Yours Unfaithfully (28 page)

Back in her hotel room, she plugged her laptop in and checked out some of the stuff she’d been given, all the notes from the meeting were here so she could refer to them before going into a meeting. When they arrived last night, Rattani had told them to meet in the hotel foyer at ten. An hour yet, should she ring home? Tim would be getting ready and the kids might still be asleep. Better wait until tonight she decided. Right now she had business to attend to. Large, brown leather sofas made the huge foyer a good place to meet and tables of fresh flowers made waiting pleasant. She observed the comings and goings of the guests, ‘people watching’ as Nina would call it. Coaches were bringing new German tourists in, while another group were dragging their cases towards the glass doors to leave. Saturday was probably change over day for most guests.

She didn’t see Rattani until he sat down next to her. She moved along to put distance between them.

“Is that how it’s going to be for the next month?” He said it quietly and with his usual smile.

“I don’t know what you mean; I’m here to do business for my bank, that’s all.”

“Of course, and I’m sure you’ll do it very well. That’s why I asked for you.”

“You didn’t ask for me. You insisted on it being me, you threatened the bank that they wouldn’t get this business unless I came with you, you blackmailed them and they fell for it, but I know why I’m here and so do you. I’m a happily married woman and as long as you remember that we will get the work completed without any trouble.”

“And if I forget, what then?”

“You bastard, I’ve told you I love my husband, is that so difficult for you to understand?”

“You know it is, and you know why. Have you forgotten how you sat next to me at Nina’s party and told me you didn’t love your husband? You told me lots of other things as well. You made it clear you had feelings for me. I told you the truth then, nothing has changed... I love you Mel and I want to be with you. In Poland, in Portugal, I don’t care where as long as I’m with you.”

“Ratty, you’re a nice person deep down but I said those things when I was drunk. It was my fault, I was going through a lot of shit with Tim at the time, I even thought we would split up, and yes... I did enjoy your company, you helped me at a time when I was pretty low, but I’m through that now, Tim and I are stronger than we’ve been in years. I’m sorry if I used you, I never meant to lead you on, you were just there, and in the wrong place at the right time, I guess. Do yourself a favour, Ratty, stop loving me and find yourself a younger woman, one who will appreciate all the things you can give her. If you go outside you’ll find hundreds of lovely girls busy taking their morning exercise around the lake. You might have trouble keeping up with them though, unless you’re good on roller blades.” She laughed in a feeble attempt to lighten the atmosphere between them. Ratty wasn’t a bad person, he just wasn’t the right person, not for her. She had her right person back home and the sooner he realised she meant it, the better for both of them.

He gave her that caring smile she had liked the first time she met him. “Have you had breakfast?”

“Hours ago and I’ve been out and explored the lake and the ski slope as well.”

“Good, I think you’ll like it here.”

“Have you stayed here before?”

“Yes, a few times. There’s a great deal more I want to show you around this beautiful city, but there’s plenty of time for that. First we have some work to do and you have to make a few millions for your bank so that you can go back a hero.”

“Ratty, I’m finding this really hard, being away from home and the kids, please don’t make it any harder.”

“I will do everything I can to make it easy for you, I promise.”

“That’s what I was afraid of.”

Tim was standing watching over the Maybach in a street just around the corner from Trafalgar Square. Simon owned several properties in China Town and was particularly good friends with the tenants of the one he was visiting today, a Chinese family who had run it as a restaurant for years. Simon Stonewood was on first name terms with most of his tenants and there were a lot of them. His property portfolio extended to more than a dozen cities across the UK and a few dotted across Europe. He had been left a few run down buildings when his father died, but with hard work and a shrewd understanding of good timing, he had bought when prices were low and sold when prices were high, so that he now owned over two hundred properties, including restaurants, hotels, warehouses and shops. Sadly, his wife had been unable to have children and although he’d always remained faithful to her, their relationship had never been fulfilled as he would have wished. These days his first love was his property and he made sure he visited each of them at least once every year.

