Chapter 7
How many men whose marriages have run their course stay because they are unchallenged?
It’s a satisfactory arrangement: the boredom of domestic life without waves, a dull pulse that saves his pocket from divorce and an affair where he rides a thrilling storm.
‘Please, Sophie… my life is such fun with you – I need you. I think all this self-denial is creating more chemistry. I am in agony. Maybe we should make love once and I can get you out of my system. View it as a kindness.’
‘Better not.’ Sophie removed his hand from her knee. As Claudia said, forbidden fruit would keep his interest.
But in reality, furtive hugs and timid touches were not enough to satisfy her lusty nature.
‘So text him,’ Claudia said. ‘You know what you want. Sound him out. Find out what he wants.’
Hello Nicholas x
Hello Sophie x
Dearest lover… yes, we are lovers, in mind and heart. After much reflection, I think the sensible way forward for us is for me to become your mistress. It’s clear we cannot separate emotionally, so why not seal our relationship?
I await your response. Yours, Sophie
xxx
Speechless! xxx
Not a sufficient response! X
Find your voice, man! Girls like me don’t come around that often x
Once in a lifetime. And what a relief!!
love and hugs!!
So what, my love, are you going to do about relief?
Mend a gold charm bracelet? xx
I don’t think we are on the same page.
For relief, a charm bracelet? I mean, please!
I’ve missed you, Sophie.
That’s good to hear.
So, when do I become your mistress?
My original question.
Dinner first?! xx
Eternally platonic, then, just so that I’m clear? x
Eternally platonic – with dinner, walks in the park, trips to the theatre and fun in the sun! xx
Understood. I love you no less and can’t wait to see you very soon. Until then Sophie xxx
There are times when you are the loveliest woman in the world xxx
What do you mean, times? Please elaborate?
Okay! All the time! xx
Dinner chez moi?
Lovely! xx
When?
I’m going to an auction in Chiswick on Thursday?
Perfect. Come at 7.30. S xxx
***
When Anna rang, Sophie was at the hairdressers.
‘It’s all right, Tom, carry on,’ she said. ‘It’s my sister. I’ll ring her later.’
But Anna called again. And again.
Sophie shouldn’t have told her that Nicholas was coming to dinner. She knew that it would aggravate her.
But something in her wanted that.
At the back of her mind, she remembered that when she was six Anna had cut off her pigtail, jealous of her fair hair. Sophie had cried and cried.
Evelyn, their mother, laughed at all the spiteful things Anna did to her little sister. She hadn’t wanted another girl.
Worse was when Sophie was sixteen and Anna stole her first boyfriend, Matthew, and did things with him that Sophie wouldn’t do.
And so it continued until Anna got married. At last she was hitched and Sophie was happily out of harm’s way.
Sophie’s phone rang again. ‘For goodness’ sake, Anna, can’t it wait? My hair’s wet.’ She signalled to Tom to switch on the dryer. ‘Now then, if you’ve anything to tell me, call later.’
But Anna was determined to have her say. ‘Why, Sophie, why? You’re in your prime – you could have anyone.’
‘Please don’t go on,’ Sophie replied.
‘You’re wasting your life. He will never leave his wife.’
***
Thursday 7.15 p.m., Nicholas had arrived early. He had brought her a box of hand-made chocolates, a gift from a client that he’d saved for a special occasion.
He wouldn’t ring the bell just yet. She could be getting dressed. He sat on the doorstep and waited.
Nicholas wasn’t sure what to expect when Sophie opened the door. Nor was he quite sure what to do. He felt guilty. He’d told Kate that he would be late home as he had a second valuation in Kensington. He shouldn’t have lied, but then again what could he have said? That he was visiting a drop-dead gorgeous woman who had filled his head night and day ever since he’d met her?
Sophie had prepared rocket and Parmesan salad followed by lasagne al forno, and for dessert, raspberry panna cotta.
She served him like a geisha. Let him have the pleasure of a woman who adores him, wants to please him, spoil him.
‘More lasagne?’ she asked.
‘It’s so delicious, just a little.’
Panna cotta next. He took a spoonful of the luscious, quivering cream and slipped it in his mouth.
‘Sublime,’ he said. ‘You are superb. The most beautiful woman I have ever met.’
And that was when Sophie got up from the table, leaving her dessert unfinished, and did what she did best.
‘So why be shy?’ She pulled him towards her. ‘Nicholas, I’m not sure I can just be your friend. Please kiss me.’
He gave her a dry little peck like a budgerigar.
‘No, properly… like this…’ She teased his mouth open with the tip of her finger and sucked his bottom lip. After which she plunged her tongue into his mouth and played with his.
Nicholas, helpless with lust, thrust his hips against hers. ‘You are hot as hell,’ he said.
