Yours Unfaithfully (34 page)

“That’s fine, Ratty, and very honourable, but what if it takes years for this to happen?”

“Then I’ll wait years. I’d swim an ocean to be with her forever, Hugh. I love her more than anything. I’d give everything I own to have her, to belong to her.”

“What if you wait years and it doesn’t happen? Then you will have lost the chance of happiness with someone else. Have you considered this?”

“How can I make a decision to abandon my love for her when there is even a one per cent chance of her loving me, one day?”

“Maybe Melanie should make the decision for you?”

“No, I don’t want her to walk away from me. I don’t think I could survive without the hope that she instills in me.”

Hugh Ballantyne was pensive, his smile camouflaging his thoughts. This was a love affair too intense on the one side and too complicated on the other. The only certainty in such a situation was that there would have to be a loser, eventually!

“Supposing that one day Melanie realised how much you love her, supposing she decided that she was in love with you as well, so much so that she chose to spend the rest of her life with you. What do you think her husband would do?”

It was Ratty’s turn to think before speaking. “I’ve never met him, so it’s hard for me to say, but nothing in life is forever, he must know that, and anyway, from all the things Mel has told me, he doesn’t do nearly enough to deserve her. He’s a mechanic, an oily; she’s worth more, much more.”

“In your esteemed valuation of human worth a mechanic is less useful than a lawyer... is that what you think? I suspect that most of the people who break down on the M1 prefer a mechanic. Don’t you think it’s a bit arrogant to determine your worth to her in terms of your profession?”

“That’s not what I’m saying. He simply doesn’t have the ambition to get on in life, to give her the things she deserves. I could give her much more, that’s what I’m saying.”

“Ratty, love is not about material wealth, two people can be as poor as church mice, yet love each other deeply. I know you love her, and obviously her wealth is not important to you, which is how it should be... what I am asking is ... have you thought that she might apply those same standards in her quest for love? You will only win this competition for her affection, if that’s how it is, when she wants you as much as, and for the same reasons, as you want her.”

“But how do I make her love me the way I love her?”

“Ratty, you can’t make her, but if you show her that through thick or thin, in good times or in bad, you are always going to be there for her, then she will at least see you in your true light. I’ve also enjoyed Melanie’s company since we arrived here and I can tell you, Ratty, if I didn’t respect your feelings towards her I might be making overtures myself. She’s a very easy woman to fall in love with. You might go years before you meet a woman as lovely as her. She has that rare quality in a woman; she is totally unaware of how lovely she is, unlike so many who believe in their own desirability even when it scarcely exists. Ratty, if you want to spend the rest of your life with her, be a friend to her, a true friend, one she can trust no matter what, and one day, maybe, you will become her best friend!”

“Thanks, Hugh, I’ll always be there for her, no matter what.”

“Good luck, Ratty.”

When Melanie returned to the table she looked upset. The phone call had obviously gone badly.

“What’s up Mel” Ratty asked, “Not bad news is it?”

“No... no, it’s just Tim, he’s upset. I think he’s missing me. I can’t think why.” She tried to put on a brave face and attempted to smile. She joked to hide her concern, “I’ve left him a young and attractive nanny, and my best friend Nina, your Nina, from next door to fuss over him and still he misses me. He must be mad.”

Ratty sprang to his defence, “No Mel, he’s not mad, he knows how lucky he is.”

“Ratty, would you mind if we don’t walk around the lake tonight, I’m not in the mood. I think I’ll go up and type up my notes and then get an early night... see you both in the morning.” She got up and left the table.

“Ratty, your face says it all, as if I didn’t already know... you look like you’ve just been told there’s no Father Christmas.”

“I was so looking forward to our walk. It’s the happiest hour of the day for me. I’m dreading the day we go home. I probably won’t get to see her at all then.”

“What did Melanie mean when she said, ‘Your Nina’?”

“Her neighbour, and best friend, well best woman friend anyway, works in my department on your firm’s account. I’m surprised you haven’t heard of her, she’s a promising talent in contract law. We talk a bit in work; it’s my only way of finding out about Melanie, although she’s very tight lipped on that subject, doesn’t approve of my interest, but then, she thinks all I want is a cheap affair with her friend. She has no idea what love is. She’s married to some prat who’s just gone off with a girl barely out of her teens. From what she’s told me about him I’d say she was better off on her own.”

