Chapter 9

Jack

My business in Turkey was finished on the Monday afternoon. Representatives of two mills had visited me at my hotel and showed me samples of their current production and their library of designs. The first arrived at eight in the morning and the other at twelve. I could not fault the quality, nor their prices which I knew would please my customers in the U.K. However their designs and colourings reflected their ethnicity and would be difficult to sell in a northern European market. They were very interested in getting a slice of our market and assured me they would do everything they could to come up with designs and colours that would suit the market I worked in. That was good for me and I looked forward to seeing what they could do. I mentioned to both my visitors of my conversation with the other mill who had not continued my contact. The expressions that they showed spoke volumes. Their comments were also similar. Do not deal with these people, they promise the world but rarely do their promises become reality. Was that truth or commercial rivalry? Before they left we signed letters of intent for me to represent them in the U.K.

Before I left Istanbul I telephone the Turkish Commercial Bureau, and eventually spoke to someone who had English. He confirmed my contacts opinion. When I arrived home I would be having a rather heated conversation with the people in the Department of Trade, who had suggested that I contact that particular mill. Their information was sadly unreliable. I landed at East Midlands airport and having retrieved my luggage and car drove home to Hulland Ward. It was good to be home and breathe the cool air of Derbyshire. The first thing I met when I went upstairs to pack was a pair of very frilly, very minimal, lilac panties laying on my bed. Cate had used my post-it note pad, leaving a message for me. 'Next time I shall wear them and you can take them off'. Having just delighted in the cool air, I was very warm again.

As my trip to Turkey had been far more abbreviated than I thought I had some free time for the remainder of the week. Having made certain that I would have the samples of new product from the mills in northern France and Belgium I could now start making appointments to show the new designs to my customers. This took very little time as they were as keen to see the designs as I was to show them. My travels around England were starting again. On Thursday I picked up Ellie from Derby station. She started talking about her time spent with Cate in London the moment she got in the car and didn't stop until we got back to the cottage, when she asked. "Are you serious about Cate, Dad?"

I had been thinking about this for some time now and really my answer should be yes. But I really needed to know how Cate felt. We had bantered about our relationship, but I was not someone who could get into and out of a relationship at the drop of a hat. I equivocated by replying to Ellie. "I am very fond of her."

I could tell by Ellie's expression that this was not enough for her, but thankfully she did not press me on this point. However I was certain that she would re-visit the topic later. Ellie was a woman after all! I was right. Later that evening she was telling me how she was accosted by some Hooray-Henry after she had gone out to a club. "This idiot jumped into the taxi I had flagged just after I had got in. He coolly told the cabbie to take the young lady to wherever she wanted and then said he could take him on to where he wanted to go. He turned to me and said that he would pay the fare and was sure that I wouldn't mind. Dad I was flabbergasted. The cabbie had started away so I sat there clutching my handbag as if it were the crown jewels. This floppy-haired chancer was chatting away as if this was nothing extraordinary. We got to the block of flats where Cate lived and he got out of the cab after me. I asked him what he was doing and he said that as he was paying my fare the least I could do was to invite him up for a while. Suddenly Paul the porter was there. Cate had introduced me to Paul when we first got there. He asked me if I was alright and did I need any help. The Hooray-Henry answered before I could and said that I had invited him in. Paul looked at me and I shook my head telling him that I hadn't. Paul seemed to be about six foot six and from that height he glowered down at the Hooray-Henry and told him to leave 'NOW'. The Henry went white jumped straight back into the cab and off it went. I hope he had a big fare to pay."

I was smiling at her story although I was a little concerned that she took such a chance. Ellie went on. "Do you know about Paul. Dad?"

"Cate did say once that he is intimidating."

"Intimidating? Dad he's built like the proverbial brick s..."

"Ellie!"

"Sorry dad, but you know what I meant. He's huge. An ex-sergeant in the Royal Marines and he can give you a look that would stop cows giving milk. The Hooray-Henry would have lost his ardour after the look that Paul gave him."

"Well I am pleased that he did, but Ellie you shouldn't have gone out to a club on your own."

"I didn't dad. Jacqui, one of the other students at Durham lives in London and I had phoned her when Cate invited me down for a few days. She phoned and asked if we could get together at this club. She hooked up with this bloke whilst we were there so I decided to go back to Cate's when she disappeared with him. Anyway Cate is much better company than Jacqui." She paused for a moment and I knew she was going to return to her conversation of earlier. "I really like her, dad. It would be great if you and she got together. It's not as if I want a step-mother, but she is so much more attuned to my ideas and likes than mum or Roger. Beside that you have been on your own for too long. I worry about you, dad. I want to see you happy and with someone who loves you as much as I do. Cate does love you, you know."

"You deduce that from what four or five days with her?"

"I don't have to deduce that. Cate as good as told me."

Now that startled me. Putting aside that my daughter, like many women will read far more into things people say that was actually intended. I doubted that Cate would have said such as plainly as Ellie suggested. I decided that I needed to put a cap on this train of thought. "Ellie. Whatever happens between Cate and me, let us make the decisions. I'm saying that I am really fond of Cate, and we could become a couple if we both feel that way. However that is our decision to make in time when we feel it is right. Your eloquence will not persuade me one way or the other."

"You're right, dad. I shouldn't interfere. Just make sure you make the right decision."

"I suppose that the right decision is the one you advocate?"

"Of course, dad." She smiled sweetly at me.

Cate

Ellie was fun and the expression on her face when I left those panties on Jack's bed was priceless. She picked them up and looked at the label. "Bloody hell. Agent Provocateur, they cost a fortune and you're leaving them here?"

I smiled. "Just a little message for your dad."

Ellie replaced the panties saying. "That's not a little message, it's a come and get me and take me to bed message"

"Exactly!" I rejoined.