The Men and the Girls by Joanna Trollope

this.
    â€˜Euthanasia?’
    â€˜Euthanasia, my dear, half-educated dimwit, is the term commonly applied to the direct painless killing of the incurably ill or insane.’
    Kate looked up. ‘I know.’
    â€˜James and Hugh took old Beatrice out to tea. Randolph, no less. I said to James, “What did you talk about?” and he said, “Euthanasia. She believes in euthanasia.”’
    â€˜So what,’ Kate said rigidly.
    â€˜So nothing. Just thought you’d like to know.’
    â€˜Why should I want to know?’
    â€˜Just thought you’d like to keep tabs on James.’
    â€˜Stop it,’ Kate said furiously. ‘Stop it. I never have and I never will. What James does is no concern of mine.’
    Leonard hesitated. He had gone too far. He craned towards Kate.
    â€˜Marry him,’ Leonard pleaded. ‘It’s what he wants. It’s what you want. Do it. Marry him.’
    Kate turned away. ‘I can’t,’ she said.
    â€˜Why? Why the devil not?’
    â€˜I can’t explain. You’d never understand.’
    Leonard let his breath out in a windy sigh. Then he limped to the door. ‘In that case,’ he said, as he creaked out, ‘you ought to leave. It’s the only decent thing you can do.’
    Late that night, sitting in the bath while James brushed his teeth at the basin, Kate said, ‘I gather you had tea at the Randolph.’
    James spat and stooped for a mouthful of water from the cold tap.
    â€˜I took Hugh to meet Beatrice. It was meant to be a distraction and actually it was rather successful. He’s dreading his golf course.’
    Kate began to wash one foot with exaggerated thoroughness.
    â€˜Leonard said you talked about euthanasia.’
    James peered at his teeth in the mirror above the basin.
    â€˜They may all be my own, but they don’t half look like it. Do I look sixty-one or a hundred and sixty-one?’
    â€˜So you won’t tell me about Miss Bachelor,’ Kate said, starting on the other foot.
    James turned to look at her.
    â€˜What would you like to know?’
    Kate glared. ‘Nothing.’
    â€˜My darling Katie,’ James said, ‘I’ll tell you anything you want to know. You know that.’
    â€˜I wouldn’t have known about this tea party, except for Leonard—’
    â€˜I didn’t tell you because you’ve made it abundantly plain you don’t want me to. There is nothing in the least furtive about my friendship with Beatrice, except your attitude to it. Yes, we had tea. Yes, we talked about euthanasia, and Hugh is now all fired up about a telly programme.’ He came to kneel by the bath. He put out a hand and touched Kate’s breast. She flinched.
    â€˜Katie.’
    She shook her head.
    â€˜Why not?’
    She turned her head away.
    â€˜Oh Katie,’ James said sadly, getting up. ‘How I wish you’d at least talk to me.’
    Kate bowed her head. ‘I would if I could.’
    â€˜You don’t laugh. I haven’t heard you laugh for weeks.’
    â€˜No,’ Kate said. She clenched her hands round the sponge until her knuckles gleamed white. ‘No. I’ve forgotten how.’
    The Rapswell Golf and Country Club sent a car for Hugh, a Mercedes with a polite driver who asked diffidently for Hugh’s autograph, for his daughter. Hugh had had a discussion with Julia, and then several more with himself, about what he should wear, and ended up in a blazer that he said made him look like a game show host.
    â€˜Too many buttons. All I need is a toupee and a redhead in a backless dress.’
    â€˜You look great,’ Julia said seriously.
    â€˜Where are your golf bats?’ George asked.
    â€˜I’m going to talk about golf, not play it.’
    â€˜Don’t you be so sure, Mr Hunter,’ the driver said later. ‘They’ll have you up to all sorts of stunts. They’re a very lively crowd up at