Damage by Josephine Hart Page A

he was arranging the dinner. He comes into his capital when he marries. Remember, his promotion to a national newspaper gives him great confidence. Can’t you see that boy is seriously planning his future? God knows, you can’t stop a man in love having what he wants. If Anna wants him, she’s going to be his wife. Of course he most certainly wants her. I think as parents we should at least try to get to know her better. And we should find out more about her past. Have you questioned Martyn yet? I’ve tried. It’s quite difficult. He says he knows all he needs to know. However, I got some information from him about her parents. He says they’re very respectable. Her father was in the diplomatic service. The parents divorced, and her mother remarried. An American writer, I gather. Her father has a second family too.’
    ‘That doesn’t sound too terrible, does it?’
    ‘No, but there’s something else, I’m sure. For example, has Anna been married before?’
    ‘How extraordinary. I never thought of that.’
    ‘Well, you’ve hardly given her any thought at all, have you?’
    ‘No. I suppose not.’ I breathed slowly, determinedly.
    ‘Men! Well, think about it. She’s thirty-three, it’s perfectly possible. In fact, it’s surprising if she hasn’t been. Maybe she has children. You never know nowadays. Think of Beatrice, her children stayed with their father in Italy.’
    ‘I’m certain there are no children.’ The doctor in me spoke.
    ‘What? You know nothing about her, but you’re certain she has no children.’
    ‘Oh, I don’t know, just a very strong guess. Come on, let’s have a night-cap at home.’
    She put her arms around me when we got to our room. ‘Sorry. I shouldn’t have let Anna spoil a lovely evening. Did I tell you how very impressive you looked this evening?’ She kissed me. ‘I love you,’ she whispered. ‘Darling, let’s go to our lovely bed. I can see that look in your eyes —I like it.’
    And so we lay in bed. A man whose eyes could deceive a wife of nearly thirty years, and a wife who after nearly thirty years could be so deceived. Our practised movements were as pleasant as an old remembered song of long ago. But even as I surrendered to those final shudders that are all and nothing, it was, I knew, a final defeat for Ingrid in a battle she did not know she waged. And it was a triumph for Anna, who had not even fought.
    I cannot and will not do this again. That was my last thought as Ingrid drifted dreamily to sleep in my arms.

T WENTY -O NE
    ‘H ELLO, DAD. ’ It was Martyn on the line.
    ‘Martyn. Thank you for last night and congratulations again.’
    ‘Oh, thanks. You were very quiet. Working too hard? I know you’re heading one of those committees —I gather it’s getting close to recommendation time.’
    ‘How do you know?’
    He laughed. ‘I can’t reveal my sources.’
    ‘I suppose I’d better be more careful than usual now. Even secret smiles are out of the question.’
    ‘Absolutely. Journalist first, son second!’ He laughed. ‘Oh yes, I’d spill all your secrets for the chance of a scoop.’
    ‘Aha! I’ve been warned!’ I entered into the spirit of the thing.
    ‘Dad, I want to ask you something about my trust fund.’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘Can I talk to Charles Longdon about it? And to David, he’s the other trustee, isn’t he?’ He mentioned a cousin of Ingrid’s.
    ‘Yes. Why do you need to talk to them?’
    There was a long pause. ‘I … oh, I don’t know. Plans, you know. It’s about time I examined all my financial affairs. Properly. Don’t you think?’
    ‘Well, you know the trust doesn’t come to you until you marry?’ I spoke slowly, staring unseeing out the window.
    ‘Yes, I know that. Still I’d like to talk to them about it. Just wanted you and Edward to know. I didn’t want to go behind your back, or anything.’
    ‘No. No, of course. I don’t mind. Go ahead.’
    The call was over. No mention of Anna. Martyn would make