Page 24 of Wife After Wife

“I’ll be waiting, Harry.”

Since then, Merry had arranged to spend as much time in London as possible. On their second afternoon together, Harry had suggested they jointly lease a London pad, ostensibly for her regular trips to town for McCarey’s board meetings. They’d found a flat in South Kensington, and Harry became adept at inventing two-hour meetings during which he was uncontactable.

Although, the mobile phone he now owned was making life difficult. He got around the problem by telling his secretary it was too heavy to carry—the thing was the size and weight of a brick—and by claiming he’d bought it mainly for research purposes, which was true. Harry thought mobile phones might be something for Rose to expand into in the future, if they ever properly took off.

Merry was like a living embodiment of Harry’s fantasies. Everything about her was curvy, soft, seductive. He wanted to eat her. She did things to him that made him lose all control, took him to a place he hadn’t even known existed.

Charles had guessed what was going on immediately. They’d been sitting on the terrace at the Hurlingham Club, sipping drinks after their usual midweek game of tennis, the gentlethockof tennis balls carrying through the warm evening air.

“What about old Gay Gordon, then?” said Charles. “Would youcredit it? The guy who’s never wanted to shag a woman ends up with the woman every guy wants to shag.”

Harry knew his friend too well. He was digging.

“Indeed. Gorgeous.”

“She liked you.”

“Yup, she was friendly.”

“Liked youa lot, I think. Lucky sod. Would you, Harry?”

“I’m committed to Katie.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“Well,” said Harry, “would you?”

“Resistance would be futile. It would be like saying no to Marilyn Monroe.”

It was as if Charles were giving him permission. Harry had sighed. “Look, Charles. I don’t want to hurt Katie. I do still love her.”

“But back to Merry?”

“Yes, Merry. We’re putting her and Will inHooray!There’s a photo shoot up in Scotland in a couple of weeks. So I’ve been in touch with her, yes.”

“And? Look, Harry. You’re like my kid brother. Don’t hide important stuff from me. You might need my advice on this.”

“Ah. So you’re not just wanting to know what she’s like in bed, then?”

In spite of his knowing questions, Charles had been taken aback. Also, it had to be said, he looked uncomfortable. And definitely jealous.

“Bugger me, Harry. That was quick work.”

“Merry doesn’t muck about. She lured me to her hotel room two days after the wedding, to ‘talk about the shoot.’” He made quotation marks in the air.

“And you didn’t think to suggest lunch at a restaurant instead?”

“Not really, to be honest. Look, I’ve been faithful to Katie since we moved to Hampton Court. But she’s got her own life; it’s all about Maria, and the church, and her counseling training. We’re the proverbialships in the night. I need more than that. Merry’s made me realize I’ve been sleepwalking through life recently. She’s made me feel alive again.”

“You’ll be telling me your wife doesn’t understand you next.”

“We’ve both gone into this with our eyes open. I’m not leaving Katie. Merry’s not leaving Will. It’s just for fun. We enjoy each other’s company, but she’s not remotely interested in the same things as me. It’ll probably fizzle out, but in the meantime—god, I’m going to enjoy every bloody minute of it.”

Charles laughed. “Message understood.” Then his face turned serious. “But for Chrissake, be discreet, Harry. I’d hate for Katie to get hurt again. And Cassandra mustn’t know. Those two are thick as thieves.”

“Discretion will be my middle name.”

They raised a glass to brotherliness.