Beware the Roasburies! Pt. 03

Chapter Eleven

Wednesday 4 November 1970

Towards the end of October, Harriet became depressed again.

"Three months since Kieran dumped her," said Zena in the car on the way home. "He did it on the sixth of August."

"Hiroshima Day?" I stared at her, "I hope the date wasn't intentional on his part."

"I don't think Harriet knows about Hiroshima Day. She's still not over him. Mind you, I've seen him around and he looks thoroughly miserable as well."

I thought about it, as I parked outside Zena's flat.

"Perhaps you and I should go see Kieran," I suggested. "He might have realised what he's lost."

"Hmm." It was clear Zena was not happy with that idea.

"Zena, it can't hurt to find out how he feels."

"Suppose not." Still not convinced.

"Think about it," I urged her. "OK?"

"OK," she muttered.

"In the meantime," I proposed, "how about we all go for a meal on the anniversary? The sixth is on Friday of this week, so we can make a night of it, just the four of us. What d'you think?"

Zena brightened at this. "Yes. Good idea. Can you book somewhere? How about your favourite restaurant, Orchards? I'll sound out the other two."

"Good for me too," I said with a heavy heart. "It's about six months since I got dumped, as well."

She smiled, and kissed me. "All the better. Perhaps we can go clubbing afterwards."

I phoned the Restaurant.

"This is Graham Proctor, can I make a reservation for this Friday Sixth November? 7.00?

"Mr Graham! So good to hear from you. Friday Six is pretty busy, but we will fit you in. There is a party in on that night, but we have a table free in the other room. How many?"

The restaurant had two large rooms, one each side of the entrance and foyer, so that a large party could be entertained in one wing while allowing ordinary diners peace and quiet to enjoy the exquisite food. There was a wide, common bar and lounge between the rooms, accessed from the foyer, where diners would peruse the menu, order their food and wait for their table to be ready.

"Table for four please, Ambrose. You sure you can do this?"

"For you Mr. Graham, it's never a problem."

Friday 6 November 1970

So at 6.50pm Harriet and I were seated in the lounge bar of the restaurant waiting for the other two to arrive, when a group of people came into the lounge at the 'party' end of the bar. They had hardly sat down when a woman I thought I should know left the little group she was with and made a bee line for where we were sitting. She did not look happy.

"You bastard, Graham!" was her opening salvo, though she spoke quietly through gritted teeth so as not to make a scene. "You couldn't let her be could you? Had to come and ruin her night."

This was a surprise. Who was she and what the hell was she talking about? Harriet looked on with a mixture of puzzlement and wry humour.

"You must excuse me, but I know you from somewhere, but can't remember where. Also, I haven't a clue what you're talking about."

"Still the congenital liar, Graham? You know perfectly well why you're here, and it's despicable after what you did to that girl!"

Now I was getting irked. "Still none the wiser. Who are you, lady? And what have I done?"

She stopped and rethought. "Annette? You came to our New Year's party. You know what you've done. A liar and an unfaithful toe-rag!"

She was liberal with her compliments, was Annette.

At this she turned to Harriet.

"You want to be careful with this specimen," she said to her with an evil almost triumphant glint in her eye. "I'll bet he hasn't told you about the other two women he's shagging at the moment? He's been doing one of them for months!

Harriet was now looking more and more amused. "Really?" she said with a hint of mockery. "Ooh dear, Graham, what have you been up to?"

"A blonde and a coloured girl," our visitor continued. "Likes a bit of variety does Graham."

I caught the smile of recognition from Harriet who was starting to enjoy the confrontation.

"Really Graham," she said with mock indignation. "Have you been a busy boy?"

Annette looked disconcerted that Harriet was not taking her seriously, but obviously decided to move on.

"Anyway," she asserted, "You knew this is her favourite restaurant, and now she's teaching round here-"

Recognition dawned.

"You're talking about Penelope," I interrupted. "You're wrong. This is my favourite restaurant, and it was I who introduced her to it.

"And I'm getting sick of these accusations every time I come into contact with that lying cheating bitch and her abominable family. How could I possibly know what her plans are? She's never spoken to me, and she's turned all the friends I made through her against me. So no, I didn't even know she was back in this area, or that she was coming here tonight, I'm here for a little celebration of my own."

