One Night Only (110 page)

T
es
s
gav
e
a
laz
y
smirk
.
Sh
e
wa
s
to
o
drun
k
t
o
laugh.
Sh
e
neede
d
he
r
bed
.

“
W
ell
,
yo
u
loo
k
lik
e
th
e
Brid
e
o
f
Frankenstein,
”
she
said
.
“
Y
ou
r
mascar
a
i
s
lik
e
a
rive
r
dow
n
th
e
side
s
o
f
your
fac
e
an
d
yo
u
loo
k
.
.
.
o
h
I
can
’
t
eve
n
b
e
bothered
.
Come on
.
T
axi.
”

Poll
y
stoo
d
u
p
an
d
breathe
d
deepl
y
throug
h
he
r
nose an
d
ou
t
throug
h
he
r
mouth
,
i
n
throug
h
he
r
nos
e
an
d
out
throug
h
he
r
mouth
.
Concrentate
,
concentrate
,
concentra
t
e
.
Sh
e
remembere
d
Jame
s
teachin
g
he
r
tha
t
exercis
e
when the
y
woul
d
g
o
ou
t
an
d
ge
t
terribl
y
drun
k
i
n
th
e
earl
y
pre- childre
n
day
s
an
d
sh
e
woul
d
alway
s
b
e
th
e
firs
t
t
o
fade an
d
t
o
complai
n
tha
t
sh
e
fel
t
sick
.

H
e
ha
d
stoo
d
wit
h
he
r
o
n
man
y
occasions
,
holding bac
k
he
r
hai
r
a
s
sh
e
threatene
d
t
o
puk
e
u
p
he
r
breakfast, lunc
h
an
d
dinne
r
i
n
fron
t
o
f
him
.
Ho
w
attractive
!
No wonde
r
h
e
hate
d
he
r
havin
g
an
y
mor
e
tha
n
tw
o
glasse
s
of win
e
thes
e
days
.
Sh
e
couldn
’
t
handl
e
i
t
an
y
more
.

Sh
e
nudge
d
Gin
a
wh
o
wa
s
almos
t
comatos
e
o
n
the table
.
Poll
y
reall
y
couldn
’
t
tak
e
an
y
mor
e
o
f
this
.
She
wante
d
ou
t
o
f
ther
e
an
d
sh
e
wante
d
ou
t
no
w
an
d
she
neve
r
wante
d
t
o
se
e
anothe
r
sho
t
o
r
glas
s
o
f
win
e
i
n
her
lif
e
again
.
Sh
e
fel
t
wobbl
y
an
d
wooz
y
an
d
totall
y
ou
t
of control
.

“Gina
?
Gina
,
love
,
com
e
on
!
W
e
nee
d
t
o
ge
t
a
taxi! Gina!
”

T
es
s
wa
s
floppin
g
abou
t
lik
e
a
n
impatien
t
schoolgirl.
Sh
e
wa
s
becomin
g
irritable
.
Alcoho
l
di
d
tha
t
t
o
he
r
.
She
wa
s
wha
t
Ro
b
calle
d
a
‘twister
’
whe
n
sh
e
drank
.
Sh
e
was opinionate
d
enoug
h
i
n
sobriet
y
but
,
wit
h
a
fe
w
drink
s
in he
r
,
sh
e
coul
d
hav
e
a
tongu
e
lik
e
a
vipe
r
an
d
ha
d
often bee
n
force
d
t
o
apologis
e
t
o
other
s
th
e
mornin
g
afte
r
the nigh
t
befor
e
b
y
havin
g
to
o
muc
h
t
o
sa
y
.
Sh
e
wa
s
careful no
t
t
o
drin
k
aroun
d
th
e
villag
e
o
f
Cranmore
!
Imagine
ho
w
he
r
reputatio
n
woul
d
suffe
r
i
f
sh
e
calle
d
th
e
parish pries
t
wh
o
adore
d
he
r
a
dirt
y
rotte
n
perver
t
o
r
i
f
sh
e
told he
r
principa
l
tha
t
she’
d
flas
h
he
r
boob
s
a
t
hi
m
i
f
h
e
gave
he
r
a
promotion
!

“Oh
,
w
e
shoul
d
hav
e
gon
e
earlie
r
whe
n
sh
e
suggested,”
sh
e
said
.
“An
d
I
thin
k
I’v
e
brok
e
m
y
we
e
toe
.
Rut
h
stoo
d
on i
t
earlie
r
o
n
th
e
danc
e
floo
r
an
d
it
’
s
throbbing.
”

T
es
s
picke
d
u
p
Gina
’
s
shoe
s
fro
m
th
e
floo
r
and
,
realising
tha
t
doin
g
th
e
sam
e
migh
t
solv
e
he
r
to
e
problem
,
she
slippe
d
of
f
he
r
stiletto
s
an
d
carrie
d
the
m
too
.