The Judas Scar Read Online Free Page B

and in the real world there are only individuals?’
    ‘Oscar Wilde,’ he said. ‘I’m impressed.’
    It was Harmony’s turn to laugh. ‘Christ, you can’t be impressed by an Oscar Wilde quote,’ she said with a derisive shake of her head. ‘They fall out of Christmas crackers with knock-knock jokes and plastic key rings.’
    He stared at her, narrowed eyes flicking back and forth over hers as if trying to read her thoughts, and she felt her cheeks flush again. She drank the warm, flat dregs of her champagne to fill the silence.
    ‘You said you’re not enjoying the party,’ he said. ‘Why not?’
    ‘I didn’t say that. I said I wasn’t in the mood.’ She paused and shrugged. ‘I suppose it’s just all a bit loud and crowded in there. I’m not great with parties at the best of times. But it’s my best friend’s fortieth, I’m sure I’ll get into it soon.’
    ‘It’s not a very good party. Too showy. No intimacy or subtlety. I’m not enjoying it either,’ he said, pausing for a beat. ‘At least, I wasn’t.’
    Harmony dropped her eyes. ‘As long as Emma has a good time, that’s all that matters.’
    He placed his glass on the console table and stared at her, silent for a moment or two, until she finally looked up at him. When she did he smiled. ‘Harmony, what would you say if I asked you to leave and have dinner with me?’
    Harmony laughed abruptly, taken aback by his question.
    ‘Excuse me?’
    ‘Right now, if I asked you to leave the party with me, would you come?’
    Her heart began to race as she realised he was being perfectly serious. ‘No,’ she said quickly. ‘Of course I wouldn’t.’
    ‘Why not?’
    She faltered. The hairs on her forearms stood proud. Her heart hammered. ‘I’m married. My husband’s here.’
    The stranger held her eyes for a moment or two and then gave a deferential nod. ‘He’s a lucky man.’
    As if on cue she heard Will’s laugh, unmistakeable in its generous fullness, one of those infectious laughs that set other laughs off like a line of falling dominoes. She turned to look over her shoulder and saw him standing with his back to her at the entrance to the living room. He was talking to a man she didn’t recognise. She was filled with a sense of relief as the tension between herself and the stranger disappeared like water through a cupped hand.
    ‘In fact, that’s him now,’ she said. ‘He’s probably come looking for me. I should join him before we sit for supper.’
    The stranger stared at her, and then gave a curt nod of his head.
    ‘You must. It was nice to meet you, Harmony.’
    She held out her hand again. ‘It was nice to meet you, too,’ she said. ‘Whatever your name is.’
    He took her hand and as he did he stroked his thumb against her, barely there, like a butterfly’s kiss. Her skin tingled. As she walked down the corridor away from him she felt his eyes burning into her back. She went straight up to Will and kissed him on the lips. The man he was with chuckled drunkenly.
    ‘What was that for?’ Will asked with amusement.
    ‘No reason.’ She glanced over her shoulder but the stranger had gone and she felt a sharp stab of disappointment.

C H A P T E R    T H R E E
    Though Harmony looked for him she didn’t see the man again that night. She had half-hoped she might find herself sitting next to him at supper. He was interesting and she’d enjoyed his company, and when she recalled him asking her to leave with him she got a rush of excitement. There was a self-assuredness, an inner purpose about him that was different to any other person she’d met, and it intrigued her. Instead she found herself between two men she’d met a couple of times, neither of whom she had much in common with, and she spent most of the meal sitting quietly, toying with her water glass and watching other people as they chatted and drank. Will spent no time at the table; instead he leapt about with his camera like a man possessed.