Chapter 5

On Friday afternoon since Andrew had the meeting with Mhairi, Suzanne went shopping with some girlfriends, which he was happy to have a reason to escape. Tony was quiet when Andrew collected him and the chat was limited. He found parking and they walked the half block to Drummond’s offices. Mhairi greeted them both.

“Mr. Brown, nice to meet you again.”

There was a quick two minute reminisce about the party the previous year.

“Let’s get started. Hillier’s have reached out to Mr. McGuire explaining that they are acting for you. Well technically it is the company so both of you, but for the purposes of the negotiation it will be you. I don’t think Mr. McGuire was expecting a professional firm and from the conversation I had early with Hillier’s they expect him to be in touch with you. Probably this weekend. We will see.”

Mhairi called in one of her associates with a slew of papers and the company was created, the Hillier’s authorisation was signed. The photography documentation was left for discussion. Tony started to relax and found his voice.

“Andrew explained about the property fund and I think it is a very good idea. Not tempting fate, but if we close on the property then I, we, would like to offer it into the fund. Andrew says you will keep us straight on the legal dos and don’ts.”

“Excellent. Andrew, Creighton transferred over the money this morning. We will let you know how much we get the land for. I will send you details in Cambridge.”

Andrew knew that this was the easy part, and that it could be Christmas before everything would get finally agreed. He shrugged. Eloquent as ever.

“So the photography companies. May I ask why you are setting up a partnership.”

Andrew and Tony had the story down pat, it was a way for them to work together but to take account of the fact that Andrew was away all the time. They had agreed that the partnership income split would be easier to manage on an ongoing basis.

“The reality is that I will be the minority partner but rather than guess at one thirds two thirds or one quarter three quarters and then have to deal with issues if the split is different, we decided this made more sense. You must deal with something like that here.”

Andrew meant Drummond’s. Mhairi nodded.

“This is a very sensible arrangement. The two companies can be established today, the paperwork is here. Tony, my colleague Mr. Duggan will represent you in the establishment of the partnership. I cannot represent you both. But I can deal with creating Antonio Marrone Photography.”

Mhairi just about kept the smile from her lips, but there was a slight twitch.

“Forgive a man his vanity.”

Mhairi just nodded at Tony’s comment.

“I will create the partnership, no assets owned by it, income split by who does the shoot, is that right?”

They both nodded.

“Andrew, I will say that it is acknowledged that a lot of the expenses of the partnership are being paid to one of the principals. Let’s get it in black and white so there are no misunderstandings later.”

Once the photography paperwork was dealt with the meeting broke up, much earlier than either Tony or Andrew had imagined.

“That was easy.”

And it was. This was the one area where Andrew completely acknowledged that money had changed him. He was comfortable getting his lawyer and accountant involved, it cost money but he didn’t care. He had set up his first company at 14, by 19 he was not phased at creating the structure. This was the same. It also was clean if there were suddenly any issues between Tony and Andrew. By selling the property into the fund they were investors together but not solely with each other. And by creating the EPIC Partnership it not only shielded their identities it also meant that if the arrangement wasn’t working then it could be dissolved with minimal issues. Andrew hoped it didn’t come to that but...

Returning to the shop Andrew had to deal with a bubbly Stacey.

“Elspeth and I talked on the way home. She couldn’t believe that the shoot went so well. You do have a very relaxed air about you. We both thought about it. You are only three years older than her oldest boy, yet it wasn’t awkward. That is the piece that our friends don’t understand. That we are posing for these photographs is mind-boggling enough but that our photographer is only 19, shit you were only 18 with me, that really screws with their heads. Anyway, she was delighted and can’t wait to see the finished albums and picture. Can you wrap them up for me and I will drop them off after work on Monday?”

Since he had a couple of hours he didn’t think he would have, Andrew took advantage of it and powered through the rest of Elspeth’s prints. For Stacey’s albums Maggie had helped him but Andrew did this one on his own. At 4.45 he finished wrapping the two albums and the framed photograph. Tony had some wrapping paper left over from Maggie’s birthday and Andrew used that to wrap the parcel. 24 hours after the shoot he handed the parcel to Stacey.

