Page 77 of Wife After Wife
“What’s it in regard to, please?”
God, the woman was like a bodyguard. Janette irritated Ana beyondmeasure, with her floral dresses and little bolero cardigans, her hair in a ponytail that swung annoyingly as she walked. She was obviously besotted with Harry, and he treated her like a pet poodle. The whole thing was nauseating.
“It’s a managerial matter.”
“I’m sorry, Harry’s diary is full until Friday.”
“Put me through.”
“Harry’s on the phone. Can I take a message?”
“Get him to ring me.” She put the phone down.
Five minutes later, it rang. “It’s Harry.”
A thrill rippled through her at the sound of his voice. “Hi, welcome back. Can I have half an hour? I feel like we need to... catch up.”
“Of course.” He lowered his voice. “But better make it a quick ten minutes or my good intentions will be going to hell again.”
“That’s what I want to talk about. Your intentions. I’ve finished with Percy.”
There was a brief silence. “Good. How did he take it?”
“Not well. I didn’t tell him about us, of course.”
“No. Right, well, come up. I’ll push my next meeting back.”
Ana couldn’t resist a smirk as she walked past Janette’s desk. The secretary pursed her lips and looked busy.
Harry raised his eyebrows as she shut the office door behind her. He stayed behind his desk, and she sat down opposite. “How was New York?”
“Very... vertical. Shouty and loud. I love it—so would you. I’ll take you there.” He finally smiled. “I’ll buy us a penthouse.”
Ana’s golden future suddenly hung in front of her, like a big apple.
She smiled back. “In the meantime, can we organize a night out or something? I’m feeling all at sea now the wedding’s off. I need to move forward.”
“Of course. I’m moving into the South Ken flat as soon as the house is sold; you can come over. Merry’s staying in Scotland, as I’m sure you know.”
Ana was taken aback. The place where her sister and Harry had spent stolen afternoons having “fun,” as Harry insisted on calling it?Really?
“Ah. Doesn’t appeal? Don’t worry, there’s nothing left of Merry there, and I’m having it redecorated.”
“But still...” She left that hanging in the air.
“I suppose it’s quite small,” he said. “Should probably think about finding somewhere else.”
“What’s happening with Katie?”
“Leaving London. She’s going to live with her friend Cassandra—you remember Charles’s ex?”
Ana thought back to the drunken woman in the overly tight dress at the launch party. “Yes, I remember.”
“Cass is a born-again teetotaler. A bit of a bore, to be honest—the old version was far better value. She’s going to Wales. Setting up a—what’s she calling it? A wellness retreat. A Welshness retreat, perhaps. At one with the sheep? I have Welsh ancestry, incidentally, but that’s not something I generally admit to.”
Ana laughed. Harry’s views on anywhere west of the Cotswolds or north of Watford were akin to Terri’s views on southerners.
“Cass is a new woman,” he continued, “a very organic one. She’s persuaded Katie to go with her, to work as a counselor. Katie’s decided it’ll be a fresh start, and thinks it’d be nice for Maria too. Though frankly, it’s all New Age bollocks. I’d rather Maria went to boarding school.”
