bothered with me again!’
He backed the car out and drove down the road. I was trembling all over, but I was too proud to ask him for a cigarette. When we got home I fled upstairs and buried my face in my pillow and cried and cried. Much later someone knocked on my door — and waited — and then knocked again, but I didn’t answer.
I was overcome with dizziness when I got out of bed the next morning. I’m going into a decline, I told myself. I dressed and put on a lot of rouge and a huge pair of dark glasses. I found Maggie reading the Sunday papers, still wearing Copeland’s hat.
‘Hullo,’ she said, her eyes avid with curiosity. ‘We were worried about you. What on earth did you and Ace get up to?’
‘Nothing,’ I said quickly. ‘I suddenly got a terrible headache.’
‘I don’t know what’s the matter with Ace,’ she said. ‘He’s so sour this morning you could make yoghurt out of him. He’s got Rose in the drawing-room going through the bills. I wish I was a fly on the wall.’
‘Poor Rose,’ I said. ‘He does jackboot around, doesn’t he?’
‘Don’t blame him really,’ said Maggie. ‘Rose hasn’t paid a bill since he left, not to mention selling the Romney. Then there’s the couple of grand here, and the couple of grand there she’s touched him for to do up the kitchen, and the roof and the drawing-room. And you can see how much “doing up” there’s been.’
She picked up a colour supplement and began to flip through it.
‘And what about your new house?’ I said.
‘Oh Jack’s paid for most of that, although Rose pretends she has. I wish I could work up some enthusiasm about it.’
She went over to the window. ‘Jack and Pendle’ve taken the boat out. I think I might ride this afternoon. Jack’s got to work.’
Next moment Rose came out of the study, looking red-eyed. ‘Tell Mrs Braddock I don’t want any lunch,’ she said faintly, and ran upstairs.
A minute later we heard the telephone click.
‘Straight on to Copeland,’ said Maggie. ‘A thin lot of good he’ll be to her.’
But in ten minutes we saw Rose flash past the door in dark glasses and a huge blond fur coat. The front door slammed and there was a scrunch on the gravel as the car drove off.
Lunch was a nightmare — I kept going into a cold sweat and I couldn’t eat a thing. Fortunately they were all arguing too heatedly to notice me.
After much bickering, Pendle was persuaded to go riding.
‘What about Pru?’ said Maggie.
‘There aren’t enough horses,’ I said quickly.
‘She’s so light she can ride one of the ponies,’ said Ace.
‘She’d be happier curled up in front of the fire helping me write this damned report,’ said Jack.
Ace’s eyes were boring into me.
‘I’d like to ride,’ I said firmly.
‘I think you’ll find this one easier than the one you had yesterday,’ said Ace later, as he gave me a leg up.
He reached forward and took off my dark glasses. ‘Don’t ride in those,’ he said, putting them in his pocket. ‘It’s dangerous if you fall off.’ He looked at me closer. ‘You look terrible. Are you all right?’
‘I’ll get by,’ I said coldly.
Maggie — contrary to her normal lethargy — rode like a gipsy. She thought nothing of slithering down a ravine or clearing a five-foot wall.
It was a beautiful day, but great black clouds were massing ominously on the horizon and a chill wind was ruffling the lake. Above us on the mountains sheep were wending their way along the ancient tracks.
About half a mile from home we entered a long grassy ride. Suddenly, Maggie dug her heels into the chestnut.
‘Come on, Pen,’ she shrieked. ‘Race me to the end.’ She got a good start, but Pendle immediately thundered after her. Ace was cantering easily and even my pony trundled along furiously.
Maggie was still whooping herself into the lead, but Pendle, using his whip now, was gaining on her. His horse’s coat turned black with sweat. A wall loomed in the distance. Maggie was making for a gap, but just as Pendle drew level with her, her horse pecked and she was thrown over its head. She lay in a crumpled heap. Pendle pulled up his horse with such force that it reared round in the air. He was off it like lightning, running to Maggie, his face ashen.
‘Maggie,’ he said hoarsely, ‘Maggie, darling, for God’s sake say something! Darling, you can’t do this to me.’
Suddenly Maggie opened her eyes and smiled at him sweetly.
‘Darling Pen, what a pretty speech. I must pretend to pass out more often.’
Pendle’s face twisted with rage. ‘God, you bitch!’ He slapped her viciously across the face. Maggie gave a moan and burst into tears. Pendle jerked her into his arms and kissed her passionately.
‘Pendle,’ snarled Ace. ‘For Christ’s sake!’
Pendle looked up, the fury and defiance in his eyes were terrifying. ‘To hell with you all!’ he said. ‘She’s mine and I love her.’
I’m not built for drama — it was just like a trailer at the cinema. I swung my fat pony round and cantered off the way we’d come, crying great tearing sobs. It started raining and I was soon soaked to the skin. Dusk was falling as I rode up to the house. Jack was standing in the doorway.
‘My poor darling,’ he said in dismay. ‘Ace is out looking for you. Go and get dry. I’ll look after the pony for you.’
I dragged myself upstairs. I was feeling really ill. I peeled off my wet clothes and sat on the bed in my bra and pants, my teeth going like castanets.
There was a knock on the door and Ace barged in.
‘Where the hell did you get to?’ he said.
‘Oh, go away,’ I said. I swayed as I got up to reach for my dressing-gown.
He caught my arm. ‘Sit down,’ he said more gently, putting a hand on my forehead.
‘I’ll be fine in a minute.’
He felt the sheets of my bed and grimaced. ‘Damp, of course.’ He put my dressing-gown round my shoulders and led me across the passage. ‘Get into my bed. At least it’s dry.’
I lay down and stared at the photograph beside the bed. This must be Elizabeth. She had a soft, shining face, and masses of cloudy dark hair — no wonder he had loved her.
He came back with a thermometer.
‘You can’t possibly travel tonight,’ he said, when he’d looked at my temperature.
‘Stop bullying me!’ I snapped, trying to get out of bed.
‘See for yourself,’ he said, showing me the thermometer.
It was nearly a hundred and four.
‘Help!’ I shrieked, whipping back into bed. ‘I’m dying!’
He handed me two pills. ‘They’ll make you sleep.’
He stood over me till I’d taken them. There was a knock on the door. It was Pendle. His face was grey, but he looked quite calm. Ace left us to it.
Pendle came over and took my hand. ‘Sorry you’re sick,’ he said.
I turned my face away to hide the tears.
‘I should never have brought you here,’ he said. ‘It was a bloody trick, but when you’re desperate, you try anything. I
‘I understand,’ I said, feeling like St Teresa on her deathbed.
He looked so haggard I suddenly wanted to comfort him.
‘Please take me with you,’ I whispered.
‘Ace’ll look after you,’ he said. ‘I’ll come and pick you up next Friday.’
Those pills must have been killers. He’d only been gone a few minutes when great waves of sleep rolled over me.
