My Husband's Wife(94)

Carla was as good as her word. She spent the entire Saturday poring over her books. Yet on Sunday lunchtime there was a knock at the front door. Lily and Ed hadn’t told her they were expecting anyone. Maybe it was one of those cold callers or a neighbour perhaps.

But Rupert was standing on the step. ‘I was just passing.’ He handed her a bunch of flowers, prettily wrapped with an artful straw bow. Freesias. One of her favourites. It was incredible how such a powerful fragrance could come from such small blooms. ‘That’s very kind.’

‘How about a walk? Come on, it’ll be good for your brain to have a break.’

‘Well …’ It was a beautiful day. Why not? ‘Just to the park and back.’

It was surprisingly good to have the company. There were lots of other couples out too. Laughing. Holding hands. With a strange feeling in her chest, Carla realized she’d never gone for a walk in the park with a man she liked before.

‘I love being with you, Carla.’ Rupert’s hand reached out for hers.

No.

Deftly she put her hand in her pocket. ‘I like being with you too, Rupert.’ There was a brief pause while she counted to five. ‘But as I said before, I like you as a friend.’

Either he didn’t notice the rebuff or else he chose not to. ‘You’re different from the others, Carla. You’re focused. As though you have a purpose. Most of the other girls I know just want to have fun.’

Carla thought fleetingly of the flightier female students who were always chasing Rupert and others like him. ‘I don’t have time for fun.’

‘Really?’ There was definite disappointment in his voice.

Carla shrugged as they wandered back out of the park, towards Ed and Lily’s house. ‘My mother, she relies on me. It is up to me to make money for us so we can live the lives we should have done.’

‘Wow. That’s amazing. I like that.’

‘In fact, I must return now. Or I will be behind with my work.’

‘Surely you have time to make me a cup of tea first?’

‘I’m not sure …’

‘Come on.’ His eyes twinkled. ‘It’s what friends do.’

They were on Ed and Lily’s steps now: smart black and white steps leading up to the black front door. It seemed rude not to agree.

Inviting Rupert to take a seat, Carla swiftly cleared away her books to make room at the table in the huge kitchen which acted as a casual sitting room too. The sofa, she noticed with irritation, was a mess of cushions and blankets.

‘What do you think of …’ she started to say.

But suddenly Rupert moved towards her and boldly, but so very gently, began to trace the outline of her lips with his forefinger. ‘You’re beautiful, Carla,’ he murmured. ‘Do you know that?’

He drew her towards him.

For a minute, she was tempted. Rupert was so good-looking. So charming. Such a gentleman. But she must not allow him to distract her. Just as she was about to step away, there was the sound of the key in the lock.

It was Ed! Horrified, she watched him take in the rumpled sofa and Rupert stepping quickly away from her. His face was blotched with anger. ‘So this is why you didn’t want to come to Devon, is it? So you could use our home as a love nest? How dare you? Just as well I got back early.’

Carla’s body went hot and cold and hot again. ‘No. You’ve got it wrong.’

But Ed’s voice overrode hers as he turned to Rupert. ‘Get out. NOW.’

Stunned, Carla watched Rupert leave. He should have stayed, she told herself. Stood up for himself. ‘How dare YOU?’ she yelled, quivering with anger. ‘I was doing nothing wrong. And now you have embarrassed me in front of my friend.’

He would tell her to leave now, she told herself. She’d have nowhere to live. No hope of getting what she wanted.

Yet instead, he crumbled, falling down to the ground at her feet. ‘I’m sorry, Carla. I really am. But it’s been a hell of a weekend. You should have been there. You could have calmed Tom down. He was awful. Do you know what his current obsession is? Some computer game which keeps him up all night so he barely sleeps. When we tried to take it away from him, he went stark raving mad. We argued about it. Lily’s mother wanted to let him have his way. She’s so scared he’ll end up like Daniel …’

‘Daniel? What happened to him?’

‘Daniel’s gone.’ Ed made a wild dismissive gesture with his hands. ‘You wouldn’t think it from the way that family talks about him. Daniel’s dead!’

‘I don’t understand.’

Ed caught her by the hand. His grip was tight. ‘Daniel was Lily’s adopted brother. He was very disturbed – had been since childhood. Poor bugger.’

Now it was her turn to hold his hand as the horrific words came spilling out. The argument Lily had had with her brother. The stables. The way they found him. Ed was not sure of the exact details (‘Lily can’t talk about it’). But one thing was clear. Whatever Lily had said, it had made her brother take his own life.

‘It’s like there’s always this thing between us. She’s never let me in.’ Ed collapsed in sobs on the sofa.

How terrible! And poor Ed. It wasn’t fair that he should have to suffer for his wife’s guilt. Lily treated him so badly. She didn’t even look after him properly. What kind of woman didn’t have dinner ready for her husband? Or went to bed long after he did? Mamma had taught her the importance of these things, no matter how outdated they might seem.