Chapter 18
From: Keith Durridge
To: Susan Jameson
Susan
I've just had a
call to say my mum's been taken to hospital. I'm going over there as soon as
possible.
I have an opposition hearing the day after tomorrow. Just in case
I can't go, I shall brief Marshall on it so that he can go in my place. He did
some earlier work on the case.
I don't think there's anything else
urgent.
Keith
##
From: Susan Jameson
To: Keith Durridge
That's fine Keith. Take as
long as you need. I hope your mother is okay.
Susan
##
From: Marshall Winfield
To: Valerie Fenwick
Val, can you book me in
for flights and overnight accommodation for the hearing in Munich. Details
below. If you can transfer Keith's booking across, so much the better.
If
you need me, I'll be in Keith's office.
M
* * * *
Marsh always phoned before he went to bed. They didn't normally talk for long, but it
was the highlight of her evening. It meant that she fell asleep thinking about him. It made for
very vivid dreams.
When the phone rang, Jane dropped the novel she hadn't been able to concentrate on
and pounced on it. Sometimes, she found it funny how excited she got at the thought of
talking to him. Had she been this giddy when she'd first got together with Ashby? It was like
being a teenager again. It would have been silly, if it wasn't so much fun.
"Hi." He sounded less upbeat than usual.
"Hello you. What's the matter?"
"Sorry, is it that obvious? I'm standing in for Keith in Munich. He only briefed me
very quickly before he shot off to see his mum, so I've had to read the whole opposition file to
get up to speed." He paused, as though trying to decide whether to carry on with what he was
saying.
"And...?"
"And I think I'm going to lose tomorrow."
"You don't know that. I'm sure it's all in the way you argue it."
"Normally, yes, but I think our arguments are quite weak. We're claiming they have
no inventive step. If the representative for the other side is any good, they'll walk all over us.
Keith must be quite glad to get rid of the case." There was a short silence before he added,
"I'm not suggesting that he would prefer for his mum to be ill, obviously. Just..."
"I know what you meant," said Jane. "Are you sure it's that bad? What was Keith's
feeling on the case?"
"You know what Keith is like. He's all bluster."
That fitted in neatly with Jane's theory that Keith was over-compensating for his
shyness by being gregarious.
"So he thinks you
can
win it."
"He didn't say that."
"Well, all you can do is try your best."
Marsh sighed again. "You're right. It's just a shame that this happened so close to the
partner's meeting. All they're going to remember is that I lost a case."
"And that you stepped in at the last minute to help out a colleague."
"Yeah-ah." He sounded unconvinced.
"Cheer up Marsh. At least you've got some good news on the stuff you're doing for
Susan."
"Yes, thanks to you."
"I just got lucky. If I'd taken the second half of that list instead of the first, you'd have
found it."
"And that would have been awful," he said, with a little laugh.
"Why awful?"
"Well, you wouldn't have got all excited and rushed round to my office..."
Jane's mind filled in the blanks. They wouldn't have had that first breathless kiss and
things would never have gone anywhere. She would still be wondering if he liked her or not
and agonizing over how to talk to him. The very memory of that night made her body
tingle.
"I wish you were here," said Marsh, his voice low. "Right now. In my bed."
"I know. I wish I was with you too. But you've got an early flight to catch. You
should get some sleep."
"That's true. And if you were here, I certainly wouldn't get that."
Jane blushed, even though there was no one around to hear. "Stop it."
His low laugh made her tingle down to her toes. For one mad moment she considered
getting her coat and going across town to his flat. Common sense made her dismiss the idea.
"I'll see you tomorrow."
"I'll see you tomorrow night. My flight gets in around eight. Do you want me to come
'round to your place?"
She still hadn't had him to Polly's flat. Despite how comfortable she felt with him,
letting him meet Polly would be a major step. Besides, she had very little privacy at Polly's,
whereas they could have Marshall's place all to themselves. "No. Call me when you're at the
airport and I'll head over to yours. I'll even pick up dinner en route."
