wasn’t my best friend any more. I didn’t think he had been for quite some time. As for my lover – I realised now that our love-making had long since drifted into the realms of the functional. I wasn’t losing a lover or a best friend. It seemed I’d already lost them some time ago.
Well, I’d wanted something to happen to shake up our relationship, and sure enough, something had.
D ownstairs in the kitchen , Rupert sat in the easy chair by the patio doors, his complexion as faded as the upholstery. He stared bleakly out into the garden, his hands clenched tightly together in his lap, his shoulders slumped. The poor sod. If this had come out of the blue for me, it must have been one hell of a shock for him. At least I already knew things were rotten and had only been plunged from misery into worse misery. Rupert had been dropped directly from the heights of assumed marital bliss into total betrayal.
I made him a cup of tea.
‘How very English of you,’ he said. ‘Tea for a crisis. Thank you.’ He patted my arm. ‘Don’t worry, love, we’ll get by.’
‘I know. Although I’m not sure how.’
He winked. ‘Darling Emmy, I’m an entrepreneur. I always think of something.’
I couldn’t help but smile. ‘Ever the optimist.’ Hesitating, I asked, ‘Are you very upset, Rupert?’ then shook my head. ‘Ignore that question. It’s none of my business.’
I watched him warily, thinking he might be cross with me for being so nosy, but instead he let out a large snort of laughter.
‘What’s so damned funny?’ I demanded.
‘You’re so damned funny, saying it’s none of your business, you silly girl. Your wet dishcloth of a boyfriend has had sex with my wife, under our noses, under my roof, and they’re currently in the process of leaving us both high and dry. If that doesn’t qualify as your business, God knows what does!’
‘I’m so sorry.’
‘What the hell for?’
‘For Nathan’s behaviour. For booking the bloody holiday. If we hadn’t come here, this never would have happened.’
‘It might not have happened to you, but it probably would’ve happened to me, sooner or later. If not with your delightful partner, then with somebody else’s. It should be me apologising to you for her behaviour.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous, Rupert. You can’t be held responsible for your wife’s behaviour.’
‘No. And neither can you for his.’ He jerked his thumb towards Nathan, who was coming downstairs with his suitcase and studiously avoiding eye contact with the man whose wife he was stealing. ‘Perhaps we’re both better off, love.’
I stood in the doorway for the grand departure, looking out across the courtyard at the rows of lavender and the pretty gîtes, where normal people must be having normal holidays. Gloria had yet to make her appearance. No doubt she was busy deciding between her designer shoes and handbags, and squirreling away all her jewellery so there was no chance of Rupert claiming it back.
Thank goodness the Hendersons were out soaking up the grandeur of whichever château they’d chosen to bless with their presence. Since they were already unimpressed by Rupert’s injury, I couldn’t imagine what they would make of this sorry spectacle.
Nathan loaded his suitcase into Gloria’s sports car, then came back in for her luggage. Despite my misery, I almost laughed at his furious attempts to cram it all into the woefully inadequate boot space. Gloria was high maintenance and probably took four suitcases for a simple weekend away, but even so, it looked as though she’d packed for the long-term. My heart sank. I turned to look at Rupert, but he wouldn’t catch my eye, instead staring out at the scene with a stony indifference on his face. It was impossible to tell whether his heart was breaking or if he was glad to see the back of her.
Gloria came clattering down the hall and stopped as if to say something to him, then seemed to think better of it. Instead, she
Well, I’d wanted something to happen to shake up our relationship, and sure enough, something had.
D ownstairs in the kitchen , Rupert sat in the easy chair by the patio doors, his complexion as faded as the upholstery. He stared bleakly out into the garden, his hands clenched tightly together in his lap, his shoulders slumped. The poor sod. If this had come out of the blue for me, it must have been one hell of a shock for him. At least I already knew things were rotten and had only been plunged from misery into worse misery. Rupert had been dropped directly from the heights of assumed marital bliss into total betrayal.
I made him a cup of tea.
‘How very English of you,’ he said. ‘Tea for a crisis. Thank you.’ He patted my arm. ‘Don’t worry, love, we’ll get by.’
‘I know. Although I’m not sure how.’
He winked. ‘Darling Emmy, I’m an entrepreneur. I always think of something.’
I couldn’t help but smile. ‘Ever the optimist.’ Hesitating, I asked, ‘Are you very upset, Rupert?’ then shook my head. ‘Ignore that question. It’s none of my business.’
I watched him warily, thinking he might be cross with me for being so nosy, but instead he let out a large snort of laughter.
‘What’s so damned funny?’ I demanded.
‘You’re so damned funny, saying it’s none of your business, you silly girl. Your wet dishcloth of a boyfriend has had sex with my wife, under our noses, under my roof, and they’re currently in the process of leaving us both high and dry. If that doesn’t qualify as your business, God knows what does!’
‘I’m so sorry.’
‘What the hell for?’
‘For Nathan’s behaviour. For booking the bloody holiday. If we hadn’t come here, this never would have happened.’
‘It might not have happened to you, but it probably would’ve happened to me, sooner or later. If not with your delightful partner, then with somebody else’s. It should be me apologising to you for her behaviour.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous, Rupert. You can’t be held responsible for your wife’s behaviour.’
‘No. And neither can you for his.’ He jerked his thumb towards Nathan, who was coming downstairs with his suitcase and studiously avoiding eye contact with the man whose wife he was stealing. ‘Perhaps we’re both better off, love.’
I stood in the doorway for the grand departure, looking out across the courtyard at the rows of lavender and the pretty gîtes, where normal people must be having normal holidays. Gloria had yet to make her appearance. No doubt she was busy deciding between her designer shoes and handbags, and squirreling away all her jewellery so there was no chance of Rupert claiming it back.
Thank goodness the Hendersons were out soaking up the grandeur of whichever château they’d chosen to bless with their presence. Since they were already unimpressed by Rupert’s injury, I couldn’t imagine what they would make of this sorry spectacle.
Nathan loaded his suitcase into Gloria’s sports car, then came back in for her luggage. Despite my misery, I almost laughed at his furious attempts to cram it all into the woefully inadequate boot space. Gloria was high maintenance and probably took four suitcases for a simple weekend away, but even so, it looked as though she’d packed for the long-term. My heart sank. I turned to look at Rupert, but he wouldn’t catch my eye, instead staring out at the scene with a stony indifference on his face. It was impossible to tell whether his heart was breaking or if he was glad to see the back of her.
Gloria came clattering down the hall and stopped as if to say something to him, then seemed to think better of it. Instead, she
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