‘I suggest you keep your mouth shut and let the rest of us enjoy our lunch.’
‘Well yes,’ said Ralph, ‘I can see that this is the merriest of Christmas lunches, isn’t it? I doubt there’s another household in the land enjoying themselves as much as we are this fine day.’
In the silence that followed, and after helping himself to a chipolata from the dish on the table, he said, ‘By the way, Dad, how’s Miss Casey this morning?’
‘What sort of a question is that?’ his father demanded. ‘How should I know?’
Ralph shrugged. ‘I could have sworn I heard her being ill in the night. Sounded very like she was having trouble breathing. Does she suffer from asthma?’
The expression on his father’s face was priceless, his eyes bulged, and he looked ready to spit out whatever it was in his mouth. ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about,’ he snarled.
‘Oh, I think you do. What is more, I think you’re going to let me stay for as long as I like. Won’t that be nice?’
Arthur wrenched the napkin from the neck of his shirt. ‘Julia and Charles,’ he barked, ‘kindly leave the room. I need to teach Ralph some manners.’
With not a word uttered, the two of them did as he said.
‘Well, this should be fun,’ said Ralph with a smirk when they were alone. For good measure he helped himself to another chipolata.
‘I don’t know what sort of game you think you’re playing, Ralph, but I won’t tolerate your insolence in front of Charles.’
‘I don’t give a damn what you will or won’t tolerate. I know what you’re up to with that Miss Casey, I heard the pair of you last night. At it like a couple of dogs. And guess what else I know?’
In the look he gave Ralph, his father managed somehow to convey both boredom and menace simultaneously. ‘I can’t imagine what sordid fantasies your mind has come up with,’ he said.
‘Oh, let me assure you, my mind is as pure as the driven snow that is currently deep and crisp and wonderfully even outside. You see, I know who is responsible for running over my poor Aunt Hope.’
There was a satisfying pause before Arthur spoke. ‘I suppose that’s what Julia told you, isn’t it?’ He leaned back in his chair, making it creak ominously. ‘What can I say, that’s the kind of woman to whom I’m married. A feeble liar who won’t accept responsibility for what she’s done.’
‘That’s right, and because you’re such a loving and benevolent husband, you’re covering for her, aren’t you, instead of going to the police?’
Arthur narrowed his eyes. ‘It might be unlawful, but any husband in my shoes would do the same. All I’m doing is trying to protect my wife, and my son.’
‘And you know what, you almost sound convincing. But the thing is, there’s not a member of the family who will believe you. They know what you’re capable of. As do I.’
‘You shouldn’t give any credence to the stories my brother or sister have told in the past about me. Or Romily for that matter. They’ve always resented my success.’
Ralph snorted. ‘For what possible reason could they think you’ve done better than they have? Hope and Romily are both celebrated authors and Kit is a war hero.’
‘Hardly that. All he did was survive a fire.’
‘And recover sufficiently to join the ATA. Whereas you did what exactly during the war, Father?’
‘I’m bored with this conversation.’
‘I’ll bet you are! But I’m not. Tell me about you and Miss Casey. How long have the pair of you been indulging in late night sex together? Pretty steamy sex from what I heard. And please don’t insult my intelligence by denying it.’
‘What exactly is it that you want from me, Ralph?’
‘Money.’
His father shook his head. ‘What a surprise. Does nothing change with you?’
‘Why should I change when I do so well out of it? After all, I am my father’s son. I’m a regular chip off the old block. You should be proud of me.’
‘And if I don’t submit to your . . . your request, what then?’
Ralph laughed. ‘Is that something you really want to put to the test?’
‘You realise, don’t you, that your accusations boil down to nothing more than your word against mine?’
‘No smoke without fire, as they say, so that should be sufficient to blacken your name amongst the august folk of the county.’
‘Do you really believe I give a damn about such things?’
‘Oh, I think you give quite a damn about your social standing. Why else do you live here in this mausoleum? You love to lord it over the rest of the village, particularly your family. So how about it?’
Arthur tutted. ‘How much are you hoping to extract from me.’
‘Twenty-five thousand would suit me.’ Ralph knew this was a staggering amount of money, but in for a penny, in for a pound.
‘Twenty-five thousand pounds!’ exploded Arthur. At his temple a thick ropy vein throbbed, and his chins wobbled; he looked on the verge of an apoplectic fit.
‘I call that a bargain, given what I know.’
‘I’d sooner call it daylight robbery. If I agree, will you then leave and never make the same demand of me?’
‘Happily. But don’t think for one moment of cancelling the cheque. Do that, and I shall do my worst. If we have an agreement, I’ll go upstairs and pack. But not before saying goodbye to Julia and Charles.’
His father looked as if he were about to object, but then merely nodded.
Twenty minutes later, and with the requested cheque safely in his hand, Ralph went in search of Julia. He expected to find her in her parlour, but Charles was there alone reading a book. ‘Charlie-Boy,’ he said quietly, ‘I want you to do something for me. Go and pack a small bag of your favourite things, and a few clothes. Can you do that?’
‘Are we going somewhere?’ the boy asked anxiously.
‘Yes. But it’s a surprise. A secret. So not a word to your father.’
‘Is Mummy coming with us?’
‘Of course.’
The boy nodded and slipped off the chair. ‘If you’re looking for Mummy, I think she went upstairs.’
Wondering what she was doing up there, Ralph climbed the stairs, just as he had last night. On the landing he saw that Miss Casey’s door was ajar. He pushed it further open and saw Julia inside the room.