Let's go round again

Chapter Fourteen

As the lift door slid open and he stepped silently into the corridor he tried to make his heart rate slow. This was bloody ridiculous he told himself sharply. What in God's name did he think he was doing getting himself into this state. After all it was just a small reception to celebrate the successful conclusion of the talks in York. Ruth had been happy and enthusiastic about the outcome when she'd called him last night to invite him to join her. It had been on the tip of his tongue to turn her down flat because he didn't know if he could cope with the world of hurt he knew he might be opening himself to. But he'd picked up something in the tone of her voice and by the things that she left unsaid. Something was worrying her and he was determined to get to the bottom of it.

He caught sight of himself in a long mirror that had been placed just by the entrance to the function room; put there no doubt for the benefit of ladies who wished to check their appearance before they entered the room. And despite himself that was just what Harry Pearce found himself doing. He'd spent a long time getting ready, had spent an inordinate amount of time agonising over which tie he should wear feeling like a young boy who was going on a date with a girl he'd had a crush on and who he wanted desperately to impress. Ruth had told him it would be an informal affair but he just couldn't bring himself to dress down, after all she'd not seen him looking smart, suited and booted so to speak since fate had conspired to throw them together and he wanted to show her that he was still...? Well he thought as he looked himself up and down, what was he? The man who looked back at him was not the man he'd imagined himself to be as he sat in the taxi on the way here. The man he was in the taxi was in reasonable shape, did not have a belly that even a beautifully cut Saville Row suit could fully disguise. That man did not have the guilt and the remorse that he carried with him written all over his world weary face. That man was not nearly seventy years old. That man had convinced himself that he had a chance to win Ruth back. But the man who looked back at him, mocking him was not so sure about any of those things and the more he looked at his reflection, the more he thought about those things the more he considered turning round and going home.

Home to the safety of his four walls and a bottle.

But once more fate intervened and the door opened as a tall middle aged man with a head of wild blond hair came bounding out, calling over his shoulder

"Leave it with me my darlings. Uncle Seb will sort it all out for you in no time at all!"

He'd been paying so much attention to his appearance that he failed to move out of the way in time and the man collided with him almost knocking him off his feet. As he fought to stay on his feet and so avoid the humiliation that would surely follow if he had to be picked up off the floor his arm was caught by the man who was all apologies and remorse about the consequences of his action.

"Oh I am so sorry" he said as they both regained their balance and composure. "That's me all over. Never concentrating when I should. Are you okay. You look okay to me. Very smart if I may say so, you'll show up some of the scruffs in there I can tell you. Why don't people make the effort any more? Well can't stand here chatting with you all night. I'm a man on a mission. In you go and I'll catch up with you later."

And with that Harry found himself pushed through the door and into the room. As his eyes darted around looking for Ruth he could see what the unknown man had been talking about; the majority of the men in the room were wearing casual clothes, most of them were in jeans and he hadn't spotted another tie anywhere. Thank God I didn't opt for a three piece suit he thought as his hand fluttered up to the golden tie that he'd thought would be a good idea.

What to do? Silently leave the room and hope that he hadn't been spotted or to hell with all of them and continue further into the party so that he could find Ruth. It was then that he saw her. She was in a corner away from most of the crowd, she looked stunning in a navy polka dot knee length sleeveless dress that hugged her figure in all the right places but she was not alone. A tall man with dark hair was talking to her, his face much to close to hers. His whole body much to close to hers for his liking and he felt a jolt of jealousy and resentment coursing through his body. Was this why she'd wanted him to attend tonight? So that she could show him that she didn't want or need him. To show him that she was more than capable of attracting male attention. That she was not the one who was old, lonely and alone. His hands once more fluttered up to touch the ridiculous gold tie that he'd worn for her and he turned to leave her and the man to enjoy one another when he heard her calling to him.

The man turned as Ruth pushed past him and hurried across the room towards him. He took in the image of a tall well built man in his late thirties. His hair was dark and thick and as the man advanced towards him Harry couldn't help but notice his piercing green eyes. He didn't look happy to be disturbed and Harry was sure that he had meet an adversary before they had even been introduced.

His attention was diverted from the man as Ruth stepped into his arms causing him to instinctively pull her into a close embrace. As she leant into him, her lips close to his ear. "Please Harry" she whispered "I'll explain later." She stepped back and kissed his lips quickly before she said out loud "You're late Harry, I was starting to think you weren't coming. Here let me introduce you to everyone starting with Gary. And she gestured towards the man who was looking him up and down as though he was a specimen on a dissecting table.

They chatted to one another, accepted a drink from a waiter who was moving through the crowd and the two men sized each other up rather like a couple of stags during rutting. Ruth seemed not to notice or was doing a very good job of pretending not to notice the tension in the air as she praised Gary and his support for the project they were working on explaining that it was because of his financial help that they were able to carry on with the important work. Harry listened with feigned interest, taking the opportunity to wind his arm around Ruth's waist pulling her closer to him in a gesture of possession.

The uneasy conversation continued in fits and starts until the man that Harry now knew was Seb called Ruth over to another group standing near by. She had barely stepped away from them before the younger man looked him up and down the merest trace of a sneer playing on his lips "You're a lot, lot older than I imagined". The insult was there as plain as day in every syllable. "What can she be thinking of?" Harry was fully aware that the question was purely rhetorical but he couldn't help himself "I think you'll find that she's thinking of me" and then he added for good measure "All of the time".

The man snorted in disgust and stepping forward he leant in closer a false smile plastered all over his handsome oh so perfect face. "Well old man be prepared for all that to change. I want her and I always, always get just what I want." Keeping his voice low and without a flicker of emotion crossing his face Harry replied carefully "Bring it on! Isn't that what you Americans say?" The words were all said in a calm benign manner except that he'd somehow managed to make the word Americans seem like the ultimate insult.

Any further interaction between them was brought to a sudden halt when Ruth reappeared at Harry's shoulder. She could sense the tension in the air and her conscience definitely pricked her as she began to question the wisdom of her decision to cast Harry as her other half.