by Alisa Grey
CHAPTER 27
IN PARIS
When we got to Paris, we found that the city was packed with artists: writers, philosophers, painters.
It was the belle époque. Factories were selling weapons, tension was in the air and politics was a crucial matter. But still, creativity and art were at their best.
Paris was the ville lumière, a city packed with marvellous buildings and rich gentlemen. They used to go hunting, to entertain and to support art.
It was altogether beautiful and fashionable. Mr Jackson turned out to be quite right: night life was pretty chaotic there. Cinemas, electricty, science... I was stuck.
Keir’s plan was pretty simple: we should go to the casino and meet with the upper class. We needed to catch people’s attention.
I was unsure whether this was a good idea or not. I had barely had a life in society, back in London, and I didn’t know if I could manage all that. He seemed to be quite sure, so I accepted anyway.
We used to fight a lot. He didn’t like the way I dressed. We had been shopping, but I had spent many years looking after the kids, so I had been completely unable to choose something appropriate. On the contrary, he was always perfectly dressed and young women seemed to notice him. I had picked flashy outfits, in the hope that they would catch people’s attention. On our first night, I wore a black dress that showed my cleavage. I didn’t do anything with my hair, it just fell in smooth curls over my shoulders.
«I won’t go out with you, unless you dress differently».
«I won’t change my outfit».
I knew I looked good. He was just not used to see me like that. We went out and many men tried to approach me. Keir didn’t appreciate it.
He was handsome, so many girls were always trying to catch his attention. He just didn’t seem to care about them.
«Mr Anderson! It is so nice to meet you here. You’re not alone...»
A French waitress had approached us.
«She’s my wife, actually», Keir replied.
«Of course she is. May I bring you anything?»
«Perhaps a bottle of champagne», he said kissing my hand.
She left.
«Anderson, then?»
He turned pink.
«That’s the way you get in touch with people, nowadays. And I don’t have fun, when I’m on a mission... just in case you are wondering».
I smiled at him. I knew what he was referring to.
«Claire... did you just hear me? Will you marry me?»
I turned pale.
«How can you ask such a thing in such a moment?»
He kissed my hand. «Eventually».
«I shall have to think about that».
«Well, then do it. Think about it. I want to marry you».
I looked at him.
«I want it to be a proper marriage».
«So what? Are you planning on killing Alex?»
He kissed me pasionately.
«No. You’ll ask him for a divorce. It is high time you did this».
I was taken aback.
«You mean I shall meet him? Have you gone insane? I can’t just drop by his house and ask him for a divorce after all these years».
He shook his head.
«You can keep hiding. That’s what I’m saying».
«Why? Because you want to marry me properly?»
«Yes. I have been taking care of you. I can do this forever».
Words failed me.
«I love you, Claire. I think you have known this for a long time. You should know by now that I won’t step back».
He was headstrong and I was on the edge of telling him that I just needed some space, when a thirty-year-old man came to us. He bended and asked me to dance.
«No», Keir replied.
«Sure», I said. I got up and got to the dancefloor. But Keir got there too and said: «My wife is pregnant and she needs me».
I said goodbye to the man.
«Keir, you’re suffocating me!»
He didn’t seem to care.
«Let’s go sit. We can play chemin de fer».
He smiled at me.
«I don’t want to play».
«Oh, come on... just have fun!»
«I’ll go to the hotel...»
«No. What if anything happened to you?»
I took a deep breath. Wise reply. He was right.
«One shot, that’s it».
«What’s this game, anyway?»
He kissed me on the cheek.
«It’s like Baccarà. You play it with cards. It takes eight people to play. And you score points. Maximum score is nine, but really... It’s all about luck».
I didn’t care about chemin de fer nor Baccarà, but I decided to smile and go sit next to him.
Seven people were sitting aroung a table. Keir and I took our seats and he introduced us.
«Good evening, gentlemen. I’m Keir Anderson and she’s Claire, my beloved wife».
Everyone replied politely. There were two couples from America, one from France, one from England and one from Austria. A Russian man and a German one completed the table.
We were in a big room. The walls were red and so were the curtains. They had golden embroideries all over them.
It looked more of a brotherl, than a casino. The spacious armchairs were just perfect for a couple who needed intimacy.
Waiters were always filling our glasses. Americans and English drank scotch, the French couple preferred cognac. Our German player asked for absinthe and as for the women, we were poured cherry.
I asked for champagne, though. I wondered what they all thought of us. We looked like a couple, even if we were not one. I was getting bored, but Keir seemed to be having fun.
It was late, when something awkward happened. The German man was playing with Keir, who seemed to be doing good. We hadn’t got much money left, though, so he needed to call the game off. The man insisted that Keir kept playing.
«Come on, we can always make a deal, you know».
