“What did he say to you?”
“Nothing very coherent. Basically just the sound of knuckles dragging on the floor.”
“Ben. What did he say?”
“Is it true that you’re still technically married?”
There was an uncomfortable silence.
“I couldn’t face having to communicate with him,” said Vanessa at last. “Even through a lawyer. I just wanted to forget it, put it all behind me. And I had no plans to marry again, so…”
“Ness, for God’s sake. He’s still your husband.”
“Not in any meaningful sense, Ben. Words on paper, that’s all. All these years I’ve been waiting for him to meet someone and ask for a divorce, but…”
“That’s never happened.”
She shook her head and put down the coffee.
“He says he wants you back.”
“What?” Vanessa exploded.
“Yeah,” said Ben with an uneasy laugh.
“He’s deluded.”
“Is he?”
“For fuck’s sake, Ben, you can’t think I’d ever even look at him again. After the way he treated me…”
“How did he treat you? You’ve never told me anything.”
“He was a bastard. An abusive, controlling bastard. I’d rather cut off my kettledrumming hands than go back to him.”
“Okay. That’s good. Just wanted to be clear, you know, seeing as I’ve been in the dark all this time.”
“Love, I’m sorry, it’s just hard for me to talk about, you know?”
“Pretty hard to hear about too, but better than having everything come as a shock.”
“I know, I know. Are you pissed off with me?” Vanessa shot a coy look at Ben, who certainly looked as grim as he ever did.
“No,” he sighed. “Not with you. With this stupid situation. I can’t believe I’ve got a jealous husband on my back. I can’t believe I’ve cuckolded someone! Hey. That’s a thought. I’ve cuckolded your Dafydd Twat Hughes. That feels pretty good, actually.”
Vanessa couldn’t help a little laugh.
“You lunatic,” she said. “Cuckold away. He can’t scare me anymore. You’re the only man I’m letting into my life.”
Dafydd skirted the orchestra on his way back to his desk, giving them both a long and intense look, which they pointedly ignored.
“Don’t go near him,” said Vanessa under her breath. “Don’t have anything to do with him.”
But this proved easier said than done.
Dafydd, after a whispered word to von Ritter, ascended the conductor’s podium and called for hush.
“I just wanted to say a few words about how happy I am to be back,” he said, once he had everyone’s attention. “Don’t worry—I’m not going to make a long speech. But I am going to invite everyone to a party tonight. I’ve hired the Portico Rooms at Somerset House from seven till nine. Just a few drinks and nibbles and a chance to get to know those of you I didn’t have the luck to work with first time around. I’ll see you all there tonight.”