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  ‘I’ve never been so humiliated, Mick. That child has no raising and it pains me to say that about my own grandchild.’ Sheila was so livid her hand shook and she slopped milky tea into her husband’s saucer.

  ‘Tsk! Now look what I’ve done.’

  ‘Sheila, would you calm down like a good woman.’ Mick took the cup and saucer from his wife. He’d listened to Sheila’s tirade since she’d marched out of Emma and Vincent’s house vowing never to set foot in it again. He knew his life wasn’t going to be worth living for the next week at least. She’d raged all the way home in the car and now she was really getting into her stride.

  ‘That child has far too much to say for herself. It’s going to get her into trouble some day. And I’m going to give Vincent a piece of my mind about it.’

  ‘Don’t interfere, Sheila.’

  ‘Don’t interfere! That’s all right for you to say. She’s my grandchild and, if I’m affected by her impudence, I certainly will interfere. What, for example, if Bonnie Daly ever gets wind of this, Mick? She’ll make my life a misery,’ Sheila fretted.

  ‘How is Bonnie going to hear about it?’ Mick strove to keep his patience. Sheila was indulging herself now. Looking for sympathy. ‘Emma isn’t friendly with her now, is she? She’s hardly going to go up to her and say, “Bonnie, we had a bit of an upset at Andrew’s christening, wait until I tell you what happened.” Sheila, be sensible.’

  ‘Well, you just never know. And how am I going to face Pamela Connolly again?’

  You’ll hardly be facing Pamela if you’re never setting foot in the house again, Mick was sorely tempted to retort but he restrained himself admirably. ‘Sheila, it will all blow over.’

  ‘But Emma was so rude,’ Sheila complained indignantly. ‘She told me to mind my own business.’

  ‘She was upset. You know her. She’s highly strung. She didn’t mean it,’ Mick soothed for the umpteenth time.

  ‘Mick, I try not to interfere. You know that,’ Sheila declared. ‘But they can’t let Julie Ann behave the way she does. Look at the trouble she caused today.’

  ‘I know, love. I know.’ Mick’s eyes glazed over. He longed to have a little nap in front of the fire. He’d eaten too much fancy food in Emma’s and he was having many happy returns. He didn’t know which was worse. His indigestion, or his wife’s moaning.

  ‘What did the Judge say?’

  ‘About what?’ Mick had lost her train of thought.

  ‘About the . . . the carry-on, of course.’ Sheila glared at her husband.

  ‘He didn’t say anything. We were making an arrangement to go fishing.’

  ‘Well, heavens above, Mick Munroe, there was our family being shamed in public and all you care about is your fishing. You’re the limit, Mick. The absolute limit! I’m so vexed, I’ve a thumping headache. I’m going to lie down!’ Sheila marched out of the room in high dudgeon.

  Thank God for small mercies, thought her husband gratefully as he threw another log on the fire, settled himself more comfortably in his armchair and closed his eyes, ready for a nice nap.

  ‘It was a disaster, Vincent. An absolute disaster. I should never have invited Ellen and Stephanie and Aunt Katherine all to the same party.’

  ‘What could you do? We’d have caused great offence if we’d left any of them out.’

  ‘But it’s nothing to do with us. That’s between Chris and Ellen and Aunt Katherine. Why did it have to ruin our party?’ Emma demanded.

  ‘Well, it was Julie Ann that brought it up,’ Vincent pointed out.

  ‘If they weren’t there, she couldn’t have.’ Emma was in no humour to be rational. ‘Gillian and Diana enjoyed every minute of it. I could see them whispering and sniggering. It’s going to be all over town.’

  ‘I think most people know Chris is a shit by now, Emma,’ Vincent said tightly.

  ‘Well, it takes two to tango, Vincent. It wasn’t all his fault.’ Emma jumped to her cousin’s defence.

  ‘I didn’t say it was. But he didn’t act like a man when he got Ellen pregnant. I heard the other day that there’s rumours that he’s having an affair with Alexandra Johnston. That’s how much of a shit Chris Wallace is. He’s having an affair with his wife’s best friend. So you needn’t be so quick to take his side.’

