The Archers by Catherine Miller

Author:Catherine Miller
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Published: 2020-10-29T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

‘We should begin our farewells,’ said Pamela, as she pushed away from the long table. It was covered with a medley of tablecloths and splattered with the fall-out from cheese and potato pie and a roast chicken or two and a strange dessert which involved powdered egg and mock cream. The finale of strawberries, red and sexy and bursting with summer, had incited a cheer. ‘Before the serious drinking begins.’

‘Bit late for some.’ Alec was monitoring the back room, where Stan’s shape had turned devilish as the day wore on. More hunched, more malevolent, more pissed. ‘Won’t it be rude, darling, if we’re the first to go? People notice what we do, you know.’

Pamela looked at him. Levelly. For quite a while. ‘You are so transparent,’ she said eventually. She sat back down. ‘Another half an hour. Then we go.’ She lowered her voice. ‘I offered Lower Loxley to Morgan for the celebration, but instead he chose this.’

‘It’s the bride’s family who organizes the “do”, Pamela. Frank Brown loves The Bull.’

‘And it’s cheap,’ said Pamela. ‘I do wonder at Morgan. Allying himself to trade, after marrying a Furneaux.’

He could have said it. But he didn’t. Alec could have reminded his wife that her family were ‘trade’, that her father’s money couldn’t rewrite history. Instead he said, ‘Pity Ronald couldn’t make it today. He’s very fond of Morgan. Considers him more a brother than a brother-in-law.’ Alec was privately relieved that Ronald Furneaux was absent; Pamela was wont to make a fool of herself, showing off ‘my dear friend, the member of parliament’.

‘Of course he’s not here!’ Pamela scoffed at his naivety. ‘Ronald can’t possibly approve of this marriage.’

‘Ronald takes people as they are.’ Alec swallowed hard as he saw his wife reach out and catch Kitty.

‘Will you dance, Kitty?’ asked Pamela, her smile a slash of vermilion. ‘I suspect a jig will break out any second.’

‘I don’t know.’ Kitty was alarmed. Like Bella the cat when she sensed Hero on the path. ‘I might. If anyone asks me.’

‘You must have a queue of suitors.’

‘Not really.’

‘I can see you with a settled, older gentleman, Kitty.’ Pamela was this side of arch; she knew her husband well enough to know he hadn’t told Kitty she was rumbled. ‘Somebody like Morgan, but sadly he’s taken. Nance has done well, has she not?’

Before Kitty could answer, Alec stood and said, ‘Ask any fellow here and they’ll tell you Morgan got the best of the deal. Nance is quite the best-looking, most sweet-tempered girl for miles.’ It was neat, he thought later, how he managed to offend both his wife and his mistress with that remark. He strode to the bar.

‘I should find Caroline,’ said Kitty. Serene in her belief in Pamela’s ignorance, she followed Alec. He sped up. He avoided her. She stopped, irresolute, lonely in the midst of the babble.

Magsy took Alec’s vacated seat, and sat herself down next to Pamela. At last, they both had a conspirator. Magsy gently maligned Nance’s dress, her veil, her accent.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.