Everyone seemed to be looking at her as she hung off Leon’s arm, a smile pasted in place. ‘How very nice to meet you, Mrs Price.’ ‘Congratulations, Leon.’ Eyes examined her, cautious in expression. There was a nuance of surprise - a momentary widening of the irises from both the men and women. ‘Leon has the luck of the devil. What a doll.’ ‘She doesn’t look like Helen led me to bel –’ ‘Shsssh, she might overhear.’ Leon gently squeezed her hand as she stiffened and they exchanged a conspiratorial smile. There was something comforting in the ritual observance of social niceties, about the carefully contrived smiles - about the slightly astonished exchange of looks and subtly arched eyebrows. Did they expect her to have ears like a donkey? ‘Courage,’ someone whispered huskily in her ear, making her jump. ‘Jennifer.’ Leon threw his arm around a thin, elegant looking woman of undeterminable age and kissed her on the forehead. ‘This is my wife, Darcie. Be nice to her, she’s terrified.’ ‘Under the circumstances she’s bearing up very well I’d say.’ Jennifer’s smile was surrounded by the same color lipstick Leon had displayed on his face the night before.
