Page 57 of Old Girls Behaving Badly

‘Gone to have an argument with her mother about what she can wear to the wedding.’

‘Ah, perhaps it’s for the best that she didn’t get talked into that bridesmaid dress. I still have faith, you know.’

‘In the bridesmaid dress?’

‘In the painting.’

‘The coaches are here,’ Gina said, looking down onto the driveway. ‘Lots more colourful dresses, but with hats this time. I feel sorry for men at weddings; they do get the short straw. Tight collars, long-sleeved shirts and jackets, strangulating ties. Women get to wear floaty silk, and hats to keep the sun from their faces.’

‘There is a caveat to that,’ Dorothy said. ‘Shapewear underwear. There is nothing more sweat-inducing than that. Floaty on the outside maybe, trussed up underneath.’

She took a good look at the back of Gina as she watched the goings-on below. Her shoulders were a little hunched over all the time. She was always trying to make herself less somehow. And now, of course, Dorothy understood why that was. It made her feel even worse than she already did about what she’d asked Gina to do. Hadn’t she wondered how biddable Gina was when she first met her? This woman needed love and care, not to be manipulated. But it was too late to change things now. Dorothy swallowed hard and considered that Gina might get as much of a boost from finding the painting as Dorothy would herself. And then she wondered if, as time was running out, she was still setting herself up for a huge disappointment.

‘I’m sorry we weren’t successful this morning. We searched the temple, the greenhouses and even some sheds,’ Gina said as if she could see into Dorothy’s mind and read her thoughts.

‘I admire your resolve and I’m very grateful to you, Gina, but I have to refer back to my original point about it hanging in plain sight. He won’t have it tucked away like a dusty nothing he pinched. He was incredibly competitive with Philip. I remain convinced that he will have it somewhere where he can see it as a daily reminder that he won. I’m honestly surprised it’s not hanging over his bed.’

‘I understand what you mean and now I’ve spent a few days with the man I can completely see that he would do that, but I have honestly looked and looked and can’t think where else would be in plain sight. Harry is his right-hand man and has access to most of Leonard’s personal spaces, but even he hasn’t seen it. I’m at a loss. But we do have evidence of considerable theft and we can go to the police with that. I know it won’t give you quite the comfort you’re seeking, but maybe it might have to be enough.’

‘We still have today and maybe even tomorrow morning before we all have to leave. Let’s not lose all hope quite yet.’

‘Shall we go then? I expect everyone is waiting in the entrance hall. I wonder what get-up Leonard will be sporting today?’

‘I dread to think.’

Gina handed Dorothy her handbag from the bed and then took her arm.

‘Let’s leave that here,’ Dorothy said, handing the bag back. ‘I might very well need you to fetch that for me later.’

Peter had reserved the first two pews for the immediate family and Gina showed Dorothy to the front next to Miles and Lavinia, and Sophie and Luke. Juliet sat sullenly on the end wearing some lovely caramel-coloured trousers and a pretty blue silk top. She had pulled the side of her hair up into a silver clip. Dorothy smiled at her and she offered up a resigned shrug in response.

‘I’ll be more comfortable sitting at the back,’ Gina said as Dorothy tried to get her to sit with them.

Dorothy didn’t push it and hoped that Gina intended to slip out while the service was going on. She pulled Gina closer for a moment and made sure that her son and daughter-in-law were in conversation with Sophie.

‘I forgot to ask you about Peter,’ she whispered. ‘Did you glean any information from him?’

Dorothy noted that Gina hesitated for just long enough for her to think that she had found out something, but she obviously decided to keep it to herself.

‘No, just chit-chat,’ Gina said, but Dorothy didn’t believe her.

Peter was hovering with a Bible in his hands, walking back and forth, smiling at the guests, but when his eyes found Gina the smile faded and Dorothy saw him give her a brief nod. What that was supposed to signify, she wasn’t sure, but he certainly looked a bit twitchy.

Gina left her then and found her way to the back of the church. Dorothy sat down next to Juliet and patted her knee.

‘Am I allowed to say you look lovely?’ she said, and Juliet gave her a half-smile.

‘How about you just think it, Granny, and I won’t talk about your shoes.’

‘No Leonard yet,’ Dorothy said to Sophie.

‘I expect he’s planning an entrance to upstage the bride,’ Sophie replied.

‘Oh, I see I’m not alone in my thoughts about that man then.’

‘You may have been at the beginning of the week, but I’ve nearly had enough of him now,’ said Sophie and Luke sniggered beside her.

Dorothy turned in her pew and her eyes travelled over the sea of hats and perfectly coiffured hair back to Gina, who seemed quite content sitting with a couple Dorothy had been introduced to at the garden party yesterday, but she couldn’t remember their names.