“I try to make it my business to get to know everyone who works on the Stellar Haufman account. When we get back I shall make a point of meeting Nina. She sounds like an interesting person.”

“Not your type, Hugh.”

“How could you possibly know what ‘my type’ is, Ratty?”

With you going all around the world on Stellar’s business you must meet some fabulous women, Latin American, Caribbean, French, Italian... how could you find a local woman good enough to compete with those?”

“Well, Ratty, it seems that you did, and my reason for meeting her is business. Unlike you, Ratty, I can keep the two quite separate.”

The next day was spent examining the detail of the Praza proposal. They took turns in making assessments of it and flagging up bits of it which required a closer look. The bank’s role in this was limited to ensuring that the proposition was a sound long term investment. Melanie knew it was sound, whatever the outcome of the bid to squeeze extras from the Poles at the negotiating table tomorrow. “If it’s OK with you guys, I’m going to get some fresh air. You don’t need me for a while. I’ll see you back here for dinner tonight, OK?”

Hugh could see she needed some space. She hadn’t entirely recovered from the effects of last night’s phone call. “Sure, go out and take in some sunshine and we’ll see you at dinner.”

“Thanks, Hugh, see you both later.”

Melanie made straight for the reception desk, where a smartly dressed lady was in charge.

“Please can you tell me if there is a zoo in Poznan?” she said.

“But of course, Poznan has a wonderful zoo. If you walk this way, clockwise, around the lake,” she pointed straight in front of her, “you will arrive to the Malta restaurant which is also the station for the little railway that will take you to the zoo.” She smiled pleasantly, “It’s a lovely day for visiting the zoo, enjoy your trip.”

Ten minutes later she was once again walking round the lake, but in the opposite direction to the way they walked in the evenings. She mingled with the crowds of people who incessantly circled the lake in search of exercise until she reached the station restaurant. The sound of a train’s whistle announced the arrival of the small steam train and after buying her ticket at the office she joined the queue to board it. Sitting in an open sided carriage with twenty excited young children made her homesick for the first time since she had arrived. Happy faces talking non-stop, regardless of whether anyone was listening, was universal when kids were on a day trip like this. The parents – or were they teachers? – seemed just as excited. She felt sadness at not knowing what her children had done this holiday with Trudy. Sure, they’d told her a few details during her nightly call, but they must have had lots of fun in the last couple of weeks, all of which she had missed out on.

The zoo was enormous, more of an animal park than a traditional city variety, where caged animals stare out from behind bars. After three hours of wandering around, gazing at animals who were unconcerned at her presence, she boarded the train again. Her head was telling her it was time to go home so that she would have time to change before dinner.

Home? Where was home? Right now the Park Hotel was home, but two weeks from now I’ll pack my things and head for that other home, where who knows what awaits.

As the train headed back, she glimpsed a sight of the hotel across the lake and thought about Ratty and his determination to be her lover. He really was a kind and caring man. It would be very easy, here away from the pressures of family life to give in to him. But she would hold true to her marriage. Well almost. She smiled to herself.

Back at the tiny station, she drank a cold Lech lager at a table under the shade of the trees. She needed time to think before going back to the hotel. Tim’s phone call was still heavy on her mind. He was angry. He wanted her back. Now! What do I say to him when I phone tonight? And what do I say to Ratty when he asks me to walk around the lake? She lost track of time as she sat there watching the trams on the main road, milling backwards and forwards to and from the town centre and disgorging their cargo of commuters before clanging noisily onto their destination. Sparks hissed from the wires above the trams as they sped along the busy track, but these were nothing to the sparks that would fly tonight. I’ve never known Tim to sound so pissed off as he did last night, and all that stuff about the zoo, how did he know Poznan has a zoo? He’s been doing some research, but god knows how. He’d never read a book and he doesn’t know how to use the internet. Maybe I should have a long talk with Nina, ask her what is going on inside his head. I need her to get closer to him to find out what he’s thinking. If I’m going home to face a storm at least I’d like to be prepared.

