‘She scowled and demanded to know who I was, looking down her nose at me. I told her I was David’s wife and she gasped. He hadn’t told her he was married. Nobody in the firm knew. Our surname was Smith, which is so common that nobody made the connection.
‘That night he came home late. I spent the time crying, like the wimp I was. When he got home we had a big fight. I said how dare he pretend I didn’t exist, and he looked me up and down and said, “Why would I want to tell anyone about you?”’
‘
‘I had nothing to say. She was so beautiful and perfectly groomed, and I was so dowdy. Soon after that we split up. There was a divorce and he married Rosalie. Since then he’s gone right to the top.’
‘Of course,’ he said cynically. ‘The boss’s son-in-law always goes to the top.’
She nodded. ‘His father-in-law is a rich man with a lot of power.’ She gave a curt laugh. ‘David has two children now. A friend of mine has seen them. She says they’re beautiful.’
‘And they should have been yours,’ he said gently.
She was suddenly unable to speak. But then she recovered and said, ‘No, of course not. That’s just being sentimental. When the divorce came through I did a lot more crying, so much that I reckon I’ve used up all my tears for the rest of my life. That’s what I promised myself, anyway. That was when I resumed my maiden name.
‘It’s silly to brood about the past. You can’t rewrite it. You can only make sure that the future is better. And that’s what I’m determined to do.’
Primo didn’t know what to say. She seemed to speak lightly but her manner was still charged with emotion. What unsettled him most was the way she’d revealed her pain with the sudden force of someone breaking boundaries for the first time. Now she seemed to be withdrawing back into herself, as if regretting the brief intimacy she’d permitted.
She confirmed it when she laughed and said, ‘And that’s the story of my life.’
‘No, not your life, just one bad experience. But don’t judge all men by your husband. Some of us have redeeming qualities.’
‘Of course. I like men. I enjoy their company. But I’m always waiting for that moment when the true face shows through.’
‘But suppose you saw the true face at the start,’ he suggested, fencing, hoping to draw her out further.
‘Does any man show his true face at the start?’ she fenced back. ‘Did you, for instance?’
‘Yes, let’s forget about that,’ he said hastily. ‘I prefer to talk some more about you.’
‘Why? Is the truth about you so very terrible?’
He was wildly tempted to say that the truth about himself was something she wouldn’t believe. But he recovered his sanity in time.
‘Tell me about the new Olympia, the one who knows that love is nonsense.’
‘At least she knows it’s something you have to be realistic about.’
‘I think you could lose a lot by being that sort of realist.’
‘But don’t you believe a person’s head should rule their heart, and they should avoid stupid risks?’
‘No, I don’t,’ he said, aghast. ‘You could hardly say anything worse about any man.’
‘Not at all. They’re admirable qualities.’
‘Yes, for a dummy in a shop window.’
‘Have I offended you?’
‘Yes,’ he growled.
‘But why? Most men like to be admired for their brains and common sense.’
He recovered his good humour.
‘You’ve observed that, have you? Is it on your list of effective techniques for use against Rinucci? Item one, sub-section A. Make breathless comments about size of brain and staggering use thereof. Note: Try to sound convincing, however difficult. Sub-section B. Suggest that-’
‘Stop it,’ she said, laughing. ‘Anyway, I don’t know if it would work with him. Is he intelligent enough to make admiration of his brains convincing?’
‘It doesn’t matter. If he isn’t, he’ll never know the difference.’
‘That’s true,’ she said, much struck.
‘Personally I’ve always considered him rather a stupid man.’
‘Stupid in what way?’ she wanted to know.
‘In every way.’
‘Stupid in every way,’ she repeated. ‘That’s a start.’
Primo grinned suddenly and hailed a passing waiter.
‘Would you bring the lady a notebook and pencil, please?’ he asked. ‘She has urgent notes to make.’ Turning back to Olympia, he said, ‘Of course, if you were really applying yourself to the job, you’d have brought them with you.’
‘I wasn’t exactly prepared for the conversation to be so promising.’
‘Always be prepared. You never know where any conversation might lead-
‘Always-be-prepared-’ she said, her eyes fixed on the notebook which the waiter had just placed before her. Then she raised them and fixed them admiringly on his face. ‘How clever you are! I’d never have thought of a difficult concept like that for myself.’
‘Behave yourself,’ he said in a voice that shook with laughter.
‘But I was admiring your brilliant advice.’
‘You were using me for target practice.’
‘Well, some targets are more fun to practise on than others.’
The significant chuckle in her voice was almost his undoing. He longed to ask her to expand on the subject, but he felt she’d had it all her own way long enough.
‘Enough,’ he said severely. ‘If you’re going to do this, do it properly. Don’t be obvious. Even a fool like Rinucci could see through that.’
‘Really? Never mind, you can tell me what else to say. How old is he?’
‘About my age.’
‘That’s young to be in his position.’
‘He relies a lot on family influence,’ Primo said, ruthlessly sacrificing his own reputation.
‘It’s going to take a lot of work filling this notebook. I’ll need a section for his interests, clothes-’
‘He’s a fancy dresser. More money than sense. Ah, but I forgot. You’re not interested in his money.’
‘That’s right. I just want to run him to earth, rope and brand him-’
‘And generally get him in a state of total subjection.’
‘You got it. And then-’
‘Olympia, could we possibly drop the subject of Primo Rinucci?’ he asked plaintively. ‘He really isn’t a very interesting man.’
‘I’m sorry. Of course he isn’t interesting to you.’
The waiter, proffering the sweet menu, saved him from having to answer, and after that he managed to divert her on to another subject.
At last she said, ‘Maybe we should go. I should go to work tomorrow, to impress the boss.’
‘But it is Sunday and he isn’t here.’
‘I meant you.’
‘Yes, right-I’m getting confused. Let’s go.’
On the way home they talked in a relaxed, disjointed way, then made the last part of the journey in silence. When he drew up and looked over to her he saw that she was asleep.
Her breathing was so soft that he could hardly hear it. She slept like a contented child, her face softened, all the tension smoothed out. There was even a faint smile on her lips, as though she’d found a rare moment of contentment.
He moved closer, charmed by the way her long black lashes lay against her cheek. If this had been any other woman, on any other night, he would have leaned down and laid his mouth against hers, teasing gently until she awoke and her lips parted under his. Then he would have taken her into his arms, letting her head rest against his
