Clap Mum! shouts Kate. Clap to find Doras hat.
Ruth claps loudly, hoping to drown out the past.
CHAPTER 18
The evening is sticky from the first. Ruth finds herself sitting between Corinna, resplendent in sequinned black, and Dani, wearing her usual jeans and T-shirt. Judy is opposite and Frank, much to Ruths irritation, is at the far end of the table. Phil manages to make it clear both that he is the host and that hes not paying. Ruth knows from previous experience that when the bill comes hell take out a calculator and work out exactly how much each persons meal cost. He does buy a bottle of Prosecco, though, and presents Ruth with the first glass.
Happy birthday Ruth!
To Ruths embarrassment, some people have even brought presents. Dani gives her a scarf and Corinna a signed photo of herself. Frank gives her a book, open it later. Shona and Judy both give her perfume and Phil says, We dont do presents, do we Ruth? You dont, thinks Ruth, but shes all too happy not to have a gift from her Head of Department. That really would be embarrassing.
Things perk up when the first courses come. The food is lovely and Ruths starter, scallops in chilli sauce, is so good that she has to stop herself wolfing it in one mouthful. A low marine diet, she thinks. Typical for this part of Norfolk. Corinna picks at her tricolore salad. You have to be so careful on television, she says. If you put on a pound people start sending you abusive tweets.
I cant be bothered with twitter, says Dani, who, despite her tiny size, is demolishing a plate of antipasti. All those idiots telling each other what they had for supper. Its death by a hundred and forty characters.
Ive got over a thousand followers, says Corinna frostily. I owe them something.
Lady Gaga has thirty million followers, says Dani.
Do you prefer acting or presenting? Ruth asks Corinna. Are they very different?
She meant to flatter Corinna by alluding to her previous experience but it seems that she has said the wrong thing.
Im a serious actress, she says. Ive played Hedda and Lady Macbeth. This is just a sideline.
What have you been in lately? says Aslan from across the table. Ruth looks at him quickly but his handsome face shows only innocent enquiry. Corinnas eyes flash.
It may interest you to know, she says, that I took a career break to have children. I didnt want to farm them out to a nanny or a childminder, I wanted them to have a proper old-fashioned childhood. I wanted to have the full experience of motherhood.
As opposed to the rest of us, thinks Ruth, who are just playing at being parents. She catches Judys eye across the table.
Ive got a childminder, Ruth says. Shes very good. Kate loves her.
But does the childminder love her back? asks Corinna. Its just a job to her, remember.
Ruth thinks of Jemima Green, who certainly seems to have loved her charges. Does Sandra love Kate? Does Ruth even want her to love Kate? On the whole she thinks its more important that Sandra keeps her safe. Love can be a dangerous business.
Lots of childminders really care for the kids they look after, says Dani. Ive got a lot of sympathy with them. I remember babysitting as a teenager.
Michael seems to like Debbie, his childminder, says Judy. She looks after two other children so its good experience in socialising.
My children socialise brilliantly, says Corinna. Everyone loves them.
How old are they? asks Ruth.
Mungos fourteen and Alicias twelve. Theyre both very talented. Mungo plays three instruments and Alicias already been in several commercials.
Ruth notes that Corinnas old-fashioned mothering does not preclude her from getting her children in front of a camera.
I was a nanny once, cuts in Dex the cameraman. A manny. He laughs. The thing that got me was the weird names posh people give their children.
Yes, says Judy. My boss told me about this family whove got three children with really bizarre names, Bailey, Scooter and Poppy, I think. Theyve got a nanny. Apparently the parents hardly see their children.
Judy must be a bit drunk, thinks Ruth, or she would never be talking about work. She wonders who this family are and why Nelson was discussing them.
I adore unusual names, says Corinna. But then Im a very original person.
Ruth is grateful for Phils suggestion that they move around between courses. She had been hoping for a chance to speak to Frank but finds herself between Shona and Aslan. Shona is being chatted up by Dex, Seriously, youre way too good-looking to be a lecturer. You should be on TV. Shona is laughing and flicking her hair around. Ruth knows that she too thinks that shes wasted on the University of North Norfolk. How long before shes making a cutting-edge series on Shakespeare, striding around Stratford-on-Avon in a lace top and leather trousers?
