‘I have made my decision,’ confirmed Jordan. ‘My decision is that I want to be called Harvey when we talk and that I want to be consulted in advance before arrangements are made on my behalf and that I don’t want to be lectured about losing my temper – because I’ve got that completely on board and totally under control. But I want to continue with your representing me because we’re a long way down the track now and I really don’t want to go back – or down to Raleigh to find somebody else – to start all over again.’
‘Which isn’t exactly an overwhelming vote of confidence.’
‘Which it wasn’t intended to be. It was intended to tell you how I felt and how I’d like things to be between us from now on.’
‘Otherwise…?’
‘Otherwise we’ll have another conversation, very similar to this. And I will go down to Raleigh. Which brings us back to your choice.’
Beckwith took the car into the short stay parking lot, ignoring three available spaces until he found one that he wanted, close to a side wall. He hesitated after they got out to walk side by side with Jordan, still unspeaking, into the terminal. When they reached the departure pier he handed Jordan his ticket, deferring to him to check in first. The flight was already being called and they continued on into the aircraft. On the plane Beckwith stood back for Jordan to choose his seat and as always Jordan took the aisle.
Finally, when they’d settled in their seats, Beckwith said, ‘You travelled around America a lot, Harvey?’
‘Not a lot. Las Vegas, of course. The west coast a few times. New Orleans, before the hurricane disaster.’ It would have been a mistake to acknowledge the name correction.
‘Pity we couldn’t have driven to Raleigh and back in one day. Great country.’
‘I’ve changed my mind about returning to England too quickly,’ announced Jordan. ‘I’ll have to go back sometime, of course. But I want first to make sure everything is on track here: get a much clearer idea how it’s going to work out.’
‘Maybe a good idea. It’s your decision.’
‘Based upon your guidance.’
‘That’s what you’re paying me for.’
‘How are we going to do this meeting with Bob Reid?’
‘Officially it’s between attorneys. But there’s no reason for you not joining in if you think you’ve got a point to make that we’ve missed.’
‘I’ll keep that in mind.’ He’d corrected the situation to where it should have been from the beginning, Jordan decided. It was a good feeling, the best he’d had for several days.
Raleigh, the first American state capital Jordan had visited, was hung with direction signs to the sites and events of its early settler history like flags at a victory celebration and Jordan got a tourist’s commentary to each and every one of them from Daniel Beckwith as the lawyer drove their hire car in from the airport, culminating in a brief detour to Capitol Square to see the horse-mounted statues of the three North Carolina-born statesmen who’d risen to become United States presidents.
They were only five minutes late getting to Reid’s offices, just two streets away from the square, and were ushered directly in. The first person Jordan saw, before the waiting lawyer, was Alyce Appleton.
She wore a dark grey trouser suit, brightened by a pink sweater, but it still reminded Jordan of Lesley Corbin’s official business uniform. Alyce had on the dark framed spectacles, too, but the thin wedding band was no longer next to the diamond engagement ring. She wore little make-up but Jordan remembered she hadn’t in the South of France.
Jordan’s initial thought was how difficult it was to imagine the antipathy he now felt towards someone with whom he had so recently – no more than three months, he guessed – made such uninhibited love.
Looking more towards the two lawyers than the woman, Jordan said, I didn’t understand this was how it was going to be?’
‘Neither did I,’ frowned Beckwith, turning accusingly towards the other lawyer.
‘It was obviously necessary for me to inform my client what was happening-’ began Reid.
‘And I insisted on being here as well,’ broke in Alyce, a hint of uncertainty in her voice.
‘I saw no legal bar,’ finished the Raleigh lawyer. He was a plump, red-faced, jowly man who needed the tightness of the waistcoat as well as the fastened jacket of his black pinstriped suit to hold in his stomach to prevent himself looking fatter than he was. The owl-round glasses looked precarious on his button nose.
‘It might have been better if we’d discussed it earlier between the two of us,’ said Beckwith, cautiously.
‘I thought we already had. If your client can be present, so can mine,’ said Reid, an asthmatic catch in his voice. ‘We’re both present to guard against conflicting problems… which I don’t anticipate there being.’ He looked at Jordan. ‘Do you have any objection to Alyce being here?’
Daniel Beckwith outmanoeuvred before they’d crossed the threshold of a court, thought Jordan, feeling wrong-footed himself. ‘Not if it will achieve more quickly what I want to be achieved. You’re the lawyers, to judge it legally.’
‘I want a written, without prejudice, understanding between us,’ insisted Beckwith.
‘As I do,’ said Reid. ‘With the attachment of a memorandum of agreement from your client. Alyce has already signed hers. I’ve taken the liberty of having the documentation prepared.’
Something else done for him without his knowledge or agreement, Jordan recognized, looking at Beckwith, who nodded. Jordan said, ‘OK by me.’ He signed first and while the two lawyers were completing the formality he said to Alyce, ‘Hello, belatedly.’
‘Hello.’
Neither smiled.
Jordan said, ‘So much for not exchanging addresses.’
‘I’m sorry… about all of it… about everything. I really didn’t know… suspect… it’s awful and I really am very sorry… embarrassed, too. Extremely embarrassed.’
‘I thought I was going to be sorrier than I already am until late yesterday afternoon.’
Alyce frowned, shaking her head. ‘I don’t understand…?’
‘It wasn’t until late yesterday afternoon that I got the all-clear from the venerealogist.’
Alyce flushed, visibly. ‘You surely didn’t think?’
‘Of course I surely thought,’ Jordan cut her off, mocking her words, close to letting the anger erupt. ‘You really surprised that I surely thought?’
‘This wasn’t set up as a fight,’ broke in Reid.
Jordan switched his attention, his anger locked down, pleased the way the reactions were coming. ‘What, exactly, was it set up for? I don’t believe I should be involved in this situation at all and want to be out of it… don’t want to go anywhere near a courthouse. That’s how it is – all of how it is – as far as I am concerned. Now tell me how I feature as far as you are concerned.’ He’d listened intently to himself, not just to the words but to his tone, and was sure Beckwith wouldn’t be able to accuse him of either losing his temper or his control.
It was Alyce who responded, ahead of her lawyer. ‘I don’t believe you should be involved or need to go anywhere near a courthouse, either. That’s why I wanted to be here. Just – and only – to tell you that. And to say sorry. Which I already have. Now I’ve said both – and hope you believe me – there’s no need for me to stay any longer if it’s a problem for you.’ She stirred in her seat, as if to get up.
There was an abrupt silence in the room, each man looking to the other. To his client Reid said, ‘You’re here now. Agreed to the confidentiality. You might as well stay; get some idea, beyond what’s briefly already been said, what’s going to come from Harvey’s side.’
Talking directly to Jordan, not to her lawyer, Alyce said, ‘What do you want me to do? Get out and stop embarrassing you more than I’ve already embarrassed both of us? Or stay?’
The embarrassment did surge through Jordan at the awareness of how he’d behaved. ‘Why not stay?’
Alyce flushed again. ‘What about my apology! Do you believe and accept I didn’t imagine you’d become involved? Or are you determined to stay tight-assed?’