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Amanda sighed. ‘And I’m so tired of wearing smart clothes in London,’ she returned ruefully. ‘Can’t I celebrate and be relaxed at the same time?’
‘Amanda, dear—to please me?’
Amanda was not an admirer of her mother’s little-girl mood, but it was certainly preferable to the martyred silences of recent times, so she stifled a sigh and got to her feet. ‘All right,’ she said resignedly. ‘I’ll put on a dress.’
‘And some make-up?’
‘Be content with the dress,’ Amanda retorted as she went back into the hall.
She saw the drawing-room door standing open, and a thought struck her. Wasn’t there a Concise Oxford Dictionary in the small bookcase near the window?
Indeed there was, but it brought her no particular comfort. Some of the meanings attributed to ‘dalliance’ were ‘to amuse oneself‘ and ’to coquet with temptation‘.
His and her definitions, Amanda thought, grinding her teeth before ramming the inoffensive book back on the shelf. It was at that moment that she heard the telephone ring. She got to the door, but her mother had already forestalled her, and was listening intently to whatever the caller had to say.
Amanda heard her say, ‘Yes—in about an hour.’ Then, ‘Of course I haven’t said anything. Goodbye, dear.’
She was standing by the drawing-room window, staring out into the garden, when Mrs Conroy came into the room to restore some of the newly bursilver to its cabinet.
Her mother gave a little shriek. ‘Good heavens, girl. I thought you’d gone up to change.’
‘Oh, there’s no hurry.’ Amanda watched her fuss with the cabinet door, then said quietly, ‘Mother— who was on the phone?’
Her mother fumbled the piece she was holding. ‘Oh—just a message about the Parish Council meeting.’
‘But that isn’t for another fortnight, surely?’
‘They’re—trying to bring it forward.’ Mrs Conroy was a poor liar, and she sounded flustered. ‘Now, I must see to lunch.’
‘I don’t think I’m very hungry, after all. Perhaps I’ll go for a drive.’
‘No!’ It was a squeal of anguish. ‘You can’t go out. You said you wouldn’t.’
‘I—suddenly feel like some fresh air.’ Amanda looked steadily at her mother. ‘And I think you know why. Tell me, who was really on the phone? It was Nigel, wasn’t it?’
‘Yes,’ Mrs Conroy admitted wretchedly. ‘It was. He rang yesterday—he’d found out somehow that you were coming down this weekend. He begged me to ask him here—to give him a last chance to win you back. He sounded so humble—so unhappy, Amanda, I couldn’t bear it. No matter what the problem—however foolish you’ve been over his brother—I’m sure it can all be put right, if you just give Nigel a chance.’
’And you really won’t believe that it’s impossible.‘ Amanda gave a small, unhappy laugh. ’I’m sorry to spoil your plans, Mother, but I can’t stay here under the circumstances.‘
Mrs Conroy followed her, bleating, up the stairs. ‘But what am I to tell him? What am I to say? He’s expecting to see you—to find you here.’
’Tell him whatever seems best.‘ Amanda had hardly unpacked a thing from her case. It was as if she’d known, she thought… She pushed down the lid, and clicked the locks. ’But don’t be surif he loses his temper‘
‘Where are you going?’
Amanda shrugged. ‘Back to London, I suppose. What does it matter, anyway?’ She saw her mother was crying, and planted a brief kiss on her cheek. ‘Goodbye—I’ll be in touch.’
But once she was in the car and on her way, she saw suddenly that her destination mattered very much indeed. If she went tamely back to the flat, then it would be the simplest thing in the world for Nigel to follow her there. And he would undeniably have Maggie and Fiona as allies, she realised with dismay.
Almost before she realised what she was doing, she had turned the car towards Aylesford Green. She didn’t even know if Malory would be there, but perhaps she could persuade Mrs Priddy to let her take temporary refuge there while she considered her next move.
This time, as she pushed open the big white gates and walked up the drive, there was a welcoming bark and Harvey bounced to meet her, his tail wagging joyously. A second later, Malory followed him round the corner of the house.
When he saw her, he halted, his brows lifted enquiringly. ‘Amanda? This is an unexpected pleasure’
‘No, it isn’t—not really.’ She thrust her hands in the pockets of her coat to conceal the fact they were trembling. ‘I—I had nowhere else to go, that’s all.’
