‘Goodbye – Scarlett. Goodbye, Mr Berenson. Nice to have met you.’
He was leaving: a very short lunch, obviously.
‘Bye, Mark.’
‘Goodbye, Mr Frost. I’ll look out for your titles. A treat in store I’m sure.’
What in the name of heaven had she been doing with him? With that appalling, slimy, smarmy creature with his blow-dried hair and his platitudinous observations and his patronising complacency? ‘Never leave home without Paddy’ indeed. What a cretin. Surely, surely she couldn’t like him? If she did – well, he struggled against the concept.
‘So – what was it you particularly wanted to talk to me about?’ asked Scarlett.
‘You’re wearing my bracelet,’ he said, ignoring the question.
‘Yes. I like it.’
‘That makes me very happy. And maybe hope that you’ve forgiven me.’
‘No, David, it just means I like the bracelet.’
She did; she’d sold a lot of the other stuff he had given her, to raise money, but the charm bracelet – something had stopped her parting from that. Too many memories.
‘So,’ she said again, ‘what did you want to talk to me about?’
‘Ah. Yes. Well, it’s complicated. Even a little delicate. I – I hope you’re going to understand.’
‘David, do get on with it,’ Scarlett said. She was beginning to feel a little uneasy.
‘Well – well, Scarlett, it’s the divorce. My divorce.’
‘Ye-es. Isn’t it over yet?’
‘Well, we tried to make a go of it. For the kids. I thought I’d told you.’
‘No, I don’t think so.’
‘But – impossible. So now it’s happening. And God, I don’t know how to put this.’
‘Try telling it how it is. As they say in your country.’
‘Yes. OK. It’s just that, as you know, I’m divorcing Gaby on grounds of infidelity. That was how we agreed to do it. She wants to carry on living exactly as she has done, with all the considerable goodies she’s grown accustomed to, but without the tedium of having to accommodate me in her life. And although naturally I want to see the children well-provided for …’
‘Yes, of course. Your mother tells me family is everything to you.’
‘Indeed.’ He smiled at her, gloriously unaware of the irony of this. ‘It is. But you see – well – if she knew that I had also – also—’
‘Been screwing around?’ said Scarlett, smiling at him sweetly.
‘Scarlett! I like to think we had something a little better than that. A lot better than that. You know how much you mean to me—’
‘Not really, no. I know how much you said I meant to you. Bit different, from where I’m sitting—’
‘Oh, dear.’ He sighed.
She realised there were beads of sweat on his forehead. She took another large sip of champagne.
‘OK. I’ll come to the point. My lawyer says if Gaby was to even suspect that I’ve been having an affair, she would take me to the cleaners. And it could all get very ugly.’
‘I don’t see what I can do about it.’
‘Scarlett – you can. You can – can – not talk about us.’
‘David, I’m not going to talk about us. I never have and I don’t see why you should think I ever will.’
‘Yes, but – but you see, it’s the money.’
‘What money?’
‘That I – er, invested in your business.’
‘Who’s going to know about that?’
‘Unfortunately, my lawyers have to. And my accountant. Because they’re going through all my assets with a fine-tooth comb. And – they spotted a thirty-thousand-dollar discrepancy. The shares I sold to – to make the money over to you.’
‘Oh. Oh, I see.’
‘Yes. And they say it’s inevitable they’ll appear in the accounts. Because it’s quite a lot of money.’
‘Ye-es. And—’
‘I have to concoct something. The best thing would be to say it was a business start-up. Can you tell me exactly how you explained the money to your accountant?’
‘I said it was from a private source. Which it was.’
‘Yes, of course. Did you name the – the source?’
‘No, of course not. I didn’t have to. As it came in in dribs and drabs.’
He relaxed suddenly. ‘Thank God. That’s marvellous.’ He smiled at her. ‘Here, have some more champagne.’
‘No, thanks. I’ve had enough. I’m still a little confused.’