Ruth is left with Aslan. She learns that hes twenty-four and studied English at Oxford. Hes always wanted to work in TV and is very grateful to Dani for giving him the chance. Hes a militant socialist who wants to destroy the status quo from within. How did you get the job on Women Who Kill? asks Ruth. Was there lots of competition? No, Aslan admits, fiddling with his fringe, his dad was at Westminster with one of the producers and just, basically, had a word. Aslan tries hard to show an interest in Ruths life but shes aware that teaching archaeology in a little-known university can hardly compete with white-water rafting in New Zealand (something Aslan did on his gap year). Shes just embarking on a description of a dig thats boring even herself when a voice says, Hey Aslan, shift up and let me talk to the birthday girl. Aslan shifts with alacrity and Ruth finds herself next to Frank.
Having a good time?
Wild.
Not your kind of thing huh?
Oh no, says Ruth hastily. Im really enjoying it. Its lovely of everyone to come. Its just I dont much like being the centre of attention.
I know what you mean. My kids organised a surprise party for my fiftieth. It was one of the worst nights of my life.
So hes over fifty, Ruth cant help thinking. Aloud she says, But you must like being the centre of attention. Youre a TV star.
Frank laughs. Im not a TV star. Im just a historian who pops up on the cable channel now and again.
Ruth, remembering Rebeccas reaction on meeting Frank, thinks that he protests a little too much. Even amongst the TV people, he has a certain star quality. Its not that hes the glossiest or best-dressed – in fact she is sure he was wearing that corduroy jacket earlier – its more that hes the only person not looking around to see the effect hes having on the others. He seems entirely at ease with himself, a rare quality on television or off it. And theres no doubting that he is rather good-looking. She can see Shona glancing in their direction, clearly wondering what Ruth can have to say to such an alpha male.
Did you read the diaries? Frank is asking.
Yes. I wont be able to sleep for a week.
Im sorry.
Its OK. It certainly seems that Mother H may have been innocent. Theres even an explanation for the bloodstained clothes – Joshua had a nosebleed on the day he died. Did they read the diaries in court?
Yes, but they werent given much weight. Likewise the maid, Martha, gave evidence that Jemima had really cared for the children but she was disregarded because shed been an unmarried mother herself.
Martha?
Yes. Jemima had taken in the mother and child together. The boy grew up to be a successful lawyer and philanthropist. He always believed in Jemimas innocence.
Who was Mr G? He seems a bit sinister.
Ah, Frank looks mysterious. Ive got my theories about Mr G. Look, why dont I take you to Saxlingham Thorpe one day? The farmhouse isnt there anymore but theres a ruined church and lovely views. Its a really pretty place. We can have lunch in a pub and I can tell you about Mr G and the rest of the background.
OK, says Ruth. Id like that.
Sometime next week?
Ruth is about to answer but Shona, unable to bear it much longer, has appeared at Franks shoulder. Hallo. You must be Frank. Ruths told me so much about you.
At the end of the evening, after Phil has divided up the bill, there is a general move towards taxis and cars. Frank offers Ruth a lift but she says that she is going with Judy, who insisted on driving so that Ruth could have a drink. She wonders if Judys had a drink herself but she seems perfectly sober as they walk to the car park.
It was a great night, Ruth. Thanks for inviting me.
Thanks for coming. I needed a friend to protect me from all the TV types.
They were OK. I liked Dani and Dex was a real laugh.
What about Corinna?
Oh, she was a nightmare. Judy clicks her key to open the car. I wanted to have the full experience of motherhood. Silly cow.
Its quite cosy bowling home through the dark lanes. Judy drives fast but well, hands at perfect ten-to-two position. She puts in a CD and for a while they just listen to Elvis Costello singing about Alison and how the world is killing her. Ruth rests her cheek against the window and thinks about Kate and Nelson and Frank and Jemima Green. I shall lay him with Emily and Susannah, where Rowan will stand guard.
Taking the turning for the Saltmarsh is like driving into nothingness. There are no street lights, no houses, no landmarks, just inky blackness that seems to press in on all sides. They could be driving through the sky for all they know. Theres no moon, not even the ghost lights on the marshes to guide them on their way. Judys headlights seem only to illuminate a few yards ahead, as if the dark is somehow solid.
The car bumps over the uneven road. Elvis sings a melancholy song about shipbuilding. Judy says, I keep thinking of the time that I drove over here in the snow. This is where I saw Cathbad. Jesus, he just appeared out of the night like some wraith.