Page 65 of The House Guest

He laughed like this was one of the best jokes he’d ever heard. ‘Down there among the dirt and the noise and all the traffic fumes? I love this city but I’ve got to tell you, I like it best up here. I can see everyone. Everything.The cloud-capp’d towers, the gorgeous palaces, the solemn temples, the great globe itself.’

‘The Tempest, Act Four, Scene One.’

He showed his shiny teeth again. They appeared to glow. ‘My favourite of all the Bard’s great works. I wish I could have seen your Miranda.’

Ruth was taken aback. ‘You know about that?’

‘Of course. I’ve been following your career with enormous interest.’ She noticed that his accent was from outside New York. A trace of the South, though she wasn’t an expert. ‘I was so looking forward to seeing you on Broadway. Sally Klay.’ He tutted. ‘I tried to speak to her myself, to beg her to reconsider, but I couldn’t get past her assistant. She’ll come to regret it, though.’

‘I doubt it,’ said Ruth, with a stab of pain. Again, she fought to bring back the resolve she’d had before this man arrived. To put all that behind her. To move on to bigger things.

‘Oh, she will.’ Beneath the friendly tone, she detected a shard of ice. ‘If that’s what you want. It’s all about the future, isn’t it? And it’s clear to me that you could be a star. One of the biggest.’

That must have been what he meant when he said Sally would regret it.

‘You say you’ve been following my career. Have you seenThe Immaculate?’

‘Of course! I devoured it. You’re incredible in it.’

‘Not many people have seen it.’

‘Huh. Ridiculous. Everyone should witness your talents, Ruth.’

She couldn’t help but experience the tingle of pleasure that came whenever she received fulsome praise. But she said, ‘You’re embarrassing me.’

‘Talented and modest.’ He smiled. ‘I could hardly believe it when Eden told me you were here. I’ve been away on business and was terrified you’d be gone when I got back. I mean, what an opportunity ... It feels like fate. Destiny!’

She had no idea what he was talking about.

Before she could ask he said, ‘It must have been disorienting to wake up in a strange place and to find out that the people you trusted have let you down.’

As he spoke, his eyes locked on to hers. It was disconcerting. She never felt comfortable with excessive eye contact, another thing she blamed on her childhood; the way the social workers would stare at the ground when making promises. But with this man – and she realised he hadn’t yet told her his name – she found it hard to look away. It wasn’t a sexual attraction. He was too old for her, for a start. His brilliantly white teeth were off-putting. And she had never been attracted to overly confident men. There was something about him, though. His intensity. The interest he was showing in her. The way he looked at her, it was almost as if he was trying to hypnotise her, and she had to break eye contact.

‘Has anyone explained anything to you?’ he asked. ‘About who we are?’

‘No, not really. Eden just said you were all friends. But she’s been maddeningly vague.’ She found she was beginning to mimic the way he spoke.

He stroked his chin. He was definitely familiar. Was it really only that he reminded her of Jack?

‘That’s what we are. Friends. And we’re hoping you’ll be our friend too, Ruth.’

He sounded so sincere that she couldn’t help but laugh.

‘That sounds ... nice. It’s always good to have more friends. But like I said, I’ve got so much to do. I have to talk to my agent, and collect my stuff from Jack and Mona’s, and ...’

‘That’s fine,’ he said. ‘If you’re sure you feel well enough.’

‘I do.’

‘But could we talk for a little while longer? I’m such a fan. It would be a shame to let you go so soon. Are you hungry? I could get someone to bring us something?’

Actually, she was hungry. But she really had to get going.

Except when she opened her mouth to say no she heard ‘Okay’ emerge.

‘Wonderful,’ he said. He went to the door and spoke to someone. Had they been lurking outside the door?

‘I have some business to attend to,’ he said. ‘But will you wait here so I can tell you all about us?’

---