Lovers and Liars (43 page)

‘I served under Ambassador Hawthorne, ma’am. Out ‘ ‘Nam. I was sergeant to his platoon.’

‘Oh, I see/ Gini said. ‘Then your connection with th family goes back a long way.’

‘Yes, ma’am. It does.’

He volunteered nothing more, and Gini knew better than to prompt further. She kept the conversation to innocuous topics from then on: the weather, London traffic. They reached Regent’s Park, and turned in at Hanover Gate. They passed the mosque on their left; on the right was the lodge entrance to Winfield House. They halted there briefly, then were waved on. Frank Romero parked the car outside the residence. He came around, and politely held open her door. As Gini climbed out, she looked closely at the buttons on his jacket. Six on the front, three on each sleeve, none missing.

John Hawthorne had appeared on the steps. ‘Everything all right, Frank?’

‘Yes, Mr Ambassador.’

‘I’ll be three minutes. Gini, come inside out of the cold.’ He glanced up at the sky, then took her arm. ‘I’m so sorry about this.’ He drew her up the steps and into a large hall. ‘A few alarums and excursions. Mary will explain. I have to leave you, I’m afraid. I’m late for a meeting at the Foreign Office as it is. Mary’s through here. Lise will be joining you shortly.’

He led her into the pinkish drawing-room she had seen in the Hello! magazine photographs. The curtains were drawn, a fire was lit; above the fireplace was the rose-period Picasso, to the right of it the pinkish Matisse. Mary rose to her feet from a chair near the fire. Gini could see at once that she looked both exhausted and distressed.

John Hawthorne, who appeared neither, stayed only a few minutes, then left.

As soon as the door dosed on him, Mary held out her arms,

hugged Gini tight. Her kind and honest eyes met Gini’s; she a tired sigh.

ini, I’m so terribly sorry. I would have called if I could. But By … ‘ She gave a helpless gesture. ‘It’s been pandemonium , absolutely dreadful. My head’s splitting. They just brought some tea - would you like some tea? I’d better explain before

comes down. Then with any luck we’ll be able to leave. I t stand much more of this . .

i moved across to the fire, and sat down opposite Mary. As poured tea, she looked around this pinkish room. The next to her was weighted down with photographs: official

tographs, family photographs: a young John Hawthorne in y uniform; the Hawthornes with various past presidents and er heads of state, the Hawthornes en famille. Two beautiful dhaired boys, a house she recognized as Hawthorne’s child—

home in New York State. Robert and Adam Hawthorne outside it with their grandfather, S. S. Hawthorne. He was ted in a wheelchair, John Hawthorne standing to his side: was not in the picture.

e looked back at Mary, who was passing her a cup. Her hand bled and the silver teaspoon rattled. To Gini’s astonishment, ry leaned forward, opened a cigarette box on the table in front her, and lit a cigarette. Meeting Gini’s eyes, she gave a wan ile.

‘I know, I know. But after what I’ve been through, I need one, i. That or a damn stiff drink … ‘

‘What on earth’s been going on, Mary? Why am I here? I don’t derstand a thing.’

‘I’ll come to you in a moment.’ Mary sighed. ‘And don’t ask how it all started, or exactly when, because I don’t know. I know is that on Saturday at my party, I could see Lise

s terribiv tense. She said she was worried about John’s safety. ought it seemed odd, to be so strung up, but by the time they ft, she seemed fine. Well, you saw. Much better. Very animated a little too animated, perhaps … Anyway, I thought no more

ut it. Then on Sunday evening - yesterday, that’s right - John ephoned me. I talked to him for hours. He was terribly upset.’ ‘About Lise, you mean?,

‘Well, ves, but more than that.’ Mary gave her a helpless look. e thing is, John’s so loyal and he has this terrible stiff-necked de. He’ll never admit he has problems. He bottles them up. And

as for asking for help, even advice - well, forget it. He hasn’t said a word to me, but obviously this has been building up for months. Anyway, never mind that. On Sunday, I could hear, he was close to breaking-point, and finally, finally, it all came out. Apparently Lise really isn’t well, Gini, and hasn’t been for ages. Since last summer at least. She’s seen doctor after doctor, but none of them seemed to be any help. Apparently, all day Sunday, there’d been the most dreadful scenes, weeping, hysteria.’

‘Why? What provoked thatT

Mary’s face became perplexed. She gave another sigh.

