The Way We Were_ A Novel - Marcia Willett [86]
She stares at Angela and Cat in horrified disbelief. Angela laughs, openly delighted at Julia's expression.
‘Don't look so thrilled to see us,’ she says, enjoying her discomfiture. ‘We're on our way to Minions and couldn't resist dropping in on the way through.’
Cat, welded as usual to her mother's leg, fist crammed into her mouth, stares up at Julia, who experiences the usual instinctive dislike. The dogs, who rushed out expectantly, lose interest and go back to their baskets.
‘I thought you were in Faslane,’ Julia says lamely.
‘We are,’ answers Angela airily. ‘Only, we've got tenant problems so Cat and I are with my parents at Rock for a few days while I sort it out. Any chance of a cup of coffee?’
Julia stands aside reluctantly and they go past her, through the sitting-room and into the kitchen. Zack, supported with a rug, is propped in the high chair and Charlie stands beside him, staring warily at the newcomers.
‘You've grown,’ Angela observes to him. And so this is Tiggy's baby?’
She studies Zack intently and Julia has a strong desire to stand in front of him and protect him from Angela's scrutiny and Cat's cross-eyed stare.
‘Yes,’ she says. ‘That's Zack.’
‘Such a tragedy’ says Angela. And how noble of you to take him on. Pete's finding all four of them a bit much, I gather.’
‘Do you?’ asks Julia after a moment.
‘Oh, well, Martin spoke to him last week.’ Angela sits down at the table, fishes her cigarettes out of her bag. ‘Said that leave had been a bit like a five-ring circus.’
Julia is silent; hurt that Pete should have implied any criticism of his family, trying to be rational.
‘And I thought you said you were pregnant last summer.’ Angela lights up and flips the packet across the table. ‘What happened?’
After a moment Julia takes one. She hasn't smoked for several months but suddenly the craving is too great.
‘You said that I was pregnant,’ she says. She pushes the kettle on to the hotplate, ‘I didn't say so, if you remember.’
Angela shrugs, amused. ‘I still think it's amazing to take on someone else's baby. Didn't Tiggy have any family of her own? I remember she said she hadn't but surely there must have been someone. Some aunt or a cousin or someone.’
‘No,’ says Julia firmly. ‘There was nobody else. That's why she was with us. So what's this about your tenants?’
Angela groans. ‘Honestly’ she says, ‘it's such a bore. We thought we were so lucky getting a naval couple to rent the cottage but they've been unexpectedly posted to Portsmouth. I've got to do the going-out inventory and find someone else. You don't know anyone I suppose who'd like to rent a nice little cottage?’
‘Sorry, no.’ Julia makes coffee and puts a mug beside Angela. ‘Would you like some juice?’ she asks Cat, who stares at her with the familiar inimical look but refuses to answer. ‘She's still not speaking then?’ Julia says lightly to Angela. ‘However does she manage at school?’
‘She can talk when she wants to,’ replies Angela, unperturbed. ‘She ought to be at school now, actually, but I couldn't leave her in Faslane, and my parents wanted me to bring her with me. Would you like some juice, sweetie? Or some milk?’
Cat shakes her head, fingers still stuffed into her mouth. She reaches out, seizes Charlie's little car and with a violent shove sends it spinning from the table. He cries out in distress, hurrying to pick it up, and she watches him with satisfaction. Julia bites back a reprimand whilst Angela simply smiles.
‘How on earth are you going to manage with four?’ she asks idly. ‘Stuck out here miles from anywhere and with Pete at sea so much. One's more than enough for me.’
‘I think Cat would be more than enough for anyone,’ Julia answers unguardedly.
For a brief moment Angela's habitual expression of wry amusement fades and Julia sees her true feelings: antagonism and dislike. The look vanishes in a second and the usual cynical half-smile returns.
‘Did Pete