The Time Bubble Box Set 2, стр. 34

“And you didn’t see fit to tell me?” replied Alice, angrily.

“For the sake of the project,” said Josh, his face growingredder by the second as he struggled to justify himself, knowing he was in thewrong. “How could we all have worked together if you’d known about this?”

“The project’s more important than our relationship, is it?”asked Alice.

“You see, Josh, she doesn’t understand how important ourwork is and never has,” said Vanessa. “You’d be better off coming with me rightnow.”

“For goodness’ sake, stop deluding yourself,” interjectedHenry. “Can’t you see he doesn’t want you? It’s not the first time she’s donethis, you know.”

“Maybe not yet, but he will,” insisted Vanessa, eyesblazing.

“This has gone far enough!” snapped Alice at Vanessa. “Ithink you had better leave – right now.”

“What about the project? You still need me,” said Vanessa.

“Fuck the project!” exclaimed Alice. “And fuck you.”

This took even Josh by surprise. He could count on one handthe number of times he had heard Alice use that word in the thirty-odd yearsthey had been together, and now she had said it twice in quick succession.

He wasn’t the only one shocked by the outburst which hadattracted the attention of the neighbouring tables.

“You heard what Henry said earlier,” added Alice, loweringher tone a notch as a young woman at the next table glared at herdisapprovingly. “The project’s over. You’re not going to make any money out ofit and you’re not getting your hands on my husband.”

“Sure about that, are you?” asked Vanessa.

“I am,” replied Alice. “If I were you I would cut yourlosses and leave right now, and I don’t just mean the restaurant. I mean getyourself on a plane and go back to Canberra because we’re done here.”

“Fine,” said Vanessa, before standing up and turning to herhusband. “Come on, Henry.”

“Actually, if it’s all the same with you, my dear, I thinkI’ll stay,” said Henry, leaning back in his chair. “I haven’t finished mysteak, yet, and to be honest, I’m finding all this rather tiresome. You twodon’t mind, do you?”

“You’re welcome to stay as long as you want, Henry,” repliedAlice.

“Oh, I see. You’re all in it together, are you? Threeagainst one? Well, don’t come crying to me the next time you need a lorry loadof platinum for your sex robots.”

While Vanessa was on this tirade, the waiter had returned,attracted by the commotion.

“Excusez me, madame,” he began nervously, in a hybrid ofEnglish and French.

“Don’t wet your pants, mon ami, I’m leaving,” she said, tothe fake Frenchman’s palpable relief. But before leaving, she offered theothers one parting shot.

“And don’t think this is over – because it’s not. No onecrosses me.” With that, she turned her back and strode confidently out of therestaurant.

“I’m really sorry about that,” said Josh to the waiter,aware that the room had gone quiet while their table had been the centre ofattention. Thankfully now the noise levels were returning to normal.

“It is not a problem, monsieur,” said the waiter. “Is thereanything else I can get for you?”

“Well, I’d be up for a bottle of champagne now she’s gone!”remarked Henry.

“I’ll drink to that,” said Alice. “A bottle of your finestMoët, please.”

Outside the restaurant, it had started to drizzle but it didnothing to dampen Vanessa’s seething rage. She paused for a while and lit acigarette, ignoring the fact that smoking had long been banned in all publicplaces. Few people smoked these days and she got disapproving looks from peoplewalking by.

“What ya gonna do, fine me?” she shouted. “I could buy everyhouse in your crappy little city.”

As she drew the soothing nicotine into her lungs, shecontemplated her next move. There was no way she was going to take this lyingdown and was now more determined than ever to steal Josh away from Alice.

Casting the discarded cigarette butt into the gutter, sheturned and looked back through the window to see the three of them clinkingglasses with their champagne as Henry made some sort of toast.

If she was angry before, now she was positively incandescentwith rage at Henry and Alice. They would pay – both of them – and then shecould have her beloved Josh all to herself.

They wouldn’t have long to wait, either. As far as she wasconcerned there was no such thing as revenge being a dish served cold. Shewanted hers piping hot and she wanted it right now.

Turning away from the restaurant, she walked back up LittleClarendon Street, the first seeds of a plan beginning to form in her mind.