At this Ambrose came over, looking worried.

"Mr Graham, everything all right?" He looked accusingly at Annette.

"Yes fine, Ambrose," I replied. "The lady and I are catching up on some difficult news."

"Very well," he said, shrugged, and walked off. Annette looked impressed that Ambrose knew me personally.

"Why don't you sit down?" I suggested, "cause less of a disturbance."

She sat down and I continued where I'd left off.

"We're 'celebrating' with Harriet here the three month anniversary of her being dumped by her boyfriend, and I'm 'celebrating' that Penelope finished with me six months ago. That was a narrow escape. More comfort than celebration tonight, I suppose.

"Penny?" I continued, "She's probably lied to you along with her family and other friends - she's the liar and the cheat, not me."

"Don't give me that!" she snapped, "There's evidence you were cheating long before you got engaged."

"So why didn't she finish with me then? Why string me along?"

"Because we only told her about you when she told us she was engaged. We thought she was making a big mistake."

"You told her?" I was taken aback. "You had evidence? What evidence?"

"Sorry," here she turned to Harriet, "Sorry you have to hear this, but it might stop you making the mistake Penny made.

"From early February and probably before that, he's been seeing another woman," she told Harriet, "She's a coloured girl and it seems he's cheating on you with her as..."

At this moment she stopped and her mouth dropped open, for into view, with perfect timing, came Zena and Colette. They came and sat down with us, and looked enquiringly at Annette.

"Zena, Colette," I said, "this is Annette, a friend of Penelope."

"That bitch!" exclaimed Colette. "Oh, sorry Annette, but she's not our favourite person, not that we've ever met her. She practically destroyed Graham with her lying and cheating, and just after they got engaged too. We still can't understand why she would do that."

"You're the one he was cheating on her with," Annette shot at Zena with some venom, "Patty and I saw you, over and over. Penny was away in college and-"

"Rubbish!" muttered Zena. "You didn't see anything. As they say in the papers, we're just good friends."

"You can't deny you were with him, we saw you again and again - and eventually Penny caught you!"

"I know which night you're talking about," Zena replied hotly. "That was after she cheated on him. And she didn't 'catch me' as you put it. I took his car home that night, and brought it back the next morning so he could get to work."

"But you spent the evening with him, and I'll bet it wasn't the only one."

Zena sighed, and I interrupted the exchange.

"Just a minute," I said, "Just what is this 'evidence' you've got?"

"Patty - you remember Patty? Penny's flatmate?"

I nodded.

"She lives round here now with Carl - you don't know him - she was at some traffic lights in her car and saw you and Zena here in the car next to hers, so she followed you and the two of you went into an apartment block, and she waited outside. You were there over an hour, Graham. So Patty called me and we started to watch the flat.

"Two weeks later you both went to the Westbrook Hotel and were there three hours. And later we saw you driving with her to different houses and staying until late, every week!

"We were so surprised, we didn't think you were that sort, so when Penny told us she was engaged to you, we told her we suspected you of cheating, and that she should do some checking of her own.

"She went home very upset, and her mother told her that Penny's uncle, who's a lawyer, knew a lot of lawyers here and you have a reputation among them for bedding anything female that moves! Apparently they all laugh about it. She had tried to warn Penny about you when you first met, but she wouldn't listen to her.

"So, what have you to say to that?"

Zena and I both smiled. I was seething inside. Zena it was who spoke: she could see I was too angry.

"Oh dear!" she said with regret. "Shame you or she didn't ask Graham what was up."

"Sorry?" Annette frowned.

"First of all, all four of us work together."

"You work together? Same company?"

Zena nodded. "I live on his way to work and so he gives me a lift there and back. About once a week I invite him in for a meal, a sort of thank you. Now and then we meet clients in the evening, usually at their hotel or at one of our homes. We are friends and only friends. Every week we play Bridge, the four of us. Those are the houses where we went."

"You expect me to believe that?"

"Think about it," snapped Zena. "Graham and I both have flats. Why would we be going to a hotel room in the evening? Or other people's houses? Swinging? Don't make me laugh! That's just plain daft. And that mother of hers? She hated Graham from the moment he brought Penny home when she first met him. That bitch didn't know of his 'reputation' then!

