If he was going to clinch the New York job he must mend his marriage at once.

He therefore curbed his initial instinct which was to beat Kitty up on her return. And when she came through the front door just holding back the tears and waiting, trembling violently, for the tolling of the punishment bell, Rannaldini promptly despatched the children to Mrs Brimscombe and roast chicken and chips in the kitchen and drew her into the red morning room.

After the bleak, bitter day, nothing could have been more welcoming. Apple logs crackled merrily in the grate, side lamps cast soft light on huge dark blue bowls of white hyacinths, and on the soft red roses and peonies of the Aubusson which flowed over the entire floor. Instead of the usual deafening Stockhausen or Shostakovitch the stereo was playing My Fair Lady. Even Rannaldini himself looked more approachable in old brown cords, a yellow-checked shirt and a dark brown cashmere jersey, which seemed to bring out softer brown flecks in the hard black eyes, and he was smiling at her with such tenderness.

‘I’m ever so sorry, Rannaldini,’ Kitty’s teeth were chattering so frantically she could hardly get the words out.

‘Hush, hush, all that matters is that you are home. Come here, my lovely child.’

Taking her blue frozen hands he drew her close, gently stroking her cheek, which was rigid with tension, as she waited for the first blow from the back of his hand.

‘I’m so sorry about the Press and fings.’

‘What does the stupid Press matter?’ sighed Rannaldini. ‘Seeing you in Lysander’s arms bring me to my senses. I ’ave the worst twenty-four hours of my life.’

Expecting screaming abuse, the thumbscrew, the stapler punched through the hand, Kitty looked up in bewilderment.

‘I’ve grown accustomed to her face, she seems to make the day begin,’ sang Rex Harrison.

‘My sentiments entirely,’ said Rannaldini, kissing her forehead and then her trembling lips.

‘You’re not angry?’

‘Only with myself for neglecting you. All my cheeldren adore you, even Natasha. She reeng me in such distress this morning. Papa, don’t let Kitty go. She is very upset, of course. Lysander ’ave often tell her he love her, and keep ringing up from Switzerland.’ That hurts her, thought Rannaldini with satisfaction, seeing Kitty flinch.

‘Of course he chase Natasha,’ he went on. ‘She will be very rich woman eef I die. So will you, Kitty, and that ees not so impossible.’ He waved away her protests. ‘Theenking you might not come back, I contemplate ending it all.’ Pulling open a desk drawer he pointed to a black pistol.

‘Oh no, Rannaldini!’ Kitty was horrified. ‘You mustn’t do anyfing like that.’

‘Not eef I have you.’ Banging the drawer shut Rannaldini went to the drinks table and poured Kitty a large brandy. ‘But I have many problems. Catchitune have gone belly-up. Larry is ruined.’

‘Oh, poor Larry and poor Marigold.’

‘Poor me,’ said Rannaldini fretfully. ‘Catchitune owe me meelions of pounds. We will have to find a new record company, theenk of the new contracts to be drawn up.’ Then, seeing the exhaustion on Kitty’s face, ‘But forget that. Theenk only of us, my Keety, and come with me to the tower.’ His hand slid round her waist, sliding upwards to caress her breast with infinite gentleness, then down to stroke her bottom, giving it a quick vicious pinch.

‘You are made for love, Keety, and now perhaps a leetle punishment for being such a naughty girl. Drink up your brandy and I will blot out all memory of that promiscuous greedy little gigolo.’

‘He’s not,’ gasped Kitty.

‘Oh, my dear!’ Picking up a woodlice crawling across the hearth, Rannaldini tossed it into the fire. ‘Don’t make me shatter any more of your illusions. You must promise never to see him again.’

Even worse was Lysander’s return to Magpie Cottage. Paradise had never looked bleaker. A sadistic east wind whipped the last leaves across the sallow fields. The frantically threshing branches of the trees tangled like antlers. Rannaldini, the wily old buck, was despatching the young pretender into the forest. He never should have let Kitty go. It was his fault. If he’d been able to keep his hands off her in public they’d have got away with it. He was terrified of Rannaldini’s vengeance and for a sickening moment over the wind and rain thought he could hear the punishment bell tolling at Valhalla, then realized it was only the church clock striking twelve. It seemed like midnight. How could he get through the rest of his life?

The cottage smelt damp and sour. The doormat was covered in letters, mostly brown envelopes. In the fridge he found a half-eaten pheasant crawling with maggots and, shuddering, threw it in the bin. Pouring himself the dregs of a bottle of vodka he topped it with tonic as flat as his life and only bothered to open three letters, each of which plunged him into deeper despair.

The first was from the vet saying he was 99 per cent sure Arthur had contracted navicular disease which meant he was a write-off for racing.

