking. ‘Actually, while you’re here, you couldn’t just take Lara out for me, could you? There’s a bit of waste ground by the station.’

He stood looking down at her, where she sat on her chair, resting her ankle. She didn’t look directly at him, but she was aware of his expression: exasperated, irritated and still a little angry. Eventually, he spoke. ‘OK, fine. Have you got a lead?’

She nodded. ‘And about a mile of kitchen towel in case she does anything.’
Do not explain about having to clear up after her
, she ordered herself.
He’s a grown-up with experience of animals. He’ll know that.

‘Right. While I’m gone, think about what you want to eat, but don’t get up. Or you won’t be able to drive tomorrow either.’

Thea smiled blankly, trying not to worry that in fact, now she was here, she might never get to leave the gallery. Thank goodness Molly had made her buy a mobile phone.

While he was away, she limped to the loo and bravely looked in the mirror. Her hair was curling
wildly all over the place, but she knew that if she brushed it, it would either frizz completely or go flat. She pulled at it with her fingers, washed her face in cold water, then had to put Molly’s hand cream on it, because it felt so tight. She had no make-up with her, nor any scent, and she was wearing painting clothes. ‘Give up, girlfriend,’ she told her bedraggled reflection. ‘He didn’t want you when you were practically lying on a doily underneath him. He certainly won’t want you now.’

This reality confronted, she limped downstairs to feed the puppies. Their little snuffling faces and scrabbling paws were incredibly endearing. It was nice to feel loved, even by things so small and young that didn’t know any better.

After she had mashed their food and they had hoovered it up, she sat on the floor cuddling them. Who needed a man when she could have a puppy? She picked up Little Chap, the tiniest, and had a head-to-head conversation with him. After he had assured her that he was not going to die and was actually putting on weight, even if at a far slower rate than his chums, she lay down flat and let all the puppies clamber over her.

She was still lying there when Ben came back from taking Lara out. ‘How did you get down here? I thought I told you to rest?’

The puppy therapy had soothed her prickles and she felt much more relaxed. She smiled up at him. ‘I am resting. I’m just not alone. Oh! Don’t do that, little one.’ Her ear, which had been gently nuzzled, suddenly received an investigative nip. ‘I had to feed them,’ she explained to Ben. ‘Or they’d have eaten me.’

‘I could have fed them for you.’

‘Yes, but you wouldn’t have brought them all upstairs for me to cuddle. Isn’t Little Chap adorable?’

‘I’m glad Toby didn’t see them. Or he’d nag me about that, too.’

Thea decided not to follow this up, since it would be bound to get her into trouble. ‘What takeaway did you decide you wanted? My bag’s in the kitchen. Take some money before you go.’

‘I think I can afford to buy some fish and chips without contributions from you.’

‘Oh, come on! You’ve been working so hard for me all evening, it’s only fair that I pay for supper. It’s your wages, after all.’

Thea tried to get up. It wasn’t easy. After she’d got herself free of puppies she struggled to her knees, but unfortunately she was too far away from the wall to go the rest of the way and had to accept a hand from Ben.

‘I don’t want wages.’

Thea didn’t think she could offer him payment in kind in her present state of unloveliness so she gave up. ‘Oh, well then, ask them if they do deep-fried Mars Bars, will you? I’ll have one of them as well.’

He brought fish and chips and cold lagers.

‘Didn’t they do Mars Bars, then?’ She’d never actually eaten a deep-fried Mars Bar and thought they sounded disgusting, but she couldn’t resist winding him up.

‘They did, but I decided you shouldn’t have one.’

She was indignant. ‘How dare you make decisions for me! I’m not a child.’

‘He who pays the piper calls the tune,’ he said and
Thea realised she was being wound up in her turn. She decided it was probably a good sign that he felt he could tease her. She cuddled a puppy, pretending to pout. ‘We’ll never get to eat these if we stay down here.’ Gently, he removed a pup who had decided the smell of salt and vinegar was irresistible. ‘Can you go back upstairs again, or do you want me to carry you?’

‘I’m not risking you suing me when you put your back out. I can crawl back up just fine, thank you.’

‘Oh, good,’ he said. ‘Can I watch? I’ve got rather fond of the sight of your bottom.’

She found herself blushing. There was definite sexual innuendo in that remark. She contemplated telling him that if he were a gentleman he wouldn’t look, but decided it might lead to all sorts of places she might not want to go. ‘You take the fish and chips. I’ll follow.’

‘Are you sure? If I came behind, I could always give you a push if you needed one.’

‘I’ll give you a push if you’re not careful,’ she muttered.

It was more of a haul than a crawl, but at least he was well ahead of her. She wished she’d put on her jeans, until she got upstairs and realised how hot it was. It had been blissfully cool in the basement, but now the full heat of the summer night hit her. ‘God, it’s hot up here,’ she said, collapsing back into her chair.

‘But it’s a dry heat. The varnish should go off quickly. Now, what do you want? Cod or plaice? I brought the salt and vinegar separately as I didn’t know what you liked.’

‘Give me a cold can and whatever’s nearest.’ She opened the can and took a long cool draught. ‘That is
so good! I feel like an advertisement for the stuff.’

‘I felt the floor while you were coming upstairs. It’s nearly dry. It’ll be ready for another coat by the time we’ve eaten.’

‘Oh, good. I’m aiming for about five coats eventually.’ She ate a bit of fish and suddenly found she was hungry.

‘And you were going to work all through the night?’

‘I find it quite difficult to sleep in this heat anyway,’ she said with her mouth full, ‘and what with lying on quite a hard floor with only a sleeping bag, I didn’t really think I’d do more than doze. I’d just listen to the World Service and lie there, picking my teeth. You’re not eating. Was it something I said?’

He smiled and shook his head. ‘Too hot.’

‘What, the weather, or the chips?’

He ignored her question. ‘You’re very committed to this gallery, aren’t you?’

She nodded. ‘It’s the first time in years I’ve really felt I’m doing the right thing. I mean, I loved doing the artistic side of the photography, but I was hopeless at the hard-nosed journalist bit. And even when I did it, it wasn’t totally satisfying artistically. With this I feel I can really have fun.’ She sighed. ‘I just hope Rory doesn’t pull out.’

‘He might.’

‘I know and he’d be perfectly entitled to. At the moment I’m relying on him still hating the London art scene enough to stick with me.’ She bit her lip and gave a little smile. ‘Fingers crossed.’

‘How would you feel if he did abscond, after all the work you’ve put in?’

‘Terrible, but as it was me who wanted to do it, I
can’t really blame him. Which is why Molly and I’ve decided not to put all our eggs in Rory’s basket.’ She took another thirst-quenching sip. ‘At first, he was the reason I wanted to open a gallery, but now I’ve started doing all this I’ve realised what a waste it would be. Even if I could pay Molly back on what I earn from Rory, we can’t just stop there.’