Free The old devils: a novel by Kingsley Amis Page A

occasion she partly filled in with the thought that one of the reasons for not accompanying Alun on his Welsh trips, the one that had always seemed to come to mind first, was to give him a free hand in keeping up with certain people, people like that doctor's wife by Beaufoy and the woman with the extraordinary hairdo who had been second-in-command at the mental home. He had been a model husband for days, weeks afterwards when he got back. But Rhiannon was not going to tell Gwen any of that, nor that she hoped Alun would set about finding some people to keep up with out at Capel Mererid or further, once he was settled down here. Gwen looked at her in an understanding, caring sort of way. 'But you did, you did really want to come? I mean you weren't talked into it however nicely?'
    'No,' said Rhiannon, trying not to sound too flat or final. 'No qualms? I know you've got some painful memories of the old days.' Gwen had turned quite sad now, as though some of it had happened to her as well. 'Aren't you afraid at all of stirring them up?'
    However much wine might or might not have gone down it seemed kind of early to get on to such matters, but they had been bound to arise some time. 'A bit. But it's all a long time ago, what went on then. That's if it's the thing with Peter you're talking about. Do you know, I never think of it.'
    'Oh really. You can't forget it though, can you?'
    'No, but you can stop feeling bad about it, I mean I have. No point.'
    'No point, no, but women have an awful way of feeling things there's no point in them feeling.'
    'I know what you mean all right. I suppose I've just been lucky.' Again, Rhiannon wanted to say something like there were times when one person could. get away with murder as far as another person was concerned, and even after the times had changed completely, for good, that part stayed the same, but she had never told anybody that. She said, wanting to know though not necessarily from Gwen, 'How is Peter? Do you see him much?'
    'Not a lot, no. Malcolm runs into him at the pub occasionally. He's fine as far as I can gather, for his age you know. Run to fat rather. And, well, I get the impression he's not very pleased with life.'
    'I suppose he's retired now.'
    'According to Malcolm he hasn't a good word to say for anyone or anything.'
    'He's not the only one. Muriel's around, I suppose?'
    At this name the two caught each other's eye and as if by pre-arrangement made remarkably similar frowning, blinking, whistling faces. On instinct they drew closer together in their chairs.
    'Oh yes,' said Gwen. 'Yes, she's around. There's a strange one as they say.'
    'Well, I hardly know her. I can't really say I know her.'
    'I can never tell what she's thinking. There she is going on as nice as pie and I've no idea what's in her head at all. I realize I've no idea what's going through her mind.'
    'She gives you that look, sort of measuring, summing you up. Actually I haven't seen her for God knows how long.'
    'She may love us all but somehow I doubt it.'
    'It's not exactly cold, is it, because in a way she's very friendly. It doesn't go with her voice.'
    'I wonder how those two get on. They're funny together.
    Like two people at work who've got to hit it off while they're there but you can bet they never go near each other outside. Like in front of the servants.'
    'What?' Rhiannon wondered if she was falling asleep. 'Does Malcolm hear anything, I mean from his mates?'
    'Don't know. Sometimes I catch an awful look on Peter's face when he doesn't think anybody's watching. Afflicted. Stricken.'
    'Oh, I know that stricken look from the old days. I used to tell him he was only ... '
    When no more followed, Gwen said, 'Christ, she doesn't half put it away, young Muriel. Not regularly, not every day, just occasionally, but then - wow! It doesn't show on her but whenever I happen to catch sight of her glass it's either full or empty. Not that she's anything special, mind. There's Dorothy ... ' Gwen paused,