As Melanie walked the path alongside the lake, she resolved to make that her next task. She dialled the direct number for Nina at work and was relieved to hear her voice. “Nina, it’s Mel, can you talk?”

“Of course I can, Mel, how’s Poland, I’ve been watching the European weather forecast, sounds like you’re having even better weather than we are. How is my oversexed Senior Partner? Is he behaving himself?”

“Ratty has been a perfect gentleman, Neen, at least he’s given me no cause for complaint.”

“I’m not sure which way to take that, Mel, should I be worried for you?”

“Of course not. Everything’s fine here and we’re making good progress on the project. I absolutely love it here, Neen, I’m coming back next summer. I want to bring the kids here, they’d love it, and Tim of course. Neen, I wanted to ask you about Tim, he sounded really odd last night on the phone. He wasn’t making any sense at all, wanted to know who I’d been to the zoo with. Where the hell did that come from?”

“He is a bit down, Mel, but nothing for you to worry about. The kids are doing fine and Trudy is a marvel; you don’t know how lucky you were to find her. I’m booking her to look after mine as soon as I can get some time off, and as soon as I can find someone to take me away somewhere.”

“Still no news on Ben then? He hasn’t been in touch?”

“The only thing he’s touched is little Miss Muffet. No, I’ve come to terms with it since you’ve been away, Mel, he isn’t coming back and I don’t even know if I’d want him back now.”

“What’s changed? When I left you were devastated that he was with her, now it sounds like you don’t care.’

‘Well what’s done is done, Mel, let’s face it he wasn’t exactly the pick of the crop, even at his best, was he?’

“Neen, tell me honestly, do you think I’m coming back to an angry husband, because if so I’d rather know beforehand, and exactly what it is that’s eating him. That way I can try to have my answers prepared before he asks the questions. I know you’re not Tim’s biggest fan, but can you please get close enough to him during the next week to get to bottom of his problem? Clearly he does have a problem with me and the trip, but he’s not going to share it with me, at least not until I get home, then I’ll probably get it, both barrels.”

“Well, I’ll try to get as close as I can, Mel, I’ve been cooking for him most nights anyway but he doesn’t say a lot about you or the trip. Tonight I’ll go to work on him, find out what’s inside his head, if anything...” She laughed nervously.

“Thanks, Neen, I’m relying on you.”

“OK, you take good care of my boss then, see if you can get me another promotion, be very nice to him.”

“I thought you didn’t want me to be nice to him. I’m a married woman, remember? I’ll gladly tell him that you’re looking for an opportunity to impress him upon his return if you want, that should get him excited.”

“Like bloody hell it would, I could attend the morning briefing in my pants and bra and he wouldn’t notice, but if I mention your name his face lights up like Blackpool bloody Tower. I don’t know what it is you’ve got, Mel, but I wish I could get some.”

“It’s called ‘being unavailable’, it always adds to the attraction. Your only problem is you spent too long with Ben. Seriously, once he’s out of your head you can let your hair down and start looking for someone special. You’re a lovely person, Neen, you’ve just got to believe in yourself and I bet you could entice any man under your duvet if you just tried.”

“Do you really think so? I’ll give it a try, and at the same time I’ll find out as much as I can for you.”

“Thanks, Neen, speak to you soon.”

Melanie put the phone back in her pocket. Perhaps she was worrying about nothing. Nina hadn’t seemed overly concerned about Tim’s state of mind and she’d seen him most nights, so she would know if he was in a ‘state’. Good old Neen, she was always willing to do her bit to help, even though she had enough to think about with her own marriage problems. By the time they met up for dinner she’d brightened up enormously, so much so that she was full of life throughout the meal, enjoying being the centre of attention to two handsome and attentive men, a situation that didn’t go unnoticed by other diners in the restaurant. But tonight, instead of feeling guilty, Melanie was revelling in her good fortune. There hadn’t been that many occasions when one good looking man had dined her and paid her compliments, so having two men lavish attention on her was the icing on her Polish cake. The men were clearly enjoying her company tonight; perhaps it was the result of a long, hot day spent pouring over documents, but they were like two school boys on their first date.