When they came out of the cinema the short winter day was ending; lights were coming on in shops and restaurants, a faint yellow haze at their edges. ‘It’s starting to get foggy,’ Sarah said. ‘The forecast said it might.’
‘We’ll be all right on the tube,’ Irene replied. ‘We’ve time for a coffee.’ She led the way across the road, pausing for a tram to jingle past. A couple of young men jostled them, wearing long drape jackets and drainpipe trousers, their hair in high, greased quiffs. A little way off a policeman frowned at them from the open door of a police box.
‘Don’t they look ridiculous?’ Irene said, ‘Jive Boys,’ her tone disgusted.
‘They’re just youngsters trying to look different.’
‘Those jackets—’
‘Zoot suits.’ Sarah laughed. ‘They’re American.’
‘What about that fight they had with the Young Fascists in Wandsworth last month?’ Irene asked indignantly. ‘The knives and knuckledusters? People got badly hurt. I don’t like boys getting the birch but they deserved it.’
Sarah smiled to herself. Irene was always so indignant, so outraged. Yet Sarah knew it was all words; underneath her sister had a warm heart. The news item on the eugenics conference had reminded Sarah of the time, a few months before, when they had left another cinema to find a group of boys tormenting a Mongol child, telling him how he would be sterilized when the new laws came in. It was Irene, supporter of eugenics, who had waded in, shouting at the bullies and pushing them away.
‘I don’t know where we’re going with all this terrorism,’ Irene said. ‘Did you hear about that army barracks the Resistance have blown up in Liverpool? That soldier killed?’
‘I know. I suppose the Resistance would say they were fighting a war.’
‘Wars just kill people.’
‘You can’t believe everything you’re told about what the Resistance do. Look at how they hid what happened last Sunday.’
They headed for a British Corner House, as all the Lyons Corner Houses were now known since the expropriation from their Jewish owners. The tearoom, all mirrors and bright chrome, was crowded with women shoppers, but they found an empty table for two and sat down. As the nippy, neat in white apron and cap, took their order Irene looked around her. ‘I’ll have to start thinking about Christmas shopping soon. I can’t decide what to give the boys. Steve’s talking about getting them a big Hornby train set, but I know he just wants to play with it himself. Nanny says they want a whole army of toy soldiers.’
‘How is Nanny?’
‘Still got that cough. I don’t think the panel doctor she’s with is any good, you know what they’re like. I’ve made an appointment with our man. I worry about the children getting it, and you can see the poor girl’s in discomfort.’
‘I’m dreading Christmas,’ Sarah said with sudden bleakness. ‘I have since Charlie died.’
Irene reached over and put a hand on her sister’s, her pretty face contrite. ‘I’m sorry, dear, I do go on so—’
‘I can’t expect people never to mention children in front of me.’
Irene’s blue eyes were full of concern. ‘I know it’s hard. For you and David—’
Sarah took her cigarettes from her bag and offered one to her sister. She said, with sudden anger, ‘After more than two years you’d think it would get easier.’
‘No sign of another?’ Irene asked.
Sarah shook her head. ‘No.’ She blinked away a tear. ‘I’m sorry David got into that argument with Steve on Sunday. He gets – moody.’
‘It doesn’t matter. We were all upset.’
‘He said he was sorry afterwards. Not that he really meant it,’ she added heavily.
‘You and David,’ Irene said hesitantly, ‘you find it hard to share the grief, don’t you?’
‘We used to be so close. But David’s become – unreachable. When I think – when I think how we were when Charlie was alive.’ She looked her sister in the face. ‘I think he’s having an affair.’
‘Oh, my dear,’ Irene said softly. ‘Are you sure?’
Sarah shook her head. ‘No. But I think so.’
The nippy came with her silver-plated tray, set out the tea and biscuits. Irene poured and handed Sarah a cup. ‘Why do you think that?’ she asked quietly.
‘There’s a woman at work he’s friendly with. Carol. She’s a clerk in the Dominions Office Registry. I’ve met her a couple of times at functions, she’s quite plain but very smart, went to university. She’s got a bright personality.’ Sarah gave a brittle laugh. ‘Good God, they used to say that about me.’ She hesitated. ‘David goes into work at weekends sometimes, he has for over a year. That’s where he is today. He claims they’re very busy, which I suppose they are, with relations with the Dominions being so tricky. But sometimes he goes out in the evening, too, he tells me he goes to the tennis club to play with his friend Geoff. They have an indoor court now. He says it relaxes him.’
‘Maybe it does.’
‘More than being at home with me, I suppose. Damn him,’ Sarah said, angry again, then shook her head. ‘No, I don’t mean that.’
Irene hesitated. ‘What makes you think he’s interested in this woman?’
‘She’s interested in him, I could see that when we met.’
Irene smiled. ‘David’s a very good-looking man. But he’s never – well – strayed before, has he? Not like Steve.’
Sarah blew out a cloud of smoke. ‘You told me last time that you threatened to leave him, take the boys with you.’
‘Yes. I think that’s stopped him, you know how he loves the boys. Me too, in his way. Sarah, you’re not thinking of leaving David?’