Keir looked at him.
«A night with Mrs Claire. This would do», the German said.
I was speechless. Keir stood up and took my arm. We left at once. He was angry and I could see his face was red.
«I was about to punch him», he said.
«I just want to go back to the hotel, please».
I wanted to sound convincing, so I kissed him on the lips. He kissed me back.
On the following days, we had fun. We went to concerts and cafès, we met artists and visited many places.
CHAPTER 28
WORDS THAT HURT
We were at a concert and it was a very good night. I needed to go to the ladies’room, though, so I stood up and left. I came back three days later.
I was looking at myself in the mirror, when a lovely voice made me jump. It was Sam!
I hugged him at once and he kissed me.
«I missed you, Claire».
All my past fears and sadness had suddenly disappeared.
«Let’s go. We can’t stay here», he said.
I followed him.
«We’ll be able to spend some time together. I’ll take you somewhere safe», he whispered.
We went in the street and walked for a while. Then Sam turned left and showed me a small door. We got in and got to an apartment.
It was a small one, with a kitchen, a bedroom and a bathroom.
«What are we doing here?»
«It’s safe. And I have many things to explain to you».
I turned to him.
We hugged and sat on the bed.
«Well, I... I...», he started.
I caressed his hair.
«I know you’re a... spy. I don’t care».
«My name is not Sam Mac Gregor and I am not Scottish. I’m not English and I’m not French either. I was supposed to check on... some people and steal documents».
I listened to him without replying.
«I have fallen for you, Claire. I know I shoul
dn’t have. I didn’t want to let you go... and I don’t want our kids to grow up without a father... but I just can’t come back to Nova Scotia».
I started crying.
«I will come back. Just not now. I have things to fix».
We stayed together for three days. It was marvellous. We made love and talked a lot. We had dinner together and enjoyed each other’s company. I didn’t know when nor where I would see him again. I wanted to cherish our memories.
«Claire, now listen... there is going to be a war. Please, remain on our island. Now you should go meet Alex and ask him for a divorce. He needs to know Eddy is his son. He will leave him his money and his name. This is crucial, Claire».
I was shocked.
«Take Keir with you and tell Alex he is your lover. Tell him we have broken up and that you want to marry Keir. Alex will let you go. I know he will. And marry Keir».
I was upset.
«Just trust me, Claire. If I survive the war, I won’t be able to come back to you for a long time. He will look after you. He loves you and the kids like him. You need a husband, Claire».
I wanted to protest, but it was useless, I knew that.
«I come from an influent family, Claire. But my parents died when I was four. After a couple of days, I was found in the woods. I was alone and refused to talk to anybody. No one knew who I was. I was taken to a hospital first, and then to a convent. I met Angus Mac Gregor’s wife there and she looked after me. She taught me how to read and write. When I was thirteen, a man came to pick me. He said he was a relative of mine. We travelled a lot and we got Paris. He trained me as a spy, then I went on my first mission. After a while, I was asked to keep an eye on Alex. It seemed he was in a... sect or something like that. And I met you. He asked me to follow you around, and so I did. I couldn’t warn you, Claire. I’m sorry».
It was the first time he was completely sincere with me.
«I love you and I will always love you, but you need to marry Keir. I need you two to be safe. It won’t be like this forever, I promise. I will look after you and I will come back to you».
«I love you».
Keir and I had rented an apartment. Sam took me there. We hugged for a long time.
«I don’t want this...», he said.
I was about to cry, but decided that I would have the time to do it later. Much time.
I kissed him.
«I will do as you please, but I will wait for you».
He left and I started to cry. I got to the apartment.
«Claire!»
It was Keir.
I went to the bedroom and wanted to shut the door behind me, but he was quicker.
«I’ve been looking for you! I didn’t know what to do».
I just cried. I didn’t care about anything he could tell me. He hugged me, though. He must have understood it was a hard time for me.
«I’m sorry», I whispered after a while.
He kissed me.
«It’ll be all right».
He looked kinder than usual. He had grown up, somehow.
«I thought I had lost you forever».
«I’ll marry you», I said out of the blue.
«You don’t have to...»
«I have to. Do you still want to marry me?»
He hugged me and kissed me.
«Of course I do. Are you sure about that? I thought I’d have to ask you a billion times before you said yes», he smiled.
«I am. Now let’s take care of Alex...»
CHAPTER 29
MILAMGYI TERDZOD
At the end of July, we got to London. It had been a nice journey, because Keir’s happiness had made me feel much better. Time had flown by and even if I missed Sam very much, I was feeling hopeful. We would be staying at my father’s.
«Won’t we upset your family?»
«Renny won’t care, if you come to my room at night».
He was uncomfortable with the idea of two separate bedrooms.
«Keir, it’s just for a few days...»
