Page 40 of Old Girls Behaving Badly

‘Quite,’ Lavinia agreed.

‘Does it really matter where everyone sits?’ Toby asked, over his music. ‘We’ll all be pissed and stuffed and waiting for the speeches anyway.’

‘I hope you won’t be drunk, darling,’ Lavinia said. ‘You have to make a speech before Rufus does.’

‘I’m still not quite sure why you chose Rufus to be your best man,’ Miles said.

‘I think it works well as he’s Caroline’s brother. A way for us to bond as a family,’ Toby said. ‘I do hope he cheers up a bit, though. He seems really down this week.’

‘I’d quite like to say a few words,’ Caroline said and Miles unsuccessfully stifled a groan.

‘It might be wise to limit it to the groom, father of the bride and the best man, sweetheart,’ Lavinia said.

‘But Uncle Leonard is making a speech.’

‘As well as your father?’ Miles asked. ‘God, anyone else?’

‘All right, Dad, no need to get your knickers in a twist. It’s supposed to be a happy event, so I expect a few people might like to say some nice words. Don’t worry, though, I don’t expect you to be among them.’

Just as I was beginning to feel uncomfortable listening in and about to make my presence known, Miles noticed me hovering in the doorway anyway.

‘Gina, are you okay there?’

He said this very much like someone talking to a member of staff, which was entirely reasonable. The trouble was, the relaxed manner that Dorothy and I had fallen into had made me forget.

‘Just wondered what time the church rehearsal is?’ I asked. ‘I’ll make sure Dorothy is ready.’

‘We have to be there for six and it should be about an hour, then Leonard has arranged for our meal to be at seven-thirty. He has something special organised,’ Lavinia said.

‘Every meal has been very special,’ I said. And it had been. The finest food had been consumed every day. Even the picnics and casual lunches had been beautifully cooked and presented. The barbecue was something else. ‘What does Harry have planned for the wedding meal itself? I can’t see how he can top what he’s already cooked this week.’

‘That is going to be a surprise,’ Caroline said. ‘But I think everyone will love it. He’s got a catering team coming in to help him, though. Even Harry would struggle to feed eighty people.’

It was the first time I had heard how many wedding guests there would be in total. I began to wonder if with the place heaving with people I could slip away unnoticed and really put together all that I had learned in the hunt for this painting. Surely there would be an opportunity when everyone was eating in the orangery. It had occurred to me that I really shouldn’t be needed at the wedding meal, maybe it would be enough to slip into the back of the church to watch the service. I was neither family nor a friend, after all.

17

DOROTHY

Dorothy and Gina made their way to the church, which was just to the right of the house and sitting on the edge of Leonard’s estate. Through the gate and up the path they found themselves in the cemetery, which was in a state of semi-neglect, but that only seemed to make the place appear very peaceful. The ancient stones had begun to lean over the years and protruded from tall grasses and wildflowers, which were sheltered by huge oaks, sycamores and yews.

Dorothy watched as Gina ran her hand over the mapped flint that made up the walls within the stone-carved structure and then the ringing sound of a phone cut into the silence. Dorothy knew it wasn’t hers, because she’d left it in her room.

‘Douglas, again,’ Gina said.

‘Take your phone call,’ Dorothy said. ‘We are a bit early and it does seem as if your husband needs to speak to you.’

Gina hesitated for a moment and then put her phone to her ear as she walked a few steps away.

‘Douglas, yes, hello.’

Dorothy tried to listen, but Gina was a little too far away. Instead she went and sat down on the wooden bench under the trees and closed her eyes. She felt incredibly tired all of a sudden and brushed a tear away from the corner of her eye. It was the churchyard. It made her think about Philip. Well, it made her think about his not being here any more and that thought overwhelmed her. He’d been such a vibrant man, full of life, keen to experience all that was on offer to him. It made her so sad and also so angry that his life had been taken away in the way that it had. Yes, they were old, but her Philip had so much more to do, to give. Dorothy didn’t think she’d ever despised anyone in her whole life, but now, this seething hatred of Leonard was taking her over and it had to end. She felt more than ever how imperative it was to find the painting.

Gina had finished her call and made her way towards Dorothy.

‘We’ve had an offer on the house,’ Gina said, looking a bit bewildered.

‘Is that a good thing?’ Dorothy asked.