Maura threw her a startled look. ‘Do I?’
Effie nodded. ‘I’m afraid so. And us mere mortals might be prone to huffing and puffing when the clay won’t do what we want, but you’re a pro and that poor plate is starting to feel as though it’s done something to upset you.’ She eyed Maura levelly. ‘Has it done something to upset you?’
The suggestion made Maura glance down to the workbench, where the plate sat in mute accusation beneath her dripping brush. It was possible she’d gone overboard with the blue-green glaze. ‘It’s not the plate,’ she said, and sighed, the sound escaping her before she could catch it. ‘I got an odd message through Artsy, that’s all. From someone on Jamie’s rugby team.’
‘Not a pervy pic,’ Effie groaned, rolling her eyes. ‘What is wrong with people?’
‘Nothing like that,’ Maura said hastily, her cheeks tingling. ‘But he did ask to meet up. For coffee.’
Sharon snorted. ‘And the rest. What a chancer.’
But Cordelia was frowning. ‘Did he say what he wanted?’
Maura thought back to the message that had arrived a few hours earlier. She hadn’t been aware Liam knew about her pottery, much less where she sold it. Perhaps Andy had mentioned it, although she couldn’t begin to imagine why. But somehow, Liam had found her Artsy page and had got in touch. ‘Just that he wanted to talk, and that it needed to be face to face,’ she said. ‘He split up with his girlfriend a few weeks ago so I suppose it must be related to that. I’m friendly with her; maybe he thinks I’ll be able to explain what went wrong or help change her mind.’
‘Has he talked to you about relationship problems before?’ Cordelia asked.
‘No,’ Maura conceded. ‘We haven’t spoken much, to be honest, beyond hello or goodbye at the clubhouse. That’s what makes it so tricky – obviously my loyalties lie with Zoe but she’s not answering my messages and I can’t help wondering if Liam is looking for a sympathetic ear.’
Effie raised her eyebrows. ‘I’m not sure it’s your ear he’s interested in.’
‘What?’ Maura stared at her. ‘I don’t think—’
‘Stranger things have happened,’ Effie said, shrugging. ‘You’re an attractive woman. His ego has taken a kicking. Maybe he sees an opportunity to make this Zoe jealous.’
Sharon tilted her head. ‘Or maybe he’s been in love with you this whole time and Zoe found out and that’s the reason they split up. That’s why she’s cut you off.’
For a moment, Maura was speechless as a whole world of horrifying possibilities unfolded before her. She would have known, wouldn’t she? There would have been clues – long, lingering looks and excuses to talk to her. Jamie might have noticed too; he’d been unreasonably suspicious of Fraser’s motives and he spent a lot more time with Liam. And finally there was Zoe herself, who was younger, bubblier, blonder. Why on earth would any man fall for Maura when he had a woman like that in his arms? ‘No,’ she managed eventually, stinging from the act of comparing herself to Zoe. ‘I’m pretty sure that’s not it.’
Cordelia clicked her tongue. ‘Stop it, you two. Can’t you see you’re not helping?’
To be fair to Effie and Sharon, they had the grace to look instantly shamefaced. ‘Sorry,’ Sharon said, turning red. ‘I’ve been watching too much TV.’
Effie bobbed her head in apology, although the set of her shoulders remained faintly mutinous. ‘I suppose it’s possible he just wants to talk.’
‘Exactly,’ Cordelia said. She glanced at Maura. ‘So what are you going to do?’
Gaze dropping once more to the unfortunate plate on the workbench, Maura tried to make sense of her jumbled thoughts. Effie and Sharon were wrong, she was sure about that, but she couldn’t shake the faint whisper of doubt at the back of her mind, the niggling suspicion that there was more to Liam’s message than a desire to pour his heart out. But she had no idea what it might be. ‘I’m not sure Jamie would be happy if I met him.’
The three women exchanged glances. Sharon cleared her throat. ‘From what you’ve said, I’m not sure he’s ever happy.’
Which probably meant she was oversharing, Maura, realised, making a mental note to watch what she said in the studio. It was easy to join in when her students bemoaned their relationships but it was perhaps not entirely professional. ‘No, but—’
‘He’s a grown man,’ Cordelia said, her tone a shade acerbic. ‘Surely he’s not so insecure that you can’t meet someone for coffee.’
Maura shifted uneasily. When she put it like that, it did sound ridiculous. ‘What about Zoe? She’s my friend.’
‘A friend who isn’t answering your messages,’ Effie pointed out. ‘Has she done anything to reassure you she’s okay?’
‘No,’ Maura admitted. ‘I haven’t heard from her for a while, actually. I thought perhaps she wanted a clean break.’
‘There you are, then,’ Effie said.
Cordelia gave Maura a knowing look. ‘Is it going to bother you if you don’t find out what he wants?’
Maura sighed. ‘I hate the thought of him not having anyone to talk to. The rugby crowd aren’t – well, let’s just say some of them struggle to admit their feelings.’
‘He must have other friends,’ Effie said, folding her arms.
