Perfection Comes at a Price, page 18
His hunch was correct. Katie was beginning to feel irked by his constant prevarications. This was not an affair to her. Any time with Eric had never been an affair. It had always been a preparatory time which would lead to marriage.
“Eric, I’m beginning to feel seriously worried by the secrecy that you’re still holding to. Do you think that Lucius and Emma would dislike me? Why should they?”
“They would not dislike you. But your presence in my life could worry them. Till summer, Lucius is busy getting his BA at the university and Emma’s course in business studies lasts till July also. At this last stage I think it would be unwise to rock the boat of their perceived security. Should they get bad marks at this late stage, I would blame it on myself. Young people have strong and often simple emotions, I’m sure you would not wish to disturb them either.”
Eric was skilfully producing highly plausible excuses for delaying any commitments. He was also “forcing” Katie to see reason.
“I see what you mean. No, I would not wish to take on such a responsibility potentially of ruining the marks of two young people. You would blame me forever. But after that there are no more excuses.”
“As a peace offering, can I take you to Paris on the channel tunnel that opens in May?”
“Great. That would be fun.”
In the end, the meeting so feared by Eric, came by unexpectedly. It was the end of September, and Eric had wanted to see some old artistic film which was being shown at the Institut Francais.
“Let’s go together, Eric.”
“But it will be in French.”
“Never mind. I’ll get the gist. What is it called?”
“Hiroshima, Mon Amour.”
They went to South Kensington and had lunch at an Italian restaurant. Then they went for the two o’clock show. At that hour, the cinema was only about half -full. They chose a seat about middle distance from the screen on the right-hand aisle by the wall. The film was no doubt very good, it had won several prizes, but the subject matter of Hiroshima being annihilated by the atomic bomb was most depressing. Katie found herself bored to the core. She started to nudge towards Eric. He was in a receptive mood and nudged her back. Soon the two of them were nudging and kissing like two teenagers.
When the film ended and the lights came on as they were getting out of their seats, Eric felt a pat on his shoulder.
“Hi, Dad. Fancy seeing you here.”
It was Lucius. Eric wished that the earth had swallowed him. To his intense fury, he felt himself blushing. This was terrible. What would his son think? He must have seen how his father was nudging and kissing with Katie. Eric’s secret was out. He had no choice but to introduce his son to Katie as the boy stood rooted to the spot.
“Ah Katie, may I introduce my son Lucius to you?”
“Lucius, this is Miss Smith, an old friend of mine.”
“Oh, but you are the artist Kat Claydon,” said Lucius excitedly, “My sister and I have been to your exhibition. It was marvellous.”
“Thank you for your kind words. My real name is Katie Smith. I know your father of old. I’m so glad to meet you at last. I’ve heard ever so much about you. You seem to enjoy Cambridge.”
“Yes, indeed, Miss Smith. May I ask whether you are a devotee of French films and how you liked the film?”
“Oh, I know nothing about French films. We only came here because Eric wanted to.”
Eric was sweating blood. He had seen the look in his son’s eyes when he appraised Katie. There had been appreciation and admiration in it from the masculine point of view. He had seen the beauty and felt the sex-appeal of his father’s companion. As for his father’s words about a Miss Smith and an old friend, Lucius was bound to doubt both statements. After all, he had seen all that cuddling. He would have figured out that here was father’s latest. He had to get rid of Lucius quickly before there was any more conversation.
However, his son was intelligent and polite and promptly said,
“Please do not let me keep you any further. I’m here with Jerome, and we’re going to meet friends. Goodbye, Miss Smith. So long, Dad.”
“What a handsome son you have, Eric. I am delighted to have met him at last.”
“He is a good boy,” said Eric, “Let’s get out of here. We’ll have a pint at the pub before going home.”
