Angelica wrapped her pashmina around her shoulders and hailed a cab on Kensington Church Street. It was a chilly night for September. Gray clouds filled the sky like porridge, and the evenings were now setting in early. Some trees were even beginning to turn orange. The streets were bustling with people having returned from their summer holidays for the start of the school term. The traffic was heavier, too, slowing down to near gridlock opposite Kensington Palace. She was grateful to be going in the opposite direction.
The cabbie interrupted her thoughts with glum comments on the lack of sunshine, the misery of yet another wet summer. “Global warming,” he said gloomily. “Still, Boris is mayor and Cameron will sweep Brown down the proverbial drain. It’s not all bad.”
He dropped her off outside Kate’s white terraced house where two bay trees stood on either side of the shiny pink door like sentinels. She rang the bell. From inside came the sound track of Mamma Mia and voices. She tried to peep in, but the curtains were drawn. Maybe the text message was old and she was interrupting a dinner party.
Finally, the door opened, and Kate appeared in a cashmere dressing gown, a bottle of Chardonnay in one hand, cigarette in the other. Her face was tearstained, mascara smeared over blotchy skin, her spiky brown hair pulled off her face with an Hermès scarf. She looked like a little girl in her wretchedness.
“Oh, Angelica, thank you for coming. You’re a real friend.”
She wasn’t the only real friend. There in the sitting room sat Letizia and Candace, apparently as bewildered as she was.
“What’s going on?” Angelica hissed as Letizia enveloped her in a cloud of Fracas.
“Not sure, darling,” she replied, her Italian accent curling seductively around her words like a soft cat’s tail. “Your guess is as good as mine!”
“Where are the children?”
“With her mother.”
“And Pete?”
“In Moscow.”
“Lucky.”
“Esatto, darling. No man likes to see a woman in tears, especially if they are shed for him.”
“Let me get you a drink,” said Kate, wandering unsteadily out of the room.
Angelica sank into a chair. “If I’d known you two were here, I wouldn’t have bothered. Olivier will be furious if I’m late for dinner.”
“You think that’s bad?” said Candace, raising a perfectly shaped eyebrow. “I’m meant to be at the theater.”
“You’re so good to her,” said Letizia.
“No, I’m a schmuck!” A born-and-bred New Yorker, Candace never minced her words. “I’ve texted Harry that I’ll meet him in the interval. He’s so mad, he hasn’t replied. If I continue like this, he’ll divorce me.”
“She looks so thin,” said Letizia, sliding her green eyes towards the hall. “Like she hasn’t eaten a carbohydrate in weeks. I’m a little jealous, actually.”
“Misery,” quipped Candace. “They should sell it by the bottle.”
“Has Pete left her, do you think?” Angelica asked.
“Of course not. They’re addicted to each other. They make each other equally miserable.” Candace glanced impatiently at her pretty pink nails. “What’s she doing in there, treading the grapes?”
“This is going to be a long night; I just know it,” sighed Letizia.
At last Kate returned with the bottle of wine. “Couldn’t find the bottle opener,” she said with a drunken giggle, dragging on her cigarette. “You’re probably wondering why you’re all here.”
“It’s your birthday and we’ve all forgotten!”
Letizia shot Candace a look. “What’s happened?” she asked kindly, patting the sofa. Kate sat down with a sigh.
Candace took the bottle from her and twisted off the cap. “I think I need a little fortification.”
“I’m late,” Kate stated darkly.
“Honey, we’re all late,” said Candace.
“Not for the theater. Late late.” She gave a meaningful look.
“Oh, that kind of late. Well, that’s a surprise!” Candace continued. “I thought you two were at each other’s throats, not in each other’s pants!”
“Have you done a test?” Angelica asked.
“No, that’s why I invited you all around. I need the moral support to do it.”
“You haven’t done a test?” Angelica was annoyed. If it turned out to be negative, what was the point of dragging them all out tonight?
“So, you have another child, what’s so bad about that?” asked Candace, pouring herself some wine.