"Do you really think if we were fucking him every week he would even get engaged? Why should he?

"More to the point, would he get so upset when she kept putting him off going to see her? Even for half an hour on a Saturday?

"If he were shagging me regularly, would he be so devastated when he found she was lying about where she was, when she phoned to say she was with her brother, and she wasn't there at all?"

Zena was now on a roll, eyes flashing.

"You know what he did? He went to Liverpool without telling her, because she kept putting him off, to talk to her about her behaviour. What did he see? Her and some guy snogging on her doorstep and then the bloke staying the night. Annette, he was distraught!

"That was when the other girls deputed me to take him out for a meal, and listen to his story. That was when I answered the phone to Penny in the evening, then when I brought the car back the next morning, he was in the shower when she rang again. I could have explained if she hadn't slammed the phone down.

"So he saw her being unfaithful and after that she never said or wrote a single word to him. He took that as evidence she wanted rid of him, and when she sent back the engagement watch without even a covering note, he knew it for a fact. He was destroyed, Annette! And that's when Colette here gave him some serious comfort to lessen the pain, only then, not before. Only Colette, you understand? Graham and I are simply friends, and so is Harriet.

Colette added her tuppence worth, "Of course since then he and I have been friends with extras and he's the best of friends to the three of us. You know he's been entertaining and supporting Harriet here for three months since her boyfriend dumped her, and he's never once tried it on with her? Doesn't sound like a philanderer to me. Penny lost a gem there."

She had finished her contribution, and sat back with a knowing smile. Annette looked shell-shocked.

"And," I added, "if Penny'd had had the courtesy to ring me or write and finish with me decently, she'd have known the truth. I. Did. Not. Cheat. She did, and she lied about it. I didn't know what I was supposed to have done!"

Annette was clearly stunned. "Are you saying she didn't talk to you at all? She just sent the watch back?"

"That's what I'm saying. You probably don't believe me, and I suspect, now that I know what a liar she is, if you ask her she'll deny that as well, but these girls saw the packet. Personally I'm well rid of her.

"By the way, if I'm lying, why did Derek and then her bitch of a mother ring me to ask me what was going on? Check with Derek, because I'm pretty sure the dragon will lie through her teeth: she has always hated me from day one.

"Oh, and I told her mother that I would write to Penny's father and explain everything I knew. Everything you've heard tonight went into the letter, along with two photo's, and there was no reaction. That did surprise me, I thought I got on quite well with him."

Annette looked worried and uncertain. "I never knew she broke it off with you without speaking to you. No wonder she was totally misled. This need never have happened. It's all our fault - Patty's and mine."

"No," I corrected her. "You told her of your suspicions; it was up to her to tell me and see if there was an explanation, instead it seems she went to her bitch of a mother who was delighted to back you up with some made up story about lawyers. I'm sure that was a straight lie. So what's the celebration?"

Now Annette looked very uncomfortable. "Penny's getting engaged. Her family and friends are having a meal here. We're here early in case family arrive, they're coming from Chester, staying overnight. We eat at 8.00. I'm worried if she sees you she'll bolt like she did last time she came. She was with Patty and saw you, I think you were with - Harriet isn't it? She just ran away.

"Anyway, I'd better go and join the group. I'm so sorry Graham. I just didn't know."

"Well, when you don't know, the best thing to do is to ask, which is what you just did. Shame she didn't. You could ask her father if he got a letter from me, and if so why he hasn't had the decency to reply to it."

"You're right. I could do that. I don't know what else I can do now. Now I've heard your side, everything's a lot clearer to me."

"Don't do anything. She's found someone else. Let her get on with it."

She didn't look convinced; I know I wasn't. I was severely tempted to go and surprise the happy group, but I knew that would do no good. It would only cause trouble and no one would believe me in any case.

Annette went back to her group of friends, and I could see her talking animatedly with them. There were many glances in my direction. It was a distraction, and the girls were well aware of it. There was not much conversation as everyone thought about what we'd been told. It was a relief when we were called to our table and left the lounge.

We all knew it: the evening was ruined. I was preoccupied with the new information I had been given, and my emotions were once again all to pot. The girls were concerned for me instead of cheering Harriet up. The only advantage was that Harriet was distracted from her own thoughts by the development in my life.

