‘Yes, she’s – well, she’s a bit incapacitated, and she has a heart condition, so she needs someone there.’
Claire was starting to feel uncomfortable under Jacqueline’s intense scrutiny and incessant questioning.
‘Have you always lived at home, then?’
‘No, I went to university in Edinburgh.’
‘And what did you study?’
‘English literature.’ This was beginning to feel like a job interview.
‘You’ll have to forgive Mum,’ Ali said, smiling indulgently at her mother. ‘She doesn’t usually give people thethird degree, but it’s the first time Luca’s brought a girlfriend home.’
‘Oh, I’m not?—’
‘Yes, you’re a first,’ Luca said, smiling fondly at her as he put an arm around her waist. She didn’t understand why, but for some reason Luca obviously wanted his mother to think they were a couple. So she put an arm around him and smiled back at him, gratified when she felt him relax beside her.
‘Yes, well, I must admit I was quite surprised when Ali told me Luca was bringing someone,’ Jacqueline said to Claire. ‘I’m sorry if I’m being rude?—’
‘It’s fine,’ Claire hastened to assure her.
‘But it’s really lovely to have you here, Claire,’ she said, once more giving Claire that look, as if she was a complicated puzzle. ‘I must say, you’re not at all what I expected.’
‘Oh.’ Claire tried not to let her expression falter, but she felt hurt by Jacqueline’s remark, taking it to mean she found her a disappointment.
‘Stop that,’ Luca whispered to her, frowning at her sternly, as if he knew what she was thinking. ‘She means she thinks you’re too good for me,’ he said, in a louder voice. ‘Don’t you, Jacqueline?’
‘No, of course not,’ Jacqueline snapped. ‘Please don’t do this today, Luca.’
‘What did you expect?’ he asked his mother, his lip curling in a sneer. ‘Some skank or junkie? Someone more suitable for a scumbag like me?’
‘Of course not!’
‘Luca, please,’ Ali whispered, her eyes darting between her mother and brother.
‘Sorry, Ali.’
Claire felt his body slump against her, the fight seeming to go out of him. He took a swig of champagne.
‘You’re drinking,’ Jacqueline said tightly, her eyes frosty as they focused on his glass.
‘Jesus!’ Luca swore under his breath. ‘Yeah, I’m drinking. So what? So are you.’
‘Yes, but I’m not?—’
‘Neither am I!’ he roared.
‘You have a problem, Luca,’ Jacqueline hissed. ‘And the sooner you face up to it, the better. You can’t drink in moderation, so?—’
‘That’s not true,’ Claire said. ‘I’ve never seen Luca drunk.’ Now that she thought about it, she’d never seen him drink more than a beer or two, or a couple of glasses of wine at the most. ‘I’ve never seen him even slightly tipsy.’
‘Well, lucky you. I hope you never have to. But he’s put us through hell?—’
‘I think you’ve got that the wrong way around,’ Claire said quietly.
‘I beg your pardon?’ Jacqueline said haughtily. ‘I don’t know what he’s told you but?—’
‘He didn’t have to tell me anything,’ Claire said, wishing her voice wasn’t trembling. ‘It’s all in the public domain. You put it there.’