"That sounds wonderful. You can help me take my mind off my defeat."
"Now, now. Be positive."
"Oh I am positive. You can take my mind off work. Definitely."
Jane giggled. "Night-night Marsh."
"Night Jane. I...miss you."
"Me too."
* * * *
From: Eric Korsky
To: Keith Durridge
Indra tells me that your
mother is unwell. I hope it's nothing serious.
Wish her a speedy
recovery.
Eric
##
From: Keith Durridge
To: Eric Korsky
I'm back in the office
today. Too late to go the hearing in Munich.
Mum's fine. It was just a ruse
to get Marsh to go to the hearing in my place. With him out of the picture, I
can spend a bit of quality time with Jane.
It was a lousy case anyway. We
were bound to lose. This way it'll be Marsh that loses this one. Not me.
Bonus.
K
##
From: Eric Korsky
To:
Keith Durridge
That is
low. I know you and Marshall don't get on, but I don't think sabotaging his
career is called for. I don't want to be involved in your little shenanigans. The
bet is off. I'm pulling out.
Eric
##
From: Keith Durridge
To: Eric Korsky
Ha! So, you forfeit the bet.
Which means you owe me dinner at the club.
Don't come over all
straight-laced with me. In my position you'd have done the same. It's called keeping
your eye on the prize. Besides, it's not like I've done Marshall any harm. It'll be
a valuable learning experience for him.
* * * *
Jane was trying to draft a response to an examination report and constantly had to
rein in her thoughts as they drifted towards Marshall. She had expected it to be easier for her
to concentrate with him out of the office, but it seemed to have the opposite effect. At least
when she could hear him next door, she knew where he was. Now, all she could do was
daydream.
She was wondering how he was getting on with his opposition hearing when Keith
knocked on the door.
"I thought you were at home. How's your mum?"
"She's okay. On the mend," he said. "It was a false alarm."
Ruth looked up from her work. "That's a relief."
Keith gave her a quick glance. "Yes. It is. Jane, can I speak to you for a moment." He
indicated that she should step outside.
Puzzled, Jane went out into the corridor.
"I was wondering," Keith said in a low voice. "Do you fancy a drink after work.
I...need to talk to someone and you're a friend..."
Jane felt a wave of sympathy. For all his bluff exterior, Keith was quite a sweet man
at heart. "Of course. What time?"
"How about I come and get you around 5.30ish?"
"That would be fine. I'll see you then."
"Great!" His voice returned to its normal volume. "Thanks."
She couldn't help feeling sorry for Keith. Clearly, his mother's illness had affected
him deeply, but he still felt he had to maintain his confident persona. He reminded her a bit of
Ashby, who could be feeling dreadful, but would still manage to perform when he needed to.
She wished she could be as cool and collected. She tended to show her emotions too easily.
She sighed and went back to work.
Her desk phone rang.
"Hi Jane, it's Marsh."
"Hey. Where are you?"
"I'm still in Munich." He sounded breathless. "I won!"
"What? Wow. Well done! I told you you would!" For a moment she forgot that Ruth
was in the room and that she and Marsh were keeping their relationship a secret.
"Yeah. The other guy was awful. I don't know where they found him. I can't believe
we won. It should have been a complete disaster."
Ruth's shoulders had stiffened. Her head was still bent over her work, but Jane could
tell she was listening. She dropped her voice a little. "Are you coming back on an earlier
flight?"
"No, there isn't one. I've got to kill a few hours. I'm going to see if I can get some
work done. I've got to go. I just wanted to tell you the news myself."
"Thank you. And congratulations!"
"Thanks. I'll speak to you this evening." She could hear the smile in his voice.
She hung up, and was wondering whether to make something up about the phone call
to allay any suspicions Ruth might have, when there was a shout from outside.
Val rushed in. "He won! He wasn't confident when he left, but he won." Seeing
Ruth's confused expression, she added, "Marsh just texted me. He won the opposition."
Not wanting to reveal that Marsh had just phoned to tell her in person, Jane said
nothing.
