The English Magazine

TRISTAN popped his head round the drawing room door and exclaimed with boyish enthusiasm: “Tennis anyone?”

Reclining on the couch, Lucy said: “I think you need to call the others in for a moment.”

Tristan looked puzzled: “Why, what’s happened?”

Lucy snapped back: “Just do it Tristan. Just tell Benjamin, Lucinda and Naomi we need to talk to them now.”

But Tristan stood his ground. “I will do it in a minute, tell me what’s going on first”

Clive turned round from the French windows where he had been staring out onto the tennis courts in a pensive manner. He said: “There’s a little, what shall we say, inconvenience to be resolved.”

Lucy rose from the couch and joined him by the windows where she put an arm around his shoulders.

“Don’t worry my darling, all your friends will rally round to help you. This is one of the reasons we formed The Tennis Club. To enjoy the good times together, in body and soul and to support each other in our hour of need. We’ll sort it out.” She stroked his head gently.

“For God’s sake, sort what out?” cried Tristan.

Lucy turned to face him. “Clive has had a little mishap.”

“Tell me what happened,” said Tristan.

“It’s that stupid girl Mary,” said Lucy but before she could continue Clive interceded: “Lucy, please, let me explain. It’s Mary, she’s…..”

Tristan butted in:  “A fine young thing she is. I am hoping to get more acquainted with her during my stay. You don’t mind do you Clive?”

There was a pause and he caught a distant look on Clive’s face.

“Oh drat. You got there first. Tell me, was she a terrific sport?”

Clive suddenly looked weary. He went and sat down on a chair. “She’s a sprightly young thing and very perky. I was out by the pool while you lot were playing tennis. She was very friendly and I suppose I got excited. We began to play around and I started to kiss her. She lay down beside me but then all of a sudden, she was crying and saying it was all a big mistake. Said she was a good Catholic girl and what would her parents think.”

The look of expectation in Tristan’s face was ripe. “Yes?”

“She was getting very emotional and I got hold of her to try and make her calm down but she screamed. That’s when I hit her – I just wanted to stop her making such a dreadful noise. She cracked her head and started to bleed.”

Tristan’s demeanour changed instantly. “Oh crumbs, is she dead?”

Clive replied: “No she’s just lying there and moaning. There’s a lot of blood.”

Tristan began to wring his hands and pace up and down. “Oh Clive couldn’t you have been a little bit more, well, careful. Lucy, what we should do?”

“We need to make sure this stupid maid doesn’t tell anyone what happened,” she said.

“I understand,” said Tristan “but what can be done?”

Lucy turned towards Clive. “You know, don’t you darling We must take measures to ensure that the girl stays silent.”

“My sweet Lucy, you really are enjoying this aren’t you? It’s the sordiness of it all that you find so exciting,” said Clive knowingly.

Tristan was by now looking even more worried. “You’re not suggesting that we… I’m not sure I can be involved in anything like this.”

“Well, Clive?” asked Lucy.

Clive stood up. “Oh damn it, let’s get on with it. The sooner it’s done the better.”

“Yes, but how are we going to….?” said Tristan.

“Clive, bring the cricket bat,” ordered Lucy.