Lynda Plante - The Talisman

‘I didn’t know you could have pets here?’ he said.

‘Oh, you can’t, not really, it was a toad, called Herbie, but she was very fond of him, she’s known him since he was a tadpole.’

‘Ah well, in that case they’d have a strong rapport.’

She laughed, and he pulled her close... then he sniffed.

‘God, what’s that smell?’

‘Manure... it’s the new perfume by Dior, very popular.’

As always she had him laughing, and he kissed her soil-stained face. ‘Want you home soon, Dewint is walking around like Dracula’s mother...’

He felt her tense up, then she was serious. ‘I’ll come home when I’m strong, won’t be too long, okay?’ She waved him goodbye from behind the gates, placing the trowel to her lips and giving him a Hitler salute. She returned to her tomato plants and he to a young, skinny model he had begun an affair with. He was in a very good mood, perhaps it was because he knew Harry would be home soon.

Dewint looked disdainfully at the young girl. Edward took him aside and gave him strict instructions that if Mrs Barkley, Mrs Barbara Barkley, was to call he was not available — ever. He knew he could get rid of the model easily enough, but Barbara was too close, too dangerous when Harry came home, he didn’t want anything to upset her.

Dewint tapped on the bedroom door. Even though he had told Mrs Barkley that Edward was not at home, she was refusing to leave. She swept past him, straight into the bedroom, and closed the door in his face.

‘What the hell are you playing at, giving that idiot orders to say to me, to me, that you are not in when I know damned well you are?’

The poor, nervous ‘beanpole’ hovered in the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her skinny body. Barbara shouted that it was the third time she had tried to see Edward, and that he had not returned any of her calls, but she was stunned into silence when the bathroom door opened and the girl, pink with embarrassment stood there, shaking.

‘Get this thing out of here, Edward, and fast — I mean it.’

Edward kissed his little girlfriend and handed her her clothes, saying he was sorry but there was obviously some kind of family crisis... It was nothing, ‘she’ was just his sister-in-law.

Dewint was given the nod to get the girl out, and Edward wrapped his dressing gown around himself and went to join Barbara in the lounge.

‘You bastard, you bastard, why haven’t you answered my calls? Because that, whatever you call it, was in your bed? Why don’t you grow up, you’re a bit old for her, aren’t you? What is she, sixteen, seventeen?’

Edward lit a cigar and lay on the sofa. ‘She’s actually twenty-two, but she looks younger... was there something you wanted?’

Barbara walked around to the other side of the sofa so she could face him. ‘I’m pregnant.’

Edward beamed and congratulated her, said Alex would be thrilled.

‘It isn’t Alex’s, it’s yours, it’s yours. If you recall, when I first came here I didn’t happen to have my cap in my handbag...’

‘So what do you want to do about it?’

She sighed, asked him what he wanted to do about it. He walked to the window, pushed it open. ‘Will you tell Alex? I know a good doctor...’

Barbara stepped away from him as though she’d been slapped. ‘What did you say...?’

‘I said I know a good doctor who will see you, be over with, if that’s what you want...’

‘What do you want, you bastard?’

Edward sighed, rubbing his head. ‘Does Alex have any idea about us?’

Barbara opened her handbag and took out her compact, began dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. ‘No... no he doesn’t, and he won’t. He’ll think it’s his, I’ll make sure of it.’

She blew her nose and refreshed her lipstick, but her eyes filled with tears. ‘You know, I thought you really cared about me. But you don’t care about anyone, do you? I must have been out of my mind. Well, I’m going to make it up to him, so stay away from me and if you so much as even hint at what has gone on between us I’ll... I’ll...’

‘Give me some credit, for Chrissake, he is my brother... He’ll not hear it from me, you have my word on it.’

He heard the snap of her compact, then she sniffed. ‘Well, do something for him. Get rid of that club, sell it, do whatever you have to, but don’t be involved in it any more.’

‘Okay, if that’s what you want.’

‘Even more than that, I want you to stay out of our lives, stay away from us, and leave him alone. He’s decent... I wish to God I’d never met you.’

When she had gone, Edward poured himself a brandy. What a bloody mess. Part of him, the part that had always wanted an heir, was saddened by the fact that, of all the women in the world, the one who carried the child he’d always wanted should be his brother’s wife.

Dewint came in to say that if Edward was going to visit Harriet, he should set out soon to avoid the traffic.

‘Ahhh, yes, we must avoid the traffic at all cost. Right, let’s get on the road then. Did you get some flowers and the things she likes from the vegetarian shop?’

‘Yes, sah, everything’s here. You’ll give her my love, won’t you?’

Edward took the carrier bag and nodded, saying quietly, ‘Yes, old fella, I’ll give her your love.’

Harriet was waiting for him in the sunny lounge. She sprang up and hurried towards him. She looked wonderful, and it never ceased to amaze him how quickly she changed. The terrible, drawn, haggard look had been replaced by a youthful bloom.

‘I have some news. I’ve been bursting to tell you, but I wanted to see your face when I told you — guess what?’

‘Why don’t you try telling me, and here — all the stuff you wanted from that weird shop.’

‘Oh, I’m coming home! Still, we can take it back with us...’ Her laugh bubbled up and eventually he was caught by her good spirits.

‘So, what is it, eh? What do you want to tell me?’

‘You are going to be a father.’

He stared, open-mouthed, then swallowed. He looked around the room, then back to her in disbelief. For a moment he was so confused he was speechless.

‘I — am — going — to — have — a - baby...’

After the initial shock, Edward set about preparing for fatherhood like a military campaign. He dragged Harriet to every possible doctor and discussed any foreseeable problems with the pregnancy. Harriet was tested, pummelled and prodded by the best gynaecologists in Harley Street. They discussed at length whether or not she should keep on with her medication. It was decided that she should stop, unless it became necessary again, as she wanted to breastfeed the baby. Edward read every book he could find about expectant mothers, babies, and depression. He was worried because Harriet’s age put her in a high-risk category.

He had even discussed this with Alex as Barbara was even older. Alex suggested that Edward talk the matter over with Barbara, but felt that as she had already had two children, she was not unduly worried. Barbara was the last person Edward could talk to, instead he took himself off to yet another specialist. He wanted to know the risks of mongolism, and whether the child could inherit its mother’s manic depression. He also brought up the matter of Harriet’s age. Edward had always lacked a great deal as a husband, but now, his care and attention to every detail was touching. His misgivings were discussed thoroughly by the specialist, and relieved by his confidence that after all the examinations Mrs Barkley should have a perfectly normal birth and most important, a healthy child. Edward even held the instruction book for Harriet while she learned the exercises. He attended sessions with a nurse brought in to instruct them both, and didn’t appear to mind panting and puffing alongside Harriet. A lot of the time she got into such fits of giggles that he was the only one left panting, the nurse standing over him telling him how to push. But under his loving care, she blossomed.