essence of everything that had gone wrong between herself and Garth.
'They're lovely, aren't they?' Lysandra cooed. 'So much better than tin, so I'm sure you'll feel you've gained by the exchange.'
'But I don't,' Faye said defiantly. 'I just think it's sad to throw away the old traditions.'
'Old traditions are so sweet,' Lysandra said, 'but not very functional.'
'And your list is very functional, isn't it?'
'Oh, it's been an immense help to people like us in the construction industry.'
People like us. She was talking about herself and Garth.
'But it's so false,' Faye said helplessly.
'False?'
'Artificial. This isn't the real anniversary list. It's just a way of selling more washing machines.'
'The modern customer demands appliances already installed in a new house-'
'Fine, then do that. But don't pretend it has anything to do with wedding anniversaries. I'm sorry, this just isn't what I agreed to help with.'
For the first time Lysandra was nonplussed. 'Well, if you'll-excuse me.' She hurried away, and returned a moment later with Garth.
'It had better be something important for you to have dragged me away from that meeting,' he said and, although he was speaking to Lysandra, Faye felt the words were directed at herself.
'We've got a problem,' she said, speaking pleasantly. 'I'm afraid I misunderstood why you wanted me. My fault, I dare say.'
'Well, I'm sure we can sort it out,' he said, also speaking with determined pleasantness.
'To me the tenth wedding anniversary means a gift of tin or aluminium, not diamonds. I didn't even know there was another list.'
'Well, surely you don't mind having diamonds?' he asked, frowning, and she knew he didn't really understand.
She shouldn't have started this, she thought. Why not just keep quiet and play her part? But some core of her, which had kept quiet too often in the past, insisted on standing firm.
'I do mind. If we're going to tie your new range in with our tenth wedding anniversary, then I think we should do it properly.'
'You're surely not suggesting that I give you tin?'
'It's what you're supposed to give,' she said stubbornly.
'Only from a sentimental point of view, surely?' Lysandra said. 'But this is a business decision. Mr Clayton and I have explored the matter from every angle and this decision offered optimum results.'
'Tin is the right thing,' Faye persisted. She met her husband's eyes, silently pleading with him, Don't take her side against me. Say at least that you understand my point of view.
But she knew Garth didn't understand a thing when she saw the anger flare in his eyes. He took her arm and drew her away from Lysandra, speaking in a soft, furious undervoice. 'If we'd still been living in a two-room flat it would be the right thing. But we've moved beyond that, in case you hadn't noticed. I'm a successful man, marketing a range of luxury houses for successful people. I can't celebrate that range with a tin plate. It would make me a laughing stock.'
'I'm sorry you feel that my standards make you a laughing stock, Garth, but that's the way I feel. I think you should do this without me.'
'You're a vital part of this promotion-'
'So why didn't you explain it to me properly?'
'I explained everything I thought needed explaining. I didn't know you were going to go off on this sentimental flight of fancy.'
'Thank you very much.'
He gritted his teeth. 'We'll talk about this tonight.'
'Tonight will be too late. I'd like to talk about it now.'
'Faye, don't do this to me, please. I've got a million things on my mind-'
'If I'm such a vital part of this, perhaps one of those things should be me.'
'All right, all right! I handled it clumsily. I'm sorry. Now can we just get on with this?'
'Without me.'
He was pale. 'You're not serious.'
'Garth, it never was a very good idea to out me in the press show. You and Miss Bates will handle everything perfectly together.'
Without another word she turned and walked out. Her head was up and she seemed calm, but inwardly she was seething with anger. As she reached the lift she heard a pattering of footsteps and turned to see Lysandra. When the lift doors opened Lysandra followed her in.
'What an unfortunate misunderstanding,' she said, smiling brightly. 'But I can assure you, Mrs Clayton, Garth didn't mean to upset you in any way.'
'I beg your pardon!' Faye said in frosty outrage.
'He doesn't always understand things the way we women do. Men aren't sentimental, are they? I promise you, Garth would be devastated to think-'
'How dare you?' Faye interrupted her fiercely. 'How dare you presume to explain my husband to me?'
'I assure you, I'm only-'
'You know nothing about him. Nothing!'
The lift had stopped. Faye stormed out and immediately pressed the button to make the doors close again. Her last view was of Lysandra gaping with astonishment.
Her fury sustained her all the way home but once there it began to seep away, to be replaced with weariness. The expensive silk clothes felt like an actor's costume for a role that was all wrong for her and she hurried to change them for dark green trousers and a pale yellow shirt. It was a lovely day and, with a linen jacket about her shoulders and flat shoes on her feet, she was ready for a stroll in the grounds.
'Come on,' she said to Barker. 'You're missing the children, aren't you?'
He padded amiably after her as she wandered into the trees. Faye threw the ball and was cheered to see him bound after it, obviously not in pain. But neither did he move with the vitality of a young dog and it brought home to her again how old he was. It was another reason for being angry with Garth.
'We're the same, you and me,' she said, sitting by the stream and fishing in her coat pocket for a biscuit. 'He's making use of us both to get what he wants. Underneath all his clever talk, that's the bottom line.' She stroked his ears. 'How's that for a mixed metaphor? What am I talking about? You wouldn't know a mixed metaphor if it jumped on you, not unless it was offering titbits.'
As if by a signal Barker began to sniff her coat. 'All right, here's a biscuit. Leave my fingers behind! What an idiot I was to make an issue of it! What else did I expect? We made a business deal and that's the only reason I'm here. Who cares what list he chose? It's all over between us, anyway.'
She settled herself more comfortably on the grass and stroked the furry head that was resting on her leg.
'You know who I was really mad at, don't you?' she mused. 'That woman. She acted as though she owned him. And she actually dared to explain him to me. To me't To his wife. I know him better than anyone. Oh, what does it matter? I'm not really his wife any more.'
She gave a sudden chuckle. 'But you should have heard me getting on my high horse with Lysandra. I've never done that before. Didn't know I could. That showed her. If you ask me, she sees herself as the next
Mrs Clayton.' Barker woofed agreement and eyed her coat significantly.
'OK, one more! But don't you dare suggest I'm jealous! She's welcome to him. It was just her being so rude that bothered me. Hey, I said one!'
They lingered together, enjoying the beautiful afternoon, until the sun began to set.
'Time to go in,' she said reluctantly. 'I'll bet he'll be home early tonight, and he'll have plenty to say to me.'
She was right. Garth arrived half an hour later and came looking for her. 'Can we talk?' he asked in an edgy voice.
'Yes. I'm sorry. It shouldn't have happened.'