“No way. Already?”

“I did most of the developing and printing last night. Today was the last of it. It is the same as with you. Two albums, all the negatives in a little sleeve on the back cover and one framed photograph. You can surprise her tonight.”

Telling Tony he would see him and Maggie on Sunday afternoon Andrew headed home. When Suzanne returned the two of them went for a quiet dinner, a couple of drinks at a local bar before returning to the flat and making love repeatedly. As happened so many nights that summer they fell asleep sticky and wiped out, snuggled close together.

After the familiar routine of Andrew’s run and then their swim, the two of them loaded the car for the trip through to Glasgow. Suzanne was moving into a University owned flat with three other women, one from her course. Andrew was intrigued as to how they were all going to co-exist and was sure there would already be tales when he came to visit later that term. What he hadn’t realised until they got there was that it was barely five minutes’ walk from Suzanne’s new flat to Fran and Nikki’s place. It was also a short walk to the Department so she had an ideal location. Suzanne was the first to move in and they had the car unpacked quickly.

Andrew had called Nikki at the start of the week and arranged to meet for lunch. The years fell away as the four of them sat chatting. Suzanne reminisced about the double date, the first time she met Nikki, and how the four of them met up with Leslie afterwards. Andrew was sure Fran had heard the tale many times but it was a common connection and one story led to another. Nikki telling the tale of Christmas dinner, Andrew’s mum story at her work, then Fran talked about how every time he turned up at the hospital her lesbian chic was shattered.

“This big goof used to swing me off my feet when he met me, so I leaned in and kissed him. Oh, you should have seen his face, he nearly dropped me. I mean guys aren’t my thing but you don’t expect a look of horror when you kiss one.”

This was before they had any wine! It was a great lunch and both Fran and Nikki insisted that Suzanne come over and see them during the term. Let them recapture their lost student days, at least vicariously. Andrew walked Suzanne back to her flat arm in arm.

“So three or four weeks?”

“Yes, let me figure out if there are any OTC weekends I need to work round and I will confirm. I will be on the evening train on the Friday night and get the sleeper back on Sunday night.”

Their kiss was long and heartfelt before they finally parted, rueful smiles on both their faces. Andrew drove the two minutes over to Nikki’s flat. Finding parking took longer than the drive.

“Come on then Andrew, tell us about the wedding?”

They had endless questions. Andrew was sure Suzanne would have been able to answer them a whole lot better than he could.

“So walking Freya down the aisle was okay?”

“Surprisingly okay actually. I let her set the pace, focused on Jim at the front and it was over in a flash. Jim took her right arm and I relinquished her left and sat down, it was smooth and painless.”

“Was there any awkwardness with Moira, and her fiancé?”

“No, the exact opposite. She had been honest with him a long time earlier, I met him back at the end of last year at Jim’s house, and it was so long before that it was ancient history. I don’t think I mentioned it before but he is even taller than me, 6’9” and nearly 20 stone. He is a huge, tall, solid man and acts like it. Relaxed, nothing to prove, you know the opposite of small man syndrome.”

They nodded and giggled.

“At one point the two of us were standing at the bar and it did cause a degree of comment. Jean Wylie is 5’1” maybe, she can’t be much more, so the two of us stood directly behind her. She wondered why the people she was talking to started to laugh so she turned around and her reaction was priceless. She almost fell backwards looking up. I don’t think the wife of a Court of Session judge is meant to hit people but it didn’t stop her.”

Nikki looked at Fran and they burst out laughing. Andrew looked confused.

“Andrew, you didn’t even realise you were name-dropping, did you?”

They had to explain name-dropping to him.

“It is funny you say that because normally it is the exact opposite. It took me years to call Jim or Freya by their names. Lord Wylie, Norman to his friends, was Jim’s best man. They insisted to be called Norman and Jean for the weekend.”

“What do you call the Duke and Duchess?”

His smile gave him away.

“You do not!”

