The Angel in the Corner - Monica Dickens [138]
Felix asked her a question, but she could not hear it, because someone with a louder voice spoke to her. ‘I’m sorry, Felix,’ she said, with a touch of impatience. ‘I can’t talk to you tonight. We’re very busy.’ But Felix would not go away. He waited, drinking slowly, always watching her, and sometimes watching Joe, and Virginia thought he saw how roughly Joe pushed her out of the way when she knocked his arm, reaching for the same shelf.
When all the people were gone, and Virginia was wiping down the bar, Joe folded his arms and said: ‘Well, go on. Tell me about him.’
‘Who?’
‘The natty little chap who stayed in the corner all the time and gazed at you like an idiot.’
‘Oh, Felix.’ Virginia continued to polish, although the bar was spotless. ‘He’s a doctor I used to know.’
‘The one who gave you the sleeping pills, I suppose? Very cosy. Also the one you told me about ages ago, when you were still telling me things, the one who tried to make you. He’s still at his old game, I see.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous, Joe. He only came tonight to see if I was all right.’
‘Why shouldn’t you be all right? What’s wrong with you?’ Joe took her hands off the bar and held her wrists, tightly.
‘You’re hurting me. He knew I wasn’t sleeping well. Don’t be so violent about Felix. He was only trying to help me.’
‘Felix – my God, what a name. You don’t need help.’ Joe dropped her wrists, pushing them away. ‘You’re just neurotic. Sleeping pills! That’s a line I haven’t met before. If he comes round here again with his sleeping pills, I swear I’ll punch him in the nose, if I don’t shoot him first. Don’t forget I’ve got my gun in that drawer.’ It’s not loaded.’
‘How do you know? How does Felix know? I’d only have to point it at him and say Bang, bang, and the little twerp would pass out cold from fright.’
Felix was ill-advised enough to come again. He came at lunch-time, harmlessly, mildly. Except for a greeting and an inquiry after her health, he did not talk to Virginia, but Joe had been drinking since eleven o’clock, and he told Felix to get out of the Olive Branch and never come back if he knew what was good for him.
‘I beg your pardon?’ Felix asked politely, leaning forward as if he had not heard correctly.
‘You heard me. Stay away from here. I don’t want you hanging round my wife.’
‘I assure you, Mr Colonna, I had no intention –’ Felix looked discreetly surprised. Joe was excited and breathing heavily, but Felix remained calm and poised, with his umbrella over his arm and his hat and neatly-folded newspaper on the bar in front of him.
Virginia was bitterly ashamed that Joe should show himself like this in front of Felix, and terrified that the other people in the bar would hear, and stop talking to watch the scene.
‘Well?’ Joe stuck out his jaw. ‘Are you going, or do I have to chuck you out?’
‘Joe – please!’ Virginia pulled at his arm, and he pushed her roughly away.
‘It’s all right.’ Felix did not look at Joe. He looked at Virginia, and his eyes were filled with concern. ‘I’ll go. I don’t want to cause any trouble. God knows I didn’t come here for that.’ He took his hat and newspaper off the bar. ‘Good-bye, Virginia. You know where to find me if you need me.’
‘Don’t flatter yourself,’ Joe said. ‘She won’t need you. She never did.’ But Felix had already turned and was walking out of the bar, putting on the stiff black hat, which came down too low on his ears and immediately made him look a lesser man, subordinated to the hat.
Virginia could not bear to watch him walk through the door with the hat spoiling his dignity. She turned away and went into the kitchen through the door behind the bar. It was nearly closing time, and she began to make sandwiches for lunch. She heard Joe close and lock the front door. She heard him stop in the bar to pour himself another drink, which he brought into the kitchen. He sat down at the table and leaned his elbows on it, watching her while she moved about the room. She saw that he had half a tumbler of neat whisky between his hands.
‘You shouldn’t drink so much in the middle of