Page 46 of Wife After Wife

Percy carried his own and Ana’s mugs out and hovered in the living room, while Ana gave Megan and Harry theirs.

“Bedroom, Percy,” she said. Then added, “We’re going to the pub when we’ve drunk these, so you can have the place to yourselves.”

“That’s really not necessary,” said Harry, “though it’s kind of you. Hopefully Megan and I will be all talked out soon.”

“We could all go to the pub?” said Megan, wiping away her tears.

“Why not?” said Percy.

Harry looked at Ana. “Perhaps a quick one, but only if I can make Megan see sense first.”

Percy was about to open his mouth again, but Ana pulled him by the sleeve into the bedroom.

Five minutes later the sound of Megan’s raised voice reached them. Ana had been telling Percy about Terri’s latest interview coup—Tom Cruise was on theRack, and she was planning to grill him about his interest in Scientology.

“Sh!” said Percy.

“Stop eavesdropping!” said Ana.

They heard a door slam, and there was a tap on the bedroom door. Ana opened it to see Harry.

“Can I have a word?”

“Stay there, Percy,” she said, and followed Harry into the living room, closing the bedroom door behind her.

“Thanks for your discretion,” Harry said, sitting down on the sofa and shifting across so there was space beside him. He’d taken off his jacket and loosened his tie, and now leaned forward, elbows on knees. He put his chin in his hands and sighed.

Ana had been heading for the armchair but hesitated. Harry looked so dejected. She sat down next to him—and immediately regretted it. He smelled divine.Whatwas that aftershave? And with his head lowered in defeat, she had a sudden urge to stroke his beautiful golden hair.

Harry glanced over at Megan’s bedroom door. “She won’t budge, Ana. I want Charles and Cass to have a chance to patch things up. They’re a great couple, and they have two kids. Plus Cassandra’s been a big help with Katie.”

“I know how difficult Megan’s being,” said Ana, trying to concentrate on the problem at hand. “I’ve told her splitting up a family isn’t cool, but she’s kind of obsessed.”

Harry looked sideways at her, his gaze intense. It reminded her of yesterday, when he’d wished death would stay away. The mask had slipped, and she’d glimpsed the emotion beneath.

“Love can be hard,” he said. “I do feel for Megan. I kind of understand.”

“You do?” Ana’s heart was beating faster than it should have been.

He sat back and sighed again, running his fingers through his hair,not taking his eyes from hers. “We can’t help what we feel. Sometimes the strongest feelings come at the worst possible time, or we fall in love with the wrong person. We don’t mean it to happen; we don’t choose it.”

“But we can choose not to act on those feelings,” said Ana, “if that would wreck others’ lives. We have free will.”

“When we’re in love, we can lose sight of what’s right and wrong. It’s part of being human.”

For the first time since she’d met him, Ana began to understand why Harry meant so much to Megan, and why she was desperate for his approval. He was a deep thinker. It came as a surprise.

But still, there was something deeply unsettling about him, like a scent your subconscious picks up before you’re even aware it’s there.

“Charles really does seem to feel the same as Megan,” he continued.

As she held his gaze, she could almost see his mind changing as he processed the conversation he’d just had with his sister and let the words he’d spoken to Ana, about trying to resist the force of love, overtake his earlier words about trying to hold together a marriage, until they were left behind and a new truth filled that space.

“He’s practically washed his hands of Cassandra,” he said. “I don’t know—maybe heshouldmove on. Maybe theyaremeant to be together. If he doesn’t love Cass anymore, is there really any point?”

“What are you going to say to Megan?”

“Perhaps I’ll suggest some length of time, to give Cassandra a chance to get her life back on track, with Charles there to support her. He could see how he feels after that. Maybe he’ll cool off, I don’t know. And if not, then he’ll have to find some way of leaving that doesn’t send Cassandra straight back to the bottle, like an amicable separation... I don’t know—does that ever work? Maybe then we can all move on.”