Dirty Minds (23 page)

The others gathered round, watching and listening.

‘I did a course a few years back.’ He sounded totally drained. ‘It was something I needed to do.’ His voice caught, a tear ran down his face. He dropped his head into his hands and sobbed. Tiffany dropped to her knees beside him and cradled his head like one of her children.

Tom went over to the paramedics. They were working desperately to save Alfonso. The girl looked up. Tom was able to ask, ‘How’s it going?’

‘We’re doing all we can. We’ve got his heart going again. Hopefully we can stabilise him enough to get him to hospital before long.’

‘Where will you take him?’

‘Dorchester. It’s less than fifteen minutes with the siren going.’

‘Can you take anybody with you?’

‘We can take one: whoever is his closest relative or friend.’

Tom went back over to the others. They had moved across to the bar, still looking anxiously towards the activity on the floor. Janet was still sitting where Ros had put her. She was in floods of tears. Melissa was doing her best to calm her down and reassure her. He motioned to Ros that they should talk. They moved into the far corner.

‘What did she say?’

‘He’s alive and they’re trying to stabilise him so they can drive him to Dorchester. They can take one person. They said his nearest relative or friend.’ Both of them glanced across at Janet.

‘She’s in no fit state.’ Ros made a quick decision. ‘I know him better than anybody else. I’ll go in the ambulance. You can bring Janet along once she’s had a cup of tea and a chance to collect herself.’ She waved across the room. ‘Suzy, can you spare a moment?’ The girl came running.

‘Yes, Ros, what is it?’

‘Be an angel and dash up to my room, will you? My handbag’s on the table, with my phone in it. Could you bring it? Oh, and a coat, too, please.’

Suzy turned tail and ran.

‘Tiffany or Jimmy, anybody, have you got a mobile phone? Write your number down for me, will you?’

Five minutes later, the ambulance sped off with Alfonso and Ros on board.

Tom and Mr Jeffers had a council of war.

‘Would you like me to go to the hospital, Professor Marshall?’

‘No, that’s fine, Mr Jeffers. I’ll go, and I’ll take Janet and her friend with me. They are upstairs at the moment, getting changed. That means that the gala dinner will only be for,’ he did a quick head count, ‘six people. What do you suggest?’

‘I would suggest that we go ahead with the meal for the six. I have asked the chef to put together a small packed meal for those of you at the hospital. It will be ready for you shortly.’

Tom smiled at him. ‘You are a wonder, Mr Jeffers. While all around you lose their heads, you maintain a staunch British sangfroid.’

‘With respect, Professor Marshall, the young man dressed as Charlie Chaplin and your good self were instrumental in, hopefully, saving Signor dei Conti’s life.’

‘Not me, I just followed orders. Jimmy deserves a medal.’

The maître d’hôtel cleared his throat in that very English way that denotes embarrassment. ‘I speak for all the staff here in saying that we hope and pray for Signor Alfonso’s rapid recovery. If he is in a fit state to hear it, please pass on our good wishes.’ He sounded as if he meant it.

‘Of course, Mr Jeffers. I’d better go and change, myself. Is there anything else we need to settle?’

‘There is the question of the band, sir. Perhaps, under the circumstances it might be inappropriate to continue with the musical soirée?’

‘Whatever you think best, Mr Jeffers.’

The Emergency Department of Dorset County Hospital at nine o’clock that Saturday night was remarkably quiet. ‘The calm before the storm,’ was how the nurse on the reception desk described it. She knew, from experience, that within a few hours, the combination of alcohol and testosterone would turn the Emergency Department into a wartime dressing station.

Ros was sat by a door marked AUTHORISED PERSONNEL ONLY. She looked up when she heard them come in. Tom went over to her, a wicker case in one hand, a holdall in the other.

‘Going on holiday?’ She was putting on a brave face.

‘A packed dinner courtesy of Mr Jeffers, and some clothes for you.’ Under her coat, Ros was still clad in her 1920s dress, although she had left her headband with the feather at the hotel. ‘I popped into your room and picked up a change of clothes for you, if you want them.’

She gave him a big smile. ‘That’s exactly what I do want. It’s so hot in here, but I don’t dare take this coat off. The boys over there seem interested enough as it is.’ Tom followed her eyes to a pair of teenagers wearing football clothes.

‘So, any news?’ Tom glanced across at Janet and Melissa. They had gone straight to the reception desk to enquire but were still queuing. ‘Have the medics told you anything?’

‘Not a lot. The paramedics got his heart restarted, so he was alive when we got here. Amy, the girl, told me it was a pretty hefty heart attack. Some sort of blockage she thinks. Jimmy’s intervention definitely saved his life, at least so far. I phoned and spoke to Aisha, that’s his PA. Once she’d calmed down, she said she’d get on the case from her end.’

‘What does that mean?’

