Chapter 12

Soho, London

L'Escargot Restaurant, 9pm

The elegant small French restaurant gave an air of French countryside with its light yellow walls, the big round mahogany wood chandeliers and the thick wooden tables dressed with crisp white tablecloths. Candy and Archie were sharing a quiet dinner, having finished their main course by that time.

"They say that French serve small portions, but I am stuffed Candy!", Archie exclaimed and let himself drop on the back of the chair.

Candy chuckled to his remark.

"No dessert for you then, hmm?", she teased him while looking at the dessert menu.

Archie stretched his arm to pick up the dessert menu. He glanced at it for a minute and put it down.

"As appetising the desserts sound, I'll just order a coffee", he said "And if I feel like having a bite, I'll take a bit from yours", he returned her teasing and smiled.

"Who says that I'll share?", Candy asked him.

"Don't tell me, you'll refuse a bite to your dear cousin - the one you haven't seen for God knows how long?", he replied with a mocking sweet look in his eyes.

Candy started laughing.

"Ok, ok, you win. The way you put it, my heart bleeds to refuse you a bite Archie!", she said in between her laughter acting like clutching her heart.

They ordered and soon after they were stirring their coffees while sharing a piece of lemon meringue pie.

"So...things aren't going too well with Annie...", Candy said picking up the conversation from where they had left it earlier.

"Unfortunate as it is, no, Candy...and it doesn't feel good saying that for your best friend", he said, his stare turning sad and thoughtful.

Candy didn't speak. On her face, lit by the soft glow of the small iron lantern placed on their table, he could see the guilt flickering inside her eyes and felt a squeeze in his heart. He took her hand in his.

"You shouldn't feel guilty, Candy. If anyone is wrong here, it's me...I should have said something...but I never did...", he said keeping his eyes in hers.

"Have you thought of what now? What are you going to do? And if I can help in any way...", Candy said back to him sounding really compassionate.

Archie left her hand and fell back to his chair once more, letting a deep breath out.

"No...haven't got a clue...that's why I felt so elated to travel here. You being here made it even more wonderful", he said and broke to a smile that was tainted with bitterness.

"Don't worry Archie...relationships have a way to work out for better or for worse...you'll see", Candy replied to him, trying to comfort him in any way she could.

"I know, I know...", he said while stirring his coffee with his mind travelling elsewhere for a few seconds.

He stopped and placed the teaspoon on the side before pulling his stare back up to her.

"Enough of my troubles though...you said that you're seeing someone...", he said, his voice turning back to sounding excited.

"Yes, he's a painter Archie, and his name is Christian. You'll meet him tomorrow. He was invited to a dinner by his mentor tonight so unfortunately he wasn't able to join us", she said with a sparkle in her eyes.

To the sound of another "artist" in Candy's life, Archie frowned almost on the spot.

"Cannot say I'm not happy that you're back to dating Candy, but another artist...?", he criticised her knowing that he sounded a bit disapproving.

In truth though, he worried. He remembered her story with Grandchester very well. He kept tabs with his life from time to time but he never tried to contact him. Why would he? Archie had kept a grudge over what happened and how Terry had handled the whole thing. Susanna being a secret, only for Candy to find out with the worst possible way. And for that Archie had a hard time to feel sympathy for him.

"Archie..", he heard Candy's voice wanting him not to go any further.

"I'm sorry for telling you this but you'll always hear my true opinion. These people are unpredictable Candy. They are very well known and there are fans who chase them...why this Christian guy be any different?", Archie let his worries spill all out.

"You've hurt yourself once with such a case...", he said avoiding to mention Terry's name though. It would be too much to open such a discussion on their first night together after such a long time.

Candy kept silent. He could see her eyes looking determined to stand by her choices. And for that at least, he admired her, because he was certain that she knew all that he told her. She pulled her eyes up and looked at him.

"Remember at the station I told you that some things have changed Archie?", she replied slowly with a question.

"Yes I do. I wanted to ask you back then...", he answered.

"It's me who had changed Archie...and you may disapprove but I've decided for some time now to live my life the way I see fit, not thinking about the future and just enjoying the present...so for now Christian fits just great in my life", she concluded while she kept looking at him.

"For now?", Archie repeated.

