POLLY SAT AT THE table, eating toast in a desultory way, listening to Composer of the Week—the radio was permanently tuned to Radio Three—and thinking about Thea. She was delighted for her, no question about that, but she also felt a sort of envy as though Thea’s new-found achievements had underlined a certain lack in her own life. Hitherto, she had been perfectly happy listening to music, reading endlessly and being on the fringe of university life. She loved Exeter and went often to the cathedral to listen to the music and the singing. Polly was an indifferent housewife and her ability to ruin food amounted almost to genius. Paul, who despite his preoccupation with the taxonomy and population distribution of the British Ephemeroptera liked a comfortable and well-run home, had decided that help was needed. He discovered, through a colleague, a Mrs Bloge who was prepared to come in and do all that was necessary in the house and, for an extra sum, would prepare meals which could be put in the freezer, thereby providing a staple diet. In between, they lived on cheese and tinned soup and Paul made certain that he had a good lunch. Polly herself was totally indifferent to food and was grateful that he took such a pragmatic view of the situation. All the same, she was beginning to wonder exactly what purpose she was fulfilling in life. It wasn’t as if Paul really needed her. He was so wrapped up in his work that Polly wondered whether he noticed her at all although, to be absolutely fair, he always liked to share any new discovery with her. Polly tried not to let him see that she wasn’t absolutely riveted by the fact that Ephemeridae lay their eggs in water in summer, or that the ‘nymphs'—that live underwater for anything up to two years—moult approximately twenty-seven times. She tried to look fascinated when he informed her that the adult never feeds and lives from twelve hours to one week depending on the species, resolutely resisting the urge to say, ‘Why bother then?’ which was the observation which had sprung most readily to her lips. That was in the early days, when she had been determined to share every tiny fact and statistic with him.
Now, try as she would, the problems surrounding the similarity of the Leptophlebiidae and the Ephemerellidae had ceased to excite her and latterly she found herself suffering from regular bouts of lockjaw in her determination to stifle her yawns lest he should feel hurt. Since he had become a Reader he had a number of research assistants with whom he could share the progress and excitements of his work. He went on field trips to collect specimens which were brought back to the lab for identification and sometimes he went to lecture at other universities. Lately, on these occasions, Polly hardly noticed that he wasn’t around and it was her friendship with Thea that had made her realise what she was missing.
For years she had watched and admired Harriet and Michael’s marriage. They were so happy together, so in tune. Of course, they had trained and worked together which was unusual but then the baby, Hugh, had arrived which had seemed to make the bond tighter than ever. Polly loved the way that Michael really cherished Harriet, caring for her, smoothing her way, anticipating her needs. Nevertheless, she had looked upon it as that one-in-a-million relationship that didn’t have any bearing on real life. It was wonderful, enviable but a minor miracle that one didn’t look for in one’s own more mundane experience.
When Thea appeared on the scene, Polly had felt that here was someone to whom she could more closely relate. Her husband was also bound up in his work, committed to something which Thea could not really share. He was away for days at a time and Thea also was thrown on her own company but Polly had begun to realise that Thea approached it quite differently. She was not content to let herself and George run quietly along on parallel lines that, however close they might be, never actually met. She was determined that the marriage was going to be a lively, important event and not just a background to George’s job. Polly was very impressed with the line Thea had taken regarding Felicity. Thea had fought intelligently and now, with her book arousing such interest to give her an extra zest, Polly was quite sure that she would win.
These days when Polly returned from the Old Station House, where an air of busy fulfilment was more and more to be felt, she looked around her own home with a feeling of dissatisfaction. Her peace of mind, her ability to potter endlessly and to feel quietly content, w as vanishing and she didn’t know how to deal with it.
Polly sighed and began to clear away the breakfast things. She collected up the crumbs for the blackbird and, leaving the washing-up for Mrs Bloge, went to get dressed. Thea was coming up to do some shopping and they had arranged to meet at Coolings. She brushed her long heavy bob of dark hair and put on a simple white shirt with a long thick cotton skirt in an unusual terra-cotta colour. As she slipped her feet into leather sandals and looked around for her bag she kept one eye on her watch. Polly always tried to be on her way out of the house when Mrs Bloge arrived. She felt that she was despised by this tall, thin woman whose nose, chin, bosom, even knee caps jutted forward in an aggressive way. She knew that Mrs Bloge was wondering why she, Polly, couldn’t look after the house herself and she felt inadequate under the humourless grey stare.
Often she would escape to a friend, who lived a couple of doors up, thus avoiding the verbal cut and thrust in which Mrs Bloge liked to revel before she got down to work. Even here Mrs Bloge bested her. She had the tact and delicacy of a bull elephant and delivered her observations, based on the obvious and the banal, with the finesse of a steam hammer and the bridling self-satisfaction of one who has just invented a brilliant epigram. This tended to leave Polly feeling even more depressed, so she was delighted to have a good reason to be waiting to leave the minute Mrs Bloge arrived in the kitchen.
Thus it was that she arrived early at Coolings and, having bought herself a drink, was very surprised to see Thea already there, sitting at a table with a dark young man.
‘Look who I found in Waterstone’s,’ she said as Polly approached.
Freddie Spenlow smiled round at her. ‘Hello,’ he said, getting to his feet. ‘I’m not trying to muscle in on your party. Just keeping her company till you turned up.’
‘You’re very welcome as far as I’m concerned.’ Polly bent to kiss Thea, beamed upon Freddie and, sliding into the spare seat, raised her glass to them.
