Guy Fawkes Day
Page 75
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Magdalen College Library, Oxford, 7:15 p.m.
’Your mum's on my mobile outside,’ Joanna whispered loudly across the library. ‘Is yours switched off?’
Sophie nodded, staring once more forlornly at the neglected heap of books in front of her. She hadn't managed to concentrate on any of them for a second; instead, they had been sharing her gloomy thoughts for the last couple of hours. At least they were silent confidantes, not asking the same intrusive questions as Joanna or Darren, or that damn Mr Talbot, who had rung back three times.
‘What does she want again?’ Sophie hissed back at Joanna. ‘She must have called me six or seven times since last night and sounded really, really weird every time.’
Outside, the fresh chill of the wind was welcome relief from the stuffy library. Sophie switched her mobile back on and dialled home with a world-weary heaviness. Each time she had spoken to Mum since Mr Talbot's visit on Wednesday morning, the dreadful picture of her mother and Omar lying arm-in-arm together on the punt loomed larger on her mind, and hotchpotch emotions of guilt, anger and jealousy accompanied the vision.
As soon as she got through it was the same old question.
‘Mum, not again,’ she pleaded. ‘I keep on telling you, I haven't seen him since I got back from Africa. He's vanished. There's nothing for you to worry about.’
‘Sophie, darling, we've got to talk: I mean properly, not over the phone. There's a lot I've got to explain to you…’
‘Mum? What is it?’ Sophie was worried now. She had never heard her mother break down in tears before.
‘It's him. The man you've been seeing.’
‘Mum, I've told you…’
‘No, Sophie, it's me that needs to tell you. The man you know as Omar, you see, I knew him before as someone else, before you were born.’
Sophie waited for a group of third-year finalists to pass by, noisily agreeing a meeting time in the bar. So Mum knew! How? Talbot, it had to be Talbot. Talbot had been to see Mum, the bastard.
‘Look, Mum, I know about you and him. Let's just forget about it, eh? I suppose that Mr Talbot has been to see you too.’
‘Talbot?’
‘The sneery government man.’
‘I need to tell you about him too, Sophie. Oh my God, it's such a mess. I never thought…I’ll have to come up to Oxford.’
‘Mum, don't worry about it. I can handle it.’
"He left a letter with me for you, Sophie. I'll bring that too.’
‘Who left a letter? Talbot?’
‘No. It's from Robbie, the man you know as Omar.’
Sophie froze. This was only supposed to happen in Greek tragedy. The intensity of the jealous anger she now felt for her mother just couldn't be happening.
‘You mean, Omar's been to see you too?’
‘Yes, I'll explain it all when I see you tomorrow.’
But Sophie didn't want explanations from her mother. She just wanted to get away.
‘Look, Mum, I've got to go now. All that can wait. I’ve got an essay to finish by tomorrow morning and I’ve hardly started.’
She knew she sounded outrageously sharp, but right now there was nothing else she could manage.
‘Sophie, please…’
‘We'll talk, tomorrow, Mum. I'll be at home all day after my morning tutorial.’
‘OK?’ Joanna asked when Sophie had finished the call.
Sophie shook her head.
‘Fancy a break?’
‘Not yet,’ Sophie sighed. ‘Or I’ll never get this bloody essay done.’
‘Apparently something’s going on in London,’ Joanna yawned, glancing at the internet browser on her mobile.
‘Whatever,’ said Sophie, waving a hand dismissively at Joanna and opening the library door. The hushed silenced of the interior regained was far more appealing than a London world full of Mum and Mr Talbot