The House Party

by Mary Grand

  Beth swallowed, cross with herself for feeling tearful. ‘I didn’t mean to upset anyone.’ Her voice was shaking now.

  ‘Well, it’s time to stop obsessing about it all. Patrick’s here and he needs a break. He’s heard the results of the post-mortem, so handle him with care.’

  Beth had to ask, ‘What did they say?’

  ‘Patrick chose to share the results with us because he knows he can trust us not to go shouting our mouths off about it. If he wants to tell you, that’s his decision, but I shall respect his privacy.’

  With that Imogen strutted off. Beth felt herself blush, humiliated and angry. She never used to be so aggressive. Glancing over, she noticed Imogen was now having a go at William, telling him off for not lighting the barbeque earlier. Beth felt sorry for him, slightly vindicated that clearly Imogen was out of sorts with everyone today.

  ‘How about a short walk in the woods? You could go to the squirrel hide while the barbeque heats up,’ said William. ‘You can leave me here. I’ll be fine.’

  Recognising his need for space, everyone agreed. Beth put down her glass and left with the others. Elsa walked ahead with Patrick. Imogen talked to Adam and Alex. Sami walked some way behind with Beth.

  ‘What’s got into Imogen?’ he asked.

  ‘I don’t know. She had a go at me as soon as we arrived.’

  ‘I know she can be a bit overbearing, but she’s not usually downright rude. Poor William.’

  ‘She’s getting worse. She’s like it in school as well.’

  ‘You said she was winding up some of the staff?’

  ‘None of the teachers want to approach her now. The deputy head has become a kind of mediator between Imogen and the rest. Two teachers are leaving. It’s sad. The school was on the brink of huge success, but it’s going to fall apart if Imogen carries on undermining the staff in the way she’s doing.’

  ‘I wonder what the matter is?’

  ‘No idea, but she’s no right to take it out on me.’

  They caught up with the others. Sami joined Imogen. Adam fell back to walk with Beth.

  ‘It’s good to see you out in the fresh air,’ she said.

  ‘I like it, having a break from the pressure.’

  ‘You shouldn’t feel too much pressure. You’re well set for your grades. It’s exciting, isn’t it?’ she said, trying desperately to add the yeast of joy to her words.

  ‘I don’t know. Going to university is a big thing.’

  ‘You’ll love it. How is that piece of coursework you’ve been working on? Something to do with thermo something? You must be nearly there by now.’

  Adam was soon chatting about thermodynamics as if it was the most thrilling subject in the universe which, of course, to him it was. Beth loved listening to the passion he spoke with. She did occasionally make sure he didn’t trip over logs or walk into trees, but that was all that was needed of her. As he talked, she managed to calm down from her conversation with Imogen.

  They sat for a while in the squirrel hide. Beth had never seen a squirrel from in here and she often wondered if they had quietly gone to live somewhere else, but it never stopped her waiting and hoping. She was so engrossed that she didn’t notice the others leave. Realising she was alone, she turned to go back, but stopped when she heard two people arguing. She recognised the voices of Elsa and Patrick.

  She heard Elsa say, ‘How can you say you loved her when it’s obvious what she did?’

  Patrick’s words were indistinguishable, but whatever he said sent Elsa running in her direction, and then past her. Beth felt uneasy. The tone of the conversation seemed intense, intimate even.

  Patrick appeared.

  ‘Is everything OK?’ she asked.

  ‘Something needed clearing up; that’s all.’

  ‘So, has Sean gone back to Ireland?’

  ‘Not yet. His family are over here, so he’s gone to the mainland to meet up with them, but he said he would stay with me a bit longer.’

  ‘That’s good of him.’

  ‘I know, he’s talked to them at work and they are happy for him to have prolonged leave but, of course, he will have to go back eventually. I shall miss him when he does.’

  ‘Any idea what Conor will do?’

  ‘Not yet. I told him I’m happy for him to stay with me. We get on and he’s independent. He’s off today somewhere with his mates.’

  They were catching up with everyone else, but Patrick took hold of Beth’s arm and held her back.

  ‘I wanted to talk to you. That police officer, Sue, came to see me. They’ve had the results of the post-mortem.’