‘Oh, poor darling Arthur.’ But Lysander couldn’t really absorb such a bodyblow in his present shell-shocked condition. The second letter didn’t need a stamp. Marigold wrote:


Dearest Lysander,

I’m terribly sorry but poor Larry’s been voted off the Catchitune board so we won’t be able to pay you your monthly retainer any more, but I hope Georgie is still paying you, and we’ve got to put The Grange and Magpie Cottage on the market at once. You can stay until we sell it, but please try to keep it tidy because agents will be showing people round. Don’t worry about Larry and me, we’re OK.

On a happier note, although I can’t afford the £10,000 bonus, congratulations on getting Rannaldini back for Kitty. He was really rocked by those pictures in Today. Larry, who saw him afterwards, said he minded much more about them than Catchitune going belly-up. And you managed to look really in love with Kitty — you are a good actor. Rannaldini’s so jumpy he’ll be dropping all his mistresses soon, even that old bat Hermione. Hope to see you at Rachel’s party tomorrow evening. Love, Marigold.

Rain was sweeping down the valley like a ghost cavalry charge. Lysander started to shake; all his old insecurities came hurtling back. He had lost his true love. If he moved out of the cottage, where would all the animals and, hopefully, Kitty, live? Poor Marigold, too — going up the spout. He’d had a lot of money from her. His trembling hand had great difficulty in writing her a cheque for thirty thousand pounds. He didn’t want to be paid a bean for saving Kitty’s marriage. He’d better ring his bank sometime and find out how much he’d got left. Or perhaps Ferdie could do that for him. He must ring up and get the dogs back and talk of the devil, here was a letter from Ferdie. How odd, Ferdie never wrote letters and his handwriting on the envelope looked really crazy.


Dear Lysander, I’m afraid Maggie’s dead. Lysander gave a moan of horror. She wasn’t getting fat like we thought, she was pregnant and pining so much for you she wouldn’t eat. She had no strength and died giving birth to three puppies. Two were still born. I’m feeding the third with a bottle.

‘Oh God,’ whispered Lysander; he read on: I just want you to know that you can’t go on fucking up people and animals like this and dodging your responsibilities. You plucked Maggie out of hell, made her fall in love with you and dumped her. And from those pix in Today you’ve done the same to Kitty. I’m fed up with picking up the pieces. I’ll leave Jack with Marigold. I don’t want to see you any more. You’re on your own.

Lysander was distraught. Poor darling, little Maggie, the most adorable dog in the world, who’d given him nothing but love, starving herself to death, and sweet darling Kitty, and Ferdie, his dearest friend, whom he’d totally taken for granted. How could he have behaved so appallingly to all of them? Shivering, he threw himself down on the damp grey sheets and sobbed himself to sleep. Waking two hours later, the light was already fading and he felt so desolate he dialled Valhalla even though he’d promised not to. At first he thought Kitty was a recording machine, her voice was so high, stilted and unnatural.

‘I can’t see you any more.’

‘I can’t live without you,’ he jibbered in panic, ‘and Maggie’s dead.’

‘Oh, Lysander.’ For a second, Kitty’s voice faltered, ‘I’m ever so sorry, but I still can’t see you. Rannaldini’s forgiven me. I’ve got to save my marriage.’

‘What marriage? You’re married to Saddam Hussein.’

‘He’s frettening to kill hisself if I leaves ’im. Fank you for everyfink. God bless you and I’m sorry about Maggie.’

It took Lysander five dials to get Rupert’s number right.

‘Oh, Rupert, Rupert, I’m really sorry to bother you, but Kitty won’t see me any more and Rannaldini’s threatening suicide.’

‘That old trick,’ said Rupert scornfully. ‘No doubt he’ll get Kitty to run off suicide notes on her word processor for all his mistresses. I’ve just been watching the tape of the nativity play. Christ, it’s funny. I must send Flora some flowers.’

‘And Arthur’s got navicular,’ said Lysander despairingly.

‘Bring him over tomorrow. I’ll have a look.’

‘Are you sure? D’you mind having Tiny as well? She’s such a bitch, but Arthur pines without her.’


52



The only reason Lysander went to Rachel’s party was in the hope of seeing Kitty. It was another mean night. Black ice gripped the winding Rutshire roads. A savage wind chivvied woolly sepia clouds across the stars. Rachel’s barrel of rainwater was frozen solid. Although Jasmine Cottage was, if anything, colder in than out, the party gave an initial illusion of success because the twenty-five odd guests crammed into a small room, dominated by a large black grand piano, had to yell to be heard, particularly as Rachel had turned up Rannaldini’s CD of Shostakovich’s Fifth fortissimo.