Let's go round again?
Chapter Sixteen
Quite a lot of dialogue and back story in this and not a lot of action, sorry about that but it's just the way it wrote itself.
Walking along the corridor that led back to the party her eye was caught by an arrangement of pictures showing old London. Stopping to look at them something she'd read popped into her head, something about human beings being the only animals who looked over their shoulders as though the past was calling to them. A past that some of them would like to go back and change.
Was she one of those people?
Would she like to go back and change things? Of course she would. Thinking back she realised that she'd ignored so many chances with Harry. She'd been a fool; never brave enough to take what he had offered, was still offering? After years of self examination and self flagellation she could pinpoint all of the missed chances with heart wrenching accuracy. She should have gone on a second date with Harry. She should have responded to him in the corridor at Havensworth. She should have stayed with him after his heart breaking confrontation with Ros.
The list was endless. Maybe Mace would still have come after her but Harry would have been in a better position to protect her. And maybe she wouldn't have gone into exile, she wouldn't have meet George and caused his death...A tear ran down her cheek as she thought of George and the waste of his life and of course Nico, she had loved that little boy with a love that was pure and true and she knew that he had loved her before her actions and reactions had snatched his father away from him. She thought about him often and the pain she had caused him and his family because of her selfish need to be "normal". She would always have to live with the wrong that she'd done that wonderful boy. Those things she couldn't do anything about but her relationship with Harry?
Did Harry have regrets? Of course he did, he was made of regret, secrets, guilt and worst of all the self knowledge that if he could go back he would most probably do the same things again. How dreadful that must be she thought knowing that your sense of duty and obligation had smothered and subjugated all the finer feelings you might have once had. And to have to get up every day and face that fact must be a living hell. Could she, should she help him with his burden?
Did she have the courage, strength, the resolve to attempt it? Did she have the love?
She slipped back into the function room her eyes scanning the room for Harry. She spotted him across the room but he was not alone, it seemed that Julie hadn't been joking about her intentions, she was standing very close to Harry smiling at him like a Cheshire cat. Bloody Hell! thought Ruth if she were any closer to him she'd be stood behind him! Even as she watched fascinated she found her feet taking her to "hide" behind one of the many large potted palms that were placed around the room. Why she didn't just go up to the pair and break up the cosy little scene she didn't know. Or maybe said a small voice she just needed to know if she could trust him? Needed to know if he would succumb to the blandishments of a woman like Julie; a woman who at one time would have been very much Harry's type. She could feel her hands ball into fists as she watched Julie flirt, flatter and vamp with a confidence that Ruth would never have..
Harry Pearce had never felt quite so trapped. Not even when he'd been kidnapped and thrown into the boots of fast moving cars had he felt so uncomfortable. Who was this woman? She had appeared seemingly out of the blue and attached herself to his side like a sodding limpet. She kept touching his arm as she spoke, nudging him with her shoulder as she made some "witty" remark. Asking him personal questions, giving him information about herself that he didn't need or want to hear. the other people who had been in their little group seemed have drifted away and he wondered if it was because they thought the couple wanted to be alone together or if they also felt embarrassed by the way the conversation was going.
Ignoring the latest fawning words that the woman was uttering he looked over her shoulder desperately searching for his saviour. Where was she?
Ruth felt his hot breath on her neck as he stepped up behind her, not speaking he placed a glass in her hand. Ruth sniffed it. Brandy, well why not! Gary watched with satisfaction as she downed it in one before he picked up a his glass from the small side table behind him. "What are they doing?" he asked in a conversational manner "Really you would have thought they'd take behaviour like that to a more private place wouldn't you? Mind you I don't entirely blame him. I've been on the receiving end of a charm offence by that woman. I can tell you from experience that it's hard to resist. So please don't blame him. Flattery and attention like that can be very seductive".
He waited a heart beat to see if his words would elicit a response, when it didn't he moved closer and whispered in her ear "Do you want to know why I wasn't in the slightest bit interested Ruth? Well I'll tell you. The reason was you."
If he'd expected any encouragement from the object of his attentions he was sadly disappointed. Ruth was still staring across the room, lost in her own little world. "Ruth, Ruth" he chided, trying to attract her attention; just a small note of irritation creeping into his voice. He was not used to having to work so hard in his relationships after all he had always been The Golden Child
The only child of a wealthy man, his mother had died when he was very young and his father never re-married opting instead to lavish all his love and spare time into his relationship with his son. Gary had easily lived up to his title; he'd grown up an intelligent, caring handsome youth and then man. Of course he'd had his share of headlines, some good some bad as he dabbled in things best left alone. He'd done some things he was now ashamed of, he'd married in lust,fathered two children in quick succession and then just as quickly divorced.
After the end of his short lived marriage he had thrown himself into trying to be the son his father deserved, a task he found he relished. He was no longer seen on the red carpet, he didn't attend smart parties in Hollywood, New York or Washington but that hadn't stopped the gossip columns trying to link him with every available single women that he came into contact with. And although he'd played the field after his divorce he'd never found a woman who he was drawn to the way he was drawn to Ruth. He'd felt that attraction since the moment they'd been introduced. She was very attractive in a subtle way, a way he was sure she didn't realise. It didn't bother him that she was older than him and he didn't kid himself that he was madly in love with her, he wasn't sure if he was capable of that kind of love but he did desire her physically and he found her stimulating and lively company. She would be a very different trophy wife; one he would be proud to have on his arm and she had a kindness about her that he knew his children would respond to.
Up to now all his attempts to woe her had been rebuffed with at first humour and when he'd become more focused and insistent she'd become quite angry with him before she'd told him she was in a long term relationship. He'd been concerned that she was out of his reach, that he was beaten until tonight and meeting the old man. He'd almost laughed in his face when they'd been introduced. He could not believe that Ruth was involved with such a man, a weary man, a man who looked as though he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. There didn't seem to be one ounce of joy and laughter anywhere within him. And the way he looked at Ruth was pathetic!It was as though she was his salvation, his last chance and Gary had decided to make it his mission to save her from the life of disappointment that this wretched excuse for a man was giving her.
"I'd ignore him Ruth" he carried on "He's obviously not bothered about you. He seems to be getting on very well with Julie don't you think? He's a flirt Ruth. Bet he's been married before and his track record with women doesn't bear close scrutiny". He could tell that something he'd said had hit home so he decided to press his case. "Forget him Ruth. Give me a chance to prove to you that I'm sincere. . You've told me that you'd like to see America, come with me and I'll show you all you want to see and more."
Once again his words were meet with silence but he knew he had finally made her think "Come with me" he urged. "Come out onto the terrace and we can talk." As he spoke he took her arm and led her through the French doors and out into the warm night air.
Don't know about this but the more I mess with it the less I like it!
Just a quick word of thanks to everyone who is reading this tale, and especial thanks to those of you who have left reviews and P.M.d me.