Chapter 9 #3
‘There’s nothing she doesn’t know about ancient Greece and Rome,’ Edie had gone on. ‘About almost anything, actually.’ She’d grinned. ‘You don’t need ChatGPT when she’s around.’
‘Rubbish!’ Jessica had fiddled with a strand of hair, twisting it round and round her finger. ‘You know far more about English literature than I do.’
‘I doubt it.’
Edie had eyed the half potato left on her plate and downed her knife and fork in defeat. ‘I can’t think of a single novel I’ve mentioned that you haven’t read. Maybe there’s a few old English texts that have managed to slip through your net, but not many.’
‘What about football and rugby fixtures?’ Ralph had asked teasingly. ‘Is she good at those, too?’
‘No-I-am-not!’ Jessica had said, emphatically. ‘Can we please change the subject? You’re making me blush.’
Edie had apologised with a laugh and risen. She’d begun collecting the empty plates and when Hannah again tried to help, she was having none of it.
‘Stay where you are.’ She’d signalled to the others not to get up either. ‘Ralph, can you open another bottle of wine?’
The conversation had taken a different turn after that and there were no more sticky moments. Edie had mentioned that their daughter, Maisie, had recently dumped her boyfriend of two years and was now dating an undertaker called Sam.
Hannah’s eyes had widened. ‘Ooh! That sounds a bit gloomy. Is he always dressed in black?’
‘No.’ Edie had laughed. ‘It’s his dad’s business, actually. Sam’s good fun and extremely handsome. The business seems to be very successful. The parents are loaded.’
‘There have been a number of unexplained deaths in the neighbourhood recently,’ Ralph had joked. ‘There’s talk of some chap sneaking round at dead of night with a bottle of poison.’
After lunch, they’d put on their coats and boots and gone for a walk in the misty woods.
Pockets of tiny white snowdrops, like little crystal bells, were poking through the hard, frosty earth along the route.
It was as if they were guiding the way through the dark trees and bare branches back to open ground – and civilisation.
Edie had watched her breath swirl and spiral in the cold air but she’d been well wrapped up and didn’t feel chilly. She was cheered by the fact the meal had been delicious and everyone seemed to have got on well, including Mac and Hannah – in the end.
Perhaps the wine had thawed them out. Jessica’s presence had undoubtedly helped as well. Hannah, especially, had seemed very taken with her and Ralph was clearly impressed, too.
All in all, the day had seemed to go very well. It had reminded Edie of some of the big, happy gatherings they used to have before the children left.
Back at the house, they’d all had tea and cake in the cosy sitting room. The conversation had soon returned to Crete and Jessica had suggested some places to visit.
‘You must go to Knossos, the ancient Minoan capital. It’s not too far from where you’re staying. It’s years since I went but I remember finding it fascinating. I’d love to go back.’
‘I’m surprised you haven’t done a school trip with your pupils,’ Mac had said. ‘Can’t you engineer one?’
‘Maybe.’ Jessica had looked doubtful. ‘The problem is, the school’s cut back a lot on trips. Not many of our parents can afford them and the feeling is, it’s unfair on the kids who can’t go.’
Edie had nodded. ‘It’s true. It’s a real shame.
I’d love to take my A-level students to the theatre more.
We’re only allowed one or two trips a year, maximum.
I remember taking one of my students, Maryam, to see Twelfth Night at the National.
She’d never been to the theatre before and she was absolutely bowled over. She couldn’t stop talking about it.’
‘Isn’t there a fund for pupils who can’t afford things like that?’ Mac had wanted to know.
‘There is,’ Edie had agreed. ‘But you can only ask better-off parents to pay so much extra to subsidise the other pupils. Otherwise, they won’t be able to afford it either.’
Jessica had sighed. ‘God I’d love to see my students’ faces if I could show them the ancient palace of Minos. I must go back sometime and take lots of photos.’ She’d looked thoughtful. ‘May would be a good time, actually. After that, it gets too hot.’
It was then that Edie had asked if she had any half-term plans and Jessica had said no. By now, it was after 6p.m. and when Edie had got up to feed Dilly, Jessica had taken it as her cue to leave.
After thanking her hosts warmly for a lovely day, she’d said goodbye and she and Hannah had embraced.
‘I’ve really enjoyed meeting you,’ Hannah had said. ‘Hope to see you again soon.’
Edie had stood on the doorstep watching as Jessica put on her helmet and started to pedal away. Just before she was out of sight, Jessica had turned and waved.
‘See you tomorrow!’ she’d called, and Edie had waved back.
‘Thanks for coming!’
Hannah and Mac had been side by side on the sofa when Edie returned and Ralph had offered them all a drink. Edie was tired and felt quite relieved when they’d said no.
‘What an interesting woman!’ Hannah had commented, meaning Jessica. ‘I’ve never met anyone quite like her.’
‘You see!’ Edie had cried triumphantly, turning to Ralph. ‘I told you, didn’t I? She knows something about everything.’
Ralph had nodded. ‘And she hardly even mentioned her dog.’ He’d given a wry grin. ‘I was worried she was going to be in deep mourning.’
‘She moves on quickly,’ Mac had replied, deadpan.
Edie had glanced at him out of the corner of an eye, unsure how to take the comment. But his facial expression had given nothing away.
When Hannah had mentioned inviting Jessica, however, he’d made his feelings clearer, suggesting she’d change the atmosphere.
Hannah’s shoulders had drooped. ‘I knew you’d say no.’
‘I didn’t say no.’
Mac had glared at his wife, his dark eyes glinting dangerously, and Edie had felt herself shrink. She’d wondered if this was how he made Hannah feel if he disagreed with something she wanted. If so, he was out of order.
When she’d pretended to misunderstand his objection, she’d seen his body stiffen and he’d risen abruptly. Sensing his anger, she’d acted as if she hadn’t noticed.
Looking back on it now, though, she wished she’d been braver and called him up on it.
‘You OK, mate?’ Ralph had asked Mac, confused.
‘Yeah, fine.’
But Mac had stalked into the hall, returning with his wife’s fur coat.
‘Put this on,’ he’d told her, and she’d taken it obediently. ‘It’s time to go home.’
Recalling that day in such forensic detail made Edie feel incredibly tense and also guilty, because she could see how she’d ignored a lot of signs. She was ready to spring up at any moment and go to Hannah’s rescue.
‘I hope they’ve managed to have a good talk,’ she whispered to Ralph. ‘Thank God you wouldn’t react that way if I came on to someone. Not that I would,’ she added quickly. ‘It’s not my style.’
She was about to start praising her husband for his magnificent display of sangfroid earlier, when Jessica had tried to push herself between Hannah and Mac. But his body twitched and he grunted and snuffled, before breathing out with a crackly whoosh. He’d dropped off.
‘Night night,’ she whispered, carefully extricating herself from under his arm and rolling on to the other side. Then she tiptoed over to the window to close the shutters and opened the door just a fraction, so she could hear any strange noises in the house more easily.
Finally, with a sigh, she climbed back into bed, pulled the sheet over her and closed her eyes. She tried to think happy thoughts until sleep arrived at last, wrapping her in its familiar and oh-so-comforting embrace.