‘A person like you,’ explained Hugh, ‘with a happy past, nothing but lovely memories does not just walk into the sea.’

‘I should have thought it rounded everything off nicely,’ Matilda now was sour.

‘Either,’ said Hugh, watching her, ‘you had a happy surface life, even deceiving yourself, or you didn’t care except for your animals.’

‘What!’ Matilda almost spat at him.

‘I’ve seen you with Gus. That’s genuine feeling. You are trying not to let yourself love Folly here.’

‘I shan’t.’

‘There you go. So passionate.’

‘Well, animals –’ Matilda left her sentence airborne.

‘Animals are easier to love than human beings. Animals give you their whole heart, animals don’t betray. Shall I go on?’

‘No. I think I shall get us some supper.’

Hugh watched her moving about the kitchen, laying the table, preparing vegetables, rubbing garlic onto steak, grinding the pepper mill.

‘I believe your Tom had somebody else in Paris.’ Hugh watched the hands twisting the pepper pot.

‘Oh no.’

‘I suppose yes. Why don’t we tell one another the truth? We met near Death, why don’t we tell the truth as good Catholics do on their deathbeds?’

‘It would be original.’ She put down the pepper pot.

‘So he had someone else in Paris.’

‘Yes, he did.’

‘You could have done something – gone with him, murdered the girl. I’m supposing she was younger than you.’

‘Much younger.’

‘He would have got over it. Did you know her?’

‘Yes. Yes. I thought so.’

‘So?’

‘I did murder someone once.’ Matilda looked at Hugh across the table. ‘I never think of it. It was so quick.’

‘So why not the girl in Paris?’ Hugh wondered if this crazy woman who looked like a bird was lying.

‘One could never kill one’s own child.’ Matilda’s voice was low.

‘Was it Anabel?’ Hugh felt shock.

‘Louise.’ Matilda put the steaks under the grill.

‘I thought she was happily married,’ Hugh said stupidly.

‘I never said happy. She was only happy fucking with her father. You like your steak rare?’

‘Rare, please.’ He breathed in hard.

‘And do you like French mustard or more Truth with your steak?’

‘I should like mustard and the story of the murder you did commit.’

‘All right, as we are into Truth. It’s not as interesting as incest.’

‘But longer ago?’

‘Much longer ago, almost forgotten.’

11

WHEN THE TELEPHONE rang Matilda lifted the receiver and listened, her jaws working on a mouthful. Hugh listened too.

‘Hullo?’

‘Matilda, your phone was out of order.’

‘There’s been a storm. What do you want, John?’

‘Piers.’

‘Look, I’ve never called you Piers in my life. What is this?’

‘My name is Piers. Call me Piers.’

‘Okay. What do you want?’

‘I’ve got to go away. I want to know if you are coming to London.’