  ‘I don’t want to talk about it. I just don’t want to talk about it. And another thing, Vincent, since you feel so free to criticise my family. Your mother was very rude to me. And I won’t put up with that in my own home. I certainly won’t be visiting her house again.’

  ‘Go to sleep, Emma, and forget it. That’s the last party we’re having,’ Vincent snapped.

  ‘That suits me just fine.’ Emma turned on her side and pulled the blankets up over her ears. She was so mad she felt like sleeping in the spare room. How dare Vincent be so unsympathetic. She’d just gone through a terrible trauma and he obviously couldn’t care less. Who did he think he was, lecturing her about Chris? His precious sister was just as much to blame for her predicament. Chris was always painted to be the black sheep. Ellen could have said no and used her wiles on him to get him to propose to her. If she hadn’t been so free with her favours Chris might have married her. Every woman knew that one way to keep a man dangling was to tease him, lead him on and then say no. It was a technique that had worked since time immemorial.

  It infuriated Emma that Vincent always put all the blame on Chris. How had he found out about Alexandra Johnston? The gossip must be doing the rounds. She’d better phone Chris and warn him that his little secret was out. It wouldn’t do if Suzy got wind of it, Emma thought tiredly. Then the fat really would be in the fire. Alexandra was supposed to be Suzy’s best friend. She’d be shattered if she ever found out Chris was sleeping with her.

  She’d phone Chris first thing in the morning and make an appointment to have lunch with him. Anyway she needed a comforting shoulder to moan on after her disastrous party. Chris always provided a good shoulder to cry on, which was more than could be said of her husband right this minute.

  ‘Bloody hell, Emma! You should put a sock in that child’s mouth. What did Mother say?’ Chris stared at his cousin in horror. They were having lunch in the Gresham and he’d just been regaled with the details of the previous day’s christening party.

  ‘She was very gracious about it, actually,’ Emma admitted. ‘She handled it extremely well. And she was very nice to Stephanie. I think she liked her. I just thought you should know what happened in case she says anything to you about it. Gillian and Diana enjoyed it immensely,’ she added dryly. ‘It’s going to be around town like wildfire, so be prepared.’

  ‘Sod them!’ Chris scowled.

  ‘I think you should know, as well, that rumours are going around about you and Alexandra. Vincent said it to me last night. I didn’t let on that I knew anything.’ Emma looked him straight in the eye.

  Chris shrugged. It was all beyond his control now. Nothing in his life was going right. If the whole world knew about it, there was nothing he could do.

  ‘You might as well know, then, that Suzy’s found out about it and she’s kicked me out. She won’t let me live at home, so I’m going to have to get a place of my own.’

  ‘How did she find out? Did someone tell her? How beastly!’ Emma was horrified.

  ‘I don’t know how she found out. All I know is she showed up at Alexandra’s flat like a mad woman and caught me there and she went crazy. She was really vicious.’

  ‘I suppose I can understand that,’ Emma murmured.

  ‘Yeah, but for crying out loud, Emma, it’s a bit much kicking me out of the bloody house! I can’t afford to live somewhere else. She’ll have to come to her senses.’

  ‘Why did it have to be Alexandra Johnston? She was Suzy’s best friend, Chris. You can’t expect a woman to get over knowing her husband’s slept with her best friend. A stranger wouldn’t be so bad. If I thought Gillian or Diana had slept with Vincent, I’d die. I really would. I’d never ever want to see them ag
ain. It was an awful thing to do, Chris. You should never have got involved with her. You should have nipped it in the bud when she gave you the come-on. Suzy was entitled to that much loyalty from you. It’s clear Alexandra was no friend to Suzy. She obviously couldn’t care less about her feelings.’

  ‘Look, Emma, I don’t want a lecture from you. Right?’ Chris snarled.

  Why did women take these things so seriously? So, he’d had a couple of shags with Alexandra. You’d think he’d committed murder the way the women were reacting. His father had had affairs left, right and centre and he hadn’t left home. Emma needn’t be so smug about Vincent. If Boy Scout Munroe ever got the chance, he’d be no different, Chris reckoned. Practically all the married guys he knew had had a fling at some stage. It was no big deal! They’d just been luckier than him at getting away with it. Anyway Emma had no business interfering.

