Matilda lay in bed that night hugging the bedclothes, full of suspicions. The annihilation of her pride was complete.

24

EQUALLY PERTURBED, FOR he had no reason to hurt her, Hugh woke Mr Jones in his bungalow, inviting himself in for a drink. Pleased to be needed, the lonely man arose, wrapped an old kimono round his hairy person, took the whisky from its cupboard, found glasses and set up the chessboard.

‘Your mind is not on the game,’ he presently said, checkmating Hugh too easily.

‘I have hurt Matilda.’

‘She is vulnerable.’

‘How did her husband manage?’

‘He had the knack. She is not all that bright.’

‘Bright?’

‘That is what I said. She is young for her age, she believes what she wishes to, always deludes herself.’

‘I think she is getting over it.’

‘A pity for her.’

‘Why?’

‘Well,’ Mr Jones looked uneasy, ‘it is far better for her to remember Tom as she liked to have him.’

‘You are ambiguous.’

‘Tom had her caged where he wanted her. She never knew he was a rogue, dishonest you might say, but there you are, she loved him.’

‘She loves that goose.’

‘It’s the same thing. Her gander is a fantasy, so was her husband, but she was satisfied, thought they’d live and die together. It was tommy rot, romantic. Tom would not have killed himself before he got old to save people trouble. My God, he would not. No, no, he would have had Louise, Mark, Anabel and Claud belting round waiting on him in his invalid chair.’

‘And Matilda?’

‘He would have let her die first, worked her to death and made her enjoy it.’

‘It sounds just as well for Matilda he died in Paris.’

‘I don’t think so.’ Mr Jones yawned and scratched his hairy chest. ‘She is finding out more about him, liking him less, getting disillusioned, it is a pity.’

‘She will find a modus vivendi.’

‘Not Matilda. Whatever anyone does she will remain what she is. She and the gander are well suited.’

‘I think she will kill herself. She should have some fun first though, take a lover, go abroad –’

‘She has no wish to go abroad. She has the goose.’

‘Gander.’

‘Okay. Now what did you wake me up for in truth?’

Hugh laughed.

‘Can you, if I give you the money, get me some foreign currency?’

‘Sure, of course I can.’ Mr Jones did not add that he had a trunkful of German marks and Swiss francs as he did not think Hugh would believe him. ‘How much have you got?’

‘A thousand.’

‘Bring it to me tomorrow. Do you want to go over in the UFO? Nice boat. It’s in the harbour.’

‘No. I shall go from London Airport, it’s the most crowded.’

‘Very good, you do that. That is how your murdered mother would travel.’

Hugh answered shortly, ‘There is no need to harp.’