With an iron will Eric controlled himself. He did not want Katie to see how embarrassed he had been by this encounter. What a horrible thing to happen. Damn that film. He now hated “Hiroshima, Mon Amour” with venom because it had brought about that dreadful meeting. Oh Lord, Lucius was bound to tell Emma. She would be full of questions. It did not bear thinking about.
If only he had not been kissing and cuddling in the cinema all would be well. He could have got off with “old friend”. As it was, Lucius was not an idiot. It was as clear to him as it had been to the whole cinema audience that there was a loving couple. A close couple. There was no getting away from that.
After a quick pint, Eric hurried home. During that pint he had had to endure the intense irritation of seeing Katie purr and grind on about how the boy was so similar to him and almost as handsome. He was fully aware and indeed proud of the fact that his son was handsome and intelligent. And similar to himself. This was one time when Eric was glad to see Katie depart.
On his way home he pondered. From now on he would not take Katie anywhere central or to an area where his children might be found. No interesting films would be on the agenda. Any dancing clubs would be limited to near Hammersmith or Shepherd’s Bush. The only safe place was Katie’s flat.
The inevitable happened, just as Eric had foreseen.
“Dad. Lucius tells me that you’ve got a woman!” Emma’s eyes were full of curiosity, “Sex on legs, so I understand.”
Eric winced. “I wish you wouldn’t use such words, Emma.”
“I’m not all that surprised, Dad, you are a handsome man not yet fifty and you’ve been a widower for four years. Something like that was bound to happen. Who is the said Miss Smith, and where did you meet her?”
“Well, darling, Katie Smith and I knew each other when we were young. We were at the same school. I bumped into her some time ago, we went to have a drink and talk about old times and then slowly we got a bit closer. Katie is unmarried.”
“This is all most interesting. I want to meet her. I want to know who is in my Dad’s life. I hope that you are not being ‘lured’.
“I am not being ‘lured’, Emma. I am a grown man and I know my mind. Sweetheart, there is nothing to worry about. I do like to have some female company from time to time.”
“What is this about female company?” Lucius had walked in.
“Son, you just couldn’t keep your mouth shut,” seethed Eric.
“Was it a big secret? What for? To my knowledge you have not taken monastic vows and a man like you in his prime is bound to want some female company. Especially after four years of widowhood. Emma and I have been wondering when the day would come that you’d meet someone.”
“My dears, since this matter has now arisen, let me assure you that it is nothing serious, nothing that you should worry about.”
“You mean that it is only an affair? How can you be so sure, Dad? Daughters of Eve have always had a knack.”
“Well, I shall not get ‘knacked’ to use your word. I am very fond of Katie, but that is as far as it goes. She will stay a friend of mine for the time it suits us both. Then what will happen, I do not know. On the whole, my career fulfils me. Perhaps I shall give up hankering after the female of the species and take up dominoes.”
“I shall still want to meet her, Dad,” repeated Emma.
“All in good time, sweetheart.”
The day ended pleasantly with a game of Scrabble that Eric suggested.
Chapter 35
As Christmas neared, Eric again felt nervous. He felt that he had managed a number of Christmases like obstacle courses, that since being together with Katie. His former enthusiasm for the festive period had changed into panic. That coming Christmas he was saved from Katie’s wrath by the fact that Lady Saunders had insisted on their going to Spain that year.
After the New Year, Emma asked,
“Are you still together with Katie?”
“Yes, I am,” her father replied.
“Don’t you think it is about time for me to meet her? You’ve been very cagey about the whole affair. Why?”
“Why should I burden you and Lucius with my private life…?”
Eric got no further.
“Don’t try to prevaricate with diplomatic verbiage, Dad, I can see through it. Don’t forget I grew up with it.”
In the end Eric had to capitulate and promise to arrange a luncheon at the beginning of February.
Katie was most excited by the thought of the luncheon and the fact that she would at long last meet Emma. Eric had booked a table at a smart restaurant in Chelsea. Katie was to go first for drinks at the house and then they’d go to eat. She would finally get to know both Lucius and Emma properly. She was aware that this was her big test in life. If approved of, or at least not objected to, then all would be plain sailing towards matrimony.