‘Knowing Aisha, anything from a bunch of flowers, to a press release, to flying in the world’s leading heart specialist. She’s a very organised lady.’

‘How about you?’ Tom sat down beside her and took her hand. ‘Holding up?’ He ran his finger down her cheek. ‘I’m afraid your tears haven’t done your mascara any good.’

She squeezed his hand and snuggled up against him. ‘Who cares? You’re here now. I can relax. You’ll look after me.’

He looked down at her fondly. ‘I’m glad you brought that up. I really want to talk to you about that very thing. I would ideally have chosen a more romantic location, but at least we have got time to ourselves here.’

‘I think we may be here a very long time.’

He looked across to the reception desk. There was now only one man in front of poor Janet. He turned his attention back to Ros and cleared his throat. ‘Ros, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately, about you and me.’

She glanced up, smiled, and then averted her eyes again.

It took him a while, before he found the right words to carry on. ‘When Diane died, I truly believed I would never love anybody again. In fact, for the first few months, I thought I would never smile or laugh again. But life goes on, and I gradually started smiling again. And when you came along, I started laughing again.’

She cuddled tighter to him. Her voice was half smothered by his jacket. ‘We have done a lot of laughing, haven’t we? This weekend has had its ups and downs,’ her eyes ranged around the waiting room, ‘but it has been one of the best of my life. If poor old Alfonso manages to recover, then there will be no doubt. Best ever.’

‘And for me. That’s what I wanted to say.’ He hesitated as a nurse appeared from the restricted area and walked towards them. She smiled, but didn’t stop. Instead, she went over to the two boys, sat down beside them and started talking.

‘Let’s hope it’s good news about their friend.’ Ros was watching as well.

‘What happened?’

‘The three of them came in half an hour ago. Their friend was in a lot of pain. It looked like his arm or shoulder. Anyway, you were just starting to wax lyrical.’ She closed her eyes and caught his hand with both of hers.

He cleared his throat again. ‘I know it’s the twenty-first century. I know we are actively involved in writing a book about sex. We’ve spent all day today talking about sex. We seem to be talking about sex, or reading about sex, or writing about sex, all the time. Our co-writers claim to be at it like rabbits.’ He heard her giggle. ‘And yet, you and I have yet to have that experience together.’ He looked down at her. ‘It’s not for want of trying.’

‘It’s as if some malevolent fate were deliberately putting things in our way. I bet the Greeks had a word for it. It’s not pathos, is it?’

‘Not pathos, but I’m jiggered if I can remember.’

She giggled. ‘Now there’s a phrase I haven’t heard for a very long time. “Well, I’m jiggered!” There’s probably a Greek word for that, too.’

‘Undoubtedly, but just listen, will you, I am trying to declare myself to you,’ he said with an embarrassed smile.

‘Excuse me sir, have you anything to declare?’

‘Shush. What I’m trying to say is that, contrary to current sociocultural practice, I already know, without a shadow of a doubt that, even though I haven’t so much as laid a finger on your naked body, even though we’ve only really known each other for a short time, you mean more to me than anybody else in the whole world.’ She was about to say something, when he leant towards her, his face serious, slightly apprehensive. ‘If I’m making a fool of myself, put it down to the events of this evening.’

‘Tom,’ her voice was warm, ‘if you only knew. I feel the same way about you. I have done for weeks now.’

The apprehension dropped from his face, to be replaced by relief. ‘I was so hoping you’d say that. So, even if it turns out you’ve got a tattoo on your bottom with “I love Aristotle and Ariadne” on it, I will still love you for ever and ever.’ His voice was very serious now. ‘And I really do love you. I love you more than,’ he hunted for a suitable standard of comparison, ‘Noah. I love you more than Noah.’

‘Oh goodness. That’s an awful lot for me to live up to!’ She checked that the coast was clear, and then reached up and kissed him with passion. ‘I’m sorry, Tom, I think I’m going to cry again. In fact, I know I am. I love you too. I knew when I first saw you, months ago, that you were special. Now I know for sure. Thomas Marshall, I couldn’t ask for anything better than to be with you. For ever.’

Back at the Melcombe House Hotel, they were finishing dinner. Tiffany had received a text from Tom saying Alfonso had arrived at hospital a little better than when he left the hotel. The good news revived the atmosphere, but the mood was still sombre. Under other circumstances, the meal would have been a rare experience. It ran from a mosaic of duck and smoked eel, all the way through five courses, until they reached the white chocolate semifreddo with caramelised pear. The journey through the vineyards of France from Chablis, through St Estèphe, to St Jean Minervois was equally memorable.

By the end, they all knew each other a lot better. They had all seen photos of Tiffany and Luca’s three kids. Penny and Scott had told them about university life in the era of student loans. Suzy had described to them in considerable detail the products available for sale from Harry’s online porn store. And Jimmy had finally regained his cool. It took a bit of time, but they finally managed to get him to talk about it.