Tim was talking to the traffic warden. Funny how a ten pound note and a smile could solve even the most difficult parking problem. Simon kept him supplied with a wad of notes for the purpose, because he liked to have the car and his driver close by. In the Golden Dragon, Simon had been obliged to eat with the family so as not to offend them. They held him in great respect and his visits were always regarded as a special occasion. Eventually, when they had eaten their way through a dozen different dishes and updated him with their news, he was able to leave.

“Here he is,” Tim said to the traffic warden, who had seemed glad of some friendly company to relieve the boredom of his turn of duty.

Tim opened the rear door for Simon then with a last farewell to the warden, he headed off to the next property on Simon’s list.

“Wonderful people the Choy family,” Simon said. It was nice, the way Simon talked throughout the journey, discussing the matter of rents or tenants with him. It was as if he needed someone to share all of this with. Simon had already explained that his wife had no interest in the business; “She doesn’t even care about the money,” he said, “she potters about the Manor garden and fills her day directing staff and arranging dinner parties. We share a wonderful life together at the manor, but all of this is of no interest to her. We could eat in a different restaurant every week for a year, all of them in places we own, but she refuses. “Rather have a few friends round for dinner at home,” she says. So while I spend my days meeting up with my clients, most of them old friends, she spends hers in the garden or in the kitchen. I wish it could be different, but I know she’ll never change.” Tim sensed the disappointment in his voice at having so much to share, but having no one to share it with.

“Our next stop is with Harry, one of my first ever tenants. He’s a proper Cockney, serves good food, but no frills. I need to talk with him about repairs, the place is falling down at the back but we’ve had problems over access. While I’m talking to him get some food inside you, ready for the drive home.”

It was gone seven when Tim got home and, although he’d eaten well, he was missing the thought of the family meal and the faces that meant so much to him. This job would mean a lot less of those, which was a pity as he’d promised Melanie he’d spend a lot more time with them from now on. That was before she’d taken off so suddenly on a mission to make more money for her bank. Once home, he saw that Trudy had fed the children and was busy organising games with them, something they were obviously enjoying. Maybe they were pleased to see him, but they didn’t see the need to break off from their game and he couldn’t raise the enthusiasm to push his way in.

He rang Ben, hoping for an evening of pool and gossip at the Globe. “Sorry mate, Beckie’s got tickets for a concert in town tonight, what about Monday night?”

“Yes, let’s do that, it’s getting to be a rarity for us to spend a night at the pub. I’ll see you there about eight. With nothing planned for Saturday or Sunday, Tim began to realise how hard it was going to be to get through the next four weeks. He heard the kitchen door open and Nina’s voice, “It’s only me,” and with that she appeared in the lounge.

“There you are. Have you heard from Mel, is she OK?”

“I’m expecting her to ring soon; I don’t want to ring her because they could be meeting over a meal. I don’t want it to look like we can’t manage without her, she’ll only worry.”

“Have you eaten, Tim?”

“Yes, at lunch time.”

“Well that’s no good, you need an evening meal inside you. Melanie gave me strict instructions to keep you fed until she gets back. Come on, we’ll go round to mine and I’ll fix you something.”

“Thanks, Neen, but I can’t go out until Mel has phoned and, anyway, I’m not hungry. You know why, I’m missing her, missing her like hell and it’s only day one.”

“All the more reason to let me take care of you. She won’t want you moping around while she’s making millions for her bank over a five course dinner.”

The thought of Melanie having dinner every night with a group of businessmen wasn’t helping him to overcome his melancholy. They would no doubt find plenty to laugh about between the serious business; they’d become good friends, spending so much time together. This train of thought wasn’t going to help him deal with nights spent eating on his own.

“I’ll tell you what we’ll do, you stay here until Mel phones, give her my love, and then come round and I’ll make you some supper. She’s bound to ring before the kids go to bed, so if you’re not round by nine I’ll come and drag you round.”