He felt such love and now he couldn’t escape. That was it. A fatal touch of lips that changed everything.
‘Do you realise what you’re doing to me? I’ve gone twenty years without having an affair and then you come along with your passionate kisses and sweet breath, and now it’s such an effort to keep strong.’
She took his hand in hers. ‘Come on,’ she said, her voice husky with wine and desire. ‘Let’s go to bed. We don’t have to do anything… compromising. We could just, you know, have a cuddle.’
Nicholas was in a dream state. And when she dropped her dress to reveal her naked beauty he could hardly breathe.
‘I want you so much,’ he said.
‘I want you too,’ she said. They huffed and puffed, moaned and groaned and still, despite a thrilling ride, Nicholas – at the point of entry – held fire.
‘No! I cannot take you,’ he cried.
‘What? Why?’ Sophie shoved him back against the pillows. ‘You really think that just because we haven’t actually had sex, you’re not having an affair?’
‘In my mind, yes. I just know that if I did go all the way I’d have a meltdown. I’d feel so guilty. Probably have to tell my wife and she’d literally kill me.’ The thought of her made Nicholas’s penis shrivel. ‘Sophie, I have to go,’ he said, flustered, bundling sheets round his middle. ‘I don’t want to hurt anyone.’
Nicholas left, hurrying to his car, already picturing the loving conversation he’d have to his wife on the phone. How he’d describe his day of work to her.
I am a good man , he thought virtuously. I am a very good man. I didn’t cross the line.
***
Claudia hatched a plan for Sophie.
‘Viagra,’ Claudia said. ‘You can get the tablets over the counter now. Make him minestrone and drop one in his soup.’
Sophie liked the idea.
But the pharmacist at Boots said she couldn’t buy it.
Sophie called Claudia. ‘I thought it wouldn’t be that simple. In order to buy the pills, the man has to come in and have a consultation…’
‘Well… we could ask Bryan, my gardener,’ Claudia said. ‘I’m sure he’d do it if we offered him twenty quid… I’ll try him out when he comes next week.’
Bryan was good with plants, but the problem was he was a compulsive talker, which really irritated Claudia, but if she was going to ask him for a favour, best to be friendly.
Not easy. He’d already annoyed her by arriving Thursday morning at 8.50 a.m., when he wasn’t due till nine o’clock.
‘You’re ten minutes early,’ Claudia said icily.
‘Yes, trying to squeeze in two more jobs today so I thought I’d give myself a head start. Hope you don’t mind.’
‘Well, luckily my 8 a.m. reading was cancelled. It’s best that you ask me first in future.’
‘Yeah, I will… promise.’ He stood at the door, his knobbly arms and legs sticking out like gnarled branches from the sleeves of his black T-shirt and khaki combat shorts.
‘Anyway…’ Claudia clapped her hands together. ‘Would you like a cup of tea, Bryan?’
‘Thank you.’ He was surprised. She didn’t normally offer him tea before he started gardening.
He followed her into the kitchen. ‘Didn’t have time this morning,’ he said. ‘Too busy packing for tomorrow. Going to Tenerife with my girlfriend. Going to climb up part of the Tiède. She’s a bit worried in case she gets dizzy. Had a few turns in the last couple of weeks. I dunno, maybe she’s pregnant?’
Claudia yawned. Perhaps she should just wave the twenty quid in front of him and forget the small talk and the tea. No, it would be better to keep him sweet.
He looked so chuffed, as if the Queen had invited him into Buckingham Palace for a cuppa.
He had a huge crush on Claudia.
‘Bryan, just come and sit down for a minute. I want to ask you to do something. You can say no, but I’ll make it worth your while.’ Claudia placed a white ceramic mug on the table.
Bryan’s milky green eyes slid sideways.
‘Oh yes? I’m all ears. Uh, but… I wonder… you wouldn’t have a biscuit, would you? Had nothing in my mouth since last night.’
‘Of course.’ Claudia plopped a couple of digestives on a plate.
He eyed the fruit bowl.
‘Wouldn’t mind a banana,’ he said. ‘That’s if you can spare one.’
‘Sure. Perhaps you’d like a tangerine as well?’
Bryan didn’t understand irony.
‘No thanks. Bad for my acid reflux. I’m taking pills, but it’s still causing me problems. Shame, really. I love tangerines and oranges… and kiwis and pineapples, but they make my tongue swell. I can eat apples, though…’ His eyes flicked back and forth to the bowl. He waited.
She’d had enough.
‘Down to business, Bryan.’ Claudia sat. ‘Now then, I’m sure you’ve heard of Viagra.’
