The Prodigal Wife (24 page)

‘And what then?' asked Cordelia curiously.

‘It was strange,' she said slowly. ‘When you looked at me and spoke to me, everything changed. At that moment it was real, and suddenly you were just an ordinary woman. The spell was broken. And then we spoke again in the car park and you looked so happy, and somehow the focus shifted completely. You'd been a kind of presence in our lives and you'd had such an extraordinary and powerful effect that suddenly being so close to you, face to face was a shock…'

‘And?' prompted Cordelia.

She shrugged. ‘Something changed. The fun went out of it. You see, I'd been feeling for the first time since I'd known Simon that it was
I
who had the upper hand.
I
was in control. But when we spoke it wasn't like that any more. It was as if quite suddenly everything regained its proportion and I realized that I didn't have to go along with it any more.'

‘But you sent the photograph anyway?'

The woman shook her head. ‘I wished I hadn't but I'd already posted it. I couldn't do anything about it but I regretted it. The whole thing had begun to seem rather silly, as if I were still allowing Simon to control me by continuing to punish you, to try and keep the hatred and the obsession alive, and I didn't want to be part of it any longer. I decided I'd try to meet you and explain. And say that I'm sorry.'

‘But how do I know that's true? It could just be another clever move in the game. My friends are trying to persuade me to report all this to the police. How do I know that you won't keep following me about – or push me off a cliff?'

The woman sat back with a sigh and drank some coffee. ‘You don't,' she said. ‘You'll have to take my word for it. It was a moment of madness and the spell's broken. I suddenly realize that I don't like to feel that I'm being manipulated from beyond the grave. I was in thrall to Simon for years and I want to break that power he had. Now that he's dead and we've met properly and talked like this, I believe I can do that. I've wasted quite enough time and now I plan to get on with my life.' She gave another deep sigh, as if she were breathing clean, fresh air for the first time for a long while. Her expression was calm, even peaceful. ‘I don't expect you to believe me but I promise you that you're quite safe.'

‘Oddly,' Cordelia said, ‘I always believed that. It was other people who were anxious on my behalf. I had one or two brief moments of terror but deep down I was never truly frightened.'

The woman smiled. ‘I'm glad,' she said. ‘We're both free then, after all these years. And what will you do now? Will you be able to pick up the pieces with Angus Radcliff or have you found that Simon has managed to put it out of court? He hated Angus but he felt that he'd managed to…' she paused, seeking for the appropriate word, ‘neutralize him.'

‘Why was Simon so certain about that? We might have gone on being lovers.'

She shook her head. ‘He said he knew Angus too well for that. He said that once he was married he'd be much too honourable – and too scared.'

For the first time Cordelia smiled, genuinely amused. ‘He didn't say that
I
was too honourable to play around with another woman's husband?'

The woman smiled too. ‘I gather that the woman was one of your best friends. Simon felt that was deterrent enough.'

Cordelia's smile faded. ‘He waited for nearly a year. All that time, until Angus was married, and he must have hated me for every minute of it.'

‘For someone like Simon it wasn't always easy to tell the difference between hate and love. And what about Angus? It
is
Angus I've seen you with, isn't it? And I know he's a widower now. Oh, yes, Simon kept tabs on him too. He was furious when Angus put up his fourth stripe.'

‘And did it never occur to Simon that I might marry again?'

She shook her head. ‘Oddly enough, no. He said you were a one-man woman and that you only married him because he wouldn't let you alone and because you thought you'd lost Angus.'

‘Well, he was right. And then Angus came back and we had that brief, crazy moment and it all started up again. After Simon left I knew that second best simply didn't work and I never wanted to chance it again. And it was too late for me and Angus. My God, what fools sex makes of us all.'

‘Who was it who said that it was like being chained to a madman? Well, my chains are broken. I'm free at last.' She picked up her bag and nodded to the coffee cups. ‘I'll get these,' she said. ‘Good luck, Cordelia.'

Cordelia watched her go to the counter and pay for the coffee; then she turned, raised her hand and was gone.

