doing the same with the others.
There was some muttering as people took in the dots, lines, squiggles and numbers, and then some reaching for glasses cases and general rustling. I looked down at the music in front of me, numbers circled in a careful hand. It had obviously taken him an age. Geoffrey finished handing out the pieces of paper and stepped back to his spot in front of the table.
‘I will be conducting each song, so just follow my directions. I thought we could start simply and go from there. I hope you find it a fulfilling and worthwhile way to spend your evening.’
I wanted to clap this speech, feeling grateful for the effort he had so obviously gone to. Luke, of course, didn’t hold back, calling out, ‘Sounds great,’ so that Geoffrey turned an even deeper red.
‘Well, yes, so let me arrange you in the room and direct you to your glasses.’
He gently guided me over to stand near the mantelpiece, placing five wine glasses on a tray on the seat of the wooden chair in front of me. Then he directed us all to stand in a loose semi-circle facing him, like a choir.
‘Luke, if you could help me shift the sofa, then people can sit down if they want, but don’t forget which tray of drinks is yours. I have numbered the glasses to coordinate with the sheet music. Glass One is Song One and so on. It should be very straightforward.’
‘What’s in them?’ Howard asked, lifting one of his glasses off the tray.
‘Just water,’ Geoffrey said, before turning puce as Howard raised it closer to his lips. ‘Don’t drink it! I would have to remeasure your glass,’ he cried in a loud voice, Howard almost spilling the glass in surprise.
‘Calm down, man, I was just taking a closer look.’
‘Ah,’ Geoffrey said, clearing his throat again. ‘Apologies, it’s just things have to be very precise.’
Luke and he rearranged the furniture so that everyone could sit down and rest if standing got too much. Arjun was humming an obscure tune, Grandad was peering at him over his glasses and Howard kept picking up a glass to drink from, huffing, and finding the one with his wine in.
‘Bloody confusing.’
‘Should have stuck with the gin.’ Grandad laughed.
Luke had barely glanced in my direction, actively setting himself up on the other side of the semi-circle. I sneaked a look across at him, his mouth turned down, his eyes duller. Had I done that to him? Or was it guilt? He seemed less buoyant than normal, his tone dull, sentences shorter.
‘Right, let’s see how this goes,’ Geoffrey began, holding up both hands. ‘The circled numbers correspond to the glass you need to play. I have ensured the glass will play the correct note.’
‘How clever,’ Arjun said.
‘Did England win today, by the way?’ Howard interrupted.
‘Win what?’ Grandad asked.
‘The cricket.’
Geoffrey was staring at them. I had that uncomfortable feeling I used to get in the classroom as a teenager when the teacher was staring at a pupil who was completely oblivious.
‘Who were they playing?’
‘Pakistan.’
‘When you have quite finished,’ Geoffrey said in a stern voice.
‘You’re in trouble,’ sing-songed Arjun, nudging Grandad.
Grandad looked up. ‘Sorry, sorry, although Howard started it.’
‘I just wanted to know the score, should have known he wouldn’t know. What is the point of having the Sky package if you don’t watch it?’
‘I do watch it.’
‘Pah.’
Geoffrey refused to be drawn into the row, asking everyone to hold up the glass that corresponded to the first number on their sheet. ‘Then dip your finger into the water and run your finger round the rim until you need to change glass with another number.’
Dipping my finger into the glass I left it poised over the rim, staring at Geoffrey and awaiting my cue, not convinced anything would really happen. For a strange moment I imagined this was how a cult started. Would it be the Emperor’s New Clothes and we would all have to pretend we had heard the music? Geoffrey didn’t seem the usual cult leader type but you never knew what lurked beneath that quiet surface. The whole semi-circle seemed to be holding their breath now, even Howard had fallen completely silent and was ready for the next instruction.
Then we began, with a sound that built like a chorus of pan pipes in the small living room. It surprised me, my mouth turning up as I realised we were all making music together. Geoffrey was nodding, pointing at me now so that