Читать книгу Lucky You - John Duke - Страница 8

He had been sick many times, the girls had been too. He had fallen from his motorbike and broken his collarbone, sometimes he had felt undervalued and sometimes he just didn’t understand things, because of the problems of culture or language. Once there was no role for him, once the expectations seemed too high. He had contracted dengue fever, Brenda had died. But beside him at every challenge was his partner and Marion seemed to know her way around any problem. Could he do it on his own? In Uttar Pradesh, the poorest and most densely populated part of India, that wondrous, colourful, challenging and edgy country?

Eliot poured himself a second glass of red wine. On the train on the way home he had rung Louise with the news. Yes he was going. In a couple of weeks time. Would she like to come over for dinner and a wine to celebrate his new assignment? He would only be away for about eight weeks. But she said she was busy, going to some theatre production with friends. He didn’t mention the cat.

He was not sure how to fill in his time and then he remembered that there would be one more book club before he set off for India. So he settled down on the couch with Elvie and opened this month’s book that Eleanor had presented to him. There had been a double murder and a suicide on a farm in the Wimmera, or was it a triple murder? People in a small country town couldn’t avoid each other’s actions and intentions. There was a knock at his door. He didn’t think who could that be? When he opened the door Eleanor would say can I come in? What could he say? Her face was open and smiling. Her dress pink with mauve dahlias, her lipstick and nail polish bright red. Her cleavage looked at him.

I was at a bit of a loose end so I thought to myself why don’t I go up and see Eliot and ask him how his appointment went.

She didn’t say I hope you don’t mind me dropping in or don’t mind me being a sticky beak but Eliot was surprised with how he felt. For once he didn’t mind. He was sort of glad that she had decided to pay him a visit. He wanted to tell her his news. Not just about where he was going but more importantly about how he wouldn’t be around so soon she would be wasting her time coming up and knocking on his door. He knew that he was being a little nasty. She made herself comfortable in the single lounge chair and she fingered her pearl necklace and pulled her dress down a little, her knees tight together and smiled at him in expectation.

Yes you can ask. I met with an Indian doctor this morning. He has set up a school in India, in the village where he was born. If you know where Varanasi is, then the village is about fifty kilometres south west of there. He wanted me to set up an English program in the school. I have said yes.

I don’t believe you Eliot. Surely you are a little old to be setting off for India on your own. Of course I don’t know exactly how old you are but I’m guessing that you will never see sixty again.

Eliot was reminded of one of his old teachers of long ago, how she spoke to the pupils but he couldn’t recall her name and now he would always think of Eleanor as Miss Dobson.

Well however old I am, I am going and I will be away for two months at least.

Do you think that it is a good idea to be going off on your own, so soon after the death of your wife? You will be very lonely I think.

Any chance that Eliot was going to offer her a yo yo or a soft drink had gone. What right did she have to bring up Marion’s name and this wasn’t the first time. Soon after he moved in, Eleanor had invited him downstairs for dinner and she had said that the caretaker told me that you moved here recently when your wife was dying. The caretaker! Whose business was it? I’m so sorry to hear that Eliot she said with a genuine tone. But there is no need for you to be lonely, is there Eliot. As long as I’m close by. Eliot felt rudeness coming on all over him and he said that he didn’t want to talk about his late wife. It was a private matter. His business only. She didn’t apologise. If he needed anything she hoped that he would call on her.

It’s been a big day and I think that I’m ready to turn in so if you wouldn’t mind.

That was definite enough even for Eleanor so she pulled herself up from the couch, smoothed her dress and headed for the door.

You will need someone to look after Elvie won’t you. I’m happy to do it Eliot.

Of course he felt a little guilty but it was too good an offer to refuse.

Eleanor returned to her apartment. She could tell a good person when she came up against one and Eliot was a good person so why wouldn’t he meet her gaze when they were speaking to each other, why did he treat her like she was the kind of person who could not possibly understand his situation.

There was no need for cleavage now, so she turned on the gas heater and changed into her old track suit, windcheater and moccasins. Another night alone. She folded her legs up under her on the settee and reached across to the pile of books on her small round table. On top as usual was her bible, that had been her mother’s bible, presented to Olivia Dobson on the occasion of her confirmation, Nagambie Church of England 1950. Eleanor knew which page marker she wanted:

1 John 4:18-19 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us.

Eleanor’s mother had always said that when you pray, don’t ask for things, don’t ask for good fortune. There are plenty of things that I could pray for but I’m not going to waste his time she said. God had too much on his plate without worrying about the likes of us. But Eleanor believed that she had already had some good fortune because Eliot had moved into her apartment block and she had been attracted to him instantly. The fact that he was a few years older wasn’t a minus,but he was intelligent and assured and she immediately began to hope. Only one thing annoyed her about Eliot, his ponytail. Couldn’t he see that he was too old for a ponytail, that it made him look a bit weird, half horse. Many times she was on the verge of saying something. It was very unlike her, but she bit her tongue.

She looked in the mirror every time before she climbed the stairs to his apartment. Was this the best she could look for him? The hair appointment, the new lipsick, show off her figure.But nothing had happened, worse, it seemed that Eliot wanted to get across the message that he had a never even considered that they could be very good friends. In fact he was downright rude at times. She could hear herself. Please bring him back safely, please help him to see me differently when he returns from India. She closed her bible, perfect love drives out fear. Her jaw went to her chest and she prayed.