Page 316 of Double or Nothing

His dismissal of my value feels like a stake in the heart.

“Nobody forced Helena Mercer to buy my work,” I say. “She was super happy when she came to talk to me. She genuinely loved the paintings. I could see it for myself.”

“Of course she was happy,” Dad says. “People like her don’t enjoy losing.”

“Yeah, well. Neither does Jack.”

Ouch.

Dad’s eyes narrow.

“Precisely my point. The entire evening was a game to him. A stupid status move.”

“Thanks for that,” I say. “Lovely to hear you have so much faith in me.”

Dad scoffs.

“Men like Reid do nothing unless it entertains them. And there is one thing entertaining him in this mess of a situation. One sole motivation for losing that bid. I’m looking at her right now.”

“You don’t know that. You don’t know him.”

“I know exactly what he is. An arrogant Mayfair playboy with no etiquette.”

I can’t hold back a scoff of my own.

“You mean someone who doesn’t play by the be nice and keep quiet rules that you do?”

The air is so tight now, it’s close to breaking point.

Mum leans towards me.

“That’s enough, Alice. Please. Enough!”

Dad says nothing else.

His silence travels with us all the way home.

The lights in the entrance hall are burning bright when we return. A tray of clean glasses and upmarket canapés are waiting for us in the dining room. I watched Helen preparing the display earlier. Preparing for a celebration that will never happen.

Who’d have ever thought it?

My greatest achievement has already been spat on and left in the dirt.

Mum hangs up her coat and heads straight for the staircase, bypassing the dining room completely.

“I’m going to bed. I think we all should. We can reconvene in the morning, with clear heads.”

“No,” Dad says. “We need to discuss this. Now.”

She looks exhausted. Worn.

“William, it’s late.”

“Some things can’t wait, Susan. Things need slaying before they can fester.”

“Fine,” she says.

With that, Dad marches on through to the dining room, leaving us all trailing in his wake.