She burst out laughing. He looked comical, in full uniform with his limp dick hanging out of his fly. ‘Can I take a photo of you like that?’ she said.
He looked down and saw what she meant. ‘Oh, sorry.’
‘No – don’t you dare put it away! Stay just as you are, and say what you were going to say.’
He grinned. ‘Daisy, dear, will you be my wife?’
‘In a heartbeat,’ she said.
They lay down again, embracing.
Soon the novelty of his odour wore off. They got into the shower together. She soaped him all over, taking merry pleasure in his embarrassment when she washed his most intimate places. She put shampoo on his hair and scrubbed his grimy feet with a brush.
When he was clean he insisted on washing her, but he had only got as far as her breasts when they had to make love again. They did it standing in the shower with the hot water coursing down their bodies. Clearly he had momentarily forgotten his aversion to illegitimate pregnancy, and she did not care.
Afterwards he stood at her mirror shaving. She wrapped a large towel around herself and sat on the lid of the toilet, watching him. He asked: ‘How long will it take you to get divorced?’
‘I don’t know. I’d better speak to Boy.’
‘Not today, though. I want you to myself all day.’
‘When will you go to see your parents?’
‘Tomorrow, maybe.’
‘Then I’ll go to see Boy at the same time. I want to get this over as soon as possible.’
‘Good,’ he said. ‘That’s settled, then.’
Daisy felt strange going into the house where she had lived with Boy. A month ago it had been hers. She had been free to come and go as she wished, and enter any room without asking permission. The servants had obeyed her every order without question. Now she was a stranger in the same house. She kept her hat and gloves on, and she had to follow the old butler as he led her to the morning room.
Boy did not shake hands or kiss her cheek. He looked full of righteous indignation.
‘I haven’t hired a lawyer yet,’ Daisy said as she sat down. ‘I wanted to talk to you personally first. I’m hoping we can do this without hating one another. After all, there are no children to fight over, and we both have plenty of money.’
‘You betrayed me!’ he said.
Daisy sighed. Clearly it was not going to go the way she had hoped. ‘We both committed adultery,’ she said. ‘You first.’
‘I’ve been humiliated. Everyone in London knows!’
‘I did try to stop you making a fool of yourself in Claridge’s – but you were too busy humiliating me! I hope you’ve thrashed the loathsome marquis.’
‘How could I? He did me a favour.’
‘He might have done you a bigger favour by having a quiet word at the club.’
‘I don’t understand how you could fall for such a low-class oik as Williams. I’ve found out a few things about him. His mother was a housemaid!’
‘She’s probably the most impressive woman I’ve ever met.’
‘I hope you realize that no one really knows who his father is.’
That was about as ironic as you could get, Daisy thought. ‘I know who his father is,’ she said.
‘Who?’
‘I’m certainly not telling you.’
‘There you are, then.’
‘This isn’t getting us anywhere, is it?’
‘No.’
‘Perhaps I should just have a lawyer write to you.’ She stood up. ‘I loved you once, Boy,’ she said sadly. ‘You were fun. I’m sorry I wasn’t enough for you. I wish you happiness. I hope you marry someone who suits you better, and that she gives you lots of sons. I would be happy for you if that came about.’
‘Well, it won’t,’ he said.
She had turned towards the door, but now she looked back. ‘Why do you say that?’
‘I got the report from that doctor we went to.’
She had forgotten about the medical. It had seemed irrelevant after they split. ‘What did he say?’
‘There’s nothing wrong with you – you can have a whole litter of pups. But I can’t father children. Mumps in