  ‘Was everything as you expected?’

  ‘Well, as they thought it was the bang to her head on the cliffside as she fell that caused her death. So that’s a relief. She’d not have known much of what was happening, and not suffered long. However, something new did come up. They found that very recently Kathleen had miscarried. It had been early on in her pregnancy.’

  ‘I am so sorry. Um, did you know?’

  Patrick nodded. ‘Of course, but I was sorry it showed up in the post-mortem. I’d worked so hard checking her room, you know, for pregnancy tests or anything. I didn’t want the police to know.’

  ‘Why?’ Beth watched him carefully.

  ‘Because I know how people think. I was told after the chemotherapy that there was little chance of fathering a child. I told no one, but I know people work things out for themselves. I could just see the rumours spreading around that Kathleen had had an affair. I couldn’t bear that. Because I knew I was the father.’

  ‘I see.’ Beth saw the fire in his eyes. She wasn’t going to argue with that, and in any case, if that was his way of handling things, who was she to add to the pain?

  ‘I know it’s not trendy, but I believe in miracles. The baby was mine. I know it. When I heard Kathleen being sick in the mornings, I didn’t say anything, but I was so excited: our miracle. I waited for her to tell me, but then a few days before she died, I saw some of those pads in the bathroom. She looked so pale and was so exhausted, I guessed then that she’d lost the baby. It was so sad. I respected her space and never said anything, but it gave me hope. We could have tried again.’ Patrick was picking bits of bark off a tree.

  Beth watched him. Kathleen had told Sami that Patrick would have been prepared to believe it, but then Gemma had said she thought Patrick knew about Kathleen’s affair. Did he seriously believe that it had been a miracle, or was he simply acting a part?

  ‘I am so sorry.’

  Patrick seemed to relax. ‘They’re saying Kathleen’s body will be released soon so that I can organise the funeral. I’ll be pleased to do that. It’s been awful, all this waiting.’

  ‘Have the police stopped looking for the silver car?’

  ‘Nothing’s come up. That was always a long shot. No, it was an accident. They are sure of that, thank God. I thought we had to wait for the inquest before we could hold the funeral, but Sue said that could take weeks, even months.’

  ‘I see. Well, the funeral will be hard, but a good thing to do.’

  ‘I’m trying to see it as the end of one chapter, the start of another.’

  They returned to the garden where everyone stood around chatting. Beth nibbled on a burger. Imogen was asking Alex how he was settling in, and about the changes they were planning, before turning to Sami.

  ‘So, will you continue lecturing in London next year?’

  ‘They’ve asked me to carry on next year, so, yes, for the time being. I’ll be glad to get this lot through their exams. I’ve a day of revision classes planned tomorrow, so I’m going up there tonight.’

  ‘They’re lucky to have you,’ said Imogen. Beth watched her, smiling pleasantly. She found it annoying that she could turn the charm on when she felt like it.

  ‘I have to say I don’t feel so happy leaving Beth now,’ said Sami. His words set a different tone; people became more alert. Beth wondered what he was going to say. ‘You se
e, Beth had an anonymous phone call last Sunday.’ Sami blurted the words out without warning.

  Beth stared at him. What had possessed him to bring that up now? She hoped he saw the horror in her eyes and would stop, but instead he continued. ‘Yes. It was awful. The person used a voice distorter, the coward.’

  Beth looked around; their friends were looking anywhere other than at Sami. The atmosphere was like an elastic band pulled to breaking point.

  William scowled. ‘It must have been some kids messing about.’

  ‘Of course,’ said Imogen. ‘These things are best ignored.’

  ‘I didn’t think so,’ said Sami. ‘Beth has reported it to the police. The person said some pretty nasty things. They can’t be allowed to get away with that.’ He looked round the group. ‘Even if it was someone we know, I want them caught. The police agreed, and are tracing the call.’

  ‘It sounds dreadful,’ said William.

  ‘It was. I hope nothing like this happens again,’ said Sami, and he went back to eating his chicken.

