'What is it?'
'Oh . . . don't like this weather much,' he said evasively. 'Can't see a damned thing. Our agents keep losing each other in this muck.'
'Have you seen Theo?' she asked him.
'He's about,' he rejoined in his "You're just a woman, and a young one to boot, so don't ask me" tone of voice.
'Pamela,' came Mrs. Dewhurst's voice, in her "Leave the men alone to do their job" tone of voice, 'isn't it time you and Tessa thought about going to bed? Tom left a few minutes ago, as did a good many of the guests, and it's getting late.'
'Yes, Mum,' she replied, trying to sound contrite, and kissed her on the cheek. 'I'll go to bed now like a good little girl.'
'Oh, stop that! You know I can't stand obsequious behaviour. Besides, it doesn't suit you in the least! Now go, run along. We can't have the bride trying to face the day yawning, with dark circles under her eyes. Or the groom either. Robert, where has my son got himself to?'
When Mrs. Dewhurst received the same non-answer Pamela had got, she and Pamela shared a look. 'I suppose I shall have to take my own advice,' she said to Pamela. 'Men!' She rolled her eyes in mock-exasperation.
'All the same,' Pamela told her, 'it worries me that they're worried about something. I don't know why, but I find that's worse than their male chauvinism,' she finished loudly, evoking a laugh from Mrs. Dewhurst.
'Shush, my dear, you mustn't let them know we're on to them, or it will spoil all the fun! Come, have a glass of wine or two with me. You're too tensed up to sleep, I can tell. Lord knows I could use a nightcap myself. I haven't had this much excitement since . . . since . . . oh, my, it has been far too long!'
They went to the downstairs sitting-room. Pamela moved to get the wine but Mrs. Dewhurst headed her off.
'Don't you dare deprive me of the pleasure of serving my future daughter-in-law!' She took a long, fond look at Pamela before pouring them both a very generous glass of wine. 'You've changed so much since you first came here,' she said when they were seated. 'I never dared hope that you would one day fulfill my wildest dream.'
'What, that I would marry Theo?' Pamela asked, thinking she knew what Mrs. Dewhurst meant.
Smiling wryly, slowly shaking her head, her eyes full of the knowledge of some unspoken mystery, Mrs. Dewhurst said, 'I didn't plan that.'