The important thing that Eric had stressed to Katie was that his children had been told that Eric’s parents were dead. In order to spare them, he had said. Katie had felt outraged at the idea that anyone could pretend that their parents were dead. She felt that it showed a cold and hard side in Eric, a side of him that she did not know well. It would take her a bit of time to come to terms with that. He had pointed out to her that he had always visited his parents regularly. Yes, he had; Katie knew that through her own parents.
“But Eric, if your parents knew they had grandchildren, wouldn’t that change them? A new way could begin.”
“At what cost? You are looking at life through rose-tinted spectacles. And if they didn’t change, then what? For me to have two thoroughly upset children on my hands? The stakes of that gamble are too high, with a totally uncertain outcome.”
“Do you think that you know your parents through and through? I don’t see how you could. Often we don’t know our nearest and dearest as well as we’d like to think. Look at us, I had no idea that you had such a secret.”
“Katie, it is not for you to judge. Also, it is not for you to say anything about it. It is my decision concerning my life and the life of my children. You have no right to destroy that.”
“You don’t need to worry. I’ll not say anything. However, I somehow think that you may have come to far too simple a solution.”
How to wear her hair and what to wear occupied her mind ferociously. She had to make sure that her appearance left nothing to criticize. She did not want any spokes in the wheel of her future. Eric had told her to be smart but at the same time serious. Emma was in the fashion industry so she would judge her severely. The dress had to fit a picture of a future step-mother, worthy to be at her father’s side. No open sex-appeal. Not too elderly. What a bind!
In the end, she decided on the blue one she had worn for two parties in honour of her exhibitions. It was an elegant, expensive model for which she had splashed out. Never mind if it had no sex-appeal at all. What Katie forgot was that she herself had sex-appeal. She did not need any dress to point it out.
She dressed her hair in a low bun with pink hair decorations. At her age, no flowing locks. So many women of an advanced age still kept flowing locks, thinking that it added to their sex-appeal. Sadly, such a look only showed their age, an old face with flowing locks only looked silly and desperate and even more aged. The blue dress had white decorations at the neck and at the sleeves and a skirt that reached mid-calf. The decorations at the top were perky. A pink handbag and shoes. She looked fresh and young. She wore her camel coat, a recent luxury.
She was nervous when she arrived at the house. Eric opened the door and then took her to the drawing room where Lucius and Emma were waiting. Katie was again struck by Lucius’ good looks, but she was bowled over by Emma. She was one of the loveliest girls Katie had ever seen. Her long blond hair was held on either side of her head by combs from which it cascaded to her mid-back. A full mouth and Eric’s gorgeous eyes! She was dressed in an elegant pale-green two-piece with a pencil skirt.
Eric made the introductions and Lucius served the drinks. Lucius was most taken by Katie, and the two of them got on well. As for Emma, though she was perfectly polite and friendly, she remained distant. Eric was doing his best to cover up the dissonance emanating from his daughter. He had seen at once that Emma was very wary of Katie. Dear me, and there was still that luncheon to be lived through!
The restaurant Eric had chosen was furbished with bright colours, the curtains were green with red flowers, the table-cloths green, and the napkins had lovely red flowers. As they settled down, Katie exclaimed,
“Oh, I like these colourful serviettes. What a super idea.”
“They are nice indeed,” said Lucius, who had noticed Emma’s eyebrows go up.
“Would you like an aperitif?” enquired Eric.
They all decided to have a sherry, except Eric who had a Campari soda.
“May I taste that?” asked Katie.
“Sure, but I don’t think you’ll like it, “said Eric.
“Oh Lord, no. It’s like bitter mouthwash.”
“Well-described,” said Lucius, “I can’t bear it either.”
Then they studied the menus.
