首发偶发空缺 (临时空缺)-第43章

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‘Frozen　pizza　again？’

‘Miles！　I　need　to　change。　Can　you　mash　the　potatoes　for　me？　Miles？’

But　he　had　disappeared　upstairs；　so　Samantha　pounded　the　potatoes　herself；　while　her　daughters　ate　at　the　island　in　the　middle　of　the　kitchen。　Libby　had　propped　the　DVD　cover　against　her　glass　of　Diet　Pepsi；　and　was　ogling　it。
。　
‘Mikey’s　so　lush；’　she　said；　with　a　carnal　groan　that　took　Samantha　aback；　but　the　muscular　boy　was　called　Jake。　Samantha　was　glad　they　did　not　like　the　same　one。

Loud　and　confident　Lexie　was　jabbering　about　school；　a　machine…gun　torrent　of　information　about　girls　whom　Samantha　did　not　know；　with　whose　antics　and　feuds　and　regroupings　she　could　not　keep　up。

‘All　right；　you　two；　I’ve　got　to　change。　Clear　away　when　you’re　done；　all　right？’

She　turned　down　the　heat　under　the　casserole　and　hurried　upstairs。　Miles　was　buttoning　up　his　shirt　in　the　bedroom；　watching　himself　in　the　wardrobe　mirror。　The　whole　room　smelt　of　soap　and　aftershave。

‘Everything　under　control；　hon？’

‘Yes；　thanks。　So　glad　you’ve　had　time　to　shower；’　spat　Samantha；　pulling　out　her　favourite　long　skirt　and　top；　slamming　the　wardrobe　door。

‘You　could　have　one　now。’

‘They’ll　be　here　in　ten　minutes；　I　won’t　have　time　to　dry　my　hair　and　put　on　make…up。’　She　kicked　off　her　shoes；　one　of　them　hit　the　radiator　with　a　loud　clang。　‘When　you’ve　finished　preening；　could　you　please　go　downstairs　and　sort　out　drinks？’

After　Miles　had　left　the　room；　she　tried　to　untangle　her　thick　hair　and　repair　her　make…up。　She　looked　awful。　Only　when　she　had　changed　did　she　realize　that　she　was　wearing　the　wrong　bra　for　her　clinging　top。　After　a　frantic　search；　she　remembered　that　the　right　one　was　drying　in　the　utility　room；　she　hurried　out　onto　the　landing　but　the　doorbell　rang。　Swearing；　she　scuttled　back　to　the　bedroom。　The　boy　band’s　music　was　blaring　out　of　Libby’s　room。

Gavin　and　Kay　had　arrived　on　the　dot　of　eight　because　Gavin　was　afraid　of　what　Samantha　might　say　if　they　turned　up　late；　he　could　imagine　her　suggesting　that　they　had　lost　track　of　time　because　they　were　shagging　or　that　they　must　have　had　a　row。　She　seemed　to　think　that　one　of　the　perks　of　marriage　was　that　it　gave　you　rights　of　ment　and　intrusion　over　single　people’s　love　lives。　She　also　thought　that　her　crass；　uninhibited　way　of　talking；　especially　when　drunk；　constituted　trenchant　humour。

‘Hello…ello…ello；’　said　Miles；　moving　back　to　let　Gavin　and　Kay　inside。　‘e　in；　e　in。　Wele　to　Casa　Mollison。’

He　kissed　Kay　on　both　cheeks　and　relieved　her　of　the　chocolates　she　was　holding。

‘For　us？　Thanks　very　much。　Lovely　to　meet　you　properly　at　last。　Gav’s　been　keeping　you　under　wraps　for　far　too　long。’

Miles　shook　the　wine　out　of　Gavin’s　hand；　then　clapped　him　on　the　back；　which　Gavin　resented。

‘e　on　through；　Sam’ll　be　down　in　a　mo。　What’ll　you　have　to　drink？’

