Black Marina by Emma Tennant Read Free Book Online Page A

died and the baby can come out of the closet, as you might say. ‘So Teza lives alone now, does she?’ I say. And I couldn’t help asking about Ford.
    Obviously, Millie was thrilled that Ford had kept in touch over the years. He’d sent her cards, he told her she should come over and the Party would send a fare. There was an American Black Panther coming and there’d be a big meeting … and there’d be ‘Onward Christian Soldiers’ for Millie to sing, as well as meet a lot of new friends. But something held her back – she’d worked for people too long to do something without being told to. God, I’m getting like that myself, Holly. Just about creep into the Green Velveteen with the hangover of the century and totter round with the Green Velvet Special (new since your day, crème de menthe and coffee shaken up with crushed ice and a spot of orange bitters). I’ll say, ‘Yes, please’ when they announce I’m to work right over the Yuletide Season without a break. Just like the way Millie waited till Mrs Van der Pyck pushed her on the Singer with her ticket on the LIAT plane from St Jude to Barbados in one hand and her bag and Bible in the other. She was very sick too on the flight in the Jumbo from Barbados to London because they put her in the tail of the plane and it swung around all over the place. She thought she was going to die, Millie said, like being inside the belly of a whale. And Ford was there to meet her at the airport! She was happy in the squat, except Howard and Lucy, some white couple in the rock record business, who were in the squat too, were terribly dirty. And most nights there was the sound of breaking glass.
    Ford had moved out some time ago, she said. (Sorry I’m so bad on when, it must be an age since I went up Portobello Road way. You know, Holly, I rather like it round there. Ithink I’ll move – and maybe you’ll feel like coming back one day and joining me, it’ll be like the old days except we’re one hell of a lot older. But you must get tired of sitting on your rock sometimes, despite the weather!)
    When I asked why Ford had gone, Millie just shrugged again. I daresay his interests had moved away from Teza’s quite a bit by then, he was all Black Power. And also he’s been taken up in a big way by the glitterati (Eng. Lits. and media and money with a touch of art) and Teza wasn’t included in the invitation. That made me feel a bit sorry for her, even if she is now a rich lady living on her own. And honestly, Holly, as soon as you see Teza you remember her charm. Even though her eyebrows are all knitted up with theory and how feminism must be free of sexism before it can reach the aspired-for level of socialism, she’s still somehow good to be with. She came down the stairs and caught the little kid into her arms on the landing and gave a really nice friendly laugh when she saw me. ‘Hi, Lore,’ she said. ‘Let’s have a drink and then I’ll take you to a new stall in the market where they’ve got the most lovely textiles you ever saw. Coming?’
    You remember all those pieces of fabric we used to hoard, Holly? Well Teza’s not interested in that sort of thing herself, but she likes to give pleasure to others. That’s how I see it – on a rainy day and all – and no doubt a million pamphlets to get out for the sisterhood or whatever in the pipeline. ‘What about the baby?’ I said, after making all the usual remarks that it’s the most lovely little child I’d ever seen, etc. ‘She’ll stay with Millie,’ Teza said, smiling. ‘It’s an Ibo fabric stall I’m going to show you. You’ll be able to hang the cloth on your walls or make a tablecloth or cushions. You can make one for me while you’re about it.’
    It was really great seeing Teza again. I said I was thinking of moving round here myself and she said why not come and live in her basement? All this money has made her generous,and that’s not how it takes most people. Millie looked happy too,