The Way We Were_ A Novel - Marcia Willett [65]
‘Nobody,’ says Julia. ‘Nothing. Who wants to help me make pastry for lunch?’
Pete returns and makes a great effort to entertain the children: he helps them to erect a tent on the lawn and creates some rough but adequate furniture out of old tea-chests. A camp bed is set up and covered with a tartan blanket and some cushions, the little Merlin is placed on the table for an ornament, and Bella allows her basket to be carried out and put by the door flap so as to lend an authentic homely note. Tea is to be eaten in the tent; even Charlie is welcomed in. Tiggy, coming into the kitchen to fetch some Ribena for the twins, finds Pete with his arm about an unyielding Julia with whom he seems to be pleading. Tiggy backs out hastily and hovers around near the front door until presently Pete comes out of the kitchen and goes upstairs. When she ventures back into the kitchen, Julia is standing quite still, staring out into the garden. Tiggy slips her hand under Julia's arm and Julia presses it against her side with her elbow.
‘It's OK,’ she says, in answer to Tiggy's unspoken query. ‘Honestly. I'm just being silly.’
She takes a deep breath, as if making some resolution, and when Pete comes in she speaks to him quite naturally. Tiggy hides her relief, pretending that she notices nothing amiss, which seems to enable Pete and Julia to relax even more. Tea has to be eaten in relays, first Julia, then Pete, then Tiggy, being invited into the tent, and by the time it is over good humour has been restored.
The next morning, Pete comes back to give Julia an extra kiss before driving away.
‘Angela was awful,’ Julia says to Tiggy as they clear up the breakfast things and the twins rush out to the tent. ‘She was all over him. Martin makes a joke about it, says that he and I should get together and things like that. I make a joke of it too, of course, but I hate it. And I hate Pete because he makes no effort to resist her. He drinks too much and then it makes me look like I'm a prig. And I'm not. I like to drink and enjoy myself.’
Tiggy wants to hug her. ‘He probably feels he'd look a fool if he slapped her down. As if he were paying it too much importance.’
Julia shrugs. ‘Probably. I wouldn't mind if it were anyone else. Everyone gets a bit silly at parties; I do. But there's something different with Angela. I can just feel it.’
Tiggy remembers Aunt Em's words and feels sick in her stomach. ‘It's just a macho thing,’ she says. And Angela's just one of those cows who likes to upset other women. Don't give her the satisfaction of seeing that you think she has any power.’
‘I try not to,’ says Julia gloomily, drying her hands and reaching for her cigarettes. ‘But then I remember that they had this thing together and I wonder if he regrets giving her up.’
‘Did he give her up?’
‘That's what he says. He says the usual things: “If I'd loved her we'd still be together”, and “I married you, didn't I?”, and stuff like that. I know it's silly of me to mind but I can't help myself and then I feel guilty afterwards.’
Just after lunch, a Radio Rental van comes slowly down the drive.
‘Brought you a new television, love,’ the driver says. ‘Your husband phoned and said it was time you had a change. Wait till you see it.’
He carries the set into the sitting-room and installs it, and presently the children are staring transfixed at the inhabitants of Camberwick Green – and the firemen, Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble and Grub – in brilliant blues and reds and greens. Even Charlie is mesmerized by the glory of it.
‘So what do you think?’ asks Pete later. He looks rather shamefaced but pleased with himself.
Julia smiles. ‘You only did it so that you could watch The Magic Roundabout in colour.’
He puts his arms round her, winking at Tiggy over her head. ‘Actually I was thinking more about Star Trek,’ he says.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
2004
On the morning of the day of Caroline and Zack's house-warming party, Liv was in Truro. Having parked behind the cathedral she made her way amongst dawdling holiday-makers, through