There was a lot of discussion concerning what I should do now. Colette was all for going round to their celebration and making a statement. Zena thought Penny couldn't have been all that committed to me to do what she did, and it would be better to leave well alone. Harriet wanted to talk to Annette at more length and perhaps even see Penny at some stage in the future. I sat and listened.

"Thanks girls," I said at length. "I've decided to leave it alone. Let her get on with her new life. I'm history as far as she's concerned. Let's leave it like that. I'm happy as things are."

That was a lie. I was anything but happy, and they knew it, but I knew they would respect my wishes. The bloody Roasburies had done it again. When would I ever be free of them?

We moved on to other things, but the atmosphere was gone, though the food made up for it in some respects. We didn't spend any time chatting afterwards, but left as soon as I got the bill.

We left the restaurant at eight thirty, and with the night being so young, made for our favourite club. I think we all hoped that some music and a little dancing would obliterate the cloud over our evening. It did to some extent.

Until about ten o'clock.

A hand on my shoulder. I looked up. It was Patricia, Penny's erstwhile flatmate, looking distressed. My spirits dropped again.

"Can we talk?" she asked. "Somewhere quieter?"

I looked at the others. They nodded. I gave a key to Harriet.

"See you all at the flat," I said and left with Patty.

There was a pub nearby. I was worried it might also be too noisy, but there was no piped music and the conversation level, while noticeable, would not interfere with what she wanted to say.

"Graham I'm sorry," she said. "I feel so guilty. I don't know why I didn't try to find out the truth from you myself, before messing with your lives. Annette was so certain after I told her what I'd seen. I never realised... Never thought of it any other way.

"Annette caught me when I arrived tonight and filled me in. I can't believe Penny could be so stupid as to cut off all communication with you. We both assumed she'd done it properly and talked to you, but to send that watch back..."

She shook herself, then settled back against the bench seat.

"Is that all you wanted to say? You broke up my evening just for that?" I was annoyed. Why were these people constantly messing with me?

"No, no!" she hastened to say. "You need to know what happened after you left."

"I don't think I do," I retorted. "The less I have to do with you lot, the better."

She shrank a little, then recovered. "I deserved that. We all do. But please, Graham, let me tell you. Please?"

I shrugged. "Go on," said with resignation.

"You'd gone into the dining room when I got there, but the group was still discussing what you'd told Annette, wondering what to do. Half of us thought it wasn't true, and thought we should forget it as you told Annette to do, but others thought if it were true it would be terrible if Penny still loved you and then found out later after she married. Then we argued about whether to tell her before the meal, during the meal or after it, or even later, if at all.

"We reached no conclusion, and then the family arrived: that mother of hers, her dad, her brother and his wife and their two boys, so there were a lot of introductions and conversation and nothing was said about our problem. Then, about ten minutes late, Penny arrived with Nigel."

"Nigel?" I intervened.

"Yes, Nigel Hartington-ffyfe, her fiancé. His father is high up in banking, and he's following in his dad's footsteps."

She saw my expression.

"He's really nice, but a bit - dull. Straight-laced. Penny's mother is ecstatic about him - his family live in Prestbury in among the millionaires."

"She would be. She's the caricature of a snob. She hates me."

"Yes, we all know that. Penny seems to like Nigel though, and he's besotted with her."

I chortled. "A match made in - where? Prestbury?" I quipped.

"Anyway," she said, ignoring my jibe and wanting to get back to the story, "The family were oblivious to the atmosphere, but Penny picked it up straight away and looked puzzled at us.

"I think she was wondering why we were not all as jolly as we should be on such a happy occasion, but she never got a chance to ask anyone - her mother was organising everyone, so that the family - mother, father, Nigel, Derek, Ingrid and their boys were at one end of the table, then Annette and me half way down, then everyone else at the other end.

"The meal was lovely, and there was a lot of chat to and fro, but I could tell Annette was seething. Anyway, Geoff Roasburie stands up and gives a spiel about welcoming Nigel into the family, and wishing the couple every happiness in the future. Then Smithy, you met him when you were with Penny I think, no tact at all, well he comments from the other end of the table.