Read Blaming (Virago Modern Classics) for Free Online Page B

morning.”
    No reply.
    “We shall look after you, make no mistake.”
    “I don’t grasp what has to be done.”
    “You don’t have to.”
    He was making his way, as if reluctantly, towards the sitting-room door. Halfway there, he turned to Ernie, who was still sipping his sherry, little finger curled daintily away from the glass. “Take care of her.”
    “It goes without saying, sir.”
    Ernie returned after seeing him out. He took up two glasses with his fingers hooked into them, stood looking at Amy, who yawned and yawned, as if distracted.
    “Terrible times,” he said. He went away to the kitchen with the glasses and quickly returned. “Nearly all my sandwiches left,” he said reproachfully. “I almost wish I hadn’t taken so much trouble with them. I can’t tempt you?”
    “Poor Ernie,” Amy said, shaking her head.
    “Doctor ate the smoked salmon ones.” He sorted them over, peering between bread, finding only liver sausage. “Well, at least, some got eaten. That housekeeper of his. No proper supper, I suppose. But I really meant the smoked salmon ones for you, madam.”
    “Dr. Lloyd’s more than welcome.” She spoke as if she were coming round from an anaesthetic.
    “I suppose to them, doctors, it’s just one of those things.”
    “What?”
    “People dying. I thought the same about the dentist – that was yesterday, of course. Callous! Was he callous!”
    Amy got up and yawning again, put her hands over her face. She was convulsed with yawning.
    “I told you… You know Sir was most concerned it should be done while you were away. ‘Take a taxi back,’ he said, ‘and charge it up to me.’ Under the circs, of course, I didn’t.”
    “I’m sorry, Ernie. Yes, you were to have some teeth out. I remember I wrote a message to you about it on my postcard.”
    “All
my teeth.”
    She did not dare to look at him, but felt that on this night, she might be excused forgetfulness. He had seemed just the same to her – the same dark, cavernous mouth in the identikit face, all cheek-bones, temples, sleeked back hair.
    “No postcard arrived.”
    She supposed that all those photographs of mosques were still on their way to England.
    “How did you get on then?” she asked as vaguely as she could.
    “Nothing to eat or drink before going in, they said. That was three o’clock. It’s a long time to go without a sip of anything.”
    “And…?”
    “When I arrived…I took a bus…there was such a whispering set up between the dentist and receptionist. You’ll appreciate that I was in a highly nervous state without that. I wished Sir could have been with me. It was the anaesthetist hadn’t arrived. That was theupshot of it. Sir would have had something to say, but I was choked.” He put his thin hand to his throat. “I was choked all the way going back on the bus, and my mouth so dry. Dreadfully shocked and disappointed. I had so looked forward to my new dentures. And getting it all over with. I was a bag of nerves awaiting the ordeal. And nothing to drink for so long.”
    “I’m sure. Would you like some more sherry?” Amy asked, feeling as if time were switching backwards and forwards.
    “I was referring to a cup of tea. I had had no breakfast, you see.”
    “So…?”
    “So I’m to go tomorrow, instead – as if I haven’t enough on my plate.”
    “You should have made a fuss about it.”
    “I merely said, you know, sarcastic, “You’d have thought.’ I said, ‘the telephone had never been invented.’ ”
    She put out a hand to the bottle of brandy, but he moved forward quickly and took it from her. “Doctor said no more because of the sleeping tablets.”
    “Oh, well, I’ll go up and take them now.” At the door, she paused. “So it’s to be tomorrow,” she said, trying to show concern. “You should try to get some sleep, too, Ernie.”
    “It will be a good thing over. At least yesterday they showed me my new dentures. They were very tempting. As white as snow. It