Voices in Summer by Rosamunde Pilcher Read Free Book Online Page A

know if you'll find him particularly interesting, but I thought it would be friendly to ask him along this evening to meet you all.'
    'I'm glad you did. Perhaps I shall find that we have American friends in common, and we'll be able to gas about them. What are we eating?'
    'Smoked salmon and then grouse.'
    'Very smart. White wine or red?'
    ‘I think some bottles of both, don't you? Don't be too long, will you, Alec? I'd like to have a bath myself and it's too hot to hurry.' And she turned and went back into the bedroom. He heard her opening the sliding mirrored doors of her wardrobe. Imagined her standing there, trying to decide what she would put on. Thoughtfully, he squeezed dry the sponge and reached for his towel.
    Alec, with his guests and his wife already seated, moved around the table pouring the wine. The windows of the dining room were wide open. Outside, it was still light, and very warm. There was not the faintest breeze and the garden drowsed in the scented evening air. On the table the candle flames glowed palely, striking soft reflections on crystal and silver. The kingcups, brilliant butter yellow, seemed to shine with a light all their own.
    He put the bottle of wine back on the sideboard and went to take his place at the head of the table.
    '. . . of course, you would probably think it was terribly boring after fishing in those wilderness rivers in the United States, but there is something very special about Glenshandra. We all adore it . . . we're like children there.'
    That was Daphne, in full cry, monopolizing all conversation.
    Strickland, Strick – Alec couldn't decide which was worse –assumed a modest expression. 'I'm not actually much of a fisherman myself.'
    'No, of course you aren't, how silly of me, you wouldn't have time.'
    'Why wouldn't he have time?' asked Tom.
    'Well, darling, of course he wouldn't have time if he's in training for some world-shaking equestrian event.'
    'Equestrian.' That was George. 'Daphne, I never realized you knew such long words.'
    She pouted at him, and Alec was reminded of the young girl she no longer was.
    'But it is the right word, isn't it?'
    'Sure,' said Strickland. 'It's the right word.'
    'Oh, thank you. You are sweet to be on my side.' She picked up her fork and speared a delicate sliver of rosy-pink smoked salmon.
    Erica had placed her guests as she normally did when there were eight people present. Alec was in his normal chair, at the head of the table, but Erica had moved around to the side and relinquished her place to Strickland Whiteside, in his capacity as guest of honour, so that he and Alec faced each other down the length of the table. In fact, although they sat thus they didn't have a particularly good view of each other because the tall silver candelabra got in the way. When Erica was sitting there, Alec sometimes found this irritating, because if he wanted to say something to her, or to catch her eye, it involved some manoeuvring, but this evening he decided that it was probably a good thing.
    He wanted to enjoy his dinner without being conscious the whole time of Strickland Whiteside's disconcertingly pale blue eyes.
    Daphne and Erica sat on either side of Strickland and Marjorie Anstey and Gabriel on either side of Alec. Tom and George faced each other across the middle of the table.
    Strickland Whiteside also took up his fork. 'Do you ride?' he asked Marjorie.
    'Oh, heavens no. I never rode, even at school. I was always far too terrified.'
    'She doesn't know a horse's arse from its elbow,' said George, and his wife said 'George' in tones of extreme disapproval, and glanced towards Gabriel.
    'Sorry, Gabriel, forgot you were there.'
    Gabriel looked embarrassed, but Erica put back her head and laughed, as much at George's discomfort as at his joke.
    Watching her, Alec decided that the time spent pondering over her wardrobe had not been wasted. She wore a caftan of the palest blue Thai silk, with the earrings he had once given her for some