Errors of Judgment(102)

‘Fine. I’ll see if she’s interested.’

Anthony mentioned the game to Gabrielle later, when they were in bed. ‘I said I’d play. Do you fancy coming along?’

‘I don’t mind, if Connie’s going. I’m not a huge fan of Galina – Darius’s girlfriends are always weird. Like they’re just for decoration. Julia’s all right, in her way.’ She propped her head on one hand. ‘How long do you give that marriage?’

‘Piers and Julia? I think in many ways they’re perfectly suited.’

‘Really? That’s not the way it comes across to me. He can be really foul to her, you know. And it’s perfectly obvious she has an eye for other men. You included.’

‘Julia and I were over a very long time ago.’ Anthony reached up and drew her mouth towards his. ‘I love no one but you.’

Gabrielle wondered if now was the moment to tell him about Leo. No – the timing wasn’t quite right. She would wait for another opportunity.

Leo found himself in a hideously restless mood that evening, and he knew exactly where it was leading. The club he ended up in at two in the morning was one he hadn’t visited for over a year. Some of the faces were familiar, but there was no one there he would have called a friend. It wasn’t that kind of place. He bought himself a drink and stood at the bar, watching the men cruising, eyeing one another. Even those who were obvious couples threw out stray glances. The place was loud with music and conversation, the thump from the dance floor at the far end relentless.

A part of Leo wondered what he was doing there, but another part of him knew exactly. Idly he eyed a knot of attractive young men drinking at a nearby table. He recognised one of them as Joshua, and his gaze froze. Forgotten feelings of fear, love and desperation suddenly flooded him, confusing him. It took him a moment to understand that what he was experiencing was nothing more than a conditioned emotional response, the merest remnant of love.

Leo waited for his feelings to subside, studying Joshua with the fascinated detachment of one long since cured of his passion. His features were slightly pouchy now, not as delicate as five years ago; his red-gold hair still curled at his collar, his eyes still held their implacable beauty, their Garbo-like expression. He was talking to a dark-haired young man, glancing around occasionally. And of course, after a few seconds he saw Leo.

Joshua smiled, but without surprise – Leo guessed that Joshua had perhaps seen him come in, and had waited to choose his own moment of connection and acknowledgement. Leo could not bring himself to smile, but he knew that his own expression must be one of vulnerability. How could it be otherwise?

Joshua rose and came over. He leant on the bar and surveyed Leo with a smile. ‘Hello, Leo. How are you? You look as good as ever.’

‘Thanks. I’m well.’ Leo was interested to note that five years had given Joshua composure and maturity, but also an aura of self-awareness bordering on affectation. He still seemed, as he had at nineteen, ready for anything, but in quite a different way. ‘You look well, too,’ he added. ‘How’s life treating you?’

‘Pretty well, actually. I like to think I’ve moved on and up in the world since I knew you.’

‘No longer a struggling artist?’

‘I’m working as a set designer.’ He nodded to the table. ‘I’m with some friends from the theatre. Why don’t you come and join us for a drink?’

Leo sat down at the table and Joshua introduced him as an old friend. Leo imagined the others knew very well what that meant. They were polite, guarded, sizing him up. The dark-haired man to whom Joshua had been talking extended a hand and Leo shook it, noting its slender strength. His entire body was lean and toned, with remarkable poise. This, thought Leo, was exactly the kind of distraction he had come looking for tonight.

‘This is Sergei,’ said Joshua. ‘He’s a dancer with the Barinov Ballet Company. They’re in residence at the theatre where I work.’

‘You like ballet?’ asked Sergei. He had a Slavic face, with sharp cheekbones and a full mouth, and large, liquid eyes. Leo thought he looked like trouble, and felt stirrings of interest and desire.

‘I do. Not that I go very often. I prefer modern ballet to traditional. That said, I rather like Matthew Bourne’s take on the classics.’

Sergei smiled, pleased. He asked Leo what he did, and Leo told him. They chatted for a while about London, which Sergei was visiting for the first time, and Leo could sense a chemistry. Joshua was talking to the others, his attention elsewhere, possibly deliberately. Leo felt he had Sergei all to himself.