‘Well, I think John did - though he didn’t mean to, of course. You see, apparently, he’s been getting more and more worried as the weeks went by, for Lise obviously, but aalsoo fforr tt e boys. You know what children are like, they pick up every little thing. Lise was getting so het up about all this security business. She was making their lives impossible, fussing over them, weeping, then losing her temper with them for no reason at all. And then I think… ‘ Mary paused. ‘Well, John would never tell me this directly, but I think it had caused problems with him as well. There had been quarrels, I suspect - and the younger boy, Adam, overheard one quarrel. He’s been very difficult to handle. He’s so dose to Lise, you see - so all her anxiety and tension spilled over onto him. He’s become very solitary, John says, and his school work has fallen behind badly. His teachers are concerned … ‘

She drew in a deep breath. ‘Anyway, to cut a long story short, John came to a decision. He decided that the best thing would be to send the boys back to the States for a few months, to stay with his brother, Prescott. Of course, Prescott has a whole tribe of children. John thought it would do the boys good, give them a break from all this anger and tension and anxiety. He thought it would do Lise good too - apparently she’d been having some wild fantasies that someone was going to kidnap the boys, that kind of thing. So John thought it would help her too. Then when this current security alert died down, and Lise was calmer again, the boys could come back.’

Mary stopped, her face troubled. Gini said nothing. This was one explanation, and a plausible one at that. There were others, of course.

‘Anyway/ Mary continued, ‘John then did a very stupid thing in my opinion - and I told him so, straight out. It’s very typical of John, he makes a decision and that’s that. Instead of consulting Lise about all this, he just went right ahead and made the arrangements. He

rme Lise yesterday morning. The boys were on a plane, with urage obviously, last night.’

st night?’ Gini stared. ‘You mean he just went ahead and it?,

‘Darling, I know! But he can be curiously blind like that. He ght it was all for the best, so he just assumed Lise would think too. Even if he’d known she was going to oppose it, he’d still

acted the same way. Once John’s made what he thinks is right decision, you can’t budge him. That’s that.’

nd Lise was distraughtT

glanced over her shoulder. She lowered her voice. ‘Darling, more than that. All day yesterday, there was the most stly scene. Screaming and weeping, I gather, and smashing gs. By the time John called me last night, they’d had to get a

r, they’d given her sedatives. He was absolutely desperate, I felt so terribly sorry for him. I think he was close to I could hear them in his voice. He was so worried as to

would happen today. So I said, if he needed me, I’d come And as you know, I did.’

gave a little shiver. ‘Gini, I got here at ten in the morning. been here ever since. It’s gone on all day. John had to cancel a e series of appointments. He wouldn’t leave her. He thought, both talked to her, quietly, she would calm down, and she

at first. She’d been given some tranquillizers; first thing in the g. About eleven o’clock, they wore off. Then it started … I was so shocked. It was absolutely horrible. She accused of the most terrible things - ridiculous things—2

at sort of things, Mary?’

rn not going to repeat them.’ Mary blushed. ‘Mistresses, other en - you can imagine the kind of thing. I mean - it’s so absurd! has never looked at another woman. He’s the most utterly loyal faithful man. Then it was the children, how he was trying to ‘them away from her. Then … oh, lots of terrible mad things

e was having her watched, he was opening her letters. It went and on and on. John was so incredibly kind and patient. I tried, t nothing anyone said made the least difference. John got them send for the doctor again, but Lise wouldn’t see him, she said ‘d kill herself if he set foot in her room. So in the end, John t him away. We went upstairs again, and tried one more time is must have been about three o’clock - and she calmed down a while. She said she felt better, that she was going to take a

Then, quite suddenly, for no reason at all, it all began again.

Only worse. John was trying to help her across the bedroom, into bed and she suddenly flew at him, and she attacked him, Gini. She started pulling his hair, ripping his clothes. It was so frightening, so completely horrible. He just stood there, trying to fend her off, with this terrible expression on his face. He looked dead, Gini, in utter despair. So … I stopped her.’