‘Ah yes. Well, the thing is, you see, if you had named me, I’d have been in the doodoo. Caught out big time. So I’m so, so grateful to you. What a clever girl you are.’
‘Now just a minute, David. All this is about, this lunch and everything, is finding out whether you were going to get caught out in your relationship with me.’
‘Of course not. It was so I could see you, discuss our friendship for the future—’
‘Our friendship. I thought we had a little more than that.’
‘Darling, of course we did. But for now – until the divorce is through – it’s very, very important that that is how it is. How it’s seen. Well, if it’s seen at all.’
‘OK. So the most important thing about me in your life is that nobody knows about me. In case it costs you some money.’
‘A lot of money. And a much uglier divorce, yes. But when it’s over—’
‘David, I don’t find that very flattering, actually. That really does reduce me to a bit on the side. You always used to say that when you and Gaby did actually separate, then we could be together. Now suddenly everything’s different. Because it’s going to cost you money. That doesn’t give me a very warm feeling inside. In fact it confirms the opinion I had formed of you over these past years that you were one huge, extremely offensive shit.’
‘Scarlett – darling—’
‘No, David, not darling. God, I feel sorry for Gaby suddenly. Being married to you. You know, your mother’s always wanted us to meet, said how well we’d get on. Suddenly I rather fancy that. A long cosy chat with her. I think we’d have a great time.’
‘Scarlett – don’t play games, please—’
‘What makes you think I’m playing games?’
He looked at her, very intently, and realised she was serious, and his demeanour changed almost in a moment.
‘Right. In that case, I have something else to put to you.’
‘Yes?’
‘You actually obtained that money from me by a criminal process. Blackmail is a crime, Scarlett, under whatever circumstances you committed it. And I don’t think it would look very pretty in court. If you do talk to Gaby I shall have nothing to lose. And therefore I can reveal that you blackmailed me, took advantage of my vulnerability, at a time when my marriage was breaking up, when I was hoping to repair it—’
‘You can’t do that! It’s a filthy lie.’
‘Scarlett, you did blackmail me. And a good lawyer, and I do have a brilliant one, can present you as a cheap little gold-digger on the make. It won’t do your reputation in the business world any good. And you might very possibly have to give the money back. So – checkmate, don’t you think?’
‘This is what I think,’ said Scarlett, very loudly, and she stood up, looked around the dining room to make sure people were looking. ‘I think you’re even more of a bastard than I’d realised. Which is saying quite a lot. Now, I’m going to leave you to enjoy your divorce in the bosom of your family undisturbed, so you can relax. Thanks for the champagne; I don’t think I want any more. Why don’t you have it?’
And she pulled the still half-full bottle out of the ice bucket and tipped it over David’s head.
‘So, Jeremy. This is very – very nice.’
She was looking, of course, incredible. Red maxi dress, wonderfully sexy, in soft jersey, high-heeled black boots, hair drawn back from her face, her huge eyes fixed on him, her lips just slightly parted. Her purpose very clear. He didn’t have a chance really. And – did he want one?
She had called him out of the blue, had said she was in New York for a few days’ shopping, that Giovanni had stayed at home in Milan, he was tired after the Christmas celebrations. Could they have lunch, she wanted to see him.
And he had wanted to see her too, still disturbed, shaken indeed, by the flare of attraction – and more – that had begun at Scala that night. Nothing was said, no contact made beyond the occasional social kiss, embrace, farewell, but he had felt its insistence, its refusal to be soothed, sent on its way.
Love, real love, in all its unquestioning, troubling determination, had eluded Jeremy thus far in his life. He had felt great affection, sexual attraction; he had enjoyed several relationships, and been seriously engaged by a few. But there it had ended; and he had come to think that that was all he was to know or even be capable of. But he wanted it; and he wanted it more as time went on.
He did not lack for contact with beautiful and intelligent women – it was just that they were never absolutely suited to him, and to the complexity of his life and its demands. And this included Eliza, as he very well knew, more clearly than ever now.
