“I love your pagoda,” she said.
“That’s my little space. It’s where I meditate. My family know not to disturb me when I’m there.”
“You meditate?”
“Every morning and every evening. At sunrise and sunset, for an hour.”
“You have amazing self-discipline. I only manage once a week. I never find the time.”
“You have a busy London life. You write books, you have small children, you have a husband and a house to run. I didn’t meditate for two hours a day when our children were little, more like twenty minutes, snatched at the end of the day and then with half an ear on the children in case they woke up and needed me. Try to find ten minutes at the beginning of your day, before you start working. Just a little time to go within yourself and find that quiet place. It’s very restorative, and keeps you looking young.”
“Well, that’s an incentive.”
“You wouldn’t think I was nearly fifty, would you?”
“You’re joking!” Anna didn’t look older than forty.
“No, it’s true. I can only put it down to meditation and trying to find serenity in my day-to-day life.”
Angelica looked across the table at Jack, who was pouring the wine. “Anna should write the book on the quest for happiness.”
She laughed, and there was a sweet charm in the way her nose crinkled. “So many books have been dedicated to that elusive subject. If I knew the secret to happiness, I’d have levitated into nirvana by now. But I’m here, very human and full of flaws.”
At that moment Lucy appeared from the sitting room with a scruffy dog in her arms. She was tall and pretty, with curly light brown hair and big brown eyes, like her father. “Ah, Lucy,” said Jack. “I want you to meet Angelica Garner, a friend of mine from London.”
The girl’s eyes lit up. “I love your books,” she said, extending her free hand.
“Who’s that?” Angelica asked, nodding at the dog.
“This is Domino. He found his way into our garden—”
“And into Lucy’s heart,” continued Anna.
“Come and join us,” said Jack.
“Do you mind if I don’t? I’ve already eaten, and I want to do some more on my project.”
“What project is that?” Angelica asked.
“I’m doing a project on the Russian tsars for school.”
“That sounds interesting.”
“A lot of work.”
“Do you have to cover all of them?”
“Just the important ones.”
“Cherry-picking.”
“Yes.” Lucy laughed. “I’d rather be reading your new book. I gather Daddy’s already read it.” She raised her eyes to her father and grinned. “When will you give it to me?”
“If I give it to you now, you’ll never finish your project.” Jack’s eyes were full of affection as he watched his daughter. “The Silk Serpent is your reward.”
She shrugged. “Better get back to my laptop. Are you staying all weekend?”
“Leaving on Sunday.”
“Good, I’ll see you tomorrow, then.” She kissed her parents and retreated inside.
“You have a beautiful daughter,” Angelica said to Anna.
“There’s not a lot of me in her,” Anna replied. “She’s her father’s daughter.”
“Lucky girl to be so tall.”
“She is lucky. They’re all tall like Jack. It cannot be said that my husband hasn’t improved my family gene pool.” Angelica noticed the way she gazed at her husband. There was something sad in it, wistful perhaps. His eyes slid away as if not wanting to see.
They drank wine, ate from a spread of salads, chicken, and bread, and talked about life. Angelica forgot to be jealous of Anna. It was as if she were a mythical enchantress blinding Angelica to her own fears and resentments. There she sat in her white linen shirt, her skin radiant and brown, her compassionate eyes glittering in the light of the hurricane lamps, smiling with a gentle peacefulness as if nothing bad or unpleasant in the world could touch her. When she looked at Angelica, she did so with affection, as if she were looking at her own daughter. Angelica wanted to feel antipathy. Anna stood between her and the man she loved, but she could find nothing but gratitude for the warm welcome, and the desire to hear her talk more.
When Anna disappeared into the house with the dishes, Angelica was left at the table with Jack. She lowered her voice and leaned towards him. “Anna’s a very special woman,” she said. She wasn’t sure whether she was asking a provocative question or making a genuine statement.