Chapter Six

I returned to the kitchen and located Mabel, who was happily draining the remaining champagne bottle. "I'd forgotten how nice it was," she exclaimed. "I haven't had a drop since my 21st birthday. Are you coming to the pub?" I nodded. "Marvellous! Let me find the girls and we'll all go together." She disappeared into the crowd of people holding cake plates, and returned with Diana and Annie in tow. "Let's go now so we can get seats." It was a fifteen minute walk, and the girls were pleasant company. Diana and Annie had been to the same school in Kent, and signed up together in 1939; Mabel shared an apartment with them. They were aghast when I described my latest run-in with Rochard. "He's the classic killjoy!" crowed Mabel. "He's a social misfit, and he resents anyone who can go and meet people and generally have a good time."

"Well done for challenging him," added Diana. "I don't think I would have had the nerve."

I wasn't reassured. "But what if he thinks I've overstepped the mark?"

Mabel passed me her cigarette. "He has no grounds for complaining; he oversteps the mark all the time, and no one ever says anything."

"But it isn't the same. I'm replaceable, quite clearly. He isn't."

Mabel snorted. "You say he needs stability; I doubt he'd want to disrupt his working routine again by having to train yet another Secretary."

"It's hardly an ideal work situation," rejoined Diana. "Even if he didn't want to get rid of Christine, it can't be nice being bullied all the time."

"Then he'll have to start compromising," said Mabel. "That's my advice, for what it's worth: don't give in. Eventually he'll have to start being more pleasant for the sake of getting his own way." Although her reasoning seemed sound, I doubted whether Rochard would be prepared to change. Routine seemed essential to him, and any deviation from the norm was unacceptable.

"Let's forget about work," I suggested. "Is that The Grasshopper over there?" I was correct, but Mabel's plan of leaving early had failed. The pub was already of people I knew from the office, and the crowd has spilled out onto the pavement. "Diana and I will get the drinks if you find us somewhere to sit," suggested Annie. This task proved difficult, and we ended up sharing a table with three Officers who were accompanying one of their friends on the piano in a lively if off-key Cole Porter song.

"Come on, love!" One of them shouted as he slid his arm around Mabel's shoulders and swaying to the music. "You do something to meee, something that simply mystifies meee…"

"No thanks," said Mabel, not unkindly.

"But it's a classic!"

"I'm tone deaf, sorry."

"So am I!" Aware that he was fighting a losing battle, he turned to me. "Don't tell me you are, too?"

"Afraid so."

"I'm not drunk, you know. Not even tipsy." As if to indicate this, he tipped his half-empty pint glass in my direction. "You see? Perfectly harmless. Wouldn't hurt a fly."

"We believe you," said Mabel drily. "It's just singing isn't really our forte."

"Fancy a dance, then? I bet you're very light on your feet."

Mabel looked incredulous. "There isn't room to swing a cat in here!"

"Yes, yes there is! Next door. What do you say?"

"Maybe later."

"You say that," muttered the Officer, "but you don't mean it." He turned back to the piano, and Mabel winked at me. "Having fun?"

I rolled my eyes. "Of course."

She grinned. "Good." After ten minutes Diana and Annie returned with drinks in hand and accompanied, to my surprise, by Colonel Grey.

"Happy Birthday, Colonel!" Chimed Mabel.

"Thank you. Ladies, I expect at least one dance with all of you tonight. No excuses; it's an order." He stretched out his hand to me. "Come and set the example for your friends, Miss Jones."

I shook my head. "I have two left feet."

"Then you're in luck, because I happen to be an excellent dancer. Let me do all the work." Diana grabbed my arm and coaxed me forward.

"Go and have fun," she insisted. The Colonel took my hand and guided me through the crowd into the next room, where several couples were already dancing. The music was too sentimental for my taste, but at least I could follow the beat. I was surprised to find myself relaxing, and realised it was because I hadn't physically been this close to someone for such a long time. It helped that Grey was such affable company; he was the kind of person who made conversation easy.

"I ought to congratulate you," he said with a wry smile, "for taking my advice to heart."

"For all the good it will do me."

"You might not think so, but you have. Rochard is like a steamroller; he crushes everything in his path and generally resists any external appeals to deviate. But if you can get him to respect you, it's very unlikely that you'll get flattened."

"It's an interesting simile; but I reserve the right to be cynical."

"It's very easy to be cynical with a man like Rochard. Very few people do him the justice of persevering with him."

"Are you one of those people?"

"Yes. We were at Sandhurst together, so I know what I'm talking about. On the other hand it does strike me that we talk more about Rochard then we do about anything else. What do you say to changing the subject?"

"With pleasure!" We moved in slow circles, drifting into empty spaces left by the other couples. Grey was a graceful dancer; I supposed he did most things gracefully. In such close proximity it was easier to study his profile without suspicion. His green eyes and lean jaw; his closely cropped hair, dark blonde. Once or twice I caught him doing the same, and when our eyes met we smiled. I was disappointed when he drew away at the end of the song.

"Thank you for the dance," he said. "I'd quite happily monopolise more of your time, but I seem to be in demand." I turned in the direction of his gaze and saw Mabel standing with a group of Secretaries near the bar.

"You'll be exhausted tomorrow morning."

"I'll take my chances. Don't leave without saying goodbye." He turned away and I went back to find Diana and Annie. The Cole Porter recital was still going strong, and Annie had joined in.

"We bought you a gin and tonic," prompted Diana, pushing the drink toward me.

"Come and sing with me, Di!" Exclaimed Annie, grabbing her hand.

"No thank you," replied Diana. "It's far too amusing watching you trying to sing.". When it got too stuffy inside after a few drinks , we went and sat on the grass verge just as the sun began to go down. I felt happy, and whether it was the alcohol or the company, I wasn't sorry that I had come to Cliveden.