Appassionata

‘As my wife, Luisa, is always complaining — ’ apologetically Julian lifted Chloe’s hand from his groin — ‘after a concert, I simply can’t.’

‘No such word as can’t,’ said Miss Parrott, delicately picking bits of onion out of a Spanish omelette. Then dropping her fork with a clatter, she started to cry: ‘Rodney always loved the harp.’

‘Well, he’s gone to the right place,’ said Viking, filling up her glass. ‘By now he’ll be knocking back Holy Spirit and goosing his first angel. Don Quixote was magic, Dimitri, would your Guarneri like a top up?’

In the centre of the living-room, rapidly colouring the green carpet with spilt drink, a raucous game of strip poker was in progress. Abby’s suitors, realizing they had only two more nights to win the two thousand, had decided this would be as good a way as any to get her clothes off. But Abby had turned out to be an ace player, who was still fully clad in her orange vest, suede mini and high-heeled black sandals.

Among the ring of musicians who surrounded her, on the other hand, Dixie was down to Bugs Bunny boxer shorts, Randy to one sock, Barry to his gold medallions, El Squeako to grey long-johns, and El Creepo to a corn plaster. Nellie had somehow retained her cut-out bra and mauve crotchless knickers. Cherub was wearing just Abby’s sunhat and giggling non-stop. A fully dressed Noriko crouched behind trying to cheat for him.

‘Abby’s got a furr house and Dixie a straight frush,’ she whispered.

‘There’s the straight frush,’ cried Cherub, who was far too drunk to make use of any information. ‘Sings his song twice over, without a repeat mark.’

Everyone shouted with laughter and re-filled their glasses.

‘Just like Dejeuner sur l’Herbe,’ mused Henry, putting on his glasses to examine the poker groups on the green carpet.

Candy and Clare, who’d eaten too much paella over the past few days to have any desire to strip off, were absolutely hopping. Randy and Dixie totally ignored them by day, then expected to move into their beds at night. Having drunk a bottle apiece, they had retired to a distant sofa.

‘I’m going for brains in future,’ said Candy. ‘If there’s a body thrown in, that’s a bonus.’

‘I’m going for breeding,’ said Clare. ‘They never ran after Abby until she took up the violin again. Bloody gold diggers.’

‘I fancy Julian, only decent bloke in the orchestra.’

‘Let’s go and rescue him from Alto Sex. Who were you talking to?’ added Clare disapprovingly, as Davie came off the telephone to Texas.

‘Wrong number, she shounded very nicesh. Got two liel girls.’

‘And you told her you were six foot two and twenty-six,’ said Candy in outrage.

‘Thatsh my inside leg, musht get ’old of Brun’ilde.’

Despite continuous whoops, howls and blaring music, Chloe had finally fallen asleep across Julian’s thighs. Gently, like a violin case, he laid her on the floor. On the sofa beside him sat Francis and Bill Thackery, both very drunk.

‘We’ve gotta zap this merger the moment we get home,’ urged Julian. ‘We lost a great ally in Rodney.’

‘I loved the man,’ Bill Thackery’s eyes were very red.

‘Only conductor I’ve ever met who brought the word “you” into his conversation,’ sighed Francis.

‘How’s your wife’s hip, Francis?’ called out Abby, who’d been eavesdropping while shuffling the cards.

Francis flushed. ‘Oh, much the same.’

‘I do hope you’ll get her into the hospital soon.’

‘Sooner than you think if Francis gets his leg over,’ murmured a now naked Dixie, as he lobbed shiny black olives at Nellie’s nipples.

Abby, who still hadn’t shed a garment, dealt again. The men in the orchestra had all been so complimentary about her solo and her handling of the concert. But she was utterly unmoved that most of them were now stripped for action because of a certainty that she and Viking were finally going to make it. Drink had anaesthetized the pain of Rodney’s death. She could only remember the heaven of Viking’s arms around her, even the very reluctant slap had been oddly comforting. In a matter of seconds, she had exchanged one father figure for another.

Even now Viking was detached from the party, leaning against the wall in that heavenly blue shirt, sweating out a weak Scotch, swapping Rodney stories with a stunned, tearful Cyril. But all the time, his eyes never left Abby’s face, a little smile flickering over his beautiful, stubborn mouth. Totally forgetting Marcus, liberated from a disapproving Flora’s chaperonage, Abby felt a pulse as insistent as a snare drum throbbing between her legs. It was going to happen.

A drunken shout greeted another extract from Rachel’s Requiem, this time on the violin.

‘That was a glorious solo, Julian,’ shouted Cherub, then seeing the uncontrollable jealousy on Bill Thackery’s face, added, ‘but your century against the CCO was even better, Bill.’

Always the good sport, Bill joined in the roars of laughter.

Julian was glad he had confided to Bill his worries about Rannaldini and the closing-down of the RSO. Bill would fight their corner with the board.

A hand was sticking out of the wardrobe again so Julian gave it a bottle this time. Tarzan howls greeted the removal of Nellie’s crotchless knickers. Carmine, who’d been discussing an expedition to a bull-fight tomorrow with Quinton, glanced over at Nellie and winked.

‘Must have a tinkle,’ said Nellie ten seconds later, and tottered after Carmine into Abby’s spare bathroom.

A hovering Blue, hearing the lock snap, looked round for Cathie, who was wearily listening to Little Jenny droning on about the Celtic Mafia.

‘They are all pigs, Cathie.’

Everyone was too far gone to begin behaving when Hilary marched in, demanded a Perrier and started photographing the more advanced forms of debauchery, which included Dimitri drinking Famous Grouse whisky out of an ashtray.

‘Didn’t you see the “No Moles” sign on the door,’ shouted Randy.

Ignoring him, Hilary announced she must go and spend a penny. Viking watched her go towards Abby’s spare bathroom, which contained Nellie and Carmine, then surreptitiously turn left into Abby’s bedroom. Equally surreptitiously, Viking stole after her.

He found her trying on a diamond necklace, before regretfully turning to Abby’s briefcase, systematically opening envelopes, reading letters, flicking through Abby’s diary and her address book.

Padding up behind her, Viking closed his hands round her neck.

‘What the hell do you think you’re doing?’

Hilary shrieked and dropped the briefcase with a clatter.

Under his fingers, Viking watched an ugly red blush rise out of her pie-frill collar.

‘I was looking for a copy of tomorrow’s schedule,’ stammered Hilary, ‘to — er — see what time we’re leaving for Toledo.’

‘Bollocks, as if you didn’t know, since your poxy lover called a special inspection at six-thirty outside the hotel.’

He let his hands fall.

‘You were snooping, darling. Just how much is Rannaldini paying you to shop Abby?’

It was a complete shot in the dark. But Hilary’s jump of horror, like a suddenly buggered maiden aunt, said it all.

‘Get out, you meddling bitch, or I’ll call the police,’ said Viking.

Alone in the room, still shaking with fury, he picked up a periwinkle-blue silk scarf, breathing in Amarige. How trusting Abby was — with most of her orchestra in the next room — leaving the unlocked briefcase, the rubies, sapphires, diamonds, the platinum Amex card all spilling wantonly out of her jewel case. Amidst them, like a golden egg, with its leaves shrivelling, was the orange he’d picked her from the coach.

Viking had never been in any doubt that he would win the two thousand pounds. He had already earmarked the money, and told his Wexford grandmother that he would be sending her to America for her seventieth birthday. She hadn’t seen her elder sons and their families who lived in New York and Philadelphia for twenty years.

Viking knew that Abby adored him. He had not forgotten how she had trembled in his arms outside the pub