Tim knew she wouldn’t let go and what she said made sense. He wouldn’t bother to get himself supper and if he sat here all night with no one to talk to he’d go crazy. Mel’s call was shorter than he’d expected; she told him she was doing fine, they were, as he’d thought doing business over a meal and she’d had to dash out between courses to phone him. How were the kids? Could he call them down quickly so she could speak to them? In a few minutes it was over, she was gone, back to her meal and her precious meeting. Tim experienced uneasy resentment that she couldn’t find time after working hours to talk to him properly. He’d been looking forward to her call all day, it was to be the highlight of his evening and it had lasted two minutes. He’d have it out with her tomorrow night, explain how important it was for them to talk, how much he wanted to hear her voice, to hear about her day. No, he couldn’t take four weeks of this, he’d ask Nina what she thought, and she’d agree that what he was asking of her was perfectly reasonable.

“How was Mel? Did you send her my love?”

“I didn’t get a bloody chance, Neen, she said hello, said she was OK and then spoke to the kids. I feel pretty pissed off about it. I thought she’d be desperate to talk to me, but obviously she’s having such a good time that she isn’t missing home at all.”

“That’s not how it is and you know it. She’s there to do a job, and lots of business is done in the evening over a meal. You’ll have to get used to this, Tim, once she gets her promotion.”

“What do you mean? Are you saying this is the first of many trips abroad?”

“I’m not saying anything, Tim, except she’ll be expected to entertain the bank’s clients over dinner from time to time.”

Entertain? Tim wasn’t sure he liked the sound of that. In twenty years of marriage they’d hardly ever been apart and this was proving to be more difficult than he’d imagined. He kept going over the things she’d said when she told him about this trip, the night she’d taken him to the Walnut Tree, and after the meal how she’d entertained
him
!

“Neen, why did Mel make a point of telling me that it was your boss who organised this trip, how would he know Mel anyway...?”

“They met round here, that night I had a few friends from work for drinks and you took Ben off down the Globe, just before he went forever.”

“But why did he want Mel for this project, I mean there must be loads of people in the bank with more experience of this kind of thing than her. I know she’s good at her job, but she’s never been in charge of anything this big and certainly never any foreign deal.”

Nina tried to contemplate the outcome if she didn’t concoct a good story in the next two minutes. She remembered precisely the way that evening had ended; Ratty and Mel entwined together on the same sofa that they were sitting on at this very minute. She recalled how she’d got rid of Tim at the door when he and Ben had arrived home while the party was still going strong

“Well, he’s new to our firm and to the area, so I don’t suppose he knows anyone else at the bank.”

“But would that matter? Come on, Neen, honestly... you work with this stuff all the time, you must know, wouldn’t it be more usual to let the bank choose who went on a job like this?”

“I suppose so, but the danger is that he could end up with someone he really doesn’t get on with, so if he knew one person in the bank who he felt he could get on with he might put her name forward. What does it matter?”

“It’s probably just me being silly, perhaps I should try to get my head around the fact that Mel is incredibly good at what she does. In essence that was what she told me when we had that enormous row. I said I thought she spent her day adding up numbers and she went ballistic.”

“I should think so, Tim. She’s well thought of in the bank, I can tell you that. So what do you think I do? I suppose you think I get people off parking fines, do you? You are a bit of a pot-bellied chauvinist porker, Tim, admit it... the idea of women being good at something gives you a problem, doesn’t it?”

“That’s bullshit, Neen, I’m not like Ben, that’s his philosophy for sure, he thinks women are only good at one thing, and we both know what that is. I respect you for what you do, same as I do Mel, but it’s hard for me to understand your work or hers. How can I when I’ve only ever worked with motors?”

“Don’t take it to heart, Tim, I don’t think you’re like Ben. I just wish he was like you – sensible, trustworthy, and
here
.”

That last word sounded a warning bell in Tim’s head. It was time he headed back home to the safety of his empty bed. “My God, is that the time?” he said, a nanosecond before looking at his watch, “I have to be up early tomorrow, I’d better be off.”