‘Yes, of course.’ Bryan took a bite of his banana. ‘Keeps you up and at it. Haven’t tried it myself. Luckily no problem down under. Doesn’t take a lot for me to go up north. Mind you, I think that gardening helps… Keeps a man “earthed”, so to speak.’ Bryan smirked at his pun. ‘Anyway, why so?’ He eyeballed her and took another bite of the banana.
‘Well, you used to be able only to get it on prescription, but now you can buy it over the counter. And, well… I… I thought you might…’
Bryan’s eyes glistened. He couldn’t believe it. Mrs M was finally making a move. The story in his head was actually happening…
It was a hot summer’s day. Bryan was pruning the roses. He had taken off his T-shirt. He could feel her watching him.
‘Would you like some pink lemonade, Bryan?’ Her voice wafted across the lawn. He turned round. She was standing on the terrace barefoot, wearing a black bikini top, flaunting her long, tanned legs in snug denim shorts.
‘Thank you, Mrs M, my throat’s parched.’
And there she was beside him, holding the glass to his lips.
‘No need for a free hand, Bryan. You just keep on pruning…’
Her beautiful soft hand slid down his back and she said, ‘Your shoulders are burning. Let me get you some lotion.’
And now here he was, living the dream.
Bryan leant forward and circled his lips with his tongue. ‘You don’t have to say it, Mrs M… I understand.’
‘You do?’
‘Your hubby.’
‘What about him?’
‘Well, he probably works all hours God sends him.’
‘Yes, he does work hard.’
‘And you…’ Brian winked. ‘Viagra… I get it.’
‘Get what?’
‘You know… roses need water otherwise the petals dry up.’ He placed the banana skin on the plate and leered at Claudia with his toady eyes.
‘What are you talking about?’
‘Well then, you don’t have to pay me. You know I’d do it for free.’
‘Of course I have to pay you, Bryan!’ She ignored the innuendo and yanked the conversation back on track.
‘The pharmacist will ask you questions, so you have to pretend that you have a problem.’
‘No, no… I don’t need Viagra anyway. I can go for hours.’
‘What are you talking about? It’s not for you – it’s for a friend.’
‘Oh.’ He swallowed hard. ‘Oh well.’ He shook his head. ‘Now I see. I thought you meant you… and me… but…’ Bryan stuck out his chin and crossed his arms. ‘But if it’s for another fella, why can’t he ask himself?’
‘It’s for a girlfriend.’
‘Why would a girl need Viagra?’
‘Oh, never mind. I really don’t have time for this.’ Claudia snatched her bag and took out her wallet. ‘Here’s twenty pounds plus another twenty for the Viagra. No more questions. Will you just do it? Today? After you’ve done the gardening, bring me the pills this afternoon. Okay?’
‘Done deal, Mrs M.’ He plucked the notes from her delicate fingers.
Claudia looked at his filthy nails and wondered how any woman could let him touch her.
‘Well then, best be getting on, Mrs M. I’ll sort out the garden, go straight to the chemist and be back around 3 p.m.’
‘Good.’ She gave him a dry smile and opened her iPad.
***
Bryan proved reliable and returned that afternoon.
‘Abracadabra, here’s the Viagra.’ He waved a packet of four little pills in the air. ‘It was easy peasy, Mrs M.’ He gave her a cocky grin. ‘I was expecting the pharmacist to ask me about my todger, but he didn’t. Just questions on my general health and whether I was taking any other medication. In a way, it was a pity, because I was quite looking forward to telling him a cock and bull story. Well, that one just popped out,’ he said.
Claudia didn’t smile.
‘Geddit, Mrs M, cock and bull?’ His eyebrows jiggled up and down. He motored on. ‘I said how depressed I was because my dad had died a few weeks ago and every time I tried to get it up, I thought of the coffin being lowered into the ground and my mum crying. Oh dear, I can feel the tears welling up.’ He took out a dirty handkerchief and blew his nose.
Claudia looked the other way.
‘Well… then that’s that. Thanks for your help.’ She snatched the packet of Viagra and hustled him out of the kitchen door. ‘I’ve a reading in ten minutes, so off you go.’
‘Oh… maybe you could read my cards? See if I should marry my Mary.’
Claudia slammed her back against the door and raised her eyes to heaven.
She’d wait before she locked the garden gate, just to make sure he’d gone.
***
Anna was on the bus when Damien rang.
‘I like your story, but you need to make the read less complex and the narrative more fluid,’ he said. ‘Would you like me to tweak it? We could meet this weekend. Sunday?’
Tweak it! Damien Spur tweaking it. Anna blushed. Just the thought of it made her nipples stiffen. Yes, he could tweak her any time.
‘Sunday’s fine. Come to me – I’ll make you lunch,’ she said.
‘How about dinner? We can do the work first in the afternoon.’
