‘Let’s send them some photos now?’ Haf says, opening up her WhatsApp.
In the chat box, is her drafted message from last night, which she hurriedly deletes and hopes Laurel didn’t see because she’s pretty sure she wrote something about wanting to kiss Kit. The last thing they need is someone else finding out – the ever-present Quiet Carriage Man is bad enough.
Instead, she fires off,Photos incoming xand the ticks go blue immediately. Has Ambrose been waiting to hear from her?
Laurel positions Haf on the stairs, so the cape slinks behind her. She takes several photos, which they send the best of to Ambrose, who immediately texts back a string of AAAAAAs, which goes on for several lines followed by,I am dead.
‘I think they like it,’ Haf laughs, showing Laurel.
‘Do you think . . . Would you mind if I . . . ?’
‘Go on, say it,’ she says, nudging her.
‘Can I put it on my feed? I want to show what I’m doing, and I think... This is just such a good photo. I think the engagement right at this moment would be perfect, as so many people are at home, and—’
‘You don’t have to explain it to me! I’m merely the body. You’re the artist! Tell everyone what a shit-hot designer you are.’
Her heart swells as Laurel gives her the warmest smile and her fingers flash across the screen. She barely needs to edit the photo, as the light is so good in here, and within seconds of posting, her phone starts vibrating with people messaging her.
‘Thank you. Can you believe that’s the first thing I’ve said was my own creation on there? I’ve never been brave enough to share things I’ve made.’
‘That’s ridiculous! You should be screaming how talented you are from the rooftops. I know I will. I already am. Hey, does this staircase go all the way up to the roof? I’ve got screaming to do,’ she shouts the last part to the doorman, and Laurel hushes her with a giggle.
‘Haf. You’re a very kind person. I think,’ she says slowly, ‘I owe you an apology too. Things spiralled so fast with me telling the family. I thought I was just messaging Kit, but I’d had a few too many to drink at Sally’s, and Mark was being... well... Mark, and it turned out I was replying to the group chat for organising the ball, so Christopher’s mum and my parents found out immediately. It was definitely not my intention! I hope you don’t feel roped into all of this?’
Given the situation, Haf tries not to laugh. It is sweet of her to apologise, though.
‘Oh no, honestly. I totally get it. Family stuff spreads like wildfire. I know you wouldn’t have done anything malicious.’
Truthfully, she probably owes Laurel an apology for reducing her to The Ex, the Posh Girl, the Horse Girl. She could have missed out on knowing this cool person.
‘Thank God,’ says Laurel with relief. ‘I’ve been hoping to apologise for ages, and I nearly did when we were doing the dress, but I just didn’t want to make it awkward. And the rest of the time, there were always other people around, and I worried... they would think I was trying to scare you off or something.’
‘That’s fine. I get it. This stuff is complicated.’
‘It is.’
‘Is it helpful to know I find you a bit terrifying, but in like a good way? Not in like an ex-way, but more like a wow-this-girl-has-her-shit together way.’
Laurel laughs, and it’s a high twinkling sound like crystal. ‘That is nice to know.’
Something flashes across her face as she looks from Haf to Christopher and Mark. ‘I’m going to go find Kit and check on the party, if that’s okay?’
‘Yes, yes, go host,’ Haf says.
Laurel turns to walk back to the party, but pauses a second, looking back at Haf. ‘You should go talk to Kit.’
And with that, she’s gone before Haf can process what she might be saying, what she might know.
The car arrives, and Mark wakes up just enough for them to squeeze him in. Christopher slips the driver a couple of twenties for the hassle of having to deal with him in this state and Haf hopes that he won’t barf all over this nice man’s car.
As they walk back to the ball, the thought that Haf has been trying to squash all evening rises now that Laurel mentioned her. After all, whereisKit? She must have been here all day, hiding out at Laurel’s. What did she tell her about all this?
All night, she’s been lying to herself that she’s not been looking for Kit in the crowd, not listening out for her throaty laugh or looking for a swish of bitter-chocolate hair.
Relieved that he’s free of babysitting duties, Christopher disappears off to go to the bathroom. Back in the ballroom, Haf takes a new glass of Champagne from a tray and wanders up the steps to the upper level of the ballroom so she can watch the dancers below.
The musicians have returned to their instruments, refreshed from their break, and begin to play a beautiful arrangement of ‘OHoly Night’. The music swells around her, and the lights glitter, and it feels like the whole crowd parts to reveal her.