"Yes! I'm having fun and I don't have expectation of the future. I don't see roses and petals, I don't see weddings and families, if that's what worrying you. So I'm keeping things simple Archie. We're having a great time but I'm not committed to anything and anyone, OK?"

Archie felt like his mouth was hanging open. Candy's words hit his ears like a punch full of surprise and unexpectedness.

"Oh my...if that isn't forward for you Candy, I don't know what is. Haven't heard many women saying that"

"So is it...lust...then?", he dared her with his question.

Candy felt her cheeks blushing a bit and lowered her eyes.

"You could say that too...yes...but it's a little more than that Archie...it is not sex all the time", Candy said with a low voice.

He still couldn't believe what he was hearing. Candy talking about sex out in the open, without wanting to commit to a proper relationship...he didn't know how to feel. Maybe that Christian fellow was a formidable manipulator of women who carried emotional baggage. He felt the blood rushing to his temples and tried to suppress this dangerous thought by choosing to give him the benefit of a doubt, until he could meet with him whenever the opportunity would come.

For it wasn't something he had heard from a woman often, if not at all. Of course things had changed. The dark veil of the Great War had just lifted. Exhilaration was in the air, social conventions had become more open, daring, people were really starting to have fun. One could have described it as a mass reaction to the nightmares only a war could have produced. And them? They were all older. Not teenage, shy, not-knowing-what-to do-how-to-behave youngsters any more. Candy had all the excuses to take the route she wanted to take...would he judge her? Understanding her point was hitting against all those strict upper class principles he had grown up with. Those same principles kept him chained to a loveless marriage with a woman who was besotted with him from the first day they met. Could he ignore those principles which he could see that sometimes were harming more than actually doing anyone any favours?

Candy could see his struggle to accept her convictions. She felt grateful because she could see that her cousin hadn't jumped the moral wagon from the start. She knew it would be difficult to accept her as an open minded modern woman living her life in her own terms, in a society that only now had started to shake off the grips of a stifling social etiquette. She felt a bit sorry for Archie. She had thrown to him all those things and it would need a bit of thinking from his part to digest them. She took a deep breath.

"One last thing...", she said, sounding hesitant since she didn't want to overburden Archie with this new Candy conversation.

He looked at her, looking puzzled.

"My name is Rose...White"

His stare widened with surprise. "What?", he replied, "Why?"

"It's a long story, and we've already said a lot of thing tonight my dear cousin"

She took a deep breath before wrapping up her revelations for the night.

"I haven't gone mad so not to worry about that...it is just that...", she started with a slow voice, trying to put the words right, "Once I set my foot in London, having decided to shed my old life...it just came to me natural to use another name"

"It also made Albert feel close to me..."

"Kind of following his example when he lived here under a second identity"

Archie was listening with care. The moment Albert's name left her lips, they crossed their stares. The wounds from his passing hadn't entirely closed yet. Both felts tears shimmering in their eyes.

"I understand Candy...there is no need...", he said back.

"Shall we call it a night? You've got an early start tomorrow morning, to visit the offices of the Ardley London branch", she asked him with a caring sound in her voice, clearing her throat, as if wanting to lift the dark thoughts from their minds.

Archie chuckled inside, feeling the irony. He knew he had to wake up early the next day. He didn't know how he could sleep with all these news from Candy. He felt he had a lot of thinking to do. But he would do that in his own private time...and maybe if he was lucky, he would fall asleep at some point surely. The tiredness from his travels would see to that...at least he hoped it would. He nodded, agreeing to her suggestion. Candy put her arm through Archie's on their way out, glancing at his quiet face. Once they were on the pavement, she turned to him.

"Can you do me a favour dear cousin?"

"What is it...Rose...? Tell me"

She placed two fingers on either side of his cheeks and curled his lips up to a smile.

"Chill please! Will you do that for me Archie?", she said and smiled, "It is not that the sun has seized to exist, OK?", she said and smiled.

They stood looking at each other for a few seconds before bursting to laughter.

"You're right darling! Some things haven't changed on you. You can make me smile in any way possible!", he said.

They went into her little "tortoise" as Archie had decided to nickname her car and took the rood back to the Savoy, still, despite their conversation, feeling the happiness of their reunion flying in the night air.

