Rivals by Jilly Cooper Page A

and giggled at such a totally inadequate description.
        'A bit remote,' Monica went on, 'probably shy. His wife is charming.'
        'Beautiful?' asked Lizzie.
        'Oh yes, exceptional.'
        'Pity,' sighed Sarah, earning another scowl from Paul.
        'And three utterly ravishing children,' said Monica. 'A boy of twenty at Trinity, Dublin, and two teenage girls about seventeen and fourteen.' 'With Rupert living just across the valley,' said Lizzie, shaking her shaggy head, 'Declan must be barking. He'll have to lock his wife and both daughters up in chastity belts.' 'The youngest kiddy will make a friend for Sharon, although Sharon made a lot of friends at Pony Club camp. I must get them together when the O'Haras move in,' said Valerie. Catching Sarah's eye yet again, Lizzie decided Sarah was definitely going to be a mate.
        A group of young waitresses from other tables were now hovering, wondering if it were the right moment to ask James Vereker for his autograph. Tony was also looking at James and experiencing a glow of pure pleasure. Corinium's most popular presenter was feeling all the pique and disquiet of a big fish who's been basking for years in a rock pool, then suddenly sees the fin of a shark coming over the horizon. James's exquisitely straight nose would be frightfully put out of joint by Declan's arrival. James, Tony decided, had been getting a shade above himself recently. There was nothing Tony loved more than cutting people down to size. As liqueurs and cigars came round, Tony moved down the table beside Freddie Jones. Now Rupert had stood him up so summarily, he was even keener to get Freddie on to the Board. With satellite television in the offing, Freddie's millions and electronic expertise would be invaluable. 'When Declan arrives, we'll get him to interview you,' said Tony.
        Valerie also changed places and sat next to Monica.
        'What a lovely meal, Lady Anthony," she said.
        'Oh, please call me Monica.'
        'Well, thank you, Monica,' said Valerie gratified. 'You may, if you like, call me Mousie. That's Fred-Fred's pet name for me. I only allow very special friends to become members of the Mousie club.'
        Oblivious of Monica's look of amazement and Sarah's and Lizzie's complete hysterics, Valerie ploughed on. 'I wanted to pick your brains, Monica, about public schools. Wayne is eleven but he's extra bright, so we're thinking of Winchester or even Eton, but I just wondered if you and Tony had been satisfied with Rugborough.'
        'Well, Archie's very happy there,' said Monica, her raucous voice softening. The only problem, if one's got a flat in London, is that Rugborough's on the Central Line and, whenever he gets bored, Archie keeps nipping home on the tube. It drives Tony demented. Archie's supposed to be doing his O-levels.'
        'Our problem,' said Valerie smugly, 'is to stop Wayne working. Not that he's a sissy, Monica he's
        really plucky at sport but
        you know how important qualifications are.'
        The band was playing 'Red Red Wine'. The brilliantly lit ballroom beckoned. The vast springy floor was now filling up with couples. Like a shaken kaleidoscope, the red coats of the men with their flying tails clashed gloriously with the stinging fuchsia pinks and electric blues of the women's dresses.
        'I wouldn't mind if Tony'd given me an inkling beforehand,' said James Vereker furiously, as, oblivious for once of the admiring glances of most of the young girls in the room, he lugged Lizzie round the floor, 'but I looked such a pratt, knowing nothing about it, and Monica actually admitted never watching my programme. Says she prefers BBC 2. What kind of a Chairman's wife is that?'
        Lizzie let him rabbit on. She felt terribly sorry for him, but it was such exciting news that Declan was moving to Corinium, and she was fascinated by what was happening on the floor.
        Monica was dancing with the