Kay　would　ordinarily　have　found　Miles　rather　smooth　and　over…familiar；　but　she　was　determined　to　suspend　judgement。　Couples　had　to　mix　with　each　other’s　circles；　and　manage　to　get　along　in　them。　This　evening　represented　significant　progress　in　her　quest　to　infiltrate　the　layers　of　his　life　to　which　Gavin　had　never　admitted　her；　and　she　wanted　to　show　him　that　she　was　at　home　in　the　Mollisons’　big；　smug　house；　that　there　was　no　need　to　exclude　her　any　more。　So　she　smiled　at　Miles；　asked　for　a　red　wine；　and　admired　the　spacious　room　with　its　stripped　pine　floorboards；　its　over…cushioned　sofa　and　its　framed　prints。

‘Been　here　for；　ooh；　getting　on　for　fourteen　years；’　said　Miles；　busy　with　the　corkscrew。　‘You’re　down　in　Hope　Street；　aren’t　you？　Nice　little　houses；　some　great　fixer…upper　opportunities　down　there。’

Samantha　appeared；　smiling　without　warmth。　Kay；　who　had　previously　seen　her　only　in　an　overcoat；　noted　the　tightness　of　her　orange　top；　beneath　which　every　detail　of　her　lacy　bra　was　clearly　visible。　Her　face　was　even　darker　than　her　leathery　chest；　her　eye　make…up　was　thick　and　unflattering　and　her　jangling　gold　earrings　and　high…heeled　golden　mules　were；　in　Kay’s　opinion；　tarty。　Samantha　struck　her　as　the　kind　of　woman　who　would　have　raucous　girls’　nights　out；　and　find　stripograms　hilarious；　and　flirt　drunkenly　with　everyone　else’s　partner　at　parties。

‘Hi　there；’　said　Samantha。　She　kissed　Gavin　and　smiled　at　Kay。　‘Great；　you’ve　got　drinks。　I’ll　have　the　same　as　Kay；　Miles。’

She　turned　away　to　sit　down；　having　already　taken　stock　of　the　other　woman’s　appearance：　Kay　was　small…breasted　and　heavy…hipped；　and　had　certainly　chosen　her　black　trousers　to　minimize　the　size　of　her　bottom。　She　would　have　done　better；　in　Samantha’s　opinion；　to　wear　heels；　given　the　shortness　of　her　legs。　Her　face　was　attractive　enough；　with　even…toned　olive　skin；　large　dark　eyes　and　a　generous　mouth；　but　the　closely　cropped　boy’s　hair　and　the　resolutely　flat　shoes　were　undoubtedly　pointers　to　certain　sacrosanct　Beliefs。　Gavin　had　done　it　again：　he　had　gone　and　picked　another　humourless；　domineering　woman　who　would　make　his　life　a　misery。

‘So！’　said　Samantha　brightly；　raising　her　glass。　‘Gavin…and…Kay！’

She　saw；　with　satisfaction；　Gavin’s　hangdog　wince　of　a　smile；　but　before　she　could　make　him　squirm　more　or　weasel　private　information　out　of　them　both　to　dangle　over　Shirley’s　and　Maureen’s　heads；　the　doorbell　rang　again。

Mary　appeared　fragile　and　angular；　especially　beside　Miles；　who　ushered　her　into　the　room。　Her　T…shirt　hung　from　protruding　collarbones。

‘Oh；’　she　said；　ing　to　a　startled　halt　on　the　threshold。　‘I　didn’t　realize　you　were　having—’

‘Gavin　and　Kay　just　dropped　in；’　said　Samantha　a　little　wildly。　‘e　in；　Mary；　please　…　have　a　drink　…’

‘Mary；　this　is　Kay；’　said　Miles。　‘Kay；　this　is　Mary　Fairbrother。’

‘Oh；’　said　Kay；　thrown；　she　had　thought　that　it　would　only　be　the　four　of　them。　‘Yes；　hello。’

Gavin；　who　could　tell　that　Mary　had　not　meant　to　drop　in　on　a　dinner　party　and　was　on　the　point　of　walking　straight　back　out　again；　patted　the　sofa　beside　him；　Mary　sat　down　with　a　weak　smile。　He　was　overjoyed　to　see　her。　Here　was　his　buffer；　even　Samantha　must　realize　that　her　particular　brand　of　prurience　would　be　inappropriate　in　front　of　a　bereaved　woman；　plus；　the　constrictive　symmetry　of　a　foursome　had　been　broken　up。

‘How　are　you？’　he　said　quietly。　‘I　was　going　to　give　you　a　ring；　actually　…　there’ve　been　developments　with　the　insurance　…’

‘Haven’t　we　got　any　nibbles；　Sam？’　asked　Miles。

Samantha　walked　from　the　room；　seething　at　Miles。　The　smell　of　scorched　meat　met　her　as　she　opened　the　kitchen　door。

‘Oh　shit；　shit；　shit　…’

She　had　pletely　forgotten　the　casserole；　which　had　dried　out。　Desiccated　chunks　of　meat　and　vegetables　sat；　forlorn　survivors　of　the　catastrophe；　on　the　singed　bottom　of　the　pot。　Samantha　sloshed　in　wine　and　stock；　chiselling　the　adhering　bits　off　the　pan　with　her　spoon；　stirring　vigorously；　sweating　in　the　heat。　Miles’　high…pitched　laugh　rang　out　from　the　sitting　room。　Samantha　put　on　long…stemmed　broccoli　to　steam；　drained　her　glass　of　wine；　ripped　open　a　bag　of　tortilla　chips　and　a　tub　of　hummus；　and　upended　them　into　bowls。

Mary　and　Gavin　were　still　conversing　quietly　on　the　sofa　when　she　returned　to　the　sitting　room；　while　Miles　was　showing　Kay　a　framed　aerial　photograph　of　Pagford；　and　giving　her　a　lesson　in　the　town’s　history。　Samantha　set　down　the　bowls　on　the　coffee　table；　poured　herself　another　drink　and　settled　into　the　armchair；　making　no　effort　to　join　either　conversation。　It　was　awfully　unfortable　to　have　Mary　there；　with　her　grief　hanging　so　heavily　around　her　she　might　as　well　have　walked　in　trailing　a　shroud。　Surely；　though；　she　would　leave　before　dinner。

Gavin　was　determined　that　Mary　should　stay。　As　they　discussed　the　latest　developments　in　their　ongoing　battle　with　the　insurance　pany；　he　felt　much　more　relaxed　and　in　control　than　he　usually　did　in　Miles　and　Samantha’s　presence。　Nobody　was　chipping　away　at　him；　or　patronizing　him；　and　Miles　was　absolving　him　temporarily　of　all　responsibility　for　Kay。

‘…　and　just　here；　just　out　of　sight；’　Miles　was　saying；　pointing　to　a　spot　two　inches　past　the　frame　of　the　picture；　‘you’ve　got　Sweetlove　House；　the　Fawley　place。　Big　Queen　Anne　manor　house；　dormers；　stone　quoins　…　stunning；　you　should　visit；　it’s　open　to　the　public　on　Sundays　in　the　summer。　Important　family　locally；　the　Fawleys。’

‘Stone　quoins？’　‘Important　family；　locally？’　God；　you　are　an　arse；　Miles。

Samantha　hoisted　herself　out　of　her　armchair　and　returned　to　the　kitchen。　Though　the　casserole　was　watery；　the　burnt　flavour　dominated。　The　broccoli　was　flaccid　and　tasteless；　the　mashed　potato　cool　and　dry。　Past　caring；　she　decanted　it　all　into　dishes　and　slammed　it　down　on　the　circular　dining…room　table。

‘Dinner’s　ready！’　she　called　at　the　sitting…room　door。

‘Oh；　I　must　go；’　said　Mary；　jumping　up。　‘I　didn’t　mean—’

‘No；　no；　no！’　said　Gavin；　in　a　tone　that　Kay　had　never　heard　before：　kindly　and　cajoling。　‘It’ll　do　you　good　to　eat　–　kids’ll　be　all　right　for　an　hour。’

Miles　added　his　support　and　Mary　looked　uncertainly　towards　Samantha；　who　was　forced　to　add　her　voice　to　theirs；　then　dash