A Bouquet of Barbed Wire Read Online Free PDF Page A

searching for the comfortable black shape and welcoming light, and the crowds scurried past him on either side like a column of ants parting when they encounter an obstacle. A taxi appeared and he got into it, giving the name of the station. It occurred to him, as they began the long, slow crawl through traffic, that he had been doing this journey, one way or another, for half his life.

6
    ‘I SAW P RUE today,’ he said to Cassie, after they had greeted each other. She always kissed him when he got home, not a conventional peck on the cheek but a light kiss full on the mouth: she had moist, wide lips and usually forgot to wear lipstick. There was always a smell that he liked at this time of day, faded perfume not yet renewed, so that it had the aura of powder or soap rather than scent. Blindfolded, he would have said, ‘That’s Cassie.’
    ‘I know,’ she said. ‘She rang me later.’
    ‘She wasn’t sick again?’ he asked in sudden panic.
    Cassie laughed, but gently, and said in a soothing voice, ‘Of course she wasn’t. It
is
called
morning
sickness, you know.’
    Manson said, ‘Yes, she had a bad bout of it
this
morning.’
    ‘I know. But she enjoyed her lunch enormously. That should put your mind at rest.’
    ‘Was that what she rang up to say?’
    ‘More or less. She just wanted to chat. I invited them both for the weekend—was that all right?’
    ‘Of course. Are they coming?’ He held his breath, hoping without hope to hear that Prue was coming, yes, but Gavin was unfortunately prevented.
    ‘Yes, but not till Saturday. Apparently Gavin has to see somebody on Saturday morning.’
    ‘He could go up by train from here. Or I could bring Prueback with me on Friday night and he could follow.’ It was so nearly what he wanted.
    ‘I know, I suggested that. But they don’t want to be separated.’
    ‘Good God, for twenty-four hours?’
    ‘I know, I know.’ She was smiling. ‘But we used to be like that, don’t you remember?
    ‘That’s hardly the point.’
    ‘What is the point?’
    ‘Oh, I don’t know. I need a drink, I expect.’
    She was already mixing one. ‘Well, they’re coming on Saturday. In time for lunch, Prue said. She still has a very healthy appetite, your daughter.’
    ‘Yes, she put away the soufflé today like nobody’s business.’
    ‘I know. She gave me a fork by fork account of the whole meal. She said how Gavin would envy her when she told him.’
    ‘Well, I’m not going to start feeding Gavin as well, if that’s what she’s thinking. Thanks.’ He took the glass and drank slowly, closing his eyes.
    ‘You’re tired,’ said Cassie, studying him. ‘Shall I leave you alone for a bit? I’ve got dinner to see to anyway.’
    ‘No. Stay awhile. Talk to me. The hell with dinner—we’ve got nobody coming, have we?’
    ‘No. Just us.’
    ‘That’s all right then. It can wait.’ He took another gulp of Scotch. ‘Do
you
think I should start feeding Gavin as well?’
    ‘Did I say so?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘I don’t think you
should
do anything. But it would please Prue, that’s all.’
    ‘Well, it wouldn’t please me.’
    Cassie shrugged. She began to pour gin for herself. ‘I saw Marjorie today. She and Alec want us to go over for dinner one day next week. I said I’d have to ask you.’
    ‘Damn Marjorie and Alec.’
    ‘Why?’
    ‘That’s not a proper invitation. One day next week. How can we possibly get out of that?’
    Cassie poured tonic into her gin. ‘Why do you want to get out of it? You like Marjorie and Alec’
    ‘Yes, of course I like bloody Marjorie and bloody Alec. Cass, haven’t we done enough to please Prue, too much maybe?’
    ‘Meaning we’ve spoilt her?’
    ‘No—but—oh, I don’t know, maybe we have at that. She’s never had to do without anything, I don’t mean she’s unappreciative, quite the reverse, but when it came to the point she couldn’t do without Gavin either.’
    Cassie sat down opposite him, turning her glass in her