Page 67 of Replay
“Grouch all you like, Allegra.I did Bush a favour.He’s milking it in sales because of that interview, in case you haven’t noticed.That means you’re getting a nice slice of it.So, you might consider saying thank you.”
“Fuck you,” was what actually came out of her mouth.“Fuck you and your bullshit, capitalist, money makes up for everything dogma.No amount of money will ever justify what you did, not to me, not to Ronnie, not to Spook.You’re a right piece of work, Marshall Hutton.Dad would turn in his grave if he knew what sort of man you’d become.”
The mention of Hutton senior had a curious effect.Flynn whitened.Theo slunk back several steps so that he was practically on the next table, while Marshall spluttered beer over them all.His fist drummed hard upon the high level table they were gathered around.
“You dare… you dare bring that bastard into this?Fine.I’ll tell you what Dad would have done.He’d have patted me on the back and said good job, because in case you hadn’t noticed he was a sick, psychopathic fucker devoid of empathy and with zero tolerance for anyone he didn’t deem ‘normal’.”He made air quotes with his fingers.“The only thing he’d have to say about Ronnie Bush was that the boy needed to locate his balls.”
Alle’s jaw had clenched tight, and there was a sickly grimace twisting her usually sublimely kissable lips.“That’s not true.”
“It is true,” Marshall replied, and Flynn nodded in agreement.
Spook had already figured that Daddy Hutton had been a rather stern, overbearing figure.Certainly, his daughter seemed to forever be striving to impress him, even now, when he’d been dead in his grave for almost six months.
“The only reason you don’t see that is because you were his darling princess.‘Angelic Allegra can do no wrong.’‘Pretty Allegra is practically perfection personified.’‘You boys are nothing but crudely moulded mockeries in comparison’.”Marshall’s voice wove up and down the scales as he aped their father.
Alle’s cheeks darkened to crimson beneath her freckles.“I’ve never once implied that Dad was perfect.He was a hard man to get along with.But he wouldn’t have been proud of you making an arse of yourself in an interview.He didn’t like bullies.”
“Only because he was the biggest one,” Flynn muttered.He waved her off when Alle zapped her attention back to him.
“He was our dad,” she snarled.“And you two couldn’t even be bothered to visit him when he was dying.You couldn’t take five minutes off for the funeral to pay your respects.You left me to do everything.”
Marshall folded his arms across his chest.“Is this the real reason you’re pissed?Poor Alle got lumbered with nursing the old man?”
“Yeah, while you naffed off and did fuck all.You’re not the only one with a career, Marshall.Taking time off was just as damaging for me as it would have been for you.”
“The difference is I don’t care about the old bugger at all.He was a cruel, twisted old man, who deserved to be alone.The only reason you can’t see that was because you were never the one on the receiving end of his punishments.”
“That’s hardly my fault.”
“Deliberately winding him up so that he lashed out at the rest of us was definitely your fault.”
“I didn—”
“Who was it that took the rap every time you got all defiant and rebellious, eh?Who was on the receiving end of all those lashings?Not you.Not pretty perfect Allegra.It was never you.No matter how vile or petty you got.I kept my head down.I did what he asked.I worked my arse off to ensure my grades were perfect, but that counted for nothing.Nope, because the infallible princess was there.”
“Marsh, I’m sorry he treated us differently.He should never have punished you for my wrongdoings.I never wanted that.”
“You’re not sorry.You used to deliberately screw up just to provoke him.”
“I…”
“Marsh,” Flynn laid a steadying hand upon Marshall’s arm.“Don’t do this now, mate.Not here.”
“Yeah,” Theo murmured, shuffling forward a fraction.“It’s not the place.”
Marshall shook them both off.“It’s as good as any.It’s not like Ewan was a feature anyway, he was long gone.Couldn’t get away fast enough.Frost bite and Polar bears were far less hazardous than Dad.”
Their eldest sibling was a wildlife photographer, and an award winning one at that.Alle had forwarded Spook links to some of his stuff.He was also five or six years older.
“I’ll tell you what the deal is, Alle, shall I?I don’t owe you anything.You shat all over me while we were growing up.That means you’re fair game now.Just the same as anyone else.Don’t like that?Don’t date a fucking rock star with a dodgy past.”
Marshall was staring right at Spook now, not like he knew anything, more like he knew there was something tantalizing to uncover.
“Alle.”Spook tugged gently upon her arm.“Come away now.”
Alle’s stance remained rigidly fixed.“Explain what you mean, Marshall.Had to go digging did you?”
Marshall shot a glance leftward, then smirked in a way that showed off his teeth.“Why the heck wouldn’t I dig into the background of a man who’s involved with my sister?”He enunciated slowly, and clearly.
