‘What’s wrong? Don’t tell me you’ve gone teetotal on the quiet.’
‘Nothing like that,’ said Sam, waving a hand. ‘I’d love to stay and help out, but I’ve got to scoot off in a couple of minutes.’
‘No problem,’ smiled Ros, trying to hide her disappointment. ‘Let’s save the wine until to
morrow. Where are you going? Somewhere fun?’
‘Out with Brian,’ she said more quietly.
‘Is that all?’ said Ros, laughing. ‘I thought you had a hot date or something. I’ll just put my stuff away and change my dress, then I’ll come with you. Maybe we can sneak the claret into the pub. It’s good stuff.’
Sam looked awkward, nervous, then her broad mouth uncurled into a small smile, like a flower welcoming the spring.
‘For the smartest person I know, you can be incredibly daft, Rosamund Bailey.’
‘What have I done now?’ grinned Ros, perching on the edge of the bed.
‘I mean I’m going out with Brian. Have been for a couple of months now.’
Ros’s heart started to beat harder in disbelief and panic.
‘You’re going out with Brian?’ she said finally, still not able to process it properly.
‘It just happened one night in the office. We never planned it,’ replied Sam nervously.
One night in the office, thought Ros, trawling desperately through her memory bank. She was almost always the last person to leave, hardly ever had the day off work. She just couldn’t believe this had been going on for two whole months and she hadn’t noticed anything.
‘Wow,’ she said finally. She was rarely lost for words, but right now she didn’t know what to say.
The impossibility of the situation she now faced was immediate and obvious. As Sam’s friend, she was not sure she approved of Brian as a romantic choice. She had only recently admitted to herself that she didn’t even like her DAG colleague. That the anarchist streak she had so admired at university was actually driven by ego, and that his passion was thinly veiled belligerence. And as the founder and unofficial chief of the Direct Action Group, she was quite horrified that two out of the three members of the team were now in a sexual relationship.
But as Samantha’s new tenant, one who was currently reliant on her friend’s good will, Ros knew she had to tread carefully, otherwise she would be back in Teddington, listening to her grandfather’s snoring.
‘I should have told you earlier,’ said Sam quietly.
‘I’m sure you had your reasons.’
‘I didn’t want to say anything until we were sure about our relationship.’
Ros kept quiet until she had collected her thoughts.
‘I want you to be happy, Sam. I’m just worried about conflict in the office.’
‘Conflict?’ smiled Sam. ‘As you said, I’m happy. We’re very happy.’
‘But what if you break up?’
‘Come on, Ros. I’ve only just started seeing him and already you’re talking about it being over.’
‘I’m just being practical.’
Sam folded her arms in front of her. ‘Ros, we work for the DAG for free. I love my job. I enjoy working with you, and the idea that we can change things makes me excited whenever I go into the office. But it’s not everything, and if it comes to a choice, then I choose having a personal life,’ she said, the threat subtle but unmistakable.
Ros felt cold at the prospect of Sam, or even Brian, leaving the DAG. How could she have a pressure group that comprised a single person?
She looked at her friend – the carefully applied make-up, the smart dress – and felt a crushing disappointment that she could sell out for a man.
‘I’m just watching out for everyone,’ she replied, deciding that tonight was not the time to discuss it.