The Way We Were_ A Novel - Marcia Willett [28]
‘There are always rumours,’ Julia says after this particular phone call from another anxious wife. ‘Of course Pete never says a word, and quite rightly, but it explains his touchiness. He needs a while to come off the boil when he gets home from most patrols.’
Now, Tiggy pushes the biscuits towards her and Julia grins reluctantly.
‘Wouldn't it be wonderful,’ she asks, ‘if we could be four years old again and have all our problems solved by the prospect of a chocolate biscuit?’
In the morning the children are fractious: all through breakfast Charlie grizzles, the twins bicker, and Julia moves about, tripping over the dogs and still yawning ceaselessly. The twins, unable to decide which of their pictures arc worthy to be sent out to Pete, settle down at Tiggy's suggestion to make a drawing of the little Merlin, which is brought down and set before them as a model. It is an ambitious scheme but it keeps them busy while Tiggy chops vegetables for soup and Julia does the washing-up. Charlie, maintaining a steady jabber, makes his way cautiously round the kitchen, clinging to the furniture, until he topples into the dog basket, startling both dogs. The Turk jumps up on to the sofa out of harm's way but Bella simply licks Charlie's face until he explodes with giggles and Julia whisks him up and puts him back, protesting loudly, into his high chair. The twins, distracted from their drawing, begin to bicker again.
‘Maybe we should go down to Deify Bridge and have a paddle.’ Tiggy is suggesting, when they hear the sound of a car's engine.
‘Damn!’ says Julia wearily. ‘Damn and blast! Who can that be?’ She peers from the window. ‘Oh, no,’ she mutters. She looks cross, even angry, and her cheeks flush pinkly.
Surprised at her reaction, Tiggy joins her at the window. ‘Who is it?’ she asks curiously.
‘It's Angela Lisburne and the ghastly Catriona.’ Julia keeps her voice down lest the twins should overhear. ‘Angela's husband, Martin, was with Pete on Orestes and since then she's absolutely determined that we need to be best friends.’ Julia ducks back so that Angela won't see her. ‘Her family's known Pete's for ever and she had a bit of a thing with Pete when they were both quite young. She doesn't like me – or him – to forget it. And Cat is such a spiteful child. We all try to like her but she makes it very difficult. She always manages to upset Charlie or the twins somehow.’
Tiggy feels a strong surge of partisanship for Julia. Already she dislikes Angela, and she cranes to get a better look at the young woman who has climbed out of her car and is now releasing a small girl from her chair on the back seat. She lifts her out and tries to set her down but the child clings, her legs firmly wrapped about Angela's waist. Julia heaves a sigh, combs her fingers through her hair and goes out into the hall; Tiggy waits in the kitchen, listening. The twins, who are now playing with the dogs, seem to sense the quality of the silence and look up.
‘Where's Mummy gone?’ asks Liv, her arms round Bella's silky brown neck. Bella pants, smiling fatuously in her embrace; her long spaniel ears fall down over Liv's arms like thick curling plaits.
‘Angela's here.’ Voices can be heard in the hall and Tiggy keeps her voice low. ‘Angela and Catriona.’
Andy makes a face; he screws up his nose in distaste. ‘We don't like Cat. She's horrid. We hate her, don't we, Liv?’
Liv nods, hugging Bella even tighter. ‘She's a silly baby. Scaredy Cat.’
Before Tiggy can remonstrate, the door opens and Julia comes in followed by Angela with Cat clinging to her, limpet-like.
‘This is Angela, Tiggy’ says Julia in a bright, hostessy voice. ‘And this is Cat.’
‘Hi, Angela.’ says Tiggy. ‘Hello, Cat.’
Angela smiles a greeting but the child merely buries her head in her mother's shoulder and takes a renewed grip with her knees.
‘She's shy,’ says Angela. ‘Aren't you, little Cat? Look, pussycat, there are Andy and Liv. Aren't you going to say “Hello”?’
She makes as if