Least Said (60 page)

He
had
walked
right
up
to
the
bars
of
the
fence
and
stood
looking
me
straight
in
the
face
without
so
much
as
a
hint
of
recognition
evident
in
his
disapproving
expression.

I
confess
to
finding
myself
at
a
sudden
and
total
loss,
because
this
wasn’t
a
scenario
I
had
imagined
even
in
my
wildest
dreams.
I
had
been
expecting
at
least
some
sign
that
he
remembered
me,
but
it
was
suddenly
quite
clear
that
he
didn’t
know
me
at
all.

When
I
didn’t
speak
at
once,
he
said
with
an
impatience
he
made
no
effort
to
hide,
‘I
take
it
you
were
looking
for
me
,
but
whether
you
were
or
not
I
should
point
out
that
it
is
actually
normal
to
make
an
appointment
with
the
person
you
wish
to
speak
to,
and
not
just
turn
up
in
the
middle
of
school
hours
and
hover
round
the
parameter
fence.’

I
shouldn’t
have
let
his
pompous
tone
get
to
me,
and
I
knew
it
even
as
hasty
words
rushed
to
leave
my
lips.
They
were
words
that
actually
required
a
great
deal
more
thought
before
they
were
uttered,
but
I
was
caught
wrong-footed
because
I
was
fast
beginning
to
realise
that
his
recent
interest
in
me
had
indeed
been
nothing
more
than
a
figment
of
my
imagination.
It
was
quite
obvious
to
me
that
the
guy
didn’t
know
me
from
a
hole
in
the
ground.

My
life
was
falling
apart
because
I
had
totally
misread
the
signs
that
had
been
scattered
around
me
and
I
had
panicked.
I
couldn’t
quite
believe
that
I
had
been
foolish
enough
to
think
that
he
would
remember
me
from
that
one
night
of
lust,
when
it
was
quite
clear
that
I
was
nothing
more
than
a
total
stranger
to
him.
The
truth
of
it
was
clear
from
the
blank
expression
on
his
face.

However,
I
was
here
now
and
would
say
what
I
had
come
to
say.
I
squared
my
shoulders
and
stood
my
ground,
refusing
to
accept
that
the
blame
was
all
mine.
The
bloody
man
stood
there
looking
down
his
nose
at
me,
when
it
was
his
behaviour
–
as
well
as
mine
–
that
had
brought
me
to
this
point.

‘You
really
don’t
remember
me
at
all,
do
you?’
I
demanded
coldly,
keeping
my
tone
low
to
ensure
my
words
weren’t
overheard
by
the
silent
children.

He
didn’t
hesitate.
‘Remember
you?
No,
I
don’t
believe
we’ve
ever
met
before.’

Did
I
imagine
the
slight
hesitation
in
his
voice,
the
hint
of
doubt
in
that
green
gaze?
I
didn’t
help
him
out,
just
matched
him
stare
for
stare.

In
the
end
he
was
forced
to
ask,
‘
Should
I
remember
you?’

‘Probably
not,’
I
allowed,
‘since
ours
was
probably
one
of
many
little
interludes
that
have
made
up
your
life,
but
this
one
may
have
had
consequences
that
you
hadn’t
bargained
for.’

His
face
actually
blanched
under
the
tan,
in
fact
he
turned
quite
a
sickly
yellow,
and
he
looked
about
him
furtively
as
if
he
was
worried
that
we
might
be
overheard.

‘I
don’t
know
what
the
hell
you’re
talking
about.’
he
said,
but
it
was
said
without
any
real
conviction.

‘Really?’
I
just
stared
at
him
–
I
didn’t
even
blink.

He
looked
at
me
for
a
minute,
but
then
he
looked
away.
He
clearly
couldn’t
hold
my
gaze,
and
then
he
looked
at
the
children.
‘I
have
to
go,’
he
said,
‘but
come
back
here
at
ten
tomorrow.
I’ll
be
on
my
break
then
and
will
listen
to
what
you
have
to
say.’

‘Fine,’
I
said,
‘tell
William
I’ll
see
him
after
school,’
and
with
that
I
spun
on
my
heel
and
walked
away,
resisting
the
urge
to
peep
over
my
shoulder
to
see
if
he
was
still
standing
there,
staring
after
me.

Right
or
wrong,
the
dye
was
cast.
I
felt
I
had
no
other
choice
but
to
drag
the
bloody
man
all
the
way
into
the
mess
we
had
created
between
us.
Having
him
and
his
family
living
right
on
the
doorstep
made
it
far
too
likely
that
our
dirty
little
secret
would
be
exposed
and
tear
another
family
apart.