Between the starter and main courses, I took the opportunity to walk up and down the tables, speaking to our guests. All of them, bar none, congratulated me on the Derby win, and the youngsters’ tables set up a chant of ‘Potassium, Potassium’ that everyone joined in with.
I stood tall and took in the accolade, waving my thanks.
It had been a truly fairy-tale day. And this evening, my family and our best friends were gathered together for the celebrations — Georgina’s and my wedding anniversary, our children’s birthdays, and of course the Derby win. I’d even managed to have the magnificent solid-silver round Derby trophy placed on a display table on the edge of the dance floor.
What could be better?
‘Enjoying yourself, Dad?’ James said, coming up to me with a can of lager in his hand.
‘What do you think?’ I replied with a grin. ‘But don’t get too drunk. You’ve got a speech to make later, remember.’
We had agreed that all four of us would say a few words after dinner before the dancing started. We had decided against having a live band, opting instead for a DJ who could play dance music suitable for all ages, and I now strode over to where he had set up his lights and sound equipment, at the far end.
‘Did you bring the wireless microphone we discussed?’ I asked him. ‘For the speeches.’
‘Sure. I have two of them, just in case. And both have new batteries.’ He pointed to where they lay on the table to one side. ‘Just push the “on” button on the bottom of either, and you’ll be connected directly through all my speakers.’
‘Great. Thanks.’
I wandered over to where Georgina was sitting at the end of her table, deep in conversation with those on either side.
‘Well, my darling wife,’ I said to her, stroking her bare shoulders in a seductive manner, ‘can you remember what we were doing at this precise moment on our wedding night twenty-five years ago today?’
She was silent for a few seconds, thinking.
‘We were sitting on the hard shoulder of the M6, waiting for the recovery truck to arrive after your bloody car broke down.’
I laughed. ‘Exactly! What happy days, eh?’
‘If you say so,’ Georgina said without much humour in her voice.
Did I say so?
Yes, I did.
The first ten to fifteen years of our marriage had certainly been extremely happy, blissful even, as we had started our family and moved into this house, and as my syndicate company had grown and grown, and with it the reputation of Victrix Racing as a serious player in the bloodstock industry.
After a couple of years here, the struggle to meet the monthly mortgage interest payments had begun to ease as the business had flourished, and family life in the Newton household had been really good.
One of the reasons we had bought this house was because it came with a small paddock behind it, together with a wooden building comprising three stables and a tack room, so we quickly acquired a couple of ponies for the children to learn to ride.
Both Georgina and I came from horsey families, and we had met at Haydock Park races, where I had been representing my unwell boss, the trainer of a horse that was owned by Georgina’s parents. We had been introduced in the parade ring, stood side by side on the grandstand as the horse won the race, and had gone out to dinner afterwards to celebrate. We had then spent the night together in passionate ecstasy and had hardly slept apart ever since, even for one night.
However, over time, I suspect that all marriages evolve and change, and it would certainly be fair to say that ours was no longer as close and loving as it had once been. In fact, I couldn’t remember when we had last had sex. Probably not since when we’d snuck away to Portugal for a weekend last August, some ten months ago. And it was safe to say that our sex then hadn’t been an unqualified success. More of a frustrating disaster.
It was because Georgina seemed to have lost all interest in that department.
Not that either of us seemed determined to move on separately. I think we had become very used to our lives together, and it suited us both, although we no longer did those little things that were once so much a part of our romance, like one of us waving as the other drove away, even for a short trip to the post office or the local shop.
I went back to my seat at the far end of my table.
‘All good?’ Victoria asked as I sat down.
‘All perfect,’ I replied with a smile. Well — almost.
I hadn’t actually seen Amanda to tell her to keep moderately sober for her speech, but what trouble could she get into surrounded by her best friends?
Lots of trouble, I thought. Especially when drinking was involved!
The main course was fillet of beef, served sliced on wooden boards placed on the tables so people could help themselves, along with roasted new potatoes, cauliflower cheese, snow peas, and individual bowls of green salad with a balsamic dressing.
If we had known that this would turn out to be the hottest day of the year so far, we might have gone for something a bit more summery — and maybe a bit cheaper — but the beginning of June in southern England had a habit of being rather cool, especially in the evenings.
And the beef was excellent — tender and tasty.
Victoria on my left had plumped for the vegetarian option, a sliced roasted loaf of lentils, chestnut mushrooms, and cheese.
‘Good?’ I asked.
‘Delicious,’ she replied.
A dessert of Eton mess followed, and everyone seemed happy and full.
I leaned back in my chair, contented. All that painstaking preparation of the seating plan had come to fruition, with animated conversations taking place all along each of the tables. Even the young were chatting away, with smiles and laughter to the fore.
I pulled the notes for my speech out of my jacket pocket, to have one last quick look through before I started. Mostly the notes were about how wonderful my wife and children were, even if they weren’t always. But it’s what people want to hear on such an occasion. I would, of course, also mention my other great love — Potassium. How could I not, on today of all days?
‘All set?’ I asked Georgina, going over to her. ‘You’re up first, then James, followed by Amanda, with me at the end.’
‘Are the others ready?’ she asked.
‘I’ll check.’
James was ready, but I couldn’t see Amanda anywhere. I walked over to her table.
‘Where’s Amanda?’ I asked her friends.
All I received were shrugs and shaken heads.
I looked around for Darren, but there was also no sign of him.
‘Maybe she’s in the loo,’ one of her girlfriends said. ‘I’ll go and check.’
Dammit, I thought. Stupid girl. She knew perfectly well when the speeches were going to start.
I went back to Georgina.
‘I can’t find Amanda. One of her friends has gone to check in the loo. But Darren’s not here either.’
‘Are they in the house?’
‘They’d better not be.’
We had decided that, after everyone had arrived and moved through into the garden, we would lock the house to keep people in the marquee. Consequently, we had hired a toilet trailer, with very smart ladies’ and gents’ loos, which was positioned outside, close to the far end, behind the DJ.
I walked over to the house, but the door in from the terrace was still locked. There were lights on inside, but I could see no one in there, so I went around to the toilet trailer and met Amanda’s girlfriend coming the other way.
‘No sign of her in there,’ she said.