‘My brother Frankie, my younger brother, had a heart defect. Nobody knew about it until one day, when he and I were playing soccer in the park. He just collapsed.’ He stopped for a moment to collect himself, the memory still so fresh in his mind. ‘When I saw Alfonso tonight, it was just the same: same expression, same movements, same noises. But with Frankie, I didn’t know what to do. By the time the ambulance arrived, he was dead. They tried all sorts of stuff but it was too late.’ He stopped again.

Luca leant over and topped Jimmy’s glass up. He took a mouthful without tasting it.

‘The specialist, the cardio man at the hospital, told me about CPR. He said it might have helped. But it was too late for Frankie. Straight after the funeral, I signed up for a course. I learnt to do it. I had to for Frankie’s sake.’ He paused, tears once again in his eyes. ‘But tonight, I feel I’ve sort of paid him back. I let him down back in the park, but now, maybe, I’ve saved a life. Maybe I’ve redeemed myself.’

Tiffany put into words what they were all thinking. ‘Jimmy, you were wonderful. You stepped up and took over. There’s no “maybe” about it. You saved Alfonso’s life. It was amazing.’

They sat and chatted, waiting for the others to return, or at least for some more news. Finally, around midnight, Tiffany got a text from Ros. She read it out: ‘A. holding on. Specialist coming. Fingers crossed. Tom says you decide plot tomorrow a.m. Ros xxx’

There was a general sigh of relief. He was still hanging in there. Luca went through to the kitchen with the news. Everybody felt better.

‘Time for bed, I think.’ Scott glanced across at Penny.

She smiled wearily and stood up. ‘Yes, Captain, anything you say, sir.’

The others followed her example. Jimmy was the first to go. He gave them all a subdued smile and a wave. Penny and Scott followed him up the stairs. Tiffany and Luca brought up the rear with Suzy. Just as they reached the top of the stairs, Suzy paused outside the door of her room.

‘What’s up, Suzy?’ Tiffany glanced across at her.

‘I’ve just had an idea. Last night, I told Jimmy I’d look up something on my laptop, but I haven’t had time. Maybe I’ll take it over to his room now. It might cheer him up. He could probably do with a bit of company.’

Inside their room, Luca took his wife in his arms and kissed her. ‘You in the mood?’

‘I didn’t think I was going to be a few hours ago.’ She pressed herself against him. ‘But, seeing as you are asking … ’

‘Excellent. Now you have to do everything I say, OK?’

‘I’ll risk it. But no PVC, OK?’

‘It’s a promise. First I want you to take all your clothes off. Leave them out here. Go into the bathroom, have a pee, clean your teeth, take your makeup off, have a wash, whatever you need to do. When you’ve finished, don’t come out. Call me. OK?’

‘OK darling. You’re the boss.’

He watched her as she removed the music hall dress. He took it from her and hung it on a hanger. He helped her remove stockings and underwear. He helped her off with everything, and kissed her all over as he did so. There was a moment when it looked as though his willpower would not be strong enough, but he recovered his composure. He sent her off to the bathroom with a gentle slap on the bottom.

It took her a while to do everything. She could hear him moving about in the bedroom in the meantime. Finally, she was ready. She stood naked, just inside the bathroom door, and called out to him. ‘Ready, darling.’

The door opened a crack. The room beyond looked dark. His hand appeared around the door. ‘Here, put this on. Do it properly. No cheating.’

It was a blindfold. She did as she was told. It was very effective. She couldn’t see a thing.

‘It’s on.’

She heard the door open, and then his hands touched her softly on the shoulders. His lips brushed her ear. Then, very carefully, he guided her into the bedroom. She reached backwards with her hands and felt that he, too, was naked. When they got to the bed, he gently sat her down. Then, with great care, he laid her on her back, her head on the pillow.

‘Now, I’ll be in the bathroom for just a few moments. Then I’ll be back. Don’t you fall asleep on me now.’

She had never felt so awake.

Down the corridor in room 12, Penny was helping Scottie out of his jodhpurs. The riding boots had taken a lot of effort to heave off, but they got there in the end. She piled the costume over the back of a chair. Then she helped him with the rest of his clothes, down to his underpants.

‘Oh, Scottie. You are pleased to see me.’

‘Pen, you have no idea how pleased. But I’ve just got to use the bathroom, before I get into a lot of trouble. No, don’t do that, please. It’ll only make things worse. Not yet.’

She gave up tormenting the poor boy and watched him disappear into the bathroom. She felt tired, but pleasantly so. With a struggle, she managed to undo the zip down the back of her dress and let it slip to the floor. She lifted it and laid it on top of Scottie’s uniform. Catching sight of herself in the mirror, she decided to leave the stockings and underwear until Scottie came out of the bathroom.