Page 123 of The Honeymoon Affair

‘I hope the new book is made into a movie,’ I say. ‘I’d love to go to a premiere.’

‘It can take years.’ Pamela sounds like she’s had lots of experience with movie deals. ‘And even then, something can throw it off course.’

‘It’s an exciting prospect all the same,’ says Ellis. ‘And I’m sure Ariel . . .’ she pauses. ‘I’m sure his agent is working hard on his behalf as usual.’

‘You can say her name,’ I tell her, then turn my attention to the salmon in front of me, even though Charles hasn’t returned with the other two plates yet and I should really wait until he does.

‘This must all be quite overwhelming for you, Iseult,’ says Pamela. ‘Mixing in these circles.’

‘If you mean the movie business, I haven’t met anyone to do with it yet,’ I say.

‘Not only the movies. Important writers like Charles.’

I’m not sure how I’m supposed to respond to that.

‘Have you worked out your living arrangements?’ she asks.

‘Our living arrangements?’ I look at her in confusion.

‘How you’re going to manage when you’re getting up in the middle of the night to catch drug smugglers,’ she says. ‘You can’t disturb Charles. He needs his sleep. And you can’t disturb him if you’re off during the day either, because he needs his creative space.’

‘I’m sure we’ll manage. After all, I need my sleep too and sometimes that’s during the day. I don’t spend my whole life catching smugglers either,’ I add. ‘It can be more mundane than that.’

‘You’ve got to understand that being married to Charles isn’t like being married to an ordinary person,’ Pamela says.

‘No, it’s like being married to a man-child,’ Ellis pipes up.

I laugh.

‘Seriously,’ she says. ‘For someone who’s supposedly so brilliant at writing women, he can be an absolute pain to live with.’

‘You’re being very harsh,’ says Pamela.

‘Oh, come on, Mum. Ariel did her best, but it was difficult for her. He was always interrupting her at work. Drove her nuts.’

I say nothing. Pamela tells Ellis that Ariel was the one who did all the interrupting.

‘No she didn’t,’ says Ellis. ‘She gave him more than enough of your so-called creative space. He was the one who was under her feet.’

‘Nonsense,’ says Pamela.

‘Anyhow,’ Ellis turns to me, ‘don’t let him walk all over you. He’s the kind of person that if you give him an inch takes a few miles. Start as you mean to go on.’

‘I’ll keep that in mind.’

‘Have you met Ariel?’ asks Pamela.

‘Yes.’ I keep my voice as relaxed as I can, but I stab my salmon like a victim in a Janice Jermyn book.

‘What did you think?’

‘She’s very focused.’

‘Multi-talented,’ says Ellis. ‘Can turn her hand to anything for Chas, and often does.’

I don’t know why she smiles when she says this.

‘I’ll admit she’s done well for him as an agent,’ says Pamela. ‘But really and truly, he could’ve had a better wife.’