Harry soon realised the basic mistake he had made.
Meg had gone away ‘to think’ and he hadn’t made plans to see Anna and David that night, the night things became clear. The moment he spotted the two of them moving up the street towards him, unaware of his eyes on them, he finally understood. How had it taken him so long? He had been right about Meg and David, in a way – Meg was indeed in love with David. But what he hadn’t realised until now was that David only had eyes for Anna.
There was something else, too, which was obvious as he walked towards them, smiling by way of hello. Something that explained Meg’s reluctance to go back to her and Anna’s shared flat during their months together, as well as her coolness towards him the night he’d turned up there after the episode at the club. It was only as he found himself face-to-face with Anna and David in the street outside the Crown and Goose that night that he saw it properly.
David wanted Anna – but Anna’s eyes were fixed on Harry.
Meg was sitting at her usual table in the Crown and Goose the next time he saw her, the following week, her back to him as he walked through the door. It was two weeks since he had asked her to spy on her friend. There had been a moment of silence, which seemed to Harry to last several minutes though it was no more than a couple of seconds, before Meg spoke again. When she did her voice was scathing. ‘You want me to help you get information on David?’
She’d moved to the other side of the room, pausing, and then pacing again. ‘You want me to help you spy on my friend? How long have you …’
His voice had remained firm. ‘Meg, sit down. Calm down.’
‘Calm down?’ She’d taken a step towards him. ‘How fucking dare you? Who the fuck do you think you are? Who do you think I am?’
As he approached now, he saw both feet drumming against the wooden floorboards.
‘You didn’t say you were back.’
She jumped at the sound of his voice. Her whole demeanour was twitchy; she looked like she had already stuck half a gram of gak up her nose and it wasn’t even dinner time.
‘What the fuck are you doing here?’ Her eyes moved around the room as he sat in front of her, picking up a bar mat and moving it between his fingers.
‘I thought you were going to call as soon as you were back. Once you’d had time to think properly.’
She flinched as he sat in front of her.
‘But then I didn’t hear from you. Are you meeting someone?’
‘No.’ Her fingers pressed and released against her glass.
‘You’re a shit liar, Meg.’
The door opened and her head turned towards the door.
‘What time are they coming?’
‘I just want you to leave me alone,’ she said, any defiance in her voice fading to a plea. ‘Please, Harry.’
He smiled with genuine regret. ‘I’m sorry, but I can’t do that.’
If he was honest, he was almost relieved to see Meg gone. She was a live wire, that one. He hadn’t realised quite how much at first, but it would be simpler without her around. And there was no way she would come back, not after the threats he had made.