When he’s there, Angelica thought bitterly.
Once at Birdworld in Farnham, the children rushed into the shop, picking up furry toys of exotic birds and squeezing them to make them tweet. Scarlet’s son Charlie made straight for the sweet stand. Scarlet strode in after them in her high-heeled suede boots and large sunglasses, turning every head.
Outside, Charlie munched from a bag of jelly beans while the others ran from cage to cage feeding the birds from the packets of seeds and dried worms their mothers had bought for them at the admissions desk. Scarlet and Angelica wandered after them, chatting, enjoying the sunshine and the sight of their happy children entertaining themselves.
“This was a fine idea, Angelica,” said Scarlet, impervious to the stares she was getting, even from the birds.
“It’s easy entertainment. I’d like to have a country place like Candace.”
“We once rented a cottage near Tetbury, but now we’ve bought a place in Mustique there’s no point. I can’t cope with too many homes.”
“I’d like to take the children somewhere hot for Christmas, but Olivier has decided to stay here and spend a long weekend in cold Provence with his ghastly family.”
“He’s wise: the depression’s only going to get worse, and he’s right in the thick of it. Glad we bought our house in Mustique before things went apeshit.”
“I need sun at Christmas. I can’t bear the short days. It’s nighttime by three in the afternoon.”
“You should come and stay with us in Mustique.”
“If only. I had already looked into renting a house near Cape Town.”
Scarlet’s face lit up. “Oh, you could go and visit your friend Jack Meyer.”
Angelica laughed casually. “He’s not my friend.”
“He’d like to be.”
“I think he probably has enough ‘friends.’”
“I’m sure he does.”
“What’s his wife like?”
“Lovely. She’s South African, too. Very bright and clever, but really nice. They met at Harvard.”
“Sounds rather terrifying.”
“God no! She’s so laid back she’s practically horizontal—does a lot of yoga and meditating.”
“Well, that’s just up my street.”
“She’s a little too New Age for my taste. You know, crystals, incense, and angels! But she’s a saint. Jack was very sick a few years back. He had cancer.”
Angelica was shocked. “How awful. Is he okay now?”
“Oh yes, totally. He shrugged it off in that effortless way of his. You’d never have known there was anything wrong with him, except that he lost all his hair.”
“My God, that must have been terrible. He has fabulous hair.”
“A fine head as any I’ve seen. Now he’s like a shaggy old lion again. He might be an incorrigible flirt, but he’s devoted to Anna. He owes her a lot.” Angelica didn’t want to hear how much he loved his wife. “I think men just need to flex their muscles every now and then. They’re not monogamous by nature. In fact, I think it’s quite a struggle for most of them. So long as they feel attractive to other women, they’re content to stay on the porch.”
Angelica smiled at her friend’s reference to the porch. “I’m sure Jack stays firmly on his.”
Scarlet grinned at her mischievously. “I’m not so sure. Some dogs can’t help themselves, however devoted they are to their wives. It’s in their blood, like wolves or foxes. There’s simply no taming them.”
They had lunch at the café, then sat on little benches to watch a demonstration with owls. Scarlet hid behind a tree to make a phone call while the children watched the owls, enraptured. Angelica thought of Jack suffering from cancer and wondered whether his ordeal had inspired his reflections on life and its purpose. An illness like that could change a person profoundly. He hadn’t mentioned it, so she decided she wouldn’t, either. She wondered whether he had replied to her message.
They got home from Birdworld at six. Charlie and Joe fell asleep in the car. The girls listened to High School Musical and stared out of the window in silence. The day had exhausted them. Olivier appeared at the door, took in the delicious sight of Scarlet’s smooth thighs, then asked Angelica what was for dinner.
“Steak,” she replied, waving Scarlet off, a sleepy Joe leaning against her hip.
“Good, I’m ravenous!”
“How are you feeling?” she asked.
“So so.” He shrugged in that French way of his. She noticed his scarf was still tied around his neck. “I think I’ll have another hot drink.” She knew she was expected to make it.