“I’m not asking you to attend pompous evenings and shake hands with mummies, just to come to dinner and meet my parents.”
I would like to answer but all I can do is wheeze.
“It’s the least you can do. Any normal husband meets his wife’s parents, eventually. I see Delphina quite a lot, and now you must do your bit.”
“We are not a normal couple.”
“Make an effort, Ashford,” Jemma’s tone rises a few octaves.
“All right, then! When?”
“Tonight,” she states firmly.
“Tonight?” I protest.
“Proposing dinner with reasonable notice would have given you the chance to find an excuse and stand me up. I know you have no commitments of any kind for tonight.”
“You’re playing dirty.”
Jemma stands up, then looks at the statements on the desk. “Are these about our bank accounts?” And she smiles from ear to ear.
I collect the documents and shut them in the drawer.
“Now, Ashford,thisis playing dirty. As you can see, I can do it too if you give me a hard time.”
“Jemma…”
“It’s a matter of respect, Ashford. Just think of my parents: their only daughter gets married in twenty-four hours and her husband takes her to live miles away from home, without even wanting to meet them.”
“You’re right. We will do this. Tell them we’re having dinner at their house, tonight,” I give in.
“Your mother is also invited.”
I can’t hold back a laugh.
“What is it now?”
“Jemma, you’re really naive. I can make an effort and pretend you’re the only woman on Earth for a single evening, but inviting my mother means digging your own grave.”
“She has to be there. They’re in-laws.”
“As you wish,” I walk away from the desk shrugging and turn towards the door to leave the room.
“Where are you going now?”
“To the stables. My mother is having her tea in twenty minutes; I’ll ask John to give me a horse tranquilliser.”
*
“Mother, we are not having dinner at home tonight,” I announce.
“Oh really? Are you going out?” She asks, more out of terror than interest. She’s afraid I might take Jemma to some important place where they know us, and that she might embarrass the Parker family.
“Not just us.Weare going out,” I pause, bracing myself for the ensuing drama. “The three of us.”
“I don’t think there is anything on the calendar scheduled for tonight. Am I missing something?”
“Not at all, Mother. It’s an unscheduled event. We’re having dinner at Jemma’s parents place in London.”