“No. But I met them at Hogmanay and it was completely sprung on me. As in walk up, get introduced to a pregnant lady and find out she is a Duchess. I had to ask what to call her. At the party she told me to call her Jane. That was the first time I met Lady Wylie and was told to call her Jean.”

“Jane?”

Andrew nodded.

“Yes, it is true. Although I think I only called her Jane once. Lots of ma’am, lots of sirs when I met the Duke. Anyway that is all old news. Do you want to hear some much more interesting news?”

He recounted what Abigail had told him about Heloise and how he had spent a couple of days squiring around one of the most famous people in France.

“You had no idea?”

Andrew scoffed at her.

“I know I am a fount of useless knowledge but fashion? June may have realised but I did not have a clue.”

“So all the time everyone was staring it never occurred to you she might be famous?”

“Fran, I am 6’5”. I have only ever met two women taller than 6’. Heloise and a woman at Cambridge, both of whom are 6’2”. When a 6’2” woman, with legs up to her armpits, 6’5” when wearing heels, walks by accompanied by someone the same height, you expect stares. I really did just think it was we were both so tall. She never told me she was famous, in fact I think she liked hanging out with me because I didn’t know who she was.”

“Do you keep in touch?”

“Yes I do. I sent a couple of letters, one during term and then one this summer, there may be a reply waiting for me when I get to Cambridge.”

Fran was on a roll.

“So let me get this right, you are a millionaire, yes?”

Andrew nodded.

“You modelled for Hermès, yes?”

Another nod.

“During this modelling you were naked with three different female models, yes?”

He laughed but nodded.

“And one of them was the most famous model in France?”

Again a nod.

“And you had no idea?”

Finally a shake of the head.

“Are you listening to this? Who the hell can we tell this story to that is going to believe a word of it. Let us know when you are coming to visit Suzanne. We will have a dinner party for all our friends and you can be the guest of honour. An evening of Andrew stories.”

They both knew that was about as close to an evening of torture as they could devise for him. All his good intentions of heading back to Edinburgh went out the window. He went and got take out and some beer and they sat and caught up on their lives. As usual there had been too much talk about him so he had them fill him in on their lives. Fran was inching ever closer to actually being finished with exams, she was already a surgeon but it would be three more years before the exams were finally over. She was a qualified doctor and a qualified surgeon but not super-qualified or some such thing. She tried to explain it after too much wine and Andrew tried to understand it after too much beer. You can guess the result.

They were settled and happy. Well for the most part. They never mentioned any details but both talked of problems with their families. They were so happy in the area that they had decided to buy their own place after all these years of renting. Money was not a problem they just wanted to find somewhere within two streets of where they were sitting. It was a matter of time and patience but they were excited about having their own place.”

“Andrew, is there a gay or lesbian scene at Cambridge?”

He stopped and thought.

“There is nothing that I can think of at either College or at the University. The women that I modelled for talked about some things at the College of Art. I think one of them might have been a lesbian, but you know me, I don’t really notice or care about that. I am pretty sure they didn’t self-censor for me. They went on about politics and the fact I was in the OTC all the time. They were all CND supporters and thought I was a typical right-wing reactionary. I confounded them when I didn’t rise to their baiting. Would they throw that in my face as well, to see if I reacted badly? Don’t know. I am not the best person to ask, as I go through life missing these cues. If you two came and visited you would spend all day berating me for missing 14 obvious things that I walk past every day. So I am sure there is a scene I just am totally clueless about it.”

‘It is always nice to hear you talk about it Andrew. You have this utterly simple, almost naïve, attitude of not caring. And your friends have the same attitude, even your family. It was fascinating for us to listen to your Aunt Davina talk quite matter of factly of liaisons during the war. I remember when Lord Barnes and Mrs. Moray were with us at the front door and you just introduced us as a couple right to their faces. They hadn’t even made it over the threshold. And they could not have been more charming. Hanging out with you is a nice antidote to all the prejudice that we see and hear in our day to day lives.”

“Do you get harassed?”

“No, not really. It is more the stories we hear from friends as well as the tone of the social commentary. It can be very wearing after a while. Do you have any other gay friends?”