The House of Sleep Read Free Page A

finished their undergraduate degree courses in July. Later that week he was due to start at medical school in London, where he would specialize in psychiatry. She was staying on at the university for another year, to train as a primary school teacher.
    ‘Busy day tomorrow,’ he said, sitting at the end of the bed, tugging off a shoe. ‘Got to make an early start.’ His eyes flicked towards her for the first time. ‘You look done in.’
    Sarah told him the story of the man who had abused her in the street, to which his initial response was: ‘But that doesn’t make sense. Why would anyone do that?’
    ‘I suppose I was a woman,’ said Sarah, ‘and that was enough.’
    ‘Are you sure he was talking to you?’
    ‘There was nobody else around.’ Gregory was preoccupied with a knotted shoelace, so she prompted: ‘It was quite upsetting.’
    ‘Well, you don’t want to let these things get to you.’ The shoelace untied, he felt for her ankle and squeezed it through the bedclothes. ‘I thought we’d gone beyond this. You’rea big girl now.’ He frowned at her. ‘Did it really happen?’
    ‘I think so.’
    ‘Hmm… but you’re not sure. Perhaps I should write it down anyway.’
    Gregory sat at the dressing-table and took an exercise book out of the top drawer. He scribbled a few words, then sat back and thumbed through the pages. His face, reflected in the mirror, betrayed a pleased smile.
    ‘You know, I was so lucky to meet you,’ he said. ‘Look at all the material it’s given me. I mean, I know that’s not the only reason, but… think of the lead it’s going to give me over all the other guys.’
    ‘Isn’t it a bit early to be thinking in those terms?’ said Sarah.
    ‘Nonsense. If you really want to get to the top, you can never get started too soon.’
    ‘It’s not a race, though, is it?’
    ‘There are winners and losers in the human race, just like any other,’ said Gregory. He had put the exercise book away and was taking off his shirt. ‘How many times have I told you that?’
    Rather to her own surprise, Sarah took this question seriously. ‘My guess would be between about fifteen and twenty.’
    ‘There you are, then,’ said Gregory, apparently quite satisfied with this statistic. ‘It applies to everything, as well – even accommodation. I mean, you’d scarcely credit it, but Frank’s going up to London in a week’s time, and he hasn’t even found himself somewhere to live yet.’ He laughed incredulously. ‘How do you account for that kind of behaviour?’
    ‘Well,’ said Sarah, ‘perhaps he just isn’t lucky enough to have a father who’s in a position to buy him a flat in Victoria.’
    ‘It’s Pimlico. Not Victoria.’
    ‘What’s the difference?’
    ‘About twenty thousand pounds, for one thing. We chose that location very carefully. Convenient for the hospital. Excellent neighbourhood.’ Appearing to sense an unvoiced contempt on Sarah’s part, he added: ‘For God’s sake, I wouldhave thought you’d appreciate it as much as anybody. You’re going to be staying there every weekend, aren’t you?’
    ‘Am I?’
    ‘Well I assume so.’
    ‘You know I’m going to have to prepare lessons and things. I’m doing lots of teaching practice this term. I might be busy.’
    ‘I can’t see that preparing a few lessons is going to take up much of your time.’
    ‘Some people don’t have to work hard. I do. I’m a plodder.’
    Gregory sat down on the bed beside her. ‘You know, you have a serious self-esteem problem,’ he said. ‘Has it never occurred to you that it’s largely because of your low self-esteem that you never achieve anything?’
    Sarah took a moment to digest this, but couldn’t find it in herself to get angry. Instead her mind went back to the scene in the kitchen. ‘I met one of the new people today,’ she said. ‘His name was Robert. He seemed really nice. Have you met him yet?’
    ‘No.’ Gregory had undressed to his underpants by