The woman sitting next to Anna nudged her. ‘Turn the volume down, please. What’s it to me what you’re doing at the weekend?’
Anna nudged the woman back. ‘Well, I am certainly not inviting you to lunch,’ she retorted. Then, ‘Yes, Damien, that will be fine,’ she said, lowering her voice.
‘Anna,’ he said, ‘I can’t hear you.’
‘I said that’s fine. Two o’clock?’ She raised her voice again. ‘You’ve got my address on the manuscript. See you then. Byeee.’
The woman beside her got up and pushed past her. ‘You’re so bloody rude. If you want to shout on the phone, why don’t you take a taxi?’
Anna ignored her.
At last her life was flowing. It was such a joy not to be locked in her imagination. To have things actually happen. She had been numb from the waist down for years. A closed shop. Told herself that she didn’t miss it. But now she felt that tingle again, that rush of pleasure. She was absolutely ready to give this man anything he wanted.
That night, happy Anna dreamt of flying.
***
In the morning, Anna drew the curtains with a flourish and smiled at herself in the pretty heart-shaped mirror that David had given her as a Valentine gift, with a card that said:
Darling, Anna,
You’ll always be beautiful. Look at your reflection and see the greatest love of my life.
When he took her to the edge with his incessant moaning, the mirror reminded her of the romantic man he once was.
And today Anna wanted to please him. After she’d washed and dressed, she went into the kitchen and took out the loose-leaf Earl Grey from the larder instead of the usual builder’s teabag. She swilled the teapot with the boiled water and let the tea brew for three minutes, straining it into a porcelain cup resting on a saucer.
Just how he liked it. Then she made him some toast with lots of butter and raspberry jam, his favourite, and brought it up to him on a silver-plated tray.
‘Well, this is a surprise,’ David said. ‘And it isn’t even my birthday.’
‘Just thought, as I took the time off work today, I’d make breakfast.’
‘Thank you, Anna,’ he said. ‘You look very pretty.’
‘I feel it,’ she said. ‘I’ll see you later.’ And off she went to Claudia for her tarot reading. Even if this wasn’t going to be an easy ride, her friend always gave her good advice.
When Anna arrived, she pressed the buzzer. No answer. She buzzed again.
After a few minutes, Claudia opened the door.
‘Oh good,’ Anna said brightly. ‘I thought you’d forgotten I was coming.’
‘Come in,’ she whispered. ‘But we have to be quiet – Peter’s here.’
‘What’s the matter? You look worried,’ Anna said.
‘It’s okay. He’s just not feeling too well.’
‘What happened?’
‘He lost a patient during an operation yesterday. He was very upset. Didn’t sleep all night.’
‘It must be terribly hard,’ Anna said.
‘Yes, but fortunately for him it’s very rare.’
Claudia sat down at the dining room table, Anna opposite her, and gave Anna the cards.
‘I can understand why Peter might think this is trivial,’ said Anna, shuffling the cards.
‘Boundaries, Anna,’ snapped Claudia. ‘It’s really not your business what Peter thinks. And he would never use the word “trivial” about what I do, even if that’s what he believes.’
‘Sorry, Claudia, that was tactless of me.’ Anna had always been frightened of her friend’s temper. Claudia never raised her voice, even when she was angry. ‘I really didn’t mean to be intrusive, but whenever he’s around he seems in a mood. And last time you said…’
‘Now then, let’s change the subject and get back on course.’ Claudia spread the cards on the table. ‘What would you like to ask?’
‘The same question as last time. You said it would be a good idea to get a wider perspective. Will Damien and I have a romantic future together?’
‘So, why don’t you pull three cards on it?’
Anna’s finger hovered over the deck.
Maybe she shouldn’t have asked the question. Perhaps all her fantasies would be shot to pieces…
Come on, just get on with it. He’s still going to help you with your book .
Claudia wasn’t surprised. The first card was just as she thought. ‘Well, Anna. The Knight of Wands and the Devil – it’s unlikely any single female can give him what he wants and keep him interested. He’s a man who craves the sensuality and excitement of many women.’
‘Oh dear. I’m not sure I want to be part of a harem.’
‘But with the Nine of Cups you could have fun. It’s the hedonist card. Take it as it comes. Enjoy it, relax, don’t be heavy or he will run for the hills. If you can do that and not be disappointed when he disappears as quickly as he appeared, it could be what the doctor ordered.’ Claudia gestured towards the cards. ‘Why not ask if this is what you need?’
‘Okay, here goes.’
‘The Chariot, that’s great. Focus on a heroic goal. Work hard, be organised. Keep the two sides of your life apart. Don’t mix business with pleasure. Focus on your book with him. The main course, no flirting. Save the sex for dessert. By harnessing the power of both, you achieve your ambition.’