  Imogen glared at him. ‘I’m sorry about that, but we are here for a break from unpleasantness. Now, I think it’s time I brought out the puddings. I’ve got your favourite macaroons, Patrick.’ She walked off briskly to the house, and William started to talk about a friend who had recently returned from an around-the-world sailing trip. It was easy. Everyone seemed to relax, but Beth was watching Sami; it was so unlike him to stir things up like that.

  After dessert was eaten, Beth went inside to use the bathroom.

  To the left of the hallway, she peeped into a room which she knew was William’s study. There was a cabinet with his medals and awards for sport, and on the wall the certificate for his first-class degree. It seemed a bit over the top, but it made her realise how proud Adam would be when he’d achieved his degree. Yes: it was good that he was going. Next to the certificate she noticed a small home safe, and thought that maybe living in such an isolated place you needed to think a bit more about security. Beth went upstairs to the bathroom.

  On her way back, she heard noises from Imogen’s bedroom and peeked in. Imogen stood sideways on, pressing pills out of a foil container into the palm of her hand. Beth watched, struck by the intensity of Imogen’s actions and saw the whole of Imogen’s body relax as she swallowed them. Maybe her back was giving her a lot more pain than she was letting on: that could, in part anyway, explain how uptight she seemed lately.

  Beth tried to creep past. She didn’t want another confrontation but Imogen, seeming to sense her presence, turned and, to Beth’s relief, smiled. ‘Oh, hi. Just taking something. I didn’t want to say too much in front of Patrick, but I’m sorry about that call you had. Are you OK?’

  ‘I think so—’

  Imogen interrupted her. ‘Good. I saw you and Patrick talking. Did he tell you about the post-mortem?’

  Beth stood on the threshold of the bedroom, and glanced around. The room spoke far more of Imogen than William, with piles of files, a desk with a laptop, prints she knew Imogen had put up when she moved. ‘Yes, we talked on the way back from the hide.’

  Beth felt Imogen watching her, and could tell that, as in a game of strategy, Imogen was trying to work out what she knew.

  ‘So, did he tell you everything they found out about Kathleen?’

  Beth nodded. ‘He told me she’d been pregnant, had lost a baby.’

  Imogen breathed out. ‘I was so shocked. Of course, I’d known she was pregnant.’

  ‘You’d known?’ Beth had wondered, but was still shocked.

  Imogen looked out of the window. ‘I overheard a conversation William had with her on the phone a few weeks before she died.’

  ‘Did you talk to William about it?’

  ‘No. I wasn’t meant to know, was I? I did wonder about it, though. You know, with Patrick having been so ill—’ She looked at Beth.

  ‘Patrick’s treatment meant it was unlikely that he could father children, didn’t it?’ said Beth.

  ‘Yes, exactly,’ replied Imogen. ‘And so we know what that means—’

  ‘Patrick insists the baby was his and it was a miracle.’

  Imogen waved her hand impatiently. ‘Yes, yes, but we know that’s rubbish.’

  Beth moved closer to her. ‘So, you’ve suspected Kathleen of having an affair for a while? Did you have any idea who the affair was with?’

  Imogen went red. ‘No, of course not.’

  ‘But you didn’t know she’d lost the baby?’

  Imogen shook her head. To Beth’s surprise her eyes filled with tears. ‘No. I wish to God I had.’

  ‘It must have been a terrible thing to go through on her own,’ said Beth.

  Imogen sniffed. ‘I guess it was.’

  Unspoken words hung in the air until Imogen said, ‘Well, it’s all in the past now. I guess we all want to move on.’ She paused, then asked, ‘But what about you?’

  ‘I’m trying to.’

  ‘Patrick tells me he can organise the funeral now. I really think, Beth, that will be a good thing, and will put an end to all this.’

  Imogen walked past her, and Beth, realising the conversation had come to an end, followed her back outside. They walked past a montage of old, small photographs of Imogen and Elsa, hanging in the hallway.

  ‘They were taken the day we moved in,’ said Imogen. ‘I was so proud: my first home, all paid for by me.’

  ‘I remember. I brought you up Welsh cakes.’

  ‘You did, and we sat outside. Elsa and Adam were five then. It was a sunny day and I felt I’d landed in paradise. I’d hate to leave here.’

