Page 135 of A Night with Damien Spur

But Damien knew.

‘Why?’ he cried. ‘Mummy, why did Daddy die? He wasn’t ill last week. He took me to the park on Sunday to feed the ducks. He didn’t have to go to hospital or anything. I heard you say he was pretending.’

‘I thought he was, but this morning he didn’t wake up.’

‘Oh! Daddy’s gone and I didn’t even get to say goodbye.’ Damien, drowning in his tears, gulped for air as each new wave of melancholy washed over him.

‘It’s God’s will, Damien,’ Mummy said, and gave him a hug, which surprised him. She wasn’t the touchy-feely type.

He clung to her, put his arms round her neck. How he wept.

The novelty of being cuddled by his mother gave Damien such pleasure that he kept the tears flowing.

But, after a while, Mummy had had enough.

‘Come on, Damien, be a big boy,’ she said. ‘Go and get dressed and I’ll tell Nanny to make your breakfast.’

***

The funeral took place a week later, Sunday morning. Nannystayed with him at home. Afterwards, there was a party in the garden. The guests arrived all wearing black, which looked strange on a warm summer’s day.

‘Poor little one,’ he heard his Uncle Harry tell the vicar. ‘Hard to lose a father when you’re so young. And being an only child.’

Damien wanted to say that it was okay. He was a big boy now and as long as Mummy stayed to look after him he would be fine.

But it was Damien who left. Mummy sent him away to boarding school when he was eight.

‘It will be good for you,’ she said. ‘You’re too old for nannies and babysitters and I need my freedom. It’s been a long time since I’ve enjoyed myself.’

***

When he came home for the Christmas hols, Mummy said, ‘Damien darling, this is Teddy. He’s going to be your new father.’

Teddy came from Scotland. Damien quite liked him. He spoke French and was very rich. So he and Mummy married and the following Christmas they all went skiing in Val d’Isère.

In truth, his life took a turn for the better. When he was thirteen, he went to Eton. It suited him. He was good at sport and clever. When he won a scholarship to Oxford, Teddy took him to Paris without Mother.

‘Now,’ his stepfather said, ‘let’s get you sorted out. None of this romantic stuff with little virgin debutantes who, as soon as you get into their knickers, expect a ring on their finger.’

They stayed at the Ritz. Henri the concierge arranged for two gorgeous women to visit their suite.

Damien was insanely happy. Anoushka, his extremely accomplished partner, led him to ecstasy without any need to reciprocate. Then, after he had gathered back his strength, she said, ‘Now, sweetie, tell me truthfully, have you had a womanbefore?’

‘No, to be honest,’ he replied, ‘I haven’t. Only kisses with a couple of girls at school dances. And when I went on a language trip to Brittany, I stayed with a family who had a daughter the same age as me, Amélie, and we had some fun. But we didn’t go the whole way. And she didn’t do what you did to me.’ Damien glanced at hermouth that had pleased him so.

Anoushka stroked his hair. ‘Well, then, I am delighted to be your first.’

The beautiful stranger who gave him such pleasure had never been far from his mind. How could he ever forget?

The next morning, Damien and Teddy visited the Louvre, afterwards they lunched at the splendid Le Grand Véfour, next to the gardens of the Palais Royal – a Parisienne treasure that had discreetly hosted royalty, writers, artists and politicos for more than two centuries.

‘Imagine, Damien,’ said his stepfather as the maître d’ led them through the gloriously opulent eighteenth-century dining room, ‘Napoleon proposed to Joséphine here, and this is where Colette held court.’ Teddy paused at a corner table and pointed to a little bronze disc engraved with her name on the burgundy velvet banquette.

‘Well, my dear fellow,’ he said as they settled themselves at the adjacent table, ‘look at your plaque – Emile Zola, no less.’

‘If only I had his genius,’ Damien said. ‘Perhaps he’ll call me from the grave. Give me some writing tips.’

Nana the man-eater, he thought.One of my favouritecharacters destroyed every man she met. But she must have been amazing in bed.

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