‘Which didn’t need to include making a fool of yourself on the dance floor!’ said Electra. ‘Anyone would think you were a Teddy Boy, dancing like that. Now come on!’
‘Say hello to Lizzie first, Electra,’ he said, in the same calm way.
‘Hello, Lizzie,’ said Electra, ‘although as we’ve already spoken this evening, it hardly seems necessary. Now, your mother is looking for you, Hugo, so come on.’
Lizzie had no shortage of dance partners but only Hugo had wanted to jive. But she was a good dancer generally and enjoyed herself. She quite often managed not to think about what was going on in the house.
The party was winding up and Lizzie was thinking of asking her friends if they were going to bed soon when she heard the cousin who was in charge of the records put on ‘Rock Around the Clock’. The next minute, Hugo was in front of her, in his dinner jacket again, but with his bow tie hanging undone.
‘Come on. This is for us!’ he said, and pulled her on to the floor.
This time they were completely confident with each other, knew each other’s moves and when they were planning something a bit complicated. Everyone gathered to watch them. Vanessa whooped and people clapped.
She had just been set back on her feet after being swung around in his firm and confident grasp when she spotted Electra. She looked as if she’d swallowed a scorpion.
Electra stalked across to the record player and lifted the needle, ignoring the complaints from the audience who had been enjoying themselves.
‘Hugo, this is ridiculous. Come on! Your father is expecting you in the library. And as for you!’ Her attention felt like a lash across Lizzie’s face. ‘You need to learn that it’s not the done thing to go around making sheep’s eyes at other people’s men!’
She pulled Hugo away and they left.
Meg and Alexandra were at her side in a moment. ‘What a cow!’ said Alexandra, furious. ‘How dare she? You were only dancing!’
‘Are you OK?’ said Meg. ‘You and Hugo were amazing!’
‘Thank you,’ said Lizzie.
A boy came over. ‘Hey! You’re a terrific dancer. Can I have a go?’
Lizzie smiled and shook her head. ‘I’m worn out now. I think I’ll go back to the house.’
‘I’ll come with you,’ said Meg.
Lizzie wanted to be alone. She had a lot to think about. ‘No need for that! You stay until the end.’ Seeing Meg hesitate she put her hand on hers. ‘Honestly, I’d like a few minutes on my own. To clear my head.’
The evening air was cooling and, to give herself longer in it, Lizzie walked round to the front door rather than slipping in at the side. The door was ajar when she arrived and she had just pushed it further open when she heard angry voices. She realised that Hugo and Electra were having words at the foot of the stairs she needed to go up. And a second more told her the subject of their heated conversation. It was she.
‘I don’t know what’s got into you, Hughie!’ said Electra, sounding like an angry nanny. ‘Making a fool of yourself with that girl!’
‘You know perfectly well she’s called Lizzie. You’ve been to a dinner party at her house, in case you’ve forgotten.’ While Hugo was obviously annoyed, he was calm.
‘Don’t be ridiculous. It wasn’t her house. She’s just a lodger. God knows why Vanessa insisted on inviting her here tonight! If I’d known she was coming I’d have stopped it!’
‘Electra, when I last looked, you didn’t have the right to say who could or could not be invited to this house.’
‘Oh, for goodness’ sake! I get on brilliantly with your mother!’
‘That’s hardly the point.’
‘No, the point is, I am not at all happy with you being so ridiculous with that girl, in public! It reflects on me, you know.’
‘I danced with Lizzie twice. You don’t like jiving. She’s very good at it.’
‘That’s your excuse for picking her up and flinging her all over the place, is it? She’sgood at it?’
‘Look, I’m sorry if me dancing with another girl has offended you. It isn’t usually a problem. We’ve been to lots of balls together and we’ve always danced with other people.’
‘Other people on the same table. That’s quite different!’ snapped Electra.
