Chapter 8

Three weeks after I got home Andrea and I were married at the registry office in Gloucester. The Viscount was there giving Meera a rather predatory eye. They were our witnesses. It didn't change much for us, merely meaning that when our child was born it would be legitimate. I gave Charlie the necklace I had bought for her, so she could wear it for our wedding. She was speechless as I fastened the clasp for her and tears ran down her cheeks. She turned and clasped me, just sobbing, "Daddy, Daddy." I took out my handkerchief and dried her eyes. Andrea was watching and when I looked at her she was crying too. I was running out of handkerchiefs!

Andrea was adamant that although she had an ultra sound examination she didn't want to know the sex of our child. The Viscount was equally determined to know and the loud angry voices let everyone in the house know it was time to go somewhere else as one or the other, usually both would leave those arguments in a rather incensed mood. Andrea prevailed though.

John Lilman had been in touch and asked if I would come to his home. He had six completed scripts and wanted me and Meera and the rest of the cast to read through, mainly to get a handle on our characters. Ostensibly this was Meera's audition, but having seen her in action, Ashley informed John that she was perfect for the part. Andrea had invited Meera to stay with us so we travelled down to High Wycombe together. Once I had read through the first script I understood that this was a challenging part. Detective Chief Inspector Grantham was a stickler for the rules. He was an anachronism; he was very politically correct yet hid a colour inhibition under a cold visage thereby I would not be able to use facial expressions to indicate his mood; I would be challenged to show his demeanour with actions instead. Another facet of his difficult character was that he felt that Capital Punishment should be available to the Courts as a last resort for some cases of murder. When a new Detective Sergeant was posted to his team it really challenged him as his new sergeant was first a woman and second of Indian extraction. His problems redoubled when he became attracted to her, despite his racial aversion.

Meera's character, Detective Sergeant Anjala Sharma was most unlike a typical Indian woman. She was feisty, made her own views heard vigorously and took the racist comments in her stride, particularly from suspects who gave her lip; her riposte could be scathing. She had once been admonished for bullying a suspect. Their first meeting was indicative of their differing views. She introduced herself and then went on to call him Guv. Now that is usual in a team of detectives that the Chief Inspector or Superintendent was called Guv (for Governor) or Boss. We ran through the scene and I changed it when she called me Guv. I gave Meera a icy stare and told her that I was addressed as Chief Inspector. That wasn't in the script but John Lilman loved it. "Perfect, Richard. Perfect. Sets the mood right from the start. We'll keep that in."

On the way back to Broughley, Meera asked me if I was one of those actors who lived the part. I laughed and replied. "If I did Basil would have wanted his marital pleasure with Deeta."

"Deeta would be very happy to accommodate Basil in that case." Meera smiled.

I grinned. "Don't worry, I won't be snapping at you all the time. I have never felt the need to live the part, perhaps I am not a good enough actor as a result."

"Ashley thinks you are and she knows what she is talking about." Meera came back. "You wouldn't snap anyway. You are too much the gentleman to do that."

"What do you think of the script?" I asked her.

"It's very good. To be honest it's going to be much more demanding than anything I have done to date. Playing Deeta was the first time I really had to act."

"You did that very well, so I can't imagine that you will have difficulty playing D.S. Shani."

"I shall give it my best shot, is that what you say here?"

"Yes we do." I agreed.

"Ashley has promised to coach me."

"In that case you should have no problems."

Andrea welcomed us back with a multitude of questions. She had read the outline of the script and wanted to know if my character ever got it on with Meera's character. I told her that neither of us knew that as the series would develop, and the scripts for later episodes were not finalised. "Have we got time to go down to the cottage?" Was her next question.

"I thinks that a good idea. It will get you away from your father and these rows you have with him. He will get some peace and so shall we." I rubbed Andrea's belly which was swelling beautifully. "Hello little one. Is it nice and warm in there?"

"Well you should know, after all you did your best to get in there." She grinned. "Well a part of you did."

"I seem to recall that you were as eager as I."

Andrea went back to the first subject. "We can take Meera with us."

"Oh! I wasn't thinking of her coming as well."

Andreas' face evolved into one that their men folk knew well. It was that 'how stupid men can be' expression. "We can't leave her here on her own."

"Fine." I gave in rather than have an argument.

ANDREA

It was so good to return to the cottage. It had nothing but good memories for me. In deference to Meera I did not join Rich in his morning swims, much as I would have liked to strip naked and join him. I persuaded Rich that he should wear some trunks for his swim. "Yes, I suppose I should." He replied. "I wouldn't want to embarrass her."

"I don't think that Meera would be embarrassed in the slightest. It would probably exacerbate her lust for you."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"Why don't you open your eyes."

"You're serious!"

"Yes, I am. Rich, before too long I will be too big for making love with you. I will suggest to Meera that she should take my place for a while."

"I don't believe I am hearing you. That is madness."

"No it isn't. It makes sense."

"I see." The tone of those two words was glacial and I became frightened as I had never seen Rich lose his temper and the way he said 'I see' was tight and threatening of a storm... "Well, tell me dearest, Andrea. Have you asked Meera, or are you planning to just tell her? Come to that, you have just calmly farmed me out as if I were a Bull to serve a cow. What would you do if Meera and I decided that we liked this arrangement and didn't want it to stop?"

"Well she would understand it would be just for the while."

"Sorry, my dear. You don't control people's emotions, not mine nor Meera's. I knew what my future would be, when we were down on that beach. Even though you had to return to your husband I knew that I would never love any other woman as I loved you. That hasn't changed, not for all those years and not now. Now I don't know what Meera would say, but in any case it is superfluous as I will not agree to this idea. So making love may be uncomfortable for a while, what will it be a month? Or perhaps six months? It doesn't matter. The child you carry is mine, ours. We made it with love; I have watched you get bigger with our child with love. I will be there when you give birth and hold you with love. I would not be much of a husband if I cannot wait for you." He got up and stalked out of the room, his back stiff with anger.

I was left crying my eyes out. Once I had stopped weeping, I washed my face, made up and sought Meera for comfort. I found her in her room packing. "Meera. What are you doing?"