She blushed at his words, not knowing how to respond.
‘Tell me,’ he said, ‘apart from dancing with your stepson, what else makes you laugh?’
‘All sorts of things,’ she replied.
‘Such as?’
‘Charles; he always—’ she broke off, realising she was about to betray herself by saying he always cheered her up. To say that would make her sound as though she weren’t happy. And she was happy. It was just that now Charles was away at school she was lonely at times.
‘What does Charles always do?’ Ralph prompted.
‘Smile,’ she said. ‘He makes me smile.’
‘Do you miss him?’ he asked.
Surprised by the question, Julia said, ‘What sort of a mother would I be if I didn’t?’
‘He’s lucky to have you as his mother in that case. I doubt mine gave me a second thought once she left my father. She was glad to be shot of us both.’
‘Don’t say that.’
‘Why not? It’s the truth. Drink up, I’m going to claim another dance with you, so brace yourself!’
‘Oh, I’d better not,’ she said.
‘What, better not drink up, or better not dance some more?’
‘Both. I ought to find Arthur. He’ll be wondering where I’ve got to.’
‘Come on, Julia, let your hair down. You’re not shackled to the old man. You’re not afraid of him, are you?’
With a slight recoil, she frowned at the taunting tone in Ralph’s voice. ‘What makes you say that?’ she said.
‘You’re like a timid little mouse when he’s around.’
‘Don’t be silly, of course I’m not. I just don’t like to antagonise him like you ... ’ her voice trailed off as she lost her nerve.
‘As I do, you were going to say?’
‘Well, you do seem to fall out with him such a lot. Can’t you be nicer to your father?’
‘I would if he were nicer to me.’ He drained his glass and looked at her with his charming smile. ‘I say, I don’t suppose you could do me a huge favour, could you?’
‘What sort of favour?’
‘Put in a good word for me and see if you can get the old man to change his mind about increasing my allowance?’
‘I’m not sure he’ll listen to me,’ she said, startled at his suggestion. Money was not something Arthur discussed apart from how to save it. He gave her housekeeping money and it was her job to make it cover all the bills. She took pride in doing that, because she knew it pleased him.
‘Or perhaps you could—’
‘Yes?’ she said, when Ralph fell silent.
‘No. I can’t ask you what I was about to. It wouldn’t be right.’
Ever since she had married Arthur, Julia had wanted to have a better relationship with Ralph. Until now she had believed he didn’t much care for her, that he resented her for marrying his father. In fact, until this evening they had never had a proper conversation. Perhaps this was a turning point for them. She hoped so because then he might also want to be closer to Charles, his stepbrother.
‘Just say what you were going to say, Ralph,’ she said.
