Calvary stared at her husband contemptuously, wondering how she had ever come to marry such a complete and utter shit.
‘I’m taking the dogs for a walk,’ she announced, her voice cracking like the embers of a bonfire as she pulled on a Brora cashmere cardigan. She could no longer stand to be in the same room as him.
With a heavy heart, Calvary knew she would have to live with his dirty little secret. Swallow it down like a particularly bitter pill. At least for now …
‘Listen,’ Douglas made to reach out for her hand but she snatched it away. ‘The Ivanovs have said we can have their house up in Lake Como for a couple of weeks – why don’t you go? Get away for a while, take some friends with you. Have a spa break, or whatever it is that you women do. It’ll do you good to clear your head a bit.’
As usual, he was trying to buy back some kind of equilibrium between them, though secretly Calvary was a little taken with this suggestion. Perhaps a holiday was just what she needed. She’d invite Imogen and maybe even Yasmin Belmont-Jones too. She had grown rather fond of her in recent weeks and was sure Imogen wouldn’t mind if the girl tagged along.
Imogen Forbes was Calvary’s oldest and truest friend. Having been introduced at a rather stuffy charity event by their respective husbands some twelve years ago, Calvary often joked that their meeting was one of the best things to have come out of her marriage to Douglas. Though in fact, it was no joke at all.
Hailing from similar backgrounds – the worlds of fashion and modelling – the two women had struck up an instant rapport and had spent the entire evening in deep conversation and fits of giggles. They had both left the party that evening feeling as if they had met a kindred spirit. Over the years their friendship had strengthened and deepened into something they both cherished dearly. Like sisters, they bickered occasionally, but were fiercely loyal and protective towards one another.
‘You could fly out next week, after the ball,’ Douglas suggested, hopefully. ‘Relax, sun yourself for a few days. Just wait until you see the Ivanovs’ place; it’s absolutely spectacular.’ He detected the slightest flicker of interest in Calvary’s eyes, and felt himself relax a little.
‘I’ll arrange for you all to fly out on the jet,’ he said in a childlike voice, attempting to lock the deal down, ‘and,’ he added as an extra sweetener, ‘you can have free run of the Black Amex card.’ He sang the last bit like a game show host enticing a contestant to gamble for the big prize.
Calvary watched as her body visibly sagged in front of the mirror. She felt utterly defeated.
‘I’ll take Tamara shopping tomorrow,’ she said quietly with her back to him, tucking her jeans into her Tod’s leather riding boots.
A small, satisfied smile crept across Douglas’s face and he had to stop himself from letting out an audible sigh of relief.
‘That’s it, old girl,’ he said, immediately buoyed. He could go and have that game of golf now without all this nasty business hanging over him, threatening to put him off his swing.
‘Get yourself something fantastic for Forbes’s do as well, spend what you like.’
Calvary grabbed a packet of Vogue cigarettes from the stash in her dressing table and threw them into her Smythson tote.
‘Oh, don’t you worry, Douglas,’ she said, brushing his shoulder with her own as she flounced past him. ‘I damn well intend to.’
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