"Fuck 'em all," said Mitch. Norah laughed into her wine glass.
Loretta moved on without glancing in her stepson's direction. "He'd say: business as usual. We have to demonstrate our strength as a family. Our solidarity. Which is why I'm particularly grateful to you, Rachel, for coming back at such short notice. I know things between you and Mitchell aren't very easy at the moment so it means a lot to me personally that you're here. Now, Cecil, why don't you tell us all the situation as far as Garrison's bail is concerned?"
The next hour was dedicated to legal issues: the history of the judge who would be presiding over the hearing, supplied by Richard; brief assessments of the prosecutors from Cecil, then onto the business problems arising from Garrison's temporary indisposal. Rachel didn't understand many of the issues under discussion, but there was no doubt that despite Loretta's talk of business as usual family affairs were hard to keep on track without Garrison to give the orders. A dozen times, maybe more, a question had to be left unanswered because it fell into Garrison's area of expertise.
Finally, the conversation returned to Rachel.
"Has Mitchell told you about the fund-raiser on Friday night?" Loretta asked her.
"No, I…"
Loretta threw Mitchell a weary look. "It's for the hospital. The pediatric ward. It was about the only charity Margaret had the slightest interest in, and I think it's important we have a presence there."
"I was going to talk to Rachel about it later," Mitchell put in.
"Later's no good, Mitchell," Loretta said. "We've had too much 'later' in this household. Things being put off and put off…" What the hell was she talking about, Rachel wondered. "We've got to get on and do what we need to do. Even if it makes us uncomfortable or-"
"All right, Loretta," Mitchell said. "Calm down."
"Don't you condescend to me," Loretta replied, her voice monotonal. "You're going to listen to me for once in your pampered little life. We're in a mess here. Do you understand me?" Mitchell just stared, which inflamed Loretta all the more. "DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?" she yelled, slamming her palm down on the table. All the silverware jumped.
"Loretta-" Cecil said softly.
"Don't you start pouring oil, Cecil. This isn't any time to be making nice. We're in terrible trouble. All of us. The whole family. Terrible, terrible trouble."
"He'll be out in a week," Mitchell said.
"Is this willful or are you just too stupid to see what's right in front of your nose?" Loretta said, her voice not quite so loud, but still several notches above the conver sational. "There's more to all this than what happened to poor Margie…"
"Oh don't start your Cassandra act, for God's sake," Mitchell said, his voice thick with contempt.
"Mitchell," Cecil said, "a little respect…"
"If she wants some respect she should start being practical, and not telling us it's all in the fucking stars."
"That's not what I'm saying," Loretta said.
"Oh I'm sorry. What is it today? Tarot cards?"
"If your father could hear you-"
"My father thought you were as crazy as a coot," Mitchell said, getting up from the table. "And I'm not going to waste my time sitting here listening to you chatter on like you understand a damn thing about the way the business life of this family works."
"You're the one who's out of his depth," Loretta said.
"There you go again with your inane little threats!" Mitchell yelled. "I know what you're doing! You think I don't see you trying to get Rachel over to your side?"
"Oh for God's sake-"
"Sending her off to that stinking little island, thinking it's some kind of secret."
Rachel caught hold of his hand. "Mitch," she said. "You're making a fool of yourself. Shut up."
He looked as though she'd just slapped him, hard. He pulled his hand out of her grip. "Are you in with her then?" he said, looking at Rachel but pointing at Loretta. "Is this some fucking conspiracy? Cecil? Help me out here. I want to know what's going on."
"Nothing's going on," Cecil said, wearily. "We're just all tired and stressed out. And sad,"
"She isn't sad," Mitchell said, looking back at Loretta, who was wearing an expression of regal inviolability. "She's fucking glad Margie's dead and my brother's in a jail cell."
"I think you should apologize for that," Cecil said.
"It's the truth!" Mitchell protested. "Look at her!"
Now it was Cecil who rose. "I'm sorry, Mitchell, I can't permit you to talk to Loretta that way."
"Sit the fuck down!" Mitchell yelled. "Who the hell do you think you are?" Cecil did and said nothing. "You know what happens when the old man goes? It's Garrison and me. We're in charge. And if Garrison stays in jail, then it's just me." He made a tight little smile. "So you'd better watch yourself, Cecil. I'm going to be looking very hard at the kind of support I'm getting. And if I see a lack of loyalty, I'm not going to think twice." Cecil glanced down at his plate. Then he sat down. "Better," Mitchell said. "Rachel. We're leaving."
"So go," Rachel said, "I'll talk to you tomorrow." Mitchell hesitated. "I'm not coming with you," Rachel said.
"It's up to you," Mitchell replied, with an unconvincing show of indifference.
"I know," Rachel said. "And I'm staying here."
Mitchell made no further attempt to convince her. He left the room without another word.
"Brat," Loretta remarked quietly.
"I'd better go and calm him down," Richard said.
"Why don't we all just go home to bed?" Norah suggested.
"I think that's probably a very good idea," Loretta said. "Rachel… would you stay just a couple of minutes? I need to have a word with you."
The rest of the company departed. When the last of them had gone, and the door was closed Loretta said: "I noticed you didn't eat."
"I wasn't hungry."
"Lovesick?" Rachel said nothing. "It'll pass," Loretta went on. "You'll have plenty to distract you in the next few days." She sipped on her white wine. "You've got nothing to hide," she said. "We've all felt what you're feeling now."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Him," Loretta said quietly. "Galilee. I'm talking about
Galilee." Rachel looked up, and found Loretta's eyes there, ready to read her. "Was he all you wanted him to be?" she asked.
"I told you. I don't… know…"
Loretta looked pained. "There's no need for deceit," she said, "lie to Mitchell, by all means. But not to me." She kept looking at Rachel; as if waiting for her to spill her pain. Greedy for it, in fact.
"Why should I lie to Mitchell?" Rachel said, determined to deflect this interrogation by gaze.
"Because it's all he deserves," Loretta said flatly. "He was born with too many blessings for his own good. It's made him stupid. If he'd had a harelip he'd have been twice the man he is."
"So I take it you think I'm rather stupid too."
"Why would I think that?"
"I married him."
"Brilliant women marry perfect clods every day of the week. Sometimes you have to do that to get on in the world. If you're a shoe-girl in a shoestore and if you don't get out all you'll ever do is sell shoes then by God you do everything in your power to change your circumstances. There's no shame in that. You did what you had to do. And now you're finished with him. And there's no shame in that either." She paused for a moment, as if to allow time for Rachel to respond; but this little speech had left Rachel dumbstruck. "Is it really so hard to admit to?" Loretta went on. "If I were you I'd be proud of myself. I really would."