sensed, did not move her head.
‘Good heavens,’ said Sally. ‘What a serious group we are. Art, politics, the media. This is meant to be a celebration party for Martyn.’
Edward laughed. ‘I’ve had such a good time putting all you young people through your paces. I’d like you all to come to Hartley for the weekend of the twentieth … for my birthday. Just the family, and the about-to-be family.’ Edward smiled at Anna and Jonathan.
‘How marvellous. You can go, darling, can’t you?’ asked Ingrid.
‘Possibly. I’ll have to check.’
‘Anna?’
‘I think so. Yes, thank you.’
Sally and Jonathan agreed. The thought of a weekend with Anna and Martyn in Hartley opened a world of terror and possibilities, and joy.
The meal meandered slowly through to a teasing sweetness at the end. I had survived close on three hours without by as much as a murmur betraying myself, or Anna.
Perhaps the devil stood behind me, and delivered me successfully to evil.
T WENTY
‘I FELT PROUD THIS evening. Content. I felt the power of being a mother. “Look on my works, oh ye mighty,”’ Ingrid sighed.
We were in the car. The evening had ended properly, with manly insistence from Martyn that the bill was for him, and admiring acquiescence from his father and grandfather.
‘Did you feel like the paterfamilias?’
‘Mmm.’
‘It’s very satisfying, isn’t it?’
‘Very.’
‘We are quiet people, you and I. We suit each other. I feel very happy tonight. You make me very happy. Do I tell you that often enough? Perhaps not. But I hope you know. I don’t see many happy marriages around. I’ve very grateful for mine … and for you.’
I smiled.
‘It’s been a long time. You and me,’ I said.
‘Yes. Two lovely children, a contented marriage. It’s almost too good to be true. But it is true. It’s so substantially true. I like what I felt tonight, the substance of it. I felt I could almost reach out and touch it. Happiness. The right kind of happiness.’
‘Is there a right kind?’
‘Yes. Yes, I think so. I’ve always felt so. I’ve always known what I wanted. A husband, children, peace and progress. I’m very proud of your career you know. Very, very proud. I’m not ambitious for myself … I’ve always had money … but I do my bit, don’t I? The constituency and the charities, the dinner parties.’ She laughed. ‘Do I fulfil my role, my public role?’
‘Indeed you do. You always have.’
‘So here we are then. It’s a very, very good place in our lives. I feel the future, your future, our future, could be very interesting. When I was at Hartley, Daddy said how highly thought of you are. He says you’re regarded as a “coming man”. Even though I say so myself, you are rather perfect aren’t you? Terrific on television. Decent, very intelligent, with a wonderful wife’ — she giggled — ‘and two utterly charming children. Perfect. It’s all perfect. Except for Anna. She is a very, very strange girl, don’t you think?’ Ingrid was suddenly alert.
‘Why?’
‘I like quiet people, I can’t stand super-friendly, outgoing types … like that Rebecca girl he had for a while. But Anna’s quietness is more mysterious. She is almost sinister. I mean, what do we know about her? She met Martyn through work. She’s thirty-three, and very well off. It’s ridiculous. For example, what did she do all those years before Martyn?’
‘I don’t know.’ I glanced studiously into my mirror. I could not be tripped. No ‘how did you know?’ errors in this potential interrogation.
‘You see! We know nothing. This girl may very well become our daughter-in-law, and we know nothing about her.’
I breathed deeply. Slowly now, I said to myself, slowly.
‘Martyn has had so many girlfriends, Ingrid. Anna is just another one. Maybe a bit more serious. But marriage? No, I don’t think so.’
‘Well, you are utterly wrong, I’m afraid. He mentioned his trust fund the other day, when
‘Good heavens,’ said Sally. ‘What a serious group we are. Art, politics, the media. This is meant to be a celebration party for Martyn.’
Edward laughed. ‘I’ve had such a good time putting all you young people through your paces. I’d like you all to come to Hartley for the weekend of the twentieth … for my birthday. Just the family, and the about-to-be family.’ Edward smiled at Anna and Jonathan.
‘How marvellous. You can go, darling, can’t you?’ asked Ingrid.
‘Possibly. I’ll have to check.’
‘Anna?’
‘I think so. Yes, thank you.’
Sally and Jonathan agreed. The thought of a weekend with Anna and Martyn in Hartley opened a world of terror and possibilities, and joy.
The meal meandered slowly through to a teasing sweetness at the end. I had survived close on three hours without by as much as a murmur betraying myself, or Anna.
Perhaps the devil stood behind me, and delivered me successfully to evil.
T WENTY
‘I FELT PROUD THIS evening. Content. I felt the power of being a mother. “Look on my works, oh ye mighty,”’ Ingrid sighed.
We were in the car. The evening had ended properly, with manly insistence from Martyn that the bill was for him, and admiring acquiescence from his father and grandfather.
‘Did you feel like the paterfamilias?’
‘Mmm.’
‘It’s very satisfying, isn’t it?’
‘Very.’
‘We are quiet people, you and I. We suit each other. I feel very happy tonight. You make me very happy. Do I tell you that often enough? Perhaps not. But I hope you know. I don’t see many happy marriages around. I’ve very grateful for mine … and for you.’
I smiled.
‘It’s been a long time. You and me,’ I said.
‘Yes. Two lovely children, a contented marriage. It’s almost too good to be true. But it is true. It’s so substantially true. I like what I felt tonight, the substance of it. I felt I could almost reach out and touch it. Happiness. The right kind of happiness.’
‘Is there a right kind?’
‘Yes. Yes, I think so. I’ve always felt so. I’ve always known what I wanted. A husband, children, peace and progress. I’m very proud of your career you know. Very, very proud. I’m not ambitious for myself … I’ve always had money … but I do my bit, don’t I? The constituency and the charities, the dinner parties.’ She laughed. ‘Do I fulfil my role, my public role?’
‘Indeed you do. You always have.’
‘So here we are then. It’s a very, very good place in our lives. I feel the future, your future, our future, could be very interesting. When I was at Hartley, Daddy said how highly thought of you are. He says you’re regarded as a “coming man”. Even though I say so myself, you are rather perfect aren’t you? Terrific on television. Decent, very intelligent, with a wonderful wife’ — she giggled — ‘and two utterly charming children. Perfect. It’s all perfect. Except for Anna. She is a very, very strange girl, don’t you think?’ Ingrid was suddenly alert.
‘Why?’
‘I like quiet people, I can’t stand super-friendly, outgoing types … like that Rebecca girl he had for a while. But Anna’s quietness is more mysterious. She is almost sinister. I mean, what do we know about her? She met Martyn through work. She’s thirty-three, and very well off. It’s ridiculous. For example, what did she do all those years before Martyn?’
‘I don’t know.’ I glanced studiously into my mirror. I could not be tripped. No ‘how did you know?’ errors in this potential interrogation.
‘You see! We know nothing. This girl may very well become our daughter-in-law, and we know nothing about her.’
I breathed deeply. Slowly now, I said to myself, slowly.
‘Martyn has had so many girlfriends, Ingrid. Anna is just another one. Maybe a bit more serious. But marriage? No, I don’t think so.’
‘Well, you are utterly wrong, I’m afraid. He mentioned his trust fund the other day, when
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