Fog of Doubt by Christianna Brand Read Free Book Online

a foolish smile and his fine, white, spatulate doctor’s hands encouraged the birdie to fly with a flurry of unavailing gesture. Tilda joined them. ‘Thomas—will you be in to dinner to-night?’
    â€˜Why?’ said Thomas warily.
    â€˜Raoul Vernet’s coming; that Frenchman from Geneva, you know.’
    â€˜People from Geneva are Swiss,’ said Thomas.
    â€˜Well, as a matter of fact he’s actually a Beige, so there. And don’t you be trying too. Except for trying to get home for dinner in time. He’s coming at half-past seven.’
    â€˜What time’s he going?’ said Thomas.
    â€˜How do I know when he’s going, darling? But if you’re bored,’ said Matilda, very offhand, ‘you can always pretend you’ve got a case and slope off into the office.’
    â€˜Oh, can I? Good,’ said Thomas, innocently.
    â€˜Well, then, look—I’ll start a build-up when he comes about how you will have to leave us after dinner; and then you can make an excuse and hop off. Only, don’t let me down; don’t forget to hop.’
    â€˜I may be late, anyway,’ he said. ‘It looks as if there’s going to be a fog. If so, I’ll just have dinner on a tray in the office and not appear at all. Where’s Rosie?’
    â€˜I don’t know—still hogging it in bed I expect.’
    Thomas picked up a ball and threw it for the poodle. ‘She doesn’t seem very well since she came back from Thingamajig.’
    â€˜It’s the change of food, I suppose,’ said Tilda, quickly. ‘And Damien will take her out drinking beer at the Hammer and Sickle or whatever his pub is.’
    â€˜On the contrary, she’s gone off alcohol altogether, she doesn’t even have a drink before dinner now. And that’s funny too,’ he said, thoughtfully; adding, suddenly: ‘Who did you say was coming to dinner to-night?’
    â€˜Raoul Vernet, darling; that chap I had a flirtation with once, in Geneva.’
    â€˜Oh yes, in Geneva,’ said Thomas, vaguely. ‘What’s he doing in London, all of a sudden?’
    â€˜How do I know?—some business meeting or other.’
    â€˜I see. And he’s coming here to dinner and you want me tactfully to leave you alone together afterwards.’ There was a strange light about the garden as though one were looking at the high brick walls and the narrow path and the pear trees and the mulberry tree, through clouded spectacles. ‘Anyway, if this fog gets going, I shall probably reach home after he’s gone and not even meet the gent.’ He gave her a brief smile; but he did not look much amused as he walked away into the house.
    â€˜Well, what a bloody day!’ said Tilda to herself, following him. With this fog coming down, should she leave Emma in the garden, or make up her mind to a morning in the nursery? And had Melissa gone up to Granny yet? And what on earth could one give a fastidious Frenchman for dinner? And Rosie? She went upstairs to the little attic room with its frilly curtains and patchwork counterpane. ‘Rosie! Aren’t you getting up?’
    â€˜I’ve been up,’ said Rosie, coming to the surface and poking out a round face unattractively covered with nourishing cream. ‘I got back.’
    â€˜Are you feeling rotten?’
    â€˜Morning sickness,’ said Rosie. ‘Me! Morning sickness!’
    â€˜You haven’t been going and taking pills and things?’
    â€˜No, I haven’t. Tedward won’t give me a thing and then he just pretends that they wouldn’t do me any good anyway, and only make me feel worse. As if I could!’
    â€˜Well, I don’t know what to do, Rosie,’ said Matilda, moving round the little room and automatically picking up and tidying away the scattered things. ‘Thomas has noticed that you aren’t well and now he’s getting worried.’
    â€˜You