‘I’ve been telling him my news.’ Thea looked flushed and happy. ‘I’ve sworn him to secrecy. I don’t want George to know until I’ve signed the contract. It’s lucky that he’s away all week or I’d never keep it up. But when I saw Freddie I simply burst out with it,‘
‘I spied her poring over the books in the children’s section,’ explained Freddie. ‘I thought she was going to tell me something else when she said she had some good news.’
Polly laughed and Thea blushed a fiery red. ‘I was looking at the competition,’ she said defensively. ‘I’m euphoric and terrified in turn.’
‘You need another drink,’ said Freddie. ‘Or would you like me to be on my way now?’
The girls looked at each other, eyebrows raised. Thea gave a little shrug and shook her head and Polly nodded agreement.
‘You may stay,’ she said graciously and Freddie smiled at her.
‘Very kind, ma’am. In that case, may I buy you a drink, too?’
‘Splendid fellow,’ murmured Polly. She emptied her glass promptly. ‘I knew that there was an excellent reason for your staying.’ She looked at Thea as Freddie threaded his way to the counter. ‘So. How’s everything?’
‘Better.’ Thea seemed to think about it and then nodded. ‘Yes. Definitely better. Oh, Polly. It’s so exciting. I feel so strong and positive. If Felicity showed her face now I feel I could beat her.’
‘Any more telephone calls?’
‘Not a word. Nothing. If only I could get that remark she made out of my mind I would say it’s all over. But I can’t forget it. When I think of George with her like that probably just after I’d left to come home . . . ’ Thea’s hands clasped involuntarily.
‘You’ve either got to forget it or have it out with him.’ Polly put her hand on Thea’s arm and gave it a little shake. ‘I thought you said that you were going to talk to him.’
‘It needs to be the right moment. I don’t want to be at a disadvantage but I think it will be soon now.’ Thea smiled up at Freddie, who had returned carrying three glasses. ‘Lovely. Thanks. But I must remember that I’ve got to drive home.’
‘You can come back and sleep it off,’ said Polly, taking her glass. ‘I’ll make you pints of black coffee. We’re here to celebrate and that’s just what we’re going to do! Here’s to Thea.’ She raised her glass and Freddie followed suit. ‘And even more important! Here’s to Thea’s parrot! To Percy!’
The others said, ‘To Percy,’ and drank.
‘Freddie’s got some good news, too,’ said Thea. ‘We ought to drink to him as well.’
‘Oh?’ Polly looked at him enquiringly. ‘Have you won Crufts?’
‘Nothing as exciting as that, I’m afraid.’ Freddie looked diffident. ‘It’s just that I’ve been taken on by a local panel of vets. When I moved down from upcountry I made quite a bit of money on my house and I’ve been living on it. It was nice while it lasted but I can’t go on. Anyway, they’ve accepted me. That’s all. Nothing to be compared with Thea’s news.’
‘Certainly it is!’ said Polly bracingly. ‘Well done. Will you go on breeding your bears?’
‘Oh, yes. That’s where the fun comes in. That’s the jam on the bread and butter.’
‘They’re wonderful,’ said Thea. ‘I’m having so much fun with Jessie. I’m coming to the conclusion that Newfoundlands simply aren’t like other dogs.’
‘Well, of course they aren’t.’ Freddie looked at Polly. ‘So when are you going to have one?’
‘Jesus!’ Polly shook her head. ‘In our little courtyard? Anyway, Mrs Bloge would have a fit at the thought of dog hairs all over the floor.’
‘Who’s Mrs Bloge?’ asked Freddie.
‘My cleaner,’ said Polly glumly. ‘She’s a sort of latter-day Vlad the Impaler. Attila the Hun could have taken her correspondence course and learned a new trick or two.’
Thea laughed. ‘Poor old Polly. Can’t you sack her and find someone nice? Like my Maggie?’
‘Sack her?’ Polly looked so horrified that Freddie laughed, too.
‘That bad, is she?’
‘My dear chap,’ Polly lowered her voice, ‘I can see that my little word picture hasn’t given you an idea of what I’m up against. She’s probably the head of some sort of local mafia. If I sacked her she’d send the boys round to smash the windows and empty my dustbin into what, in moments of uncontrolled excitement, I call my garden. Let’s not speak of it, please. I have my consolations. After all, Brahms is Composer of the Week. One must count one’s blessings.’ She looked reproachfully at Thea, who was still laughing.
‘We’ll think about food instead,’ said Freddie comfortingly. ‘And, since I’ve invited myself to this celebration, I insist on it being my treat.’
‘I’ll drink to that,’ said Polly, brightening up at once. ‘Oh, dear. It looks as if I have already. Oh, well. Drink up. I’ll get the next ones while you decide on what you’re going to eat.’
She collected up the glasses and went off. Freddie looked at Thea and, after a moment, she covered his hand with her own.
‘Sorry,’ he said. ‘I shouldn’t have come. I just couldn’t resist the opportunity. Sorry.’
‘Poor Freddie.’ The usually lively face looked so forlorn that Thea was almost tempted to stroke the rumpled hair as if he had been one of his own Newfies. ‘You mustn’t let it show.’
‘I know.’ He rubbed his hand over his eyes, nodded and sat up straighter. ‘OK. Let’s concentrate on food. What do you usually have? Whatever it is, I’ll have the same. For some reason I don’t feel terribly hungry.’