Page 69 of You Lied First
Her dad rubs his jaw in silence.
‘What are you thinking?’ she asks when she can’t bear it anymore.
‘Well, what I’m thinking is that it takes a lot of force and strength to kill a person. And I know you wouldn’t and couldn’t do it. I don’t know this Sara person, but I do know one thing.’
‘What?’
‘That I think your husband is perfectly capable of killing someone.’
54
MARGOT
Another day passes. Guy shuts down any discussion of the body that’s been found and Margot struggles to work after what her dad had said. She doesn’t doubt that Guy is capable of killing someone, but why would he? The question rattles around in her head, preventing her from focusing on work. There are also aspects of the work she simply can’t do with her finger bandaged so, by the weekend, when they’re all due to attend the school fundraiser, she’s fallen behind on the delivery schedule of the house she’s making. Guy’s in and out of her studio almost hourly, questioning how far she’s got, and it’s this high-handed approach that makes her glue the wrong wallpaper into the master suite. It’s taken a long time for her to match up the pattern so the model’s as good as the real house – a fiddly job that requires her to wear reading glasses. Only when she thinks she’s finally done, does Guy spot her error.
‘Look at the photo,’ he says as he peers over her shoulder. ‘Is that the master suite? I don’t think it is. That’s the paper fromthatbedroom. You’ve ballsed it up. Margot – seriously?’
Margot’s eyes glisten. She doesn’t have the energy for this. It’s supposed to be her hobby and right now she hates it. She imagines smashing the mansion and walking away.
Smashing up their life together and walking away.
‘You’re going to have to start again,’ he says. ‘Strip it. Remake it. And make it perfect. No mistakes. Maybe you should skip the fundraiser. You could use the time to catch up.’
Margot nods. She’s fine with that. She doesn’t want to go anyway. Guy, she knows, will be his usual charming, flirtatious self with everyone else and she’ll be left to deal with the boorish drunk when they get home. She’s seen it all before.
‘Sure,’ she says. ‘Happy to.’
But Guy laughs. ‘Oh, Mar,’ he says, taking the back of her neck in a pincer grip between his thumb and forefinger and giving it a knead while she works. ‘I’m just kidding. Of course you’re coming. I’ve got a surprise for you later.’
She works as late as she can, leaving it until the last possible moment to get changed.
‘Time to get ready!’ Guy’s head appears round the studio door. ‘There’s a glass of champagne with your name on it in the bedroom!’
‘Coming!’ Margot sighs, tidies up her things and makes her way across the landing. There, on the bed, lies a dress she’s never seen before. Beside it stands a very smug husband already in his dress shirt and tuxedo trousers, sorting out his cufflinks.
‘What’s this?’
‘A gift.’
Margot examines it. It’s slinky, full-length and shining silver. The type of dress you see on red carpets at film premieres, not so much at secondary school charity functions. It’s totally over the top.
‘It’s lovely. But I was planning on wearing my navy dress – you know, the one I wore on your birthday?’
‘Why not something new? It’s beautiful, isn’t it?’
‘Of course, but … don’t you think it’s a bit much?’
Guy shrugs. ‘You can never be overdressed at an event like this.’
Oh, but you can, Margot thinks. This is a dress he’s picked not to make her look beautiful but to make him look successful. It’s a dress for his arm candy to wear. Insulting to Margot. Degrading her to a bit of fluff at his side. She studies his face for a moment, trying to judge his mood. Is it worth arguing? It’s a delicate dance she does with Guy, and more than ever these days. There’s a long night ahead of them. Lots of alcohol – which is good but also bad.
‘Well,’ she says stiffly. ‘Thank you.’
She has a quick shower, gets herself ready and steps into the dress while Guy ties his bow tie. She’s at the mirror, putting in her earrings when she hears the click of the lock on the door, then feels him come up behind her. He slides his arms around her, his breathing ramping up as his hands feel their way over her body. Margot puts her hands on top of his and tries to move them off her as she realises what he’s doing. But Guy nuzzles Margot’s neck, his teeth nipping her flesh in a way she’s never said she likes.
‘Guy. No.’ She tries to wriggle away but he pins her to him.
‘Come on, Mar. We haven’t done it in ages. I need it.’
