Page 43 of Be More Capybara

‘I’m glad it’s all going to be okay. You two look very happy together.’

‘I think we are. I definitely am.’

‘Are you going to marry her, or have you done that already, and I missed it?’

‘You have a habit of missing weddings, but no, we haven’t got around to it yet. The pandemic got in the way. And now Lucy wants to leave it until our child is born. I’m terrified.’

‘Getting married is the easy part. Staying married is harder.’

‘I meant becoming a father, but I take your point.’

‘I suspect you’ll make a good dad.’ Nigel pictured Mark throwing himself into fatherhood with the same optimistic enthusiasm he tackled everything else. Life must be a lot easier when you weren’t an overthinker.

Mark was gazing at the flames that were engulfing the new log now. ‘I’m going to try very hard to be better than ours - both at the childcare element and the “not fucking every woman in sight” side of it, too. I don’t want to be an embarrassment to my child.’

Nigel paused for a minute. What had Mark just said? ‘I thought there was only one mistress - Silvia, Gabriella’s mother?’

‘She was his regular one, but there were plenty more, the filthy old sod. If you’d come back from uni more often, you’d have realised it was common knowledge around here.’

‘So Mum knew?’

‘Definitely. Turned a blind eye. Guess it suited her. I’ve never really asked,’ Mark shrugged.

‘Today’s been an eye-opener one way and another. Have you heard from our half-sister recently?’ Nigel asked.

‘Which one?’

‘Oh yeah. I was forgetting about Julia. I meant Gabriella.’

‘She sent me a Happy Christmas text. She’s in France now. Working her way around Europe by the sounds of it.’

They sat in silence for a few minutes, staring at the fire.

‘Are you missing your family?’ Mark asked, eventually. ‘Maddie and the firm of solicitors?’

Nigel laughed. ‘I know you don’t like your nieces’ names, but I can assure you they fit perfectly in Madison’s family.’ Madison’s family, but not the Farnhams. That was an interesting thought. He took a sip of whisky, enjoying the warming sensation as it made its way down his throat. ‘And yes, I am missing them. The girls, anyway.’

‘I’m sorry how things have worked out.’

‘Que sera, sera.’

‘At least you’ve got Helen.’

‘Have I?’

‘The way she lights up when she talks about you, I’d say so.’

Nigel tapped the side of his glass a few times while he reflected on Mark’s comment. ‘I’m not sure that’s true. We’re just friends.’

‘Really? You always seemed like the perfect couple. You still do.’

‘She’s never wanted to be more than friends. Sadly.’

He was in danger of saying too much. It must be the whisky. He downed the rest of the glass and stood up. ‘I’m going to turn in for the night.’

Mark nodded. ‘I’ll sort the fire out.’

‘Thanks.’