  Hearing the sadness in Imogen’s voice, Beth asked, ‘You’ve no reason to, have you?’

  ‘William’s happy here, even though it’s not anything like as smart as he’s used to. Then my parents found details of some huge house in Cowes advertised by one of the London property agents and have been persuading him that it would be a good move for us. It’s their kind of house: modern, stunning views over the Solent; neat, tidy lawns, posh neighbourhood and all that.’

  ‘It sounds expensive, but William has money, doesn’t he?’

  ‘Yes, but Mum and Dad say they would come in with us, a kind of investment for them as well. Still, I’m holding out. I have to put my foot down sometimes, like I did last year. I know they don’t like it, but William doesn’t understand. They’ll take over our lives completely if I don’t. No, this is my home.’

  They went outside and Imogen left her. Beth found a quiet spot in the garden and closed her eyes. So Imogen had known about Kathleen being pregnant, and had known that she’d had an affair with someone. Imogen had been so bitter when Kathleen died, which would be no wonder if she’d suspected Kathleen had been pregnant by William. Having wondered that about Sami, Beth knew how much that hurt. Why did Imogen seem to wish she’d known about Kathleen losing the baby? Did she wish she could have supported Kathleen, or was there another reason? Did she regret something she’d said or done to Kathleen? Beth stopped herself: she had moved on from this. It was the job of the police now.

  Soon it was time to leave. Adam had already left, using work as an excuse, and had walked back. As Sami drove her home, Beth asked, ‘Why did you bring up the anonymous phone call?’

  ‘If it was one of them, I didn’t think it would hurt to know we’d been to the police.’

  ‘It’s not like you to confront people like that. You didn’t mention that the police can’t trace the call.’

  He grinned. ‘No. Let them sweat! My aim really was to frighten this person so at least they don’t do it again.’

  ‘I hope it works. Thank you. By the way, Imogen told me she knew about Kathleen’s pregnancy. She overheard William on the phone.’

  ‘They both knew. Did they know about Patrick’s infertility?’

  ‘I think William did, and I think Imogen had worked it out. I wondered if she’d been worried about William and Kathleen having an affair.’

  ‘No way. William
would never take that risk, even if he was tempted. He’s only been here five years. He loves Imogen, I’m sure, and there is no way he’d be so stupid as to have an affair with a patient. No, he wouldn’t do that.’

  ‘I’m not sure Imogen is so convinced. I talked with Patrick when we went for the walk. He knew about the pregnancy as well, he says it was a miracle.’

  ‘Yes. He said that to me.’

  ‘Do you believe him? Does he genuinely think that?’

  ‘I think some people are more than capable of lying to themselves if they don’t like the truth. I see it when people discuss their illness or that of someone they love.’ Sami patted her knee. ‘Anyway, you don’t need to worry about any of that now, do you?’

  She forced a smile. ‘No, of course not.’

  They arrived at the house. ‘OK, then. I’ve got all my stuff. I’ll see you tomorrow evening. I’ll give you a ring when I get on the Red Jet.’

  Ollie came running to greet Beth.

  ‘Come on, you need a good walk.’ They went down Castleford Shute and up around the farms where Beth used to take Layla and Adam to see the horses. While she was there, she sent a text to Layla, asking her what time she would be in. The unhelpful reply said:

  Don’t know.

  After having tea with Adam, Beth spent the evening sewing, watching TV but really waiting for Layla to come home. When she did finally come in, Beth tried to sound relaxed as she said. ‘You’re late. Have a good day with your friends?’

  Layla shrugged. She looked miserable.

  ‘Something up?’

  ‘I’m going to bed.’

  Beth watched her stomp up the stairs. Tomorrow she hoped they would talk.

  That night Beth tried not to think too much about the day. She had promised herself not to dwell on Kathleen any more, but still she felt uneasy. Outside she heard rain starting to pat the windows: they’d been lucky today. In the distance she heard thunder, which was building up. The lightning started. The storm felt like it was overhead and she was surprised to see Ollie had come to find her, as he was usually fine with storms.

  ‘It’s nothing to worry about,’ she said calmly. ‘But listen. Dad’s away. You can sleep on the rug here. Don’t tell him.’