‘The woman's crazy,' Hal said for the third time. ‘Creeping about on the cliff, breaking into your house and leaving books and bears about, and sending photographs. Sorry, love, but it's crazy. And you sat there drinking coffee with her.'

‘What would you have done?' asked Cordelia, trying to smile.

She was beginning to wish that she hadn't suddenly decided to drop in at The Keep on the way to Dartmouth, yet she'd needed some kind of reassurance; some ordinary human companionship. She hadn't wanted to be alone until she met Angus much later in Dartmouth.

‘Hal would have made a citizen's arrest and tied her to her chair until the police came,' said Fliss cheerfully. She could see the strain in Cordelia's face and she shook her head at Hal, willing him to calm down.

Hal saw her gesture and was irritated by it. Surely they could see how potentially dangerous this was?

‘I've always said that I never believed that I was in any danger.' Cordelia was trying to reassure him. ‘And I believe it even more now that I've met her. I think it was just some kind of terrible fascination on her part. Well, I can understand that, can't you?'

‘I can,' said Fliss quickly, before Hal could answer. ‘You'd want to see who your rival was, wouldn't you? It got out of hand, that's all. Like a silly game played by children. It crossed the barrier between reality and fantasy, but then she got a grip again when she actually spoke to Cordelia. Poor woman, I feel rather sorry for her.'

Hal was staring at her as if she were crazy too, and Fliss stifled an urge to burst out laughing.

‘Perhaps it's a woman thing,' she said soothingly – but Hal was not to be comforted.

‘And you didn't even get her name. Calling herself something out of a book, it's ludicrous. I think it's a ruse to lull you into a false sense of security.'

‘It was a silly game,' said Cordelia wearily. ‘Nothing more, I'm sure of it.'

‘Well, we'll see what Angus says.' Hal got up. ‘I'm going to chop some wood before the rain comes in.'

He kissed Cordelia and went out into the scullery where they could hear him putting on his gumboots and talking to the dogs, who'd followed him out. Fliss raised her eyebrows interrogatively at Cordelia, who made a little face. They heard the scullery door close and Cordelia sighed.

‘Perhaps I am being a fool,' she said. ‘I don't think so. My gut instinct says that I'm not in danger. You're right. It was like a game that went a bit too far but it's over now. I want to forget it and get back to normal.'

‘And will Angus let you do that?'

‘Do you know, I felt just a tad irritated when Hal said that. “We'll see what Angus says.” As if it's up to Angus to decide how I should go forward. I've managed to live without him for most of my life, after all.'

They sat together at the kitchen table in silence for a moment.

‘I quite see that,' Fliss said at last. ‘But you did call him in on it, didn't you? He's bound to feel involved.'

‘Yes,' admitted Cordelia crossly. ‘I know I did. That was when it occurred to me that if it
were
Simon playing these jokes, then he might have it in for Angus too, and so it was only right that he should be warned. Well, I feel quite confident now that it's all over and I don't want…' She paused, frowning, and Fliss watched her thoughtfully.

‘You don't want Angus playing gaoler?' she suggested.

Cordelia looked at her with an odd expression: guilt mixed with shock and disappointment. ‘I never imagined that it would be so…so
claustrophobic
,' she said defensively. ‘I've been on my own for so long, you see, and then again, Angus and I are…Well, we're not used to being particularly domestic when we're together.'

Fliss grinned. ‘You mean you still behave like lovers. You are courteous to one another and intimate moments are still rather exciting. You don't bicker about mundane things like who's lost the car keys or taking out the rubbish. Or argue about forgetting to pass on telephone messages and whose turn it is to walk the dog. You still wear sexy underwear, and Angus has a shower and puts on a clean shirt before he comes to supper.'

Cordelia was laughing, relaxed now. ‘Honestly,' she said, ‘I hadn't realized how dull cohabiting could be. Or how inconvenient. I'm not used to sharing the bathroom. I like to work at odd hours, when the mood takes me, and meals are pretty erratic. Angus is an utter darling but he's very…punctual. He got a bit irritated from time to time when I worked past lunchtime, or I suddenly needed a gin and tonic at half past three in the afternoon, and once or twice I had to stifle the urge to hit him with a blunt instrument. It's all very well to laugh, Fliss, but what am I going to
do
?'

