Be Careful What You Wish For by Martina Devlin

Author:Martina Devlin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2013-12-30T00:00:00+00:00

Helen, always circumspect around Geraldine, became cautious with the subject of Patrick’s wedding. She’d exhorted him to marry but now that it was being discussed as common currency she felt overwhelmed by the prospect of losing him. Once his life was inextricably enmeshed with another woman’s, Helen’s place in his universe would shrivel. Of course that was healthy and positive … but it stung.

Geraldine perked up. ‘How about if we take a trip to London for Easter and meet this mysterious Miriam whose surname no one seems to know?’

Helen was aghast. She preferred Miriam insubstantial. And she certainly didn’t want to see her with Patrick – touching his arm, proprietary, calling him darling in that confident English way. Would you freshen my drink, darling; could you answer the doorbell, darling; can we ram our coupledom down a few more throats, darling? Only English people talked about freshening drinks; it always made Helen think of someone squirting an air purifier into the glass.

‘I don’t think they have a spare bedroom,’ she objected. ‘Patrick was complaining about how small their flat is.’

‘We can find a bed and breakfast. It’ll only be for a night or two.’ Geraldine was not to be deterred.

‘Besides I’m not due any more holiday time – it’s all used up,’ continued Helen.

‘There’s a four-day weekend at Easter, you won’t need to dip into your holiday time. I feel we owe it to Mammy and Daddy to do this. Patrick may be an important London actuary but he’s still the baby of the family. Imagine if he’s taken up with someone totally unsuitable – we can’t exactly shout halt as she approaches the altar rails.’

‘We can’t exactly shout halt now. He’s a grown man; he doesn’t need our seal of approval. Anyway, if she’s good enough for Patrick she’s fine by me. I’m simply astonished he feels able to commit to marriage – that he thinks he’s found one woman who’ll supply all his emotional, physical and intellectual needs and that she’ll go on doing it for the next fifty years.’ Astringency crept into Helen’s voice and she made no effort to mask it. ‘It’s a leap of faith I could never make. The entire business seems woefully unfeasible.’

Helen knew she was being inconsistent – hadn’t she urged Patrick to marriage? – but she couldn’t stem the feelings of betrayal. He was back in Miriam’s arms right now and she was making small talk with Geraldine, who’d end up as shrivelled and unloved as herself.

Geraldine was nonplussed. She’d never heard that acidic note in the determinedly serene Helen’s voice before. She checked herself; actually she had, but it had been many years ago when they were both children, perhaps thirteen and fourteen – when she’d pledged to escape from under their parents’ roof and never return after one of her father’s … Geraldine hesitated over the word beatings. That was too strong. Chastisements. Sometimes he disciplined Helen for her own good because she was headstrong and needed to be checked.

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