Nomance, T Price [bookreader .TXT] 📗

girl was such a pathetic and simple soul, when Tamsin said,‘I’ve just remembered something, Juliet. I’ve won ten thousandpounds on the premium bonds. Of course, it’s not the jackpot, assuch, but . . . ’

Having taken a momentor two to swallow this, Juliet hastened to congratulate Tamsin onher good fortune.

It was then that shewas struck by how often before she had congratulated Tamsin on hergood fortune. Far more often, indeed, than she had evercongratulated any of her other friends. She had been obliged tocongratulate her, for instance, on her triumphant graduation showat St Martin’s College of Art. Tamsin’s contribution consisted of aseries of sepia portrait photographs of her friends’ vacuumcleaners.

It had beenacclaimed.

Tamsin was pleased tobe acclaimed, but she was over the moon about her uncle and auntyleaving her as the sole beneficiary in their will. She wasn’t quiterich now, but she had enough to buy a tiny house near thePortobello Road and lead a comfortable lifestyle off whatremained.

Since then, Tamsin hadno longer taken account of her parents’ high expectations forher.

‘It’s so nice to beable to come to a party,’ Tamsin declared. ‘I mean a party likethis one, rather than Helena’s. And when the weather gets gloomy,it helps to cheer one up thinking about beautiful summer eveningslike this.’

Juliet gave her apitying smile. No, Tamsin couldn’t count on being cheered up at oneof Helena Hursborg’s art parties – the only kind of party sheattended on a regular basis. Helena – their mutual friend from artcollege – was a decade older than either of them. They had met herat St Martin’s only because Helena had somehow made her three-yeardegree course last eight years. She was a manager rather than anartist and knew by instinct how to use people. Juliet disliked theway Helena used Tamsin at her parties as a kind of waitress, andyet, she also had to admit that perhaps waiting on people with winewas Tamsin’s true vocation. ‘By the way, Tam,’ Juliet said, just incase Tamsin got the wrong idea. ‘Philip’s got his orders – he’ll betaking the drinks round.’

‘Poor man. Anyway, Iwish I could throw a party myself once in a while,’ Tamsin said,referring to the limited size of her little house.

‘It wouldn’t be safefor any more than five or six people, dear. Fire regulations.’ Butthe issue of safety was on Juliet’s mind for another reason. ‘Thatreminds me, I’d better put Phoebe’s candelabra out on the tablenow. She might think we’ve flogged it otherwise. You know howsensitive she is.’

This was one ofPhilip’s jobs, but her husband was still out, buying extra saltedsnacks from the nearest SevenEleven. Tamsin helped her take thecandelabra from the locked cupboard in the hallway.

This gargoyle ofcontorted metal was only ever let out of the locked cupboard whenPhoebe was expected to visit. A versatile artist and welder, thecandelabra was the nearest she had ever come to the homely andutilitarian. Cautioning each other to take care of the many wickedspikes, Tamsin and Juliet lugged it to the living room and stood iton the middle of the dining table, where it squatted, lookingominous and malign.

The doorbell rang.

Juliet went downstairsand found Liam waiting outside.

Another friend fromthose bygone days at St Martin’s College, Liam was a tall, youngishman, pale and yet saturnine, who nursed a throbbing core ofrancourous defeat under the long, dingy, old man’s coat he worethroughout the year. He got about London on a creaking boneshakerbicycle – his one constant companion in life.

‘Where’s your bike,Liam?’

‘Stolen.’

‘Oh dear. Come on up.Only Tamsin’s here so far. When does your show show?’

‘It’s showed. Two weeksago.’

Juliet made a fuss ofwondering why she hadn’t been told. And so did Tamsin. Joiningtheir sympathy up seemed to make it amount to something.

‘All of Helena’sinvitations got lost in the post once,’ Tamsin said, in an attemptto make Liam feel less alone and worthless.

Liam’s gloom sharpenedinto resentment. ‘They were bound to get lost eventually. She sendsthem out every fortnight. My show was a virtual one off.’

‘But maybe you ought totry the same approach to selling your paintings as Helena does,’Tamsin offered, as a tentative suggestion.

‘The HursborgTupperware Party approach?’ Liam sneered. He understood perfectlythat the true agenda of Helena’s art parties was to flog herpaintings – abstracts that demonstrated that she couldn’t even usea paint roller right.

Juliet said, ‘It doesseem to work though. She sells everything she makes.’

Liam nodded. ‘That’strue. But then, everyone’s drunk before they buy anything.’ He letout a bitter, but feeble laugh, and Juliet and Tamsin answered withrepressed smiles. Liam went on, ‘Actually, I don’t resent her beingsuch a good salesman. I wish I had her gift for selling. What doesget to me is that her parties really are Tupperware parties. Allher dreadful pictures are nothing but Tupperware still-lives. She’sgot a big collection Tupperware hidden in her attic. She uses themas her models.’

‘Has she?’ Tamsinasked, wide eyed.

Juliet laughed atTamsin’s naivety. However, Liam’s wall-eyed stare made Julietrealise he was being serious.

Her laughter peteredout.

‘She’s coming alonglater, Liam,’ Tamsin reminded him.

‘Don’t worry, I don’tactually care enough to tell her what I think about her.’

Juliet and Tamsinexchanged a look. They had never worried about Liam telling Helenawhat he thought about her, and they never would.

Just then, the frontdoor opened and shut and Philip came clumping up the stairs with abox full of salted snacks. ‘Hello, you two,’ he greeted them with ahappy smile. He was six foot six and sported a shank of floppyblond hair that still didn’t look too young for him. He alsoboasted endless legs attached to lean, athletic body, and he wascurrently enjoying a vibrant City career in the CentaurCorporate Investment Bank.

Juliet always felt likepunching the air when she added it all up.

‘How you doing?’ Liamasked neutrally. Tamsin went up to bestow a kiss.

‘Fine, fine.’

‘We’d better dish thislot out as well,’ Juliet said, as Philip put the box of snacks on achair.

‘Use scissors,’ Tamsinsaid, being the expert. ‘It’s quicker than opening the packets byhand.’

Juliet went to thekitchen to fetch the scissors and more plates and came back to findPhilip telling Liam that his bank had recently invested in artworkto the tune of three million pounds. The doorbell sounded again