Open House by Jill Mansell

Author:Jill Mansell [Mansell, Jill]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, General
ISBN: 9780755351848
Google: lhr3L-7P7JoC
Amazon: 0753126095
Publisher: Headline
Published: 2003-03-03T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 26

They were twenty-eight at dinner. Vanessa had had an enormous table shipped in for the occasion. As they made their way to their places, Tony caught up with his ex-wife.

‘What were you saying to Vanessa?’

‘Nothing much. Hetty, by this time beginning to enjoy saying whatever came to mind, added blithely, ‘I told her I was pregnant, but that I wasn’t sure who the father might be. Could be you, could be Abel Trippick—’

‘I don’t know what’s the matter with you tonight.’ Tony cast a hasty glance over his shoulder, terrified that someone might have overheard her. ‘Are you drunk?’

‘Don’t panic, we weren’t discussing you!’ Hetty gave his forearm a brief, consoling pat. ‘We weren’t comparing technique and giving you marks out of ten, if that’s what you’re worried about.’

She found herself seated next to the Texan film producer. Over a first course of designer pigeon and orange salad, they made casual small talk. It was his wife, the woman with legs like a flamingo, who finally made the connection.

‘So you’re the ex!’ Her mascaraed eyes widened. ‘You were married to Tony Dexter.’

‘Brewster.’ Hetty nodded. ‘That’s right.’

‘Ma Ga-ad!’ Evidently stunned, the woman nudged her own husband and pointed a forkful of lollo rosso at Hetty. ‘Check this out, Irving, she’s the one in Vanni’s naarvel, the moaning one with the bedsocks. Oh honey, you British are so civilized . . . if someone had done a number like that on me I’d have been mad as hell.’

‘Don’t get mad, get even.’ Hetty risked an innocent smile. ‘Isn’t that the expression?’

The Texan producer rumbled with laughter. "That’s what I like about you Brits. You never arc quite as civilized as you look.’

Over steamed mullet with a saffron-and-tomato sauce, Alistair Munro attempted to make amends.

‘I’m sorry if I offended you earlier.’

‘No "if" about it.’ Hetty speared a wild mushroom and trawled it through the delectable tomato sauce.

‘Well, I’m still sorry.’ He gave her a rueful look. ‘Maybe I can blame it on the job. We poor overworked doctors have to ask a lot of strangers a lot of personal questions. There isn’t always time to observe the social niceties, I’m afraid.’

But Hetty was still giddy with that sense of newfound power. Having decided she didn’t like Alistair Munro, she had no intention of forgiving him for being an ill-mannered pig.

‘All the more reason, I would have thought, to think before you speak.’

‘Oh dear. We aren’t doing very well, are we?’

And he was a patronizing shit. ‘Speak for yourself,’ said Hetty, thinking that Nell would be proud of her. ‘I’m doing fine.’

‘What rotten luck,’ Vanessa’s clear voice carried down the table, ‘darling Marcus not being able to make it this evening.

The Earl of Kilburton, you know.’ She nodded at the Texan pair with pride. ‘Lives up at the castle. Now he’s a great friend of ours – such a shame you couldn’t meet him.’

Hetty stared at Tony. Tony looked embarrassed. From the kitchen, where Derry had been eavesdropping, came a hastily muffled shout of laughter.

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