A Liberal Temptation. Delilah Jay

effort. Yes, she is a lady with class!

      “I’m left handed,” Matthew let’s us know.

      “And we will change the glasses, Edwina, please. Where do you keep the batiste napkins? The children can also help us here. Eddie, go and get some wood from the shed. No, Daisy, you don’t have to do that. That’s a job for the boys,” Miranda adds to the grotesque dinner scene.

      “First the adults will help themselves, then the children, Daisy first. Eddie you have to wait until it’s your turn. Be polite.” He just doesn’t have any manners. What do I expect from a boy whose mother is American ... and Edward who was unable to house train biscuit, the Labrador.

      The phone rings. It is Mary Grace, Eddie’s mother calling him from San Francisco. I’m sure she is already pissed. Well, it is 11.00 o’ clock in the morning over there, I think.

      “Hi mum, I miss you so much.” I can hear Eddie’s winging voice. The door is open.

      “When will I see you again, mum?” His voice breaks and he almost starts crying. Felix looks at me almost shocked. “Please come here soon. I need you so much.”

      “Eddie, please finish the call. We are having dinner,” I ask him. “She knows exactly that she is not supposed to call at this time. We don’t want to be disturbed by her calls when we are having our dinner.”

      “The line was busy all evening before my mum says,”

      Eddie mutters. We have a bad mobile phone reception so everyone calls us on the landline.

      “Eddie, we have almost finished our dinner. Do you think we should all wait until you are ready before we have pudding?” Miranda criticises Eddie.

      “May I please have some more spaghetti? It is really good,” Eddie is asking.

      “Leave some for Daisy, Eddie.”

      “But she already had two helpings ... sure, that’s ok. Here you go, Daisy, have some more.” Eddie hands the spaghetti bowl over to Daisy. Matthew watches the scene with a sceptical glance.

      “Eddie, I haven’t touched my spaghetti carbonara yet. Have it!” Aelita hands her plate over to Eddie. She exchanges rolling eyes with Matthew wearing an arrogant smile.

      Aelita is sitting next to Miranda who would love to have a deep conversation with Matthew. Tomorrow I change the dinner seating …

      … No one noticed what she'd done,

      by the pricking of the thumbs,

      something wicked this way comes …

      LADY MACBETH, written by John Lees, Barclay James Harvest