Covent Garden

At the Rules restaurant, 11pm

The dinner with Sir Robert and his friends had digressed to a continuous drinking of wine, glass after glass, by what many beetroot red faces and glazed eyes were revealing. They were all having a great time. Christian was making sure of that by taking care to refill any empty glasses the moment he spotted them. In particular, the one glass in front of the beautiful brunette sitting next to him. She had made quite clear from the beginning of the dinner, her fondness for him. Ss the night was wearing off, helped by the amounts of wine consumed, her hints and remarks had become bolder and brassier. Sir Robert tried to help Christian by pulling his attention to the exhibition.

"So my lad...are you all working full speed for your exhibition?", he asked him.

Christian looked at Sir Robert, grateful, for offering him a break from the pressure the drunken woman next to him was putting him under.

"Of course, Sir Robert...I keep on my schedule!", he replied, moving closer to the old man.

"And I thank you most of all for organising everything, given the unfortunate circumstances of my previous booking...", he added. Christian had already let sir Robert know of the shenanigans of the gallery owner and his painter girlfriend which had cost him the postponement of his initial exhibition.

"Ohh! Not to mention it lad! You know of my opinion and I thought it was about time for your first proper break. I'm delighted I could lend a helping hand here!", he replied to Christian's appreciative words, while turning the sides of his thick moustache giving him a heavy laugh.

"Well, let's say I'm also glad you could", Christian replied.

He took out his pocket watch. It was late and he had to go. He felt a hand brushing his knee. He turned to his left, only to see the playful shameless stare of Louise Becket, the young wealthy woman that was hitting on him all night long. She wanted to see his reaction to her hidden caress. He smiled knowingly to her, his eyes sparkling with mischievousness. His mentor noticed that and cleared his throat, breaking the eye contact between them two.

"I think that Miss Becket needs to get home...", sir Robert said with a hint of disapproval for her manners.

"You took the words out off my mouth Sir Robert", Christian said.

He stood up and said his goodnights to the table before turning back to sir Witt.

"I will escort Miss Becket home, if you'll permit me, since I'm leaving you too. I have an early start in my studio tomorrow morning"

Sir Robert pulled him down from the edge of his shirt sleeve.

"I trust you will behave Christian...I would hate to hear you've done something to hurt that delightful companion of yours...Miss White", he whispered as a warning to him.

"But of course Sir Robert! I would not think otherwise...please trust me on that", Christian answered.

He turned to the woman who was still sitting on her chair and put her mink cap on her shoulders.

"Miss Becket will you do me the honour of escorting you home? It is very late for a woman to wander alone in London", he said with a formal voice.

To the sound of his proposition, her eyes lit up. She got up in an instant, holding him in order to find her balance. She, on her turn, said goodnight to everyone on the table that were looking bemused with the spectacle she was offering. Christian took her arm under his and both walked out of the restaurant.

The night was fresh and he welcomed the cool breeze in his face. Despite everyone drinking, he had remained discretely sober. He turned and looked at the woman clinging on his arm, batting the eyelashes of her bedroom eyes to him. He smiled. His finger traced her jaw, pulled it up, and looked straight into those eyes full of promises for everything.

"My place then...?", she slurred her words, sounding provocative.

Christian's hand slid down her back, caressed her spine and felt the shivers of her body.

"I thought you'd never ask...", his words came out slow sounding all delicious and wicked in her ears.

She tiptoed and whispered back to him.

"Was waiting for you all night..."

Christian spotted an empty taxi, they went in and sped into the night.

27th of April 1925

Camden Town

It was the evening of a quite long day but Candy didn't feel tired. The opposite in fact. She felt full of beans. And why wouldn't she?, she thought to herself while applying her makeup in front of the dresser mirror in her bedroom. Having Archie with her for the next six months provided the last and, more than so, special addition to the string of good stuff happening in her life lately. She had a final look at herself. Approving of her reflection, she opened her wardrobe, being still in her knickers and stockings . She pulled out a sparkling green blue Charleston dress with golden details in which she slipped into.

"Granted", she thought, while sitting down to wear her gold Mary-janes, "She may not have lived conventionally in the sense of having a husband and a family by twenty-four, and all she worked at was as a volunteer at the Good Samaritans", her train of thoughts continued to steam ahead as she got back up again. She sat down in front of her dresser one last time to put a diamante hair band over her straightened hair.

