‘Look, Karin, I’ve got to get back. Do you want anything from the bar?’
Karin shook her head politely and adopted a butter-wouldn’t-melt expression.
‘No, I just wanted to know what you thought of the grounds when you went exploring. Did you know they were designed by Luigi Belmondo, Italy’s answer to Capability Brown?’
‘They were gorgeous,’ smiled Molly thinly. ‘Although I didn’t really have much of a look.’
‘What did you think of the temple?’
Despite the darkness, Karin could see Molly’s face redden and her long fingers grip her clutch bag even harder.
‘I don’t think I saw that,’ she said.
‘That’s odd, because I could have sworn I heard you in there. Either that or it was a wounded pig squealing.’
‘Oh fuck,’ mumbled Molly.
‘Exactly,’ said Karin coolly. She paused for a long moment, her head cocked to one side, examining Molly’s face carefully.
‘So what was it like having sex with my fiancé? Or should I say, your daughter’s lover?’
Molly was now so red in the face she looked sunburnt. Karin took a breather, surprised after everything that had happened that she was enjoying it.
‘I think that maybe the hostess was drunk this afternoon,’ said Molly, finally lifting up her chin arrogantly.
Karin snapped. ‘The final insult!’ she laughed harshly.
‘Well, what do they say about it taking two to tango?’ said Molly, realizing that there was no point pretending. ‘I can’t even begin to think how bad your sex life is when your fiancé has to come looking to me. No, to us.’
‘Well, you should know all about a bad sex life, isn’t that right, Molly? It must be hard trying to orgasm when you’re too busy thinking about bank balances.’
‘Fine, have your fun. I’m not going to listen to this,’ said Molly, trying to push her way past Karin.
‘Oh yes you will,’ said Karin, grabbing a handful of leopard-print chiffon. ‘What do you think is going to happen, Molly? That Adam will break off his engagement with me and propose to your little daughter? To you?’ she mocked. ‘Don’t you understand? Nobody marries a nobody.’
Molly tried to pull herself free. ‘I’m really not listening to this.’
‘Not only will you listen to me, I’m going to make sure Summer does too,’ hissed Karin. ‘I wonder what she’ll make of all this. She’s a terribly sensitive young girl.’
Molly went white. She knew she was cornered and desperately tried to think of a way out. ‘Karin, don’t,’ she said gently, trying to appeal to a better nature that Molly wasn’t even sure Karin had.
Karin pulled back, for one moment surprised by the pleading expression on Molly face. She had never before seen even a hint of her vulnerability. She let her speak.
‘Slag me off all you like,’ said Molly. ‘Hate me for what I did this afternoon, but please don’t tell Summer. Please.’
‘If you’re so desperate for me not to tell Summer, why did you screw Adam?’ she asked coldly. ‘You weren’t being quite the caring mother then, were you?’
Molly looked down at the ground, examining every blade of grass, hoping that, when she looked up, Karin would be gone and the whole conversation would have been just like a nasty acid trip. After all, she could hardly tell Karin the truth, that she wanted Summer to be engaged to Adam. For the money, for the status, for the reflected glory. But that, as the weeks of Adam and Summer’s illicit afternoon sex had yielded nothing except Adam’s engagement to Karin, Molly had decided to wade in and have a go herself. No, she could hardly tell her that.
‘It was just a fuck,’ whispered Molly. ‘He was drunk, so was I. It was over in five minutes, it meant nothing,’ she said, her voice getting louder, stronger, more desperate. ‘Summer doesn’t need to know. Please. She loves Adam. It will crush her.’
Karin fell silent, her face expressionless. They could hear the crickets again and the tension that moments earlier had swelled between them like a giant wave just ebbed away. For just one second, Molly thought that Karin was going to let the matter rest. But then she opened her mouth and her top lip twisted into a snarl.
‘I’m going to tell Summer as soon as she gets back to London,’ she said. ‘And I’m going to tell her everything.’
62
The plane ride home on Monday morning had been quiet, the atmosphere on the 737 subdued and bloated. Champagne and croissants were available, but most people chose to sleep. Erin, however, had spent the entire flight staring out of the cabin window, her eyes searching the swirls of clouds beneath her, wondering whether she should listen to Julia Gold, whether she should say goodbye to her life with Adam. Much as she loved the excitement, importance and – on occasion – sheer luxury of her job, a life with Adam Gold meant a life with Karin. And, at that moment, Karin’s very existence seemed too painful a reminder of what had happened to her father. She thought about her pep talk with Julia, wondering if the old lady was right, that she should try and make a career writing books. But if only she knew it was going to work out – after all, having an agent was one thing, actually selling her book was quite another – it might make a decision to leave the Midas Corporation easier. A Mercedes was waiting at Heathrow for Erin to take her back to the office; she was hoping that it was going to be a relaxed day ahead. Adam hadn’t joined the rest of the guests on board the party plane; his Learjet had been waiting for him at Milano Linate to take him on to Paris for a meeting, and he hadn’t needed Erin to accompany him.