Page 24 of A Sky Painted Gold

Robert smiles, and his face is softer than I’ve seen it before. “I’m glad. She likes you too. I can tell.”

I feel a glow spread through me at his words. “She’s done an amazing job on the party,” I say, gesturing to the scene that surrounds us.

“Mmm.” The noise he makes is non-committal. He really doesn’t seem to be interested in any of it. How strange to be so unmoved by all this splendour.

“Don’t you think so?” I ask, exasperated. “Not up to your high standards?” My voice is a challenge. The way he takes all of this for granted infuriates me, especially after Caitlin mentioned – even fleetingly – the pressure that these parties put on her. It’s obvious how much hard work has gone into this evening, and yet he is so dismissive of it.

There’s a pause; he looks at me and his green eyes are cold. “I couldn’t care less about the party,” he says shortly. “All this…” he gestures around with his hands “… performance.” His voice is almost angry. “The only thing that recommends it to me at all is that it seems to keep my sister occupied.”

“So that you don’t have to play at tea parties with her, I suppose?” My voice is acidic. He is so overbearing, I can’t stand it. It’s as if he can’t bring himself to care about anything, as if he’s too good for all of it. “I doubt that Caitlin needs to be kept occupied like she’s a … a child.”

It is clear that any thawing out that has happened between us is at an end.

“That,” he grinds out, “is not what I meant.”

We stand in silence for a moment, glaring at one another.

It is then that Laurie appears. “Hello, darling.” Her voice wraps around us, low and husky. “I’ve been wanting you to introduce me to your new friend all night.”

I know perfectly well that she is only being kind, but when those sleepy blue eyes look me over approvingly I feel my back straighten and my chin lift.

“Ah, yes.” Robert’s voice is back to being smooth and polite; the hostility has left his eyes. “Laurie,” he says, “this is Lou. Lou, Laurie.”

Laurie slinks forward, pressing a kiss to each of my cheeks. She smells like something warm and spicy, almost masculine. It suits her.

“Would you care to take a walk?” Laurie asks me. “Only if you can spare her, sugar?” She turns to Robert, caressing his arm. I am a little stunned to be singled out like this. What could Laurie Miller possibly want with me?

He smiles down at her. “Of course,” he says, and I know he’s probably relieved to get me out of his hair. Well, that feeling is certainly mutual.

“I’d love that,” I say. A look passes between Robert and me that is like a clashing of swords.

Laurie is glancing between us. “Is everything all right?” she asks.

Robert takes her fingers in his hand and presses them fleetingly to his lips. “Of course,” he says again, and I feel, just for a second, as if the same wall that surrounds Jack and Alice has appeared here as well. My heart thumps hollowly. Then they both turn their attention back to me, Robert drops Laurie’s hand and the feeling is gone.

Laurie and I leave Robert at the bar, where he has already been commandeered by more partygoers, and we plunge into the trees. Almost immediately the noise recedes and we are in a different world. Caitlin has set up sofas, blankets, cushions in between the trees, creating dozens of intimate, secret spaces where it feels as if anything could happen. Some of them even have gauzy white curtains pulled across for greater privacy.

We wander slowly down the avenue, and in one alcove we find Bernie, surrounded by a group of lovely boys who are hanging on his every word. He flutters his fingertips at us in greeting, but makes no other effort at conversation. Further along we find an empty white velvet sofa wedged cosily beneath two pear trees, and Laurie sinks gracefully into its cushions.

“Where did Caitlin get all this furniture from?” I marvel, perching on the other side of the sofa and enjoying the feeling of being tucked away and hidden from the world, as the branches of the trees curl into one another above our heads.

“No one throws a shindig quite like Caitlin.” Laurie smiles, a seductive smile. The practicalities are obviously not of interest to her.

“I’ve never seen anything like it!” I exclaim, then kick myself for looking too eager. I try to lean back into the sofa in the same way as Laurie, but what looks effortless and comfortable in her leaves me looking stiff and unnatural, like a china doll. In the end I give up my attempts at sophistication and sit like a child, tucking my feet beneath me.

Laurie watches my manoeuvres from under her long lashes with some amusement.

“I’m sorry to steal you away from all the action,” she says finally, and I flush at her words, hoping that she doesn’t think that because Robert and I were alone together there was anything flirtatious going on. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

“I wasn’t in the action, I was only talking to Robert,” I say in a way that I hope is dismissive. Hearing the words out loud, though, I realize they sound a bit too familiar. “I mean, we were … he was just … talking to me about his sister,” I finish weakly.

Laurie doesn’t look at all concerned by my rambling, and I relax a little. It makes sense, I think. Even if I had been flirting with Robert, I’m hardly a threat to her. I glance over at her again and she looks like one of those expensive white cats, stretched out imperially across the sofa.

“It’s so nice to see someone new around here.” Laurie’s voice is almost a purr as well. “The Cardews do have a habit of introducing one to the most interesting people.”

The way she says it makes me frown. It’s a bit too close to what Bernie said earlier. I fold my arms protectively across my chest. I am hardly a curiosity to be put on display.

“Caitlin told me all about you,” she says then, and I freeze. What version of everything has Caitlin told Laurie? Family friend or trespasser? “About the whole sneaking into the house thing,” she clarifies.