Rules of the Game

She lay quite still; watching him.

     The reflection in the wardrobe mirror showed him to her. A tall, lean young man without the paunchiness of links of london middle-age or even the mature roundness of the thirties.

     ‘Drink?’

     The question was thrown over his shoulder; casual; matter of fact.

     ‘I’d love one.’

     She heard her own voice; calm, unemotional. Not the voice that had cried out with pleasure just a links of london jewellery few moments ago.

     She could hear him in the lounge now, mixing the drinks, taking his time. Waiting. Delaying. Giving her time to cover herself.

     ‘I can’t find the soda!’

     The excuse floated back into the bedroom. Always an excuse. They were never anxious to see her naked body once the love-making was over. It was one of the unwritten rules of the game.

     ‘It’s in there Links of London bangle somewhere,’ she called back. ‘Probably in the glass cabinet.’

     Slipping her arms into her house-coat, she buttoned it to the top and quickly rearranged her make-up.

     When he came back to the room he hesitated at the door, only momentarily but long enough to give her notice of his entrance.

     The warrior returning to the battlefield, she thought, even though the skirmish was over, the enemy conquered. The links of london sale disarrayed sheets formed the hillocks and trenches of no-man’s land, and the unclean peace of an armistice filled the room.

     ‘Thank you, darling.’ Her hand trembled only slightly as she took the glass. ‘Here’s to us!’

     ‘To us,’ he answered, then drank slowly. Very slowly.

     ‘Pat was links of london charms telling me she saw you at the Dixon’s party the other evening.’ She tried to make it sound casual. ‘Did you enjoy it?’

     ‘The usual thing. Everybody talking and saying nothing. And Sally Dixon spreading gossip like an ancient sower of seeds - indiscriminately scattering vicious rumours in the nicest possible way, of course.’

     ‘Of course.’ Her smile was links of london unconvincing. ‘And was there anyone new there? Anyone interesting?’

     ‘All Sally’s acquaintances are interesting. Like the amoeba is interesting to the biologist or excreta to the dung-beetle.’