  ‘I’m only trying to make you see it from Suzy’s point of view. I can’t believe even you are that insensitive,’ Emma said, ignoring his sulks.

  ‘Oh quit nagging, Emma. I’m sick of being nagged.’

  ‘Where are you living now?’ She changed the subject.

  ‘With Alexandra. She’s been given notice to quit by the landlord. I might bunk in with her for a while in her new pad until I get sorted.’

  ‘Couldn’t you move in with Aunt K for a while?’

  ‘Are you joking, Emma? Why the hell would I want to move home? Imagine the lectures I’d have to put up with there!’ Chris was taken aback that Emma would even suggest such a thing.

  ‘I was just thinking it wouldn’t be so expensive. But you’re right, of course. It wouldn’t work.’

  ‘You can say that again. I’ve been threatened with “The Will” already,’ Chris confessed glumly.

  ‘Oh dear!’ Emma made a face.

  ‘I wish I could tell her to stuff it but I need to know that money is there. You don’t know the pressures I’m under, Emma. You were dead lucky getting that site for nothing. And getting your house built at cost price. My place is costing me a fortune. And Suzy doesn’t have any damn money to look forward to. That’s what I get for marrying a pauper.’

  ‘Chris! Stop it.’

  ‘Well, she has no money behind her, the way you’ll have eventually. Vincent knows he’s cushioned.’

  ‘He doesn’t look at it like that at all, Chris.’

  ‘Yeah, well, we’re not all making money hand over fist like he is. Suzy’d want to remember that if she doesn’t want to end up in a two-up two-down,’ Chris growled.

  ‘You’ll have me in tears in a minute,’ Emma drawled.

  Chris chuckled. His cousin was the only one he couldn’t bullshit and get away with it.

  ‘What did Ellen say yesterday, when it happened?’ he asked diffidently.

  ‘Nothing much, really.’ Emma daintily wiped the side of her mouth with her napkin and sat back. ‘She was with Doug Roche.’

  ‘Bully for her!’ Chris felt his throat constrict. The piece of steak in his mouth tasted like sawdust. Jealousy seared him. How could Ellen prefer that bearded bogman to him? Did they talk, the way he and she had? Holding nothing back. Revealing deepest secrets. Did they hold each other tight after they’d made love and feel that they were the only two people in the universe? Did they laugh and tease and cuddle? How could she do all that with another man and not think of him and all they’d shared together? Was he really just a memory? It was inconceivable.

  ‘Did she talk to my mother?’ he asked curiously.

  ‘They said a few words to each other. Aunt K asked me to phone for a taxi for her because she was upset. And then Old Bat Munroe came out and ate the face off me about Julie Ann and I told her to mind her own business and she stormed off in one of her huffs. Gillian and Diana overheard it too. It was so upsetting, Chris, I just burst into tears and went upstairs. By the time I came down, your mother had gone and so had Ellen. I don’t know whether she’s annoyed or not. And I don’t want to know either. I’m sick of the lot of you, frankly. My party was ruined over something that has nothing to do with me, not that I’m getting any sympathy from anyone. And Vincent and I aren’t speaking,’ Emma complained plaintively.

  ‘We all have our problems, don’t we?’ Chris pushed his plate away. He’d lost his appetite. ‘At least you and Vincent will make it up. I’m up shit creek.’

  ‘Well, you’ve got one friend, even if you are an idiot.’ Emma softened and reached across the table and squeezed his hand.

  ‘Thanks. I need one.’

  ‘I won’t be able to offer you a bed for the night, unfortunately, if ever you need one. Vincent wouldn’t be too impressed. But I’ll buy lunch today.’

  ‘I’m not in the poorhouse yet, Emma.’

  ‘I insist. After all, I will be a woman of means. And besides, I’d hate to see Suzy in a two-up two-down.’

  Chris laughed at her sarcasm. He always knew where he stood with Emma. Right now she was his only ally. It made life a little more bearable.

  Having lunch with her had been a normal kind of event in his suddenly abnormal life. He felt uprooted, at sixes and sevens. It was most unsettling. Like a nightmare that was dragging on and on. He was going to have to come to some sort of solution soon.

