William Trevor - The Mark-2 Wife (Penguin Mini Modern Classics)

WILLIAM TREVOR

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PENGUIN CLASSICS

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Selected from Collected Stories, Volumes 1 and 2, published by Penguin Books 2009

This edition published in Penguin Classics 2011

Copyright William Trevor, 1972, 1981, 2007

All rights reserved

Except in the United States of America, this book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publishers prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser

ISBN : 978-0-14-197005-9

WILLIAM TREVOR

Born 24 May 1928, Mitchelstown, Cork, Ireland

The Mark-2 Wife first published in book form in The Ballroom of Romance and Other Stories, 1972; The Time of Year first published in book form in Beyond the Pale, 1981; Cheating at Canasta first published in book form in Cheating at Canasta, 2007.

ALSO PUBLISHED BY PENGUIN BOOKS

The Children of DynmouthFools of FortuneTwo LivesFelicias JourneyAfter RainThe Hill BachelorsThe Story of Lucy GaultA Bit on the SideCheating at CanastaCollected Stories, Volumes 1 and 2 Love and Summer

Its like gadgets in shops. You buy a gadget and you develop an affection for it but all of a sudden there are newer and better gadgets in the shops. More up-to-date models

Standing alone at the Lowhrs party, Anna Mackintosh thought about her husband Edward, establishing him clearly for this purpose in her minds eye. He was a thin man, forty-one years of age, with fair hair that was often untidy. In the seventeen years theyd been married he had changed very little: he was still nervous with other people, and smiled in the same abashed way, and his face was still almost boyish. She believed she had failed him because he had wished for children and she had not been able to supply any. She had, over the years, developed a nervous condition about this fact and in the end, quite some time ago now, she had consulted a psychiatrist, a Dr Abbatt, at Edwards pleading.

In the Lowhrs rich drawing-room, its walls and ceiling gleaming with a metallic surface of ersatz gold, Anna listened to dance music coming from a tape-recorder and continued to think about her husband. In a moment he would be at the party too, since they had agreed to meet there, although by now it was three-quarters of an hour later than the time he had stipulated. The Lowhrs were people he knew in a business way, and he had said he thought it wise that he and Anna should attend this gathering of theirs. She had never met them before, which made it more difficult for her, having to wait about, not knowing a soul in the room. When she thought about it she felt hard done by, for although Edward was kind to her and always had been, it was far from considerate to be as late as this. Because of her nervous condition she felt afraid and had developed a sickness in her stomach. She looked at her watch and sighed.

People arrived, some of them kissing the Lowhrs, others nodding and smiling. Two dark-skinned maids carried trays of drinks among the guests, offering them graciously and murmuring thanks when a glass was accepted. Ill be there by half past nine, Edward had said that morning. If you dont turn up till ten you wont have to be alone at all. He had kissed her after that, and had left the house. Ill wear the blue, she thought, for she liked the colour better than any other: it suggested serenity to her, and the idea of serenity, especially as a quality in herself, was something she valued. She had said as much to Dr Abbatt, who had agreed that serenity was something that should be important in her life.

An elderly couple, tall twig-like creatures of seventy-five, a General Ritchie and his wife, observed the lone state of Anna Mackintosh and reacted in different ways. That woman seems out of things, said Mrs Ritchie. We should go and talk to her.

But the General suggested that there was something the matter with this woman who was on her own. Now, dont lets get involved, he rather tetchily begged. In any case she doesnt look in the mood for chat.

His wife shook her head. Our name is Ritchie, she said to Anna, and Anna, who had been looking at the whisky in her glass, lifted her head and saw a thin old woman who was as straight as a needle, and behind her a man who was thin also but who stooped a bit and seemed to be cross. Hes an old soldier, said Mrs Ritchie. A general that was.

Strands of white hair trailed across the pale dome of the old mans head. He had sharp eyes, like a terriers, and a grey moustache. Its not a party I care to be at, he muttered, holding out a bony hand. My wifes the one for this.

Anna said who she was and added that her husband was late and that she didnt know the Lowhrs.

We thought it might be something like that, said Mrs Ritchie. We dont know anyone either, but at least we have one another to talk to. The Lowhrs, she added, were an awfully nice, generous couple.

We met them on a train in Switzerland, the General murmured quietly.

Anna glanced across the crowded room at the people they spoke of. The Lowhrs were wholly different in appearance from the Ritchies. They were small and excessively fat, and they both wore glasses and smiled a lot. Like jolly gnomes, she thought.

My husband knows them in a business way, she said. She looked again at her watch: the time was half past ten. There was a silence, and then Mrs Ritchie said:

They invited us to two other parties in the past. Its very kind, for we dont give parties ourselves any more. We live a quiet sort of life now. She went on talking, saying among other things that it was pleasant to see the younger set at play. When she stopped, the General added:

The Lowhrs feel sorry for us, actually.

Theyre very kind, his wife repeated.

Anna had been aware of a feeling of uneasiness the moment shed entered the golden room, and had Edward been with her shed have wanted to say that they should turn round and go away again. The uneasiness had increased whenever shed noted the time, and for some reason these old people for whom the Lowhrs were sorry had added to it even more. She would certainly talk this over with Dr Abbatt, she decided, and then, quite absurdly, she felt an urge to telephone Dr Abbatt and tell him at once about the feeling she had. She closed her eyes, thinking that she would keep them like that for only the slightest moment so that the Ritchies wouldnt notice and think it odd. While they were still closed she heard Mrs Ritchie say: