According to Mark by Penelope Lively

Author:Penelope Lively [Lively, Penelope]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780141968841
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2011-08-16T04:00:00+00:00

9

Diana stalked up and down the room. ‘France! Next week … ! What on earth’s got into you? You’re immovable, normally. Next week … Where does she live, did you say?’

‘Sarlat-la-Canéda.’

‘Dordogne. Lovely. But I can’t possibly get away next week. Suzanne’d have a blue fit.’

‘Oh dear,’ said Mark.

‘The week after, possibly, when the exhibition’s over. Can’t you wait till then?’

‘No.’

Diana, disoriented by this waywardness, flung herself into a chair. ‘I can’t think what’s the matter with you.’

‘I’m writing a book,’ said Mark tranquilly.

‘Of course you’re writing a book. You’re always writing a book. But you don’t normally want to go dashing off to France. Is she married?’

‘She has some sort of arrangement, I understand.’

‘And how on earth are you going to manage without me to navigate? You loathe long-distance driving.’

‘Carrie thinks she may be able to come along, actually.’

Diana, disorientation complete, gazed. ‘Carrie?’

‘She is Hermione’s daughter,’ he reminded.

‘I thought they didn’t get on.’

Mark shrugged.

Diana, silent, gathered all this in and set about sorting it out. After a moment she said, ‘I’ll ring Suzanne and see if she can get Peggy to come in for a week or two. It’ll all be the most terrible rush. The car should be serviced. I haven’t got the clothes I’d need. I s’pose I’ll get a train down and you’ll pick me up at the nearest station?’

‘Yes,’ said Mark. ‘I should think that’s the best thing to do.’

Diana, distracted from her earlier consternation by this feast of necessary planning, reached for a notepad and began to make lists. Mark retreated to his study and set about his own projections, which involved sitting at his desk and staring, frequently and for longish periods, out of the window.

He realised that it was a long time since he had experienced the delicious pleasure of looking forward to something. There were small anticipations, of course – seeing a friend, or some outing to a theatre or concert – but this internal glow was a sensation almost forgotten. Tenderly, he let it have its way. He luxuriated in it. For one whose professional concern was the examination of the feelings and motivations of others, his own state of mind was curiously unexplored: a foreign country. How all this could end except in tears (his, probably) he had no idea but he simply didn’t care. It was enough to sit amid the infinitely familiar but subtly transformed landscape of his study and wallow in it.

‘She’ll drive you nuts,’ said Diana. ‘That girl. What on earth will you talk to her about?’

He telephoned her to tell her to get travellers’ cheques and then he telephoned her to remind her of the time of the ferry and finally he telephoned anyway and got Bill. Carrie was in the greenhouses and Bill didn’t reckon she’d take kindly to being called in. Mark said uneasily, ‘D’you think she’s remembered we must leave at ten sharp?’

‘Doubt it. Leave it to me, I’ll get her lined up.’

‘Thank you, Bill. I’ll be down this evening, then.’

‘See you later, squire.

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