‘Why do anything?' asked Fliss calmly. ‘Let this silly business die down. Meet him halfway on any protection suggestions, and see what happens. By the sound of it, Angus will, even as we speak, be thinking how very pleasant it is to be on his own in Dartmouth with his boat just down the river. Do nothing and behave as if nothing has changed.'

‘I hope that's possible. Though it's odd, isn't it? It seems as if Simon has had the last laugh after all. I hate thinking that he's won.'

‘Look at it the other way round. This might have prevented you from making a terrible mistake. Be thankful for it.'

Cordelia sighed. ‘It worked for you and Hal.'

‘Yes, but Hal and I had very close contact all our lives. We were family, we were always meeting up. When Miles was in Hong Kong for two years and I moved back to The Keep with my children, Hal was based at Devonport and lived here too with Jolyon. Oh, it was all very proper – not much choice with all the others around – but we were always very close friends. It's odd, though, isn't it, that you and I and Maria have one thing in common? We all fell in love with one man but married another. Poor Maria. She's down with friends in Salcombe for the weekend. Jo met her earlier on and told her in words of one syllable that she couldn't just stroll back into his life as if nothing had happened. She's suddenly decided that she'd like to move to Devon.'

‘Oh, no.'

Fliss shrugged. ‘Well, she's got every right to live where she likes but the point is that she's lived in Salisbury for the last twenty years and it's too soon after Adam's death to make such a big move. I think she'd rely very heavily on us for friendship and entertainment and I don't think Jo's ready for that. He hated being so outspoken, though, and he said she was clearly hurt but being brave. I can't decide whether to invite her over or whether it would slightly undermine Jo's good work.'

‘Does she know about him and Henrietta yet?'

‘She does now. He decided that it was unfair to keep her in the dark any longer, and he feels very much more secure about telling her now they're engaged, but she was clearly humiliated by the fact that, when she was here, we were all keeping it a secret from her. Poor Maria. I feel so sorry for her but I'm afraid to interfere. Anyway, she's probably not in the mood to come and see us.'

‘Supposing
I
were to phone her,' suggested Cordelia. ‘Ask her over for coffee or something. How long is she down for?'

‘Until Tuesday, I think she said. Could you cope with it? It's rather a nice idea. A kind of sop to her pride. I'm sure she'd love it. The only trouble is, she hasn't got a car and the woman she's staying with is a bit pushy, according to Jo.'

‘I'll go and fetch her,' Cordelia said. ‘Have you got a phone number?'

‘Somewhere around. She left it so that Jo could call her.' Fliss got up and began to look amongst the papers on the dresser. ‘Are you certain?'

‘Absolutely. I agree that it would be difficult for you but I think it's the right gesture just at the moment. The lump of sugar after the medicine.' She took the piece of paper. ‘I'll do it straight away, shall I?' Fliss passed her the handset and she dialled the number, waited. ‘Oh, hello. Is Maria there? Could I speak to her? My name's Cordelia Lytton.' She grinned at Fliss and nodded. ‘Oh, hi, Maria. How are you?…I was just talking to Fliss and she said you were down and I gather you've heard the glad tidings. What a wonderful surprise, isn't it? I could hardly believe it. Listen, how about I come over and pick you up and bring you back to my cottage for coffee one morning?…What about Monday?…Great!…No, that's no problem, I shall be coming into Kingsbridge on Monday morning so it'll take no time at all to drop into Salcombe. Quarter to eleven-ish? Right. Give me the address…Fine. See you then. 'Bye.'

‘I can't tell you how relieved I feel,' said Fliss. ‘Thanks, Cordelia. Jo had to be tough but I can't help feeling sorry for her. She behaved very badly to him but, when you really think about these things, it's so difficult to be black and white about them, isn't it?'

Cordelia nodded. ‘I go round in circles thinking about Henrietta and feeling guilty about how it's all affected her. Was it Angus's fault because he left me in the first place? Was it my fault for being unfaithful with him when he got back? Was it Simon's fault for leaving me and abandoning Henrietta? We all had a hand in it.'

