The Forget-Me-Not Sonata(7)

‘Girls, you both look delightful,’ Aunt Edna exclaimed as she stepped out of the house in an ivory silk blouse and skirt, playing with a long string of pearls that hung over the swell of her large bosom and swung down to her waist. She smelt strongly of Christian Dior and had powdered her face leaving a heap of dust on the ridge of her nose like a white snowdrift. Isla had no intention of telling her. It would have been amusing to have watched her sit the whole way through dinner like that, in blithe ignorance. But Audrey wasn’t so unkind. She told her aunt immediately and then brushed away the offending snowdrift with gentle fingers. ‘You are a sweet girl,’ Aunt Edna breathed gratefully, pulling her powder compact out of her bag to check that she hadn’t overlooked anything else. Satisfied that she had made the best of what Nature had given her she reapplied her lipstick before clipping her bag shut and looking at her watch. ‘They should be here at any minute,’ she said. ‘I must say, I’m very much looking forward to meeting them. The Club is positively buzzing with excitement. Only today I heard that Cecil helped old Diana Lewis into her car yesterday afternoon and dazzled her with his charm. I bumped into Charlo at the panadería who told me that Colonel Blythe dined with him last night and played cards well into the early hours of the morning; they’ve become great friends. The old Colonel loves to witter on about the war, which we’re all dreadfully bored of, but dear Cecil talked to him for hours about what he had experienced. I believe he proved himself quite a hero, the Colonel says he has a shining reputation in London – unlike his brother, who’s something of an idler, so I’m told. I understand that Louis played the piano all night long, which didn’t go down very well with the other residents. It would have been fine had he played something sensible, but he was apparently playing the most extraordinary tunes. Haunting melodies, gave everyone nightmares.’ She sniffed and turned expectantly towards the house.

At that moment Henry and Rose appeared on the lawn followed closely by two young men. ‘Ah, at last,’ Aunt Edna sighed, smiling a broad smile that sent her plump chins expanding like marshmallow. ‘Ready, girls?’ And she proceeded to walk across the grass to meet them. Audrey and Isla glanced at each other excitedly. Isla was unable to control the wide grin that extended across her monkey face, even when she was introduced to their guests. But Audrey managed to compose herself, lowering her eyes shyly as she shook their hands.

What struck her immediately was the difference between the two brothers: Cecil was tall and slim with perfect, symmetrical features, lucid blue eyes and a long, aristocratic nose. His alertness was accentuated by the contrast with his brother whose vague and wandering eyes seemed lost in a world of their own. Cecil’s dark brown hair was neatly combed into a side parting and shone with the same brilliance as his shoes. He smiled with confidence and nodded his head as he greeted the two girls, noticing at once how pretty and graceful the elder daughter was. Louis was shorter than his brother with softer, irregular features, revealing in the unsteady curl of his lips his changeable nature and intense sensibility. He wasn’t handsome, but his face was alive with laughter lines and lines of pain and when Audrey caught his eye she was alarmed to find that she sunk into his gaze, as vast and consuming as a whirlpool. Stunned, she quickly shifted her focus to the ground and immediately noticed that his shoes were scuffed and beneath his trousers he wore one blue sock and one black one. His fingers were long and pale and moved ever so slightly as if he were touching the keys of an imaginary piano. When she lifted her gaze once more she saw that he was still blinking at her with curiosity through a sandy fringe that he hadn’t bothered to brush. To her shame the heat rose up her throat, stinging her cheeks, exposing the inner turbulence that sent her heart pounding. She turned her face away and hoped no one had noticed. Louis wasn’t beautiful, he wasn’t particularly charismatic but there was something in his stare that unsettled her. He had a dark presence that drew her in although she felt instinctively that it was to be resisted at all costs.

Taking their champagne glasses with them they proceeded to stroll around the garden. Cecil walked with Henry, Rose and Aunt Edna while Audrey and Isla found themselves a few paces behind on either side of Louis. Only Rose noticed that Cecil made a swift backwards glance to check on his brother, in the same way that a father might look out for an awkward child. Audrey began a stumbling attempt to ignite the conversation, wishing she were walking with her parents. ‘Mummy tells us this is your first time in the Argentine,’ she said, hiding her unease behind a veneer of politeness.