Conrad’s hotel earlier that morning but instead had ended up in her apartment.
After the shower she dressed carefully and did a meticulous makeup, all ready to accompany Conrad to the studio. Then she made some coffee and finally shook him.
He awoke badly. Much coughing and foul sounds in his throat, bloodshot eyes, bad breath and BO. ‘Christ, what time is it?’ he muttered, the universal cry of people waking up in other people’s apartments.
‘It’s just ten o’clock.’ She handed him some coffee.
‘Where’s the phone?’
She groped around under the bed, where she had placed the phone off the hook.
He called his secretary and issued a list of instructions. ‘I’ve got to go back to the hotel and get changed,’ he said, struggling into his clothes.
‘I’m coming with you.’
‘What for?’
‘For my test you promised me.’
He stared at her. ‘I’m not going to forget your goddamn test – but it can’t be done just like that, today. It’s got to be set up.’
‘I’ll come with you while you set it up.’
He shook his head. ‘You don’t give up, do you?’ He picked up the phone and called his secretary again. ‘Listen. I want a test fixed for a Miss Claudia—’ He looked at her blankly.
‘Parker,’ she said quickly.
‘Parker. Fix it up as soon as possible. Her agent will call you later today to get the details.’ He hung up. ‘OK, baby?’
She kissed him. ‘You bet! Listen, you haven’t forgotten the party tonight?’
‘Party?’
‘Yes. Don’t you remember? You asked a whole group of people to a party tonight at your hotel.’
‘Oh, yeah – that’s right. I’ll get it in hand, and I’ll see you later.’
‘I’ll come by a couple of hours early in case you need anything.’
‘The way I feel right now, I won’t need anything – but you never know.’ He gave a ribald laugh and left.
Chapter Eleven
Linda phoned Paul at work as soon as the children had gone to school and David to the office. He was anxious to see her.
‘I can’t manage it,’ she said.
He was most persuasive and eventually she agreed to meet him during his lunch hour.
It was a crisp sunny day, and they met in Green Park. She had never seen him in a suit before, and it didn’t look quite right somehow. She decided it was because it was off the rack and store-bought suits always managed to look just that little bit wrong.
They strolled along hand in hand, but Linda didn’t feel easy. She felt overdressed in her smart outfit with matching crocodile shoes and bag. She knew she looked all wrong strolling hand in hand with Paul Bedford in Green Park. It wasn’t that she felt old, or at least older than him – but she felt, in spite of the fact that she didn’t want to feel that way – she felt as if she was slumming.
‘What’s on your mind?’ he asked. ‘Something bothering you?’
‘I don’t know, Paul. This is all wrong. I’m not the sort of woman that can get involved in an affair. I have my children and my home, and I feel I have to keep trying with my husband. I can’t just give up and become involved with you. That’s no answer at all.’
He was irritated. ‘What’s the matter, Linda? Frightened of losing your security if David finds out?’
‘No. I’m frightened of losing my self-respect.’
They walked in silence for a while and then he said, ‘What are you trying to say?’
‘I’m trying to say that I can’t lead two lives. I want to stop it now before it goes any further.’
His voice sounded bleak. ‘I don’t want you to leave me. I’ve been waiting to meet someone like you. You’re a warm person. I
need
a warm person. I won’t make any demands on you, just to see you when you’re free.’
‘It’s not enough for either of us. I don’t think we should see each other again.’ She withdrew her hand.
His mood changed. ‘You’re like all the others. I should have known you’re just a hard bitch at heart, frightened of losing all your home
After the shower she dressed carefully and did a meticulous makeup, all ready to accompany Conrad to the studio. Then she made some coffee and finally shook him.
He awoke badly. Much coughing and foul sounds in his throat, bloodshot eyes, bad breath and BO. ‘Christ, what time is it?’ he muttered, the universal cry of people waking up in other people’s apartments.
‘It’s just ten o’clock.’ She handed him some coffee.
‘Where’s the phone?’
She groped around under the bed, where she had placed the phone off the hook.
He called his secretary and issued a list of instructions. ‘I’ve got to go back to the hotel and get changed,’ he said, struggling into his clothes.
‘I’m coming with you.’
‘What for?’
‘For my test you promised me.’
He stared at her. ‘I’m not going to forget your goddamn test – but it can’t be done just like that, today. It’s got to be set up.’
‘I’ll come with you while you set it up.’
He shook his head. ‘You don’t give up, do you?’ He picked up the phone and called his secretary again. ‘Listen. I want a test fixed for a Miss Claudia—’ He looked at her blankly.
‘Parker,’ she said quickly.
‘Parker. Fix it up as soon as possible. Her agent will call you later today to get the details.’ He hung up. ‘OK, baby?’
She kissed him. ‘You bet! Listen, you haven’t forgotten the party tonight?’
‘Party?’
‘Yes. Don’t you remember? You asked a whole group of people to a party tonight at your hotel.’
‘Oh, yeah – that’s right. I’ll get it in hand, and I’ll see you later.’
‘I’ll come by a couple of hours early in case you need anything.’
‘The way I feel right now, I won’t need anything – but you never know.’ He gave a ribald laugh and left.
Chapter Eleven
Linda phoned Paul at work as soon as the children had gone to school and David to the office. He was anxious to see her.
‘I can’t manage it,’ she said.
He was most persuasive and eventually she agreed to meet him during his lunch hour.
It was a crisp sunny day, and they met in Green Park. She had never seen him in a suit before, and it didn’t look quite right somehow. She decided it was because it was off the rack and store-bought suits always managed to look just that little bit wrong.
They strolled along hand in hand, but Linda didn’t feel easy. She felt overdressed in her smart outfit with matching crocodile shoes and bag. She knew she looked all wrong strolling hand in hand with Paul Bedford in Green Park. It wasn’t that she felt old, or at least older than him – but she felt, in spite of the fact that she didn’t want to feel that way – she felt as if she was slumming.
‘What’s on your mind?’ he asked. ‘Something bothering you?’
‘I don’t know, Paul. This is all wrong. I’m not the sort of woman that can get involved in an affair. I have my children and my home, and I feel I have to keep trying with my husband. I can’t just give up and become involved with you. That’s no answer at all.’
He was irritated. ‘What’s the matter, Linda? Frightened of losing your security if David finds out?’
‘No. I’m frightened of losing my self-respect.’
They walked in silence for a while and then he said, ‘What are you trying to say?’
‘I’m trying to say that I can’t lead two lives. I want to stop it now before it goes any further.’
His voice sounded bleak. ‘I don’t want you to leave me. I’ve been waiting to meet someone like you. You’re a warm person. I
need
a warm person. I won’t make any demands on you, just to see you when you’re free.’
‘It’s not enough for either of us. I don’t think we should see each other again.’ She withdrew her hand.
His mood changed. ‘You’re like all the others. I should have known you’re just a hard bitch at heart, frightened of losing all your home
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