"Yes. Isn't that brilliant! I bet Keith wishes he'd gone after all."
"I'm sure he'd have gone if he could," said Jane.
Ruth coughed. Val gave Jane a surprised look. "Hmm."
* * * *
Keith took Jane to a pub off Fleet Street and found a quiet nook for them to sit in.
Jane made herself comfortable while Keith was fetching the drinks. She glanced at her watch.
Marshall would be flying over Europe about now. When Keith returned, he placed her glass
of white wine in front of her and slid into the seat opposite. He took a sip of his pint and
sighed.
"Long day?" said Jane.
"Something like that."
"Have you heard from your mum today?"
"Yes. She's definitely feeling better." He ran a hand over his eyes. "It was quite scary,
you know. The ride home that day, when I thought I might never see her again."
Jane nodded. She had nothing to compare it to but the journey home after realising
that Ashby had been lying to her. She had felt broken, as though her life had been cracking
from that one bullet-hole revelation outwards, just waiting to shatter. But her pain then would
be nothing compared to what Keith had been through when he thought him mother was dying.
Unable to think of a suitable response, she reached across the table and laid her hand on
his.
He looked at their hands and the corners of him mouth moved upwards, just a
bit.
He was grateful for her sympathy, she decided. She gave his hand a squeeze and
withdrew hers.
"Thanks," he said. "It's nice to stop pretending. I try and keep my personal life away
from work. It's not professional otherwise, is it?"
Jane thought about her own predicament. Her private life catching up with her work
one was the thing that she dreaded the most. "I know what you mean."
Keith contemplated his drink. "She's a fighter, my mum. I guess you'd have to be to
put up with Dad for so many years." He appeared to be looking at something far away. "Do
you know how they met?"
Jane shook her head.
"She was campaigning for women's rights of some sort and was lobbying my Dad,
who was already an MP. He was one of the youngest people the Cabinet. He said he'd support
her cause if she slept with him."
Jane couldn't help being shocked at the mercenary nature of the proposal. "Didn't that
contradict her feminist principles?"
Keith shrugged. "They've been married for thirty-six years. I guess sometimes it's
worth compromising your principles. She's an incredible woman."
"Sounds like it." She wondered if all men were programmed to think their mothers
were wonderful, regardless whether they deserved it or not.
As they sat together in a thoughtful silence for a moment, Jane's thoughts wandered
towards Marsh. Should she tell him about her conversations with Keith? Marsh, who seemed
so reasonable when it came to most things seemed to have a blind spot when it came to Keith.
He just saw the bold outer image and refused to believe that there might be a vulnerable
human being underneath it all.
Keith's voice interrupted her train of thought. "Your boyfriend's got a new album out
at the moment, hasn't he? That must be hard for you."
For a fleeting moment Jane thought he was talking about Marsh. Then she realised
that the word boyfriend had conjured up Marsh, even though Keith had been talking about
Ashby. Yes, she was definitely over Ashby now.
Keith was looking quizzically at her, probably wondering why she was smiling.
"Ashby?" she said. "He's not by boyfriend. He's my ex."
"Sorry, I didn't mean--"
"Don't worry about it. Yes, he does have a new album coming out. There are posters
all over the place." Now she knew for certain that some people in the office knew about her
famous ex. She wondered if it was everyone, or just a select few who had figured it out.
"That must be hard for you, being reminded of him all the time."
Jane shrugged. "I don't really care, so long as I get left alone."
"Really? Don't you miss the fame?"
"No I don't. I'm a fairly private person, I don't really like being under scrutiny."
"Wasn't it fun though? At least a bit?"
She'd already thought about it a lot. "I suppose it was at first. But at some point it
stopped being just about the music and people started writing about our lives. It got weird
from then on. Ashby became a little bit obsessed with it and we'd have to go to these parties,
just to be seen. I never knew when a photographer would try and get a casual shot of me. I
had to stop going to the supermarket and start getting the shopping delivered. It was
just...intrusive."