"Quite far off from her purpose in life she had chosen at the college, once Terry had left her to follow his own path", she continued in her mind. "Did she need a purpose in life?", she wondered, as she spritzed perfume on her wrists and behind her earlobes. "Guess she did...but right now she wasn't in any rush to find that out", she admitted to herself. She looked around for her purse. "If nursing was her purpose in life then she was certain she would return to it sooner or later...she had missed it a bit, if she was to be honest with herself", she thought while she heard the doorbell ringing. She wore her black crushed velvet knee length coat. Purse in hand she glanced once more in the mirror and smiled.

"As for a family...well...maybe it wasn't her fate for that...and right now it didn't matter on bit...hand on heart, she felt content" was her last thought before she switched off the lights and opened the door where Christian, dressed in a sharp black evening suit, looking most dapper, appeared in front of her and entered her mind.

The Strand, Savoy Hotel

9pm at Archie's suite

Evening...behind one of the tall, wide windows of his hotel luxury suite, he was standing, with his stare wandering through the bright lights and the nightly commotion on the streets of London. People and cars were going their way, each to their own destination. For Archie, it would be a night of dancing at a tango club. Carlos Gardel, the famous singer of tangos, was rumoured of making an appearance with his band there, while he spent a few nights in London, singing at the Albert Hall. It should be nice, he was thinking, while trying to bring in his mind, the last time he and Annie went out just for the sake of it, to let their hair down. For them it would be mostly social engagements, charity balls, events organised from the company in order to drum up business.

He turned around and walked towards the sofa, a glass of whiskey with ice at hand. He glanced at the huge regal mirror hanging above the fireplace. His fingers went through his blond hair, pushing them out from his face. He had let his self himself go. His hair had grown longer than it should be. He should cut them, one of these days, he thought the moment he had a sip from his drink and sat down at the sofa, while he waited for Candy and Christian to pick him up.

The day had gone well so far. He was pleased by what he saw at the Ardley London offices. If nothing else, they had hired competent people to staff their business. He had George to thank for that. That man had his eye and ear to almost everything involving the Ardley "empire". "Empire...", he repeated in his mind and chuckled. There was nothing signalling "empire" to him. It was more like hard and continuous work what he had in mind. Sometimes he questioned whether he suited such a pace of life but he soldiered on. Archie might have had his reservations about being one of the heads of the business, but it was true. A few successful moves, some wise decisions and things were booming.

He tilted his glass from one side to the other, hearing the amber tainted ice cubes clinking within the heavy glass walls. He wondered what Annie was doing right at that moment. It should have been afternoon in Chicago. He hoped she would take the opportunity to enjoy herself a bit without him being there too. He let a deep breath out. Who was he kidding? Annie would just spend her time worrying, sulking, because he had stayed firm on his decision of doing this journey on his own. Well, now he was in London alone, and there was nothing he or Annie could do about it, so he wished that she should come to terms with it sooner rather than later.

He had another sip from his whiskey and put his glass down. He fixed the knot of his black silk tie and glanced to the clock on the fireplace. Quarter past nine...Candy and her companion would soon be there. After last night's chat with Candy, he had decided not to swarm his head with worry. He was very curious to meet Christian; that was to be said. But he would stay on the sides observing...He had plenty of time to come to a decision whether this guy was good for his beloved cousin. He couldn't deny that Candy looked just great, however unconventional were her thoughts, and there wasn't anything in her eyes revealing she was still hurting from her past with Terry. If she needed a light titillating affair to take her mind off completely from that damn actor, then so be it. If by any chance Christian did something untoward to Candy, he would have to answer to Archie. Of that he was certain.

His eyes fell on the folded newspaper. Now, there was something he wanted to warn Candy about. Reading the local headlines that morning, it seemed that a modern "Robin Hood" was on the loose. Some Lord Valentine's mansion was burgled the night before. Candy was not living in such luxury, but nevertheless, it made him nervous to think of her going out at nights with some dangerous delinquent roaming the streets of the city. Who knew if Christian would be able to defend her if something bad happened.

The phone rang. They were there. Archie notified the desk clerk to let them come up to his room. He finished his drink and went to the door as soon as he heard the knock on the other side.