And here was one of the most beautiful women in the world, seeking him out. He knew what she wanted, and he wanted it too; but he knew he could not supply it, could not even dream of supplying it. Jeremy was that rather unfashionable and even rather dull creature, a good man. He had made a rule all his life to reject any course of action that he felt to be morally unjustifiable. And a relationship with Mariella, however enticing, clearly came into that category; and so he refused to consider it.
Even so, while shaking his own head at himself, telling himself he was a fool and a reprehensible one at that, he had said, yes, lunch would be delightful … trying and failing not to see beyond it and its purpose. It was, after all, only lunch…
He smiled at her now. ‘It is. Very nice. But you’re not eating anything.’
‘Yes, I am. I have eaten my salad and one of my eggs Benedict. That is quite a lot for me.’
‘Half an egg Benedict actually. What do you usually eat for lunch?’
‘Oh – I don’t know. A little fresh pasta. With pesto, or perhaps some sauce
pomodoro
. Maybe in the summer some asparagus. Eating is not important to me.’
‘I don’t believe you. I’ve seen you tucking into tiramisu.’
‘Tiramisu is different. Tiramisu is more like a beautiful melody or – or making love.’
‘Mariella! What a ridiculous thing to say,’ said Jeremy laughing.
‘Well, perhaps. But I could not pass a tiramisu by. My mother made the most perfect tiramisu. Better even than they serve in Bagutta. Have you eaten their tiramisu?’
‘I – don’t think so.’
‘Then you must. We will enjoy it together, next time you are in Milan.’
‘Mariella, I don’t think I shall be in Milan again for a very long time.’
‘Oh, but you must. You can always stay with us.’
‘Well, perhaps. Now, I want to know more about your mother.’
‘Oh, I loved her so much. She was a very, very wonderful woman. We had no money, no money at all, but every day was happy. She cooked us delicious food, she made us lovely clothes, the house was full of music, she sang, all the time, she had the most wonderful voice.’
‘Can you sing?’
‘Oh, no. Not at all. I am note deaf.’
‘Tone deaf,’ he said, smiling.
‘Eliza does that.’
‘What?’
‘Corrects my English. How did it feel, to see her again, after all this time? I think you loved her very much.’
‘I’m not sure that I did,’ he said. ‘I adored her, we were terribly happy together but love – in that sense – I don’t think so. If I had been sure, then I would have married her, long before she met Matt and all our lives would have been very different.’
‘I do not like Matt very much,’ said Mariella. ‘I think he is unkind to her. He will not let her do what she needs to do, he would not let her come and stay with me when she was so sad after the baby died, he will not let her work, they quarrel a lot. I think, he thinks only about Matt.’
‘Well, I don’t know,’ said Jeremy, smiling. ‘Eliza is quite good at looking after herself, doing what she wants. Or she used to be. But I’m sorry if she isn’t happy. Very sorry. She seemed fine in Milan. Except of course over the baby.’
‘Yes, but, you know, there was more problem over that—’
‘Oh, dear. Poor Eliza. Married life is difficult, I understand.’ He smiled at her. ‘You and Giovanni, now, do you quarrel? I’m sure not.’
‘No, we do not. Never, never.’
‘And – you are happy with him?’
‘Oh – yes. I’m happy. How could I not be?’
‘Well – no, I can’t imagine.’
‘You are so diplomatic, Jeremy, but I know why you asked. You think Giovanni is an old man, not a companion for me, maybe not even a sexual companion – and you would be right. Of course.’
‘Yes, I see.’ He felt disturbed by this. It had been what he had suspected, but not that she would address it so soon and so directly.
‘Now you are shocked,’ she said. ‘I do not mean to do that. I was trying to explain. You do not have to have everything to be happy, just the right things. Giovanni loves me, very, very much. And I feel quite, quite safe, all the time. And he has the right things too; he has me for the rest of his life, in his house, taking care of him, loving him, wherever he goes, and that is all he asks too. But now, all of a sudden, there is you. So …’ she paused, smiled very directly into his eyes.