Free The Sea Garden by Marcia Willett Page B

‘Keep your eyes in the boat, darling,’ she whispered, and he jumped and turned quickly, a self-defensive denial ready in his mouth. But Cass, as usual, forestalled him.
    â€˜Ah,’ she said, ‘the lovely Juliet. Well, she is lovely. Oh, look. Al has cut in. Doesn’t Mike look grim?’
    And Mike did indeed look grim though he tried to laugh it off, to pretend that he didn’t care if his best friend and oppo was making up to his wife. He shrugged, headed for the bar, but even Tom, who wasn’t particularly analytical, could see that Mike was cross.
    â€˜Al’s the limit,’ Cass was saying. ‘He’s holding her too tight. He will do that. Lots of my chums say the same. It’s damned annoying. He knows we daren’t slap his face or make a fuss, especially with his father sitting over in the corner looking on. No girl wants to get her husband into Dickie’s bad books. Al trades on our good manners.’
    Tom muttered something about it not being that bad. He felt uncomfortable. He thought it was a fuss about nothing but Cass was right about one thing: none of these young men was going to be pleased if his wife showed herself up in front of a senior officer. After all, nothing much could happen on a dance floor. He said so to Cass, who asked sharply how he’d feel about being touched up every time he danced with a woman.
    â€˜Chance would be a fine thing,’ he said, laughing it off. ‘I certainly wouldn’t mind if it was Juliet, I can tell you.’
    He glanced at Cass, wondering if he’d gone too far, but she was laughing again and he felt a great surge of gratitude: God, he was lucky to have her. She was so ready to laugh, to enjoy life, and his friends lusted after her almost as much as they lusted after the divine Juliet. He was damned lucky. And here came Stephen Mortlake, wanting a dance, taking Cass away, and Tom waved them off good-naturedly and went to join Mike in the bar.
    â€˜That’s the penalty,’ he said, ordering a Horse’s Neck, grinning at Mike, ‘for having a beautiful wife. You and me both.’
    But Mike wasn’t in joshing mood. He looked glum as he downed his drink and his eyes were fixed on Al and Juliet as they slowly circled the floor. And then Johnnie and Fred arrived with the usual brace of pretty girls they always produced for a ladies’ night or a party. Tom made a little face, jerked his chin towards Mike so as to warn them, but Johnnie and Fred weren’t likely to pander to Mike’s mood. They’d suffered too much from his bullying in the past.
    â€˜Been stood up?’ asked Johnnie genially, and Fred asked, ‘Would you like me to go and cut him out for you?’ and Mike snarled at him, ‘When you’re big enough you’ll be too old,’ and took another pull at his drink.
    Johnnie and Fred made comical faces and, grinning at Tom, ushered their girls out onto the floor. Stephen Mortlake brought Cass back.
    â€˜Says she’s had enough,’ he told Tom.
    â€˜Of course she has,’ said Tom. ‘That’s why I married her. She’s got such good taste.’
    And he took Cass in his arms and they moved away onto the floor as the band began to play ‘California Dreaming’.
    *   *   *
    Tom’s thoughts return to the present; he reaches for Cass’s hand, smiles at her. Cass takes a tiny breath of relief and relaxes a little. Stephen Mortlake’s name has raised old ghosts, reminding her of a younger, naughtier Cass, who took chances, got caught out. Clearly, Tom hasn’t made quite the same connections but she doesn’t want to pursue the topic of conversation just now. Let him think she’s jealous; that will do nicely. It will massage his ego and put him in a happier frame of mind. She squeezes his hand in return and they settle more comfortably together on the sofa.
    *   *   *
    â€˜Who