Chapter 6

Christopher got on with life. He did not go home every weekend but most. On the others he avoided the pub in case he ran into Tina. He could have taken no notice of her there but it would have been unnatural and upsetting for her. He did his concerts but solo as he had done before. He rang Merle just to keep tabs on things. Tina seemed to be back on an even keel and he was content but not happy.

In early June Ellie invited him to a midweek party at her flat. It was her flatmate's, Sally's, birthday party.

"Nothing special," she said. "No presents other than something like a box of chocolates. There won't be any food either other than nibbles. Booze though."

Christopher sucked his breath. "I'm really not sure this is my scene," he said solemnly.

"Ah! I didn't mention the glamour."

"Oh, now you're talking. I'd love to come, Ellie love."

"OK. Any time from six-thirty onwards when you can tear yourself away from that demanding job of yours."

"I'll just have to hope I'm not too exhausted."

There was a very rude noise from the other end of the line and Ellie's phone went down.

He arrived at the party shortly after seven and delivered his box of chocolates to Sally with a kiss. She was a sweet girl, nothing special to look at, but with a warm, sunny personality. Christopher had always liked her and indeed was fond of her.

Ellie swooped on him and gave him a smacking kiss. "Thank you for coming," she smiled up at him.

"Orders is orders."

Ellie snorted. "It was the promise of glamour."

"So where is it?"

"All round you, you pompous ass."

"I couldn't see past you, my glamorous sister."

That elicited a further snort followed by a brilliant smile. "You're really not a bad brother. Come on then."

She took his hand and led him to a group of four, two men, a cherubic faced brunette with a matching figure and a statuesque blonde standing all of five foot eleven.

"Here you are, Jen," she said. "Someone your own size."

Jenny Leathwaite looked at him. "Brains to match?"

"Of course. He's my brother." She introduced them properly and promptly left pulling one of the other young men away with her.

Christopher smiled. "Bossy bags but I love her."

Jenny smiled back. "I like her too. I'm a friend of Sally's really but I've got to know Ellie quite well, and like her a lot."

"She's quite a girl," acknowledged Christopher. "Do you work with Sally or are you old friends?"

"Both. We were at school together. She was the brains and I was the brawn."

She grinned impishly and Christopher was drawn.

"Don't tell me there were brawls," he said.

"No. I prevented them. Sally's full of bright ideas, inventive and mischievous. It was the mischievous ones that caused the trouble. They were never malicious but now and again some of the girls got upset and I had to intervene."

Christopher smiled. It was warm and not a cheeky grin. "So how else did you use your brawn?"

"Do I need to show you? No, probably not. You're a big guy too. Swimming and I'll bet you're a rugger bugger."

"Blackheath. Are you still swimming competitively?"

She nodded. "Richmond, Middlesex and, I'd love to think, England but I suspect that at twenty-three I'm out of contention."

"You look fit as a fiddle."

She bobbed him a curtsey. "Thank you, kind sir, but the selectors tend to look at the longer term and there's a bundle of teenagers who are almost as good as me and could be better."

"I know the feeling. Blackheath used to be one of the leading sides but we just don't get near the Heineken Cup sides now."

Ellie rejoined them. "My two Incredible Hulks," she grinned.

"You, tiddly sister, are asking for trouble. Yes, Jenny is tall but she certainly isn't a hulk."

"Ooh," Ellie giggled. "Watch it girl. He's after you."

She moved, almost skipped, away.

"And she's a wicked wench," Christopher smiled at Jenny who nodded also with a smile.

"Why?" she asked.

Christopher looked at her. "Why what?"

"Why did she introduce us and then come and see how we were getting on?"

"Um, can we drop that, Jenny?"

"Of course. I'm being nosy. So, apart from rugby which is a winter thing, what else do you do?"

"Go to concerts, mostly choral, and enjoy riding and walking the family dogs in Wiltshire."

"And your job?"

"Aircraft reinsurance."

"What? Reinsuring them after they've fallen out of the sky?"

Christopher laughed. "No. That's usually a bit late."

"So?"

"Spreading the load for the prime insurers."

"Ah, OK. Doesn't sound a load of fun."

"It's quite interesting actually. I like the people I work with. There are perks with the carriers and the pay's good."

"Ooh! Will you take me on a cheapy romantic trip to the Caribbean?"

"We'll see," Christopher grinned.

She leant against his shoulder and licked her lips lasciviously and then laughed uproariously. Christopher joined her.

"I think I'd better distance myself from you," he said. "You're clearly a danger to nice, innocent and pure-minded men like me."

She looked at him round-eyed. "Me? Never."

They both chuckled comfortably. The ice had been broken.

"You say you work with Sally. I must confess to having no idea what she does."

"We're both in the Ministry of Defence but different departments even though we both work in the Main Building."

"Are you allowed to tell me what?"

"Yes. Sally is one of the minister's secretarial team and I'm much the same for the Head of the Procurement Executive."

"A couple of important ladies."

She smiled at him. "Very so don't you forget it."

"No, Miss Leathwaite. Certainly not Miss Leathwaite."

"Good!"

Christopher glanced at his watch. It had gone eight. "Tomorrow is a working day so I shouldn't keep an important lady up late. How about us both sloping off now and finding a quick bite to eat?"

"Good thinking, Mr Cooper. Do you like Italian?"

"Very much."

"Right. Well there's a good place a couple of hundred yards up the road."

"Off we go!"

They said their goodbyes and left. They had a very good meal and nattered away happily about nothing but they did swap telephone numbers before they set off in different directions for home.