The Constantin Marriage

by Lindsay Armstrong

  ‘And tonight?’

  ‘Same thing, but my colleague will take over at midnight. There are two of us assigned to you, Mrs Constantin, so you have absolutely nothing to worry about.’

  Tattie flicked him a glance. He had a broad, ruddy face beneath fair curly hair and small blue eyes. But he looked genuinely prepared to defend her to the nth degree while being as nice and polite about it as he could, and she couldn’t help feeling a bit sorry for him. For, little though Leroy knew it, his problems were going to lie in the opposite direction…

  By hook or by crook she was going to get herself to Beaufort before Alex came home!

  Irina was sitting up in a beautiful pink and cream silk bed jacket.

  Tattie kissed her and sat down beside the bed. ‘You’re looking wonderful,’ she told her mother-in-law.

  ‘I’m beginning to feel human at last,’ Irina replied.

  ‘And they say I will walk out of here—maybe on a walking frame for a time, but walk all the same.’

  ‘I know you will!’

  Irina patted her face. ‘You’ve been so sweet to me, Tattie! And I only thank my lucky stars that Alex had you by his side through all this.’

  Tattie studied the pearl-encrusted pewter vase beside the bed with a fresh spray of orchids in it. ‘He loves you