‘That's where I've got to,' said Fliss. ‘I used to think it was Maria's fault because she left Hal and more or less abandoned Jo, and so I was always able to occupy the moral high ground about it all. But I've begun to see that the problem started much earlier. Hal and I should have stood up to my grandmother and Prue when they decided that we shouldn't marry, and Hal should never have told Maria about the way we felt about each other. Hal and I always loved each other but because we stayed physically faithful to Miles and Maria we felt that
we
were rather noble and that
their
behaviour was indefensible. In truth, we all contributed, one way and another, and it was Jo who suffered. And is still suffering. I'm so glad that he and Henrietta have got together, Cordelia.'

‘So am I. Henrietta is so happy it's heartbreaking. I live in terror of something going wrong. And now I've got to tell her that Simon is dead. I'm still in shock about it, actually. I know I haven't seen or heard from him for twelve years but he was part of my life once. And hers.'

‘Were they ever really close?'

Cordelia shook her head. ‘There was too much separation in the early days – well, you know what it's like being a naval wife – and he walked out when she was five. After that he used to take her out when his leaves and her school holidays allowed but there was no real bonding. He was living in the Mess so he had nowhere for them to go. And when she was fifteen he went to Australia and that was that. But she's still bitter about it, understandably, and I'm fearful that all the resentment will resurface, just when we were beginning to be so happy.'

‘Make sure that Jo knows that Simon is dead,' Fliss said. ‘Hal and I decided not to say anything to him until we'd talked it over with you. But now he needs to be ready to comfort Henrietta and talk it all through with her. She'll need to do that.'

‘Yes,' said Cordelia after a moment. ‘Yes, you're right. She'll probably be able to do that more easily with him than with me. Is he around?'

Fliss shook her head. ‘He went to Exeter to see a friend and they were going to the cinema. He'll be back later.'

Cordelia thought about it. ‘Look, do you think that perhaps you could tell him when you next see him? After all, it doesn't matter who tells Jo. He's not going to be affected one way or another, is he? And then I don't have to worry about when I tell Henrietta. I need to choose my moment. Make sure he knows that he mustn't tell her that we told him. Oh dear, is it fair to embroil him in it, do you think?'

‘Jo will understand exactly why we're doing it. I'll tell him this evening and then you'll know he'll be ready to stand by.'

‘Thanks, Fliss. I must go. I've got poor McGregor out in the car and Angus will start panicking and think I've been pushed off a cliff. I'll let you know how we go on.'

‘Please do. And thanks for doing this for Maria. I'm really very grateful. I hate to think of her going back to Salisbury feeling miserable. Take care, Cordelia.'

Cordelia grinned. ‘You sound like Hal,' she said. ‘Give him a kiss from me and tell him that I'll attend to Angus's every utterance. I'll phone you on Monday once I've taken Maria back to Salcombe.'

Fliss waved her goodbye and went back into the hall. Hal was piling logs into the log basket set in the recess of the huge granite fireplace.

‘And don't start talking to me about women's bloody intuition,' he said crossly, breathing heavily from his exertions. ‘It was
you
who was in a state about Cordelia, remember. And
I
was the one who said it was just a practical joke.'

‘I know I was,' said Fliss placatingly. ‘I panicked a bit, I admit, and I
did
want you to check on Simon and so on, but I think we have to trust Cordelia's…reactions. Now she's met this woman, I mean. It does sound crazy but I believe her when she says she thinks it's all over.'

‘Until we find her body at the bottom of the cliff,' he muttered.

‘And she's invited Maria for coffee on Monday,' Fliss said, determined to maintain a positive note. ‘That's good, isn't it?'

‘Now that
is
kind of her.' Hal straightened up and dusted his hands together. ‘Lets us off the hook but makes Maria still feel part of the family.'

‘Exactly.' She glanced at her watch. ‘Prue and Lizzie should be back from Totnes quite soon. If you light the fire, I'll make some tea. We may even have five minutes on our own.'

He smiled at her then. ‘Do you mind living in a commune, Fliss?' he asked. ‘Do you ever wonder what it might have been like to be normal? To be on our own together?'