‘Why not?’
‘He never told me,’ Willis said, ‘but I can make an educated guess. For a number of reasons – principally because Jen allowed her true character to emerge, I suspect – Charles became disillusioned with her.’ He paused. ‘She tried to persuade me it was her choice to end the relationship, but I don’t think that’s true. I’m ninety per cent sure it was Charles who pulled out when he realized how angry she was making him.’
‘You said he put his hands round her throat in the hospital. Had he ever done anything like that before?’
‘I’m guessing the abuse escalated during the latter part of the engagement. Jen has issues of her own which may have provoked it.’
‘What kind of abuse?’
Another hesitation. ‘I only know of one other episode. Jen described a particularly vicious rape to me and I’m confident that it did in fact happen. Charles is clearly ashamed of something in the relationship and rape seems to me the most likely cause. I’m guessing Jen used sexual favours to manipulate him – offering them or withdrawing them at whim – which is why he finds women difficult to read.’
Jackson allowed a brief silence to develop before she spoke again. This was information she hadn’t been given before. ‘So let me get this straight,’ she murmured with a touch of irony. ‘If Charles wasn’t given sex at the time that he wanted it, he took it by force? Then . . . not liking the person he was becoming, he ditched his fiance´e and is now too ashamed to talk about it? Is that what you’re saying?’
‘Not exactly. I think you’re embellishing what Jen told me. She spoke about one rape. I believe it happened as I indicated earlier . . . an escalation of abuse, culminating in a single episode of forced sex. After which, Charles cut all ties with her.’
‘Bully for him!’
‘Maybe so, but don’t assume that Jen’s blameless. As a couple they’re completely incompatible – in every way – and it’s my opinion that Charles tried to extricate himself as soon as he understood that.’
‘You’re making a lot of assumptions in his favour,’ said Jackson acidly. ‘Why didn’t you tell me this before?’
‘Because there’s no evidence to support Jen’s allegation. Charles hasn’t admitted anything.’
Jackson wasn’t impressed. ‘It’s one thing to wish a rapist on to me – he’d have a job working up the energy – but quite another to put Daisy in his way. What if he mistakes a show of friendship for a sexual advance?’
‘That may be why he’s avoiding her,’ Willis said matter-offactly. ‘He doesn’t want to be drawn into another relationship based on flirting.’ He amended the sentence immediately. ‘I’m not suggesting that your partner seeks anything other than friendship – nor, indeed, that Charles does – but he’s intensely suspicious of women who use physical contact to demonstrate empathy.’
‘That’s hardly an answer to my question.’
‘I realize that.’ He broke off to order his ideas. ‘I can’t be a hundred per cent certain, of course, but I’d be very surprised if Daisy was in any danger from Charles. The only two women he’s shown any real animosity towards are his mother and Jen . . . and both of them display narcissistic personality traits. In fact, his experience of his mother may well have been why he was attracted to Jen in the first place.’ Willis fell into another thoughtful silence.
‘Go on,’ prompted Jackson.
‘Her personality was familiar to him and he mistook that familiarity for love. I doubt he even knows how narcissism shows itself in the early stages of a relationship. He certainly wouldn’t expect charm.’
*
Jackson drew up behind a long line of cars waiting to turn right. ‘What sort of relationship do your parents have?’ she asked Acland. ‘They’ve been married thirty years.’ She gave a grunt of laughter. ‘What does that mean? That they’re blissfully happy together . . . or that they grit their teeth and get on with it because no one better has ever come along?’ Acland shrugged. ‘I haven’t asked.’ Jackson glanced at him. ‘Isn’t it obvious when a relationship’s successful?’ ‘Not to me it isn’t.’ ‘Why not?’ ‘It depends how you define success.’ ‘I usually go by how well a couple communicates. If they find each other interesting, then talking comes naturally. They swap information . . . share a sense of humour . . . want their partner to
enjoy what they enjoy. I see a lot of troubled relationships in my job, and they’re often characterized by mutual avoidance and silence.’
‘That’s better than constant arguments.’
‘Not necessarily,’ Jackson demurred. ‘For some people, arguing is a form of communication. It also suggests a level playing field within the relationship. It makes me suspicious when I meet a couple where one partner is afraid to challenge the other. I’ve seen too many situations where the dominant personality is abusive.’
Acland didn’t say anything.
‘Do your parents argue?’
‘Only in private. I used to hear them going at it hammer and tongs when I was a kid.’
‘So you don’t want arguments in your own relationships?’
‘No.’
‘Do you believe that’s achievable?’ she asked. ‘Women have come a long way in thirty years. There aren’t many these days who won’t fight their corner when they disagree with something.’ She spun the steering wheel to take the turn before the lights changed. ‘You don’t seriously expect your view to prevail every time, do you?’
‘No.’
‘Then you’re bound to have arguments,’ she said matter-offactly. ‘Daisy and I agree on most things but we’ve had some ding-dong battles along the way . . . and I don’t regret them. It’s taught me what really matters to her.’
‘Do you lose your temper with each other?’
Jackson shook her head. ‘Not really. We raise our voices and storm out in a huff occasionally, but not to the extent that we see a red mist.’
‘Who wins?’
She flicked him an amused glance. ‘Who do you think?’
He was about to say ‘you’, but changed his mind. ‘Daisy.’
‘Every time,’ she agreed. ‘I don’t have her stamina. She’ll keep an issue alive for a month if it suits her. Is your mother the same?’
Acland was unprepared for the question. ‘It never goes that far,’ he said, surprised into answering honestly. ‘Dad gave up provoking her a long time ago.’
Jackson found his vocabulary interesting. ‘I thought you said they were always arguing.’
‘When I was a kid . . . not any more.’
‘So you weren’t joking when you said they went at it hammer and tongs? These were physical confrontations you were listening to?’ She paused for a moment, but went on when he didn’t answer. ‘Who was doing the hitting?’ Silence. ‘I assume from the words you used that your mother has more of a temper than your father.’
‘You could say that.’
‘Have you inherited it?’
He turned to look at her for a moment. ‘I’m nothing like my mother,’ he said flatly.
Jackson shrugged. ‘So you take after your father and avoid confrontation?’
‘Yes,’ he said harshly.
‘You didn’t back off with Rashid Mansoor during your fight in the pub,’ she pointed out. ‘You went at him hammer and tongs.’
‘He should have left me alone.’
‘The same way your father now leaves your mother alone?’
No answer.
‘Are you sure you’ve got your facts the right way round?’ Jackson needled him lightly. ‘Are you sure it wasn’t your mother who did the provoking and your father who lashed out in temper? If he avoids confrontation now it’s almost certainly because he’s learned to manage his anger.’
Acland leaned forward to press his thumb and forefinger against the bridge of his nose. ‘He’s too spineless to be angry about anything,’ he said contemptuously. ‘He had to drive himself to Casualty once with blood pouring out of his arm after she took a knife to him. When he came back, he told me he’d cut himself on some barbed wire. It was pathetic. He was always making excuses for her.’