The Gatecrasher by Sophie Kinsella

Author:Sophie Kinsella [Kinsella, Sophie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Contemporary Women
ISBN: 0552772267
Google: RYq7YtrccEIC
Amazon: 0312361270
Goodreads: 1402668
Publisher: Transworld
Published: 1998-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Fleur had arrived back at The Maples, gone straight upstairs and into her bedroom. Now she was seated in front of the mirror in her bedroom, wearing her black veiled hat, staring at her reflection. She had been sitting there for half an hour without moving, waiting for the unfamiliar feeling of disquiet to subside. But still her insides felt clenched and her brow was screwed up in wrinkles, and Johnny’s voice rang in her ear, cross and pestering like a woodpecker. “Why won’t you see him? Why won’t you face up to your past? When are you going to stop running?”

Never before had she heard Johnny so stern; so unbiddable.

“What do you expect me to do? Invite him to stay?” she’d said, trying to sound flippant. “Introduce him to Richard? Come on, Johnny. Be serious.”

“I expect you to acknowledge his existence,” said Johnny. “You could meet him in London.”

“I couldn’t. I haven’t got time.”

“You haven’t got time.” Johnny’s voice was scathing. “Well, perhaps Zara has got time.”

“She can’t meet her father yet! She . . . she isn’t ready! She needs to be prepared!”

“And you’re going to do that, are you?”

There was silence.

“OK, Fleur, have it your own way,” said Johnny at last. “You let me know when Zara’s ready to meet her father, and I’ll keep putting him off for the moment. But that’s all I’m doing.”

“Johnny, you’re a doll . . .”

“No more funerals,” said Johnny. “No more invitations. No more arriving out of the blue and expecting to use our spare room.”

“Johnny!”

“I’m not pleased with you, Fleur.”

And as she stared disbelievingly at the phone, he’d rung off, and a cold chunk of dismay had descended into her stomach. Everything was suddenly going wrong. Richard wouldn’t give her a Gold Card; Johnny was cross with her; Hal Winters was in the country.

Hal Winters. The very name irritated her. He’d already caused enough trouble in her life; now here he was again, turning up out of the blue, threatening to ruin everything, turning her friends against her. Turning Johnny against her. A pang of alarm ran through Fleur. If she lost Johnny, who did she have? Who else was there for her?

Never before had Fleur realized quite how much she depended on Johnny and Felix. For twenty years, Johnny’s flat had been at her disposal. For twenty years she had confided in him, gossiped with him, shopped with him. She had thought nothing of it. If asked, she would have described their friendship as casual. Now that it was under threat, it seemed suddenly far more than that. Fleur closed her eyes. She and Johnny had never disagreed before over anything more significant than the colour of a sofa. He had scolded her often enough in the past, but always with a twinkle in his eye. Never seriously, never like this. This, he was taking seriously. This time he meant business. And all because of a man named Hal Winters.

Fleur stared angrily at her reflection. She looked a sophisticated, elegant woman.

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