The Wayward Wife (39 page)

Susan smiled. ‘I did rather make a point of telling him.'

‘I'll bet you did.'

‘Ah, yes,' Susan said. ‘You may have – what do they call it? – territorial advantage but Danny's still my husband.'

‘Ooo,' Breda said, smiling too, ‘if there's one thing I love, it's a challenge.'

‘I haven't given up on Danny just yet, you know.'

‘Maybe not,' Breda said. ‘The big question is, has Danny given up on you?'

‘That's something we'll have to find out, isn't it?'

‘It certainly is,' said Breda.

The piercing shriek of a train whistle cut across their conversation followed by a massive explosion of white steam. Stragglers on the concourse surged towards the gate, dragging small children by the hand and rolling behind them on trolleys all sorts of bits and pieces, from cribs to baby baths to wireless sets and electric fires, as if London had become the site of a rummage sale and they were making off with the spoils.

‘Never gonna get a seat now,' Breda said. ‘We better go.'

‘Yes,' Susan said. ‘You'd better.'

Breda watched her sister-in-law crouch, look Billy straight in the eye and heard her say, ‘Be a good boy now and take care of Mummy,' before she delivered a kiss from which Billy did not flinch but, to Breda's surprise, returned in kind.

‘Ain't you the lucky one,' Breda said.

‘That,' said Susan, ‘remains to be seen,' then, tugging down the knitted cap and wrapping the coat around her, turned and hurried away.