  Later that afternoon, he sat doodling in his office. Thinking of how to resolve his problems. Imagine Emma suggesting he go home to his mother. Was she barking mad? It might make economic sense but he’d never stick Katherine day in day out. He’d feel utterly smothered. Besides, his mother wouldn’t exactly welcome him with open arms. She’d told him to end the affair. But whether he did or not, Suzy wasn’t going to let him darken the door for the foreseeable future.

  He didn’t want to live with Alexandra. If he moved into a new apartment with her he’d have to pay half the rent. That would cost an arm and a leg. If he got a place of his own, that would be even more expensive, unless he got some kippy little flat in Rathmines or Ranelagh. But he couldn’t be expected to live in those sort of conditions. Chris hastily dismissed that option from his list. If he could only live somewhere rent free for a while, until Suzy came to her senses. And what if Suzy didn’t come to her senses? What would happen to him then?

  Chapter Eleven

  Would she do it? Could she do it? Suzy sat at her breakfast counter and stared at what she had just written. She’d spent days writing and rewriting words that she knew would do the greatest damage to Alexandra’s reputation. Chris would kill her for it. Because if she did what she wanted to do, their private business would be in the public arena. Everyone would know about his seedy little affair.

  Fuck him! She wanted everyone to know. She wanted everyone to see what a horrible sneaky pair they were. She wanted family, friends and acquaintances to see what a lying, cheating, selfish irresponsible shit Chris was. The charm, the wit, the sophisticated hail-fellow-well-met, trust-me-I’m-a-great-guy front that he presented was just a façade. He’d shown himself in his true colours. Now he could live with it. She was damned if she was going to be the loyal little wife, pretending that all was rosy in the garden. She’d been cruelly wronged. To hide that from the world would be almost a denial that it had happened. It had happened and she was suffering grievously and she wanted people to know what Chris and that bitch had done to her. He’d forfeited any claims to her loyalty the instant he’d betrayed her with Alexandra. Why should he get away with it? Why should she? Why should they be happy together when she was in hell because of them?

  It wasn’t getting any easier, Suzy thought despairingly. She was tormented with thoughts of them. Anger and bitterness, plots of vengeance, were her daily companions. From the moment she got up in the morning to the moment her eyes closed at night. She couldn’t eat. She was smoking like a trooper. She felt ghastly. Most of the time she was living in a weird imaginary world. Picturing scenarios involving Chris, where he’d come crawling back to her saying he’d made a huge mistake, begging her to take him back. He’d tell her he was crazy about her and t
hat Alexandra was a cold-hearted, bossy manipulator who was consumed with jealousy for all that Suzy had. Sometimes, in her fantasy, Suzy took him back and she would imagine them making love. But the memory of her husband tied to Alexandra’s bedstead always came back to haunt her and she’d end up eaten up with bitterness, rage and jealousy and the harsh realities of her life would still be there to taunt her.

  Tears brimmed. What was to become of her? Would she always feel like this? There they were, Chris and Alexandra, having a wonderful time, and she was husbandless, best-friendless, with two small children depending on her. Would she ever have fun in her life again? Would she ever have love and sex? Knowing Chris and Alexandra, they were probably at it like rabbits. Would she ever get turned on by a man again? Suzy just couldn’t imagine kissing or being intimate with another man. It would be so awful having to go through all that dating business again. She’d never ever let herself put her hopes and faith in a man. That was certain. It was far too risky. Even though she’d known what Chris was like when she married him, she’d hoped against hope that he’d change for her. She’d kidded herself that he’d realise she was the only woman for him and value what he had in her as a wife. She’d pitted herself against the temptations other women held for him. His fidelity was the way she measured her worth. And now events had proved that when the crunch came she was truly worthless in her husband’s eyes. Her deepest fears had been realised.

  How ironic, she thought, suddenly terrified. She was going to turn into a replica of her mother-in-law. Was that the fate in store for her? Misery and more misery? Well, if she was miserable she’d make sure they were too. Katherine might have been a lady, turning a blind eye to her husband’s infidelities. But she wouldn’t act the lady, Suzy vowed. She’d play as dirty as they had . . . and worse.