One Day in May - Catherine Alliott [125]
‘I know,’ he said in a low voice, ‘about Dominic.’
I felt my eyes widen in astonishment. Not what I had expected. Not at all. About Dominic? Yes, of course he knew about Dominic. What did that have to do with anything? With the here and now? With Hal and me? Years ago it had been pertinent, sure, but not now, years later, when we were both mature adults, when so much water had flowed…
‘But, Hal, that was aeons ago.’ I frowned, annoyed. I felt cheated of my words. I’d wanted my words. ‘I was young, immature. We’ve been through that, and anyway—’
Whatever else I was going to say in my defence, however, was lost, in the sudden smashing of china and glass. Followed by a thump on the table. It was a perfectly awful clatter. The entire dinner party swung round as one, to see Letty, having nose-dived into her profiteroles, sprawled on the table. Her head lolled, her eyes were shut, her mouth open: red wine spilled into her hair. She was out cold.
24
Hal scraped back his chair and leaped to his feet, moving quickly round the table to his sister-in-law. The men on either side of her were also up, but dithering, with that embarrassed look of not wanting to get involved, or touch. Funny how men really want to touch, or really don’t. Under Hal’s instruction, though, one of them hoisted Letty’s arm around his neck, and as Hal took the other, they got her to her feet. Her face was smeared with chocolate and cream where she’d fallen in her plate; her dress too. Eyes flickering slightly, head lolling, feet dragging in her pink high heels, she was half carried, half dragged, ignominiously from the room. Laura and Biba scuttled after.
A silence fell as we absorbed the shock. Poor, poor Letty. In front of all her friends, her neighbours. My cheeks burned for her. Most eyes were lowered to the table; then darted around surreptitiously to gauge reactions. Following Hugh’s anxious lead, conversation was resumed in muted tones. As I mechanically picked up my spoon to address my profiteroles, I realized I felt utterly deflated. Like a pricked puffball. Fearful too. What did Hal know about Dominic? What did he mean?
The chatter in the room had gained momentum now, and the woman to my left leaned across Hal’s empty chair, resting the heel of her hand on it, to enquire after my children: ‘Oh, just the one? At which school?’
Keep going, her eyes seemed to say. We keep going, you see? For form’s sake. For Laura and Hugh. D’you see?
Yes, I did see, actually. They were my family, and I felt a flash of anger at what I perceived to be her impertinence. But on the other hand, what nice friends to have. And this one was gorgeous. And she’d been next to Hal. Divorced, it transpired. Perhaps he was in love with her, I thought wildly, irrationally. Perhaps Laura had deliberately put him next to her, not me?
‘Oh, yes, I hear Lightbrook’s awfully good. GCSEs?’
Soon, I agreed. Next year. And then endured a long ramble about her own brood, and their numerous achievements. But I wasn’t really listening. Could only nod and smile at what seemed appropriate moments, longing, as I was, to run out and join Hal and his drunken sister-in-law and say – what? What are you talking about, Hal? But not wanting to either. Fear making me sit tight, like a child gripping a musical chair. Hugh’s eyes flickered round the table, imploring everyone to please, just carry on. Assuring us his wife would sort it out, Biba too, who was frightfully cool under fire. It would be her telling her mother to go back in as Laura flapped: telling her she’d put Letty to bed, deal with her – ‘Just go, Mum.’
And sure enough Laura did return, resuming her place with a nervous smile. Eyes lowered, she assured the murmured enquiries to either side that all was well, and answered her husband’s gently raised eyebrows with a smile and a nod. But I knew Hugh’s eyes were for Laura, who was so easily upset: for her welfare. He cared more about his wife’s equilibrium than any drunken guest’s, he was making sure she was all right, and my heart ached suddenly. For what I didn’t have.