I knew Renny wouldn’t like that. Sam had been his closest friend for many years and Keir was a lot to cope with. I would have to tell Renny everything, though. I was making an effort to be happy, but my brother would know at once that I was not. When we arrived home, Renny stared at us in surprise.
«Claire! I knew you were coming, but...»
«Renny, dear. You already know Keir and you know we need to see Alex».
He sat on an armchair.
«Yes, but... why? You’ve been avoiding him, right? And now you’re looking for him?»
Right. But I needed to see him now.
«I’ll explain everything, I promise».
He was suspicious and nervous.
«Why isn’t Sam here? Why is Keir with you?»
Keir was standing on the doorway.
«Sam couldn’t come. He will... stay away for a while».
He looked at me.
«I can’t tell you. It’s something he needs to fix...»
Keir came to us. «You mustn’t hold Claire responsible for this. We just can’t say more for now».
Renny seemed to think about that for a while.
«I’ll make sure your rooms are shipshape and I’ll go to work».
He left.
«It didn’t go bad, right?», I said cheerfully.
«It did go bad. You didn’t tell him why we are here...»
He was right, but Renny was smart. He would figure that out, anyway.
«I’ll talk to him. You wait here. I’ll be back».
I headed to the studio and heard Keir asking for tea to the maid.
When I shut the door behind me, I started talking and didn’t stop until everything had been said. We settled things over. I was to marry Keir.
Renny left the studio and went to meet Keir.
«I’m sorry, Keir. I’ve not been fair to you. Now I know everything...»
They shook hands.
«I know it is hard for everyone, but I love Claire».
«I know you will take care of her. Go to your room, both of you, and rest for a while...»
He said “both of you”. Keir got the message at once. He was allowed to sleep with me, now that things were all clear.
We got to our room. I opened the wardrobe and looked at my old clothes. Everything was there. Keir was looking at me. I smelt lavender in the air. It was familiar and reassuring. I hugged Keir.
«Things have changed so much, but this room is exactly as I recalled it. I miss my kids, you know», I said.
He caressed my back.
«I miss them too. We’ll be back soon».
«Do you really think so? I don’t know what to say to Alex...»
He kissed me.
«You’ll figure that out. He’s stubborn, but you will get the hang of it. You have my support».
I felt better.
«Would you like to see London?», I asked him.
He smiled.
«I would».
«Tomorrow I’ll take you to Hyde Park and to the British Museum».
Someone knocked on the door.
«Madame? A friend of yours is waiting for you downstairs».
Lizzie?
«Come on, Keir. Let’s go meet her».
We went downstairs and found Lizzie waiting for us. She was with a little girl.
We hugged.
«You haven’t changed a bit. You’re so charming, my dear Claire!»
We laughed and then I introduced Keir to her.
«This is a dear friend of mine... Keir Murphy».
They shook hands. Lizzie looked at him carefully.
«A dear friend, right?»
«Pleased to meet you, Madame».
«Your good taste hasn’t changed, Claire... how long have you been dating him?»
«Lizzie!»
«Oh, don’t get frantic... my husband is so normal».
«But I bet he’s rich».
We both laughed.
«But...
what about... Alex?»
«I’ll figure something out».
It was then that James got in.
«James!»
We hugged. He was exactly as I recalled him.
«You are so beautiful, my dear Claire».
Keir came to us and introduced himself.
We talked and talked. They told me about their lives, their sons and their everyday routines.
«What about you, Claire?»
I was always avoiding that kind of questions. It made me lonely, to think of that. They had become more adults. James had a bit of a belly, Lizzie had some wrinkles. They were both very English, in some way.
When they left, I felt sad but relieved.
Life was about to change and I needed to cope with that. I was getting used to changes, anyway.
That nigh, in bed, we hugged. I needed someone to hug me. I also needed to find something to tell Alex. We kissed and I felt asleep.
I dreamt of all the things that scared me. When I woke up, Keir was holding my hand.
«You were having a nightmare».
«I did...»
«In Tibet they have this kind of literature... It’s called Milamgyi Terdzod, which is the Treasure of All Dreams. They believe that the people that passed away can show us the right path. Now go to sleep... we’ll figure something out».
We hugged and I smiled. When I fell asleep, I didn’t dream of anything.
CHAPTER 30
CINNAMON AND COPPER
On the day after, Robert came to see us.
«I’m so happy you are here, Claire».
We didn’t mention Sam.
We had a walk and I found myself eager to see London. I loved the British Museum and many other places. I had missed them.
We spent the day outdoors. When we got to the museum, I stopped in front of the Egyptian section. I was fascinated. There were many rings, statues, porcelains, netsukes and objects that I didn’t quite know how to use.
The museum was huge and we talked about his many treasures for a long time afterwards.