‘You stopped herT I

‘Yes, I did. She was hysterical. I slapped her face. ary g ve a g tiny unhappy shake of the head. ‘And oddly, it seemed to o the

c trick. After that, she became much calmer. She kept talkin very fast, but at least she wasn’t screaming and weeping an more. y

That’s when I said I had to get back, because you were waiting for me. And that’s when she started on a new tack. How John never let her have any friends, how he kept her away from all her friends, how she’d wanted to talk to you the other night, but he’d prevented her … I don’t know, Gini. It was just more nonsense. Then she asked to see you. She kept saying it. I want to see Gini, now. I want to talk to Gini. So, I stayed with her, and John sent the car over. It just seemed the easiest thing to do. She’s supposed to be coming down in a minute. If she does, she’ll probably have forgotten she even mentioned your name. Then, with luck, as I said, we can go. There’s a nurse here now. John says he shouldn’t be much more than an hour at the Foreign Office, then he’ll come straight back. I feel sorry for him, Gini, but frankly, I’ve had enough.’

Gini said nothing. She drank her tea, and put the cup back on the tray. She looked around this elegant room. The house was silent; it was now just past six o’clock. Pascal intended to catch the five o’clock flight, Paris time; there was an hour’s time difference in the winter months. That meant he would be reaching Heathrow Airport at around 7 p.m. London time. Allow an hour from the airport into London. Around 8 p.m. he would be arriving at Mary’s house. She did not want to miss him, but she could see that the meeting with Lise might not be as cursory as Mary seemed to expect. There were many reasons she could think of, pressing reasons, why Lise might want to speak to her … But not here, surely? She looked at the room: would you wire a drawing-room for sound? In your own home? Four days ago, she would have dismissed that thought as absurd, as paranoid; not now.

At that moment, the door opened, and Lise entered. She was dressed from head to foot in exquisite pale beige cashmere: over

shmere ress, she was wearing a cashmere coat. She looked ant.

i’

1.di

.Cro ssing the room, she kissed Gird warmly on both cheeks. ‘CI

stared at her in astonishment. r

ry ome on, Mary, Gini . She looked from one to the other. e’

Ire going out.’ ‘C

Out?’ Mary rose to her feet. Use, that’s not a good idea, you w … I

es a very good idea. I’m sorry, Mary, for all I put you through, t I realiz’e now, I was just being stupid and neurotic. I think t

e d a bad reaction to whatever that quack of a doctor gave yesterclav. Well, it’s worn off, thank God. I feel absolutely

e now. I’v’e had a bath, a little sleep. I feel like a new per. I’ve told them to bring the car around. We’ll go out. I ught I’d buy you both dinner. My treat, Mary, my way of nking you for being so sweet.’

-No, Lise.’ Mary spoke firmly. ‘I promised John you’d rest. He’ll home soon.’

‘Nonsense. He won’t be back before eight at the earliest. I know! you won’t come to dinner will you let me take you out for a .nk? Please say yes. I’ve been cooped up all weekend. I need change of air. There’s this marvellous new place, not far from

I Mary. A friend of a friend runs it. They serve those delicious as things - just for an hour, OKT

Marv gave a sigh, and turned away. Lise looked at Gini intently. Wentl’y, she mouthed the words: Say yes.

think that’s a good idea, Mary,’ Gini said quickly. ‘Just for an bur. It might do Lise good … I

,, Lise smiled, and began to move towards the door. Mary gave mini an exhausted look.

IfCome on, Mary,’ Gini said, in a low voice. ‘It could do her . You never know. She seems fine now. They’ll drive her JDod

re, then drive her back.’ q

rZ ary gave her a puzzled glance, then shrugged. your head be it/ she said.

the Kensington wine bar Lise had selected proved to be only

1vo blocks from Mary’s house. It was chic, fashionable, and iacked. They were driven there by a uniformed driver, with he security man from Mary’s party, Malone, in the other front kat.

did not speak once. When they arrived outside the bar, he

climbed from the car, and went in first. He was inside five minutes, and Lise began to show signs of irritation.

‘Oh, heavens,’ she said. ‘How they do fuss. I wish he’d hurry up.,

Malone’s time, it seemed, had not been wasted. When they entered the crowded wine bar a table had been made available for them, close to the fire-exit, Gini noted. Malone hovered ;for a few seconds, then disappeared. Lise gave a sigh

‘Thank God. He’ll wait outside, and check I’M* still here Avery ten minutes. You can set your watch by them.’

‘Come on now, Lise,’ Mary said in an encouraging tore ‘You shouldn’t resent them. They’re only doing their job.’

‘Oh, I know, I know … ‘ Lise gave a tiny impatient gesture. ‘Better him than Frank, anyway.’ She turned to Gini with an enquiring look. ‘Was it Frank who brought you, GiniT