“I see that they’ve got a sausage dish as well. At home when we were having our tea in the evenings, Dad was very keen on sausages.”
Then the ordering was done. White wine with the first course and red with the main. The conversation was a bit laboured. Somehow it got to the ancient Egyptians thanks to Katie’s pottery.
“Egyptian women seem to have been so attractive,” said Katie.
“I’m sure they were, and still are today, in a sultry, dark way,” said Emma, “but they could be dangerous.”
“Really? Why?” asked Katie.
“Think of Potiphar’s wife.”
“What happened there?” Katie was curious.
“She was keen on young men.”
“Has Mr Potiphar found out about that?” asked Katie.
“I’m pretty convinced that he has,” said Emma with a light smirk.
“Listen. Let’s leave such a subject alone,” said Eric firmly, “I don’t like discussions about other people’s affairs.”
Eric was bailing Katie out.
After a while the conversation turned to music.
“How do you like Haydn?” asked Emma in an innocent manner.
“I don’t know any Heidi,” said Katie.
“Of course you wouldn’t. She is one of Emma’s fashion friends with a bit of a name,” said Eric, giving his daughter a glance of rage.
He was not having the girl insult Katie. Emma read his glance correctly, and realised that her father was seriously annoyed. If she continued in that manner, there would be repercussions. So, she resolved to leave early, pleading a head-ache or something and go straight after the main course. Indeed, before they had reached coffee, Emma said that she was feeling most unwell and would the others please excuse her. The girl left.
Her departure was a relief to Katie. The rest of the luncheon went well, or so she thought. But because of her nerves, Katie had had a bit too much to drink, which had made her tipsy and giggly. It also loosened her tongue, a fact that enraged Eric. Another unforeseen development was that Lucius could not take his eyes off Katie nor disguise how charmed he was by her. Eric was appalled.
Katie prattled happily,
“Eric and I know this super dance joint in Kensington. We love to twirl the nights away. Your father is such a good dancer, Lucius.”
“Yes he is. In fact we all are. Dancing has always been one of the family interests. Father is excellent at sevillanas and pretty good at flamenco.”
“There were dancing lessons even in Southall,” said Katie.
Eric froze. He had to stop her in her tracks.
“I seem to recollect your telling me that one of your Indian friends took dancing lessons there. The area is known to be very Indian.”
He looked piercingly at Katie, and she realised her gaffe.
“Yes, yes, that’s what I meant,” she blurted.
“Now do tell us of your future plans for exhibitions,” said Eric, turning the subject to a safer ground.
“I love your creations, Katie,” said Lucius.
“I’m so glad. Oh Eric, could I have another brandy and another coffee as well? This is so good.”
“But of course.”
Eric was sweating in agony. Katie was sitting there like a growing mushroom. She sensed that he wanted to shift her, but in her tipsy state she had become obstinate. She would not give in this time. She enjoyed Lucius’ company. They got on well.
“Katie, you have beautiful hands. I can imagine them working up forms,” said Lucius.
Dear me, the boy was waxing lyrical and paying unnecessary compliments. And slightly risqué compliments at that. He was almost flirting with her. Eric was livid, the lunch was going from bad to worse.
“Were you not supposed to go to some meeting this afternoon?” said Eric, hoping that the wretch would take his cue and leave.
“No, Dad. That’s next week. I am entirely free.”
What a nail in the coffin of this lunch, thought Eric. He had no choice but to live it through. It was a white-knuckle effort for him to keep his cool. Lucius continued to be rooted to his chair in spite of the glacial looks his father was sending in his direction. Finally, but finally, the luncheon came to an end. Eric bundled Katie into a pre-paid taxi. Then he asked Lucius to go home to see how Emma was. He himself was going for a walk.
When Eric got home, he got a barrage from his daughter.
“Good Lord, Dad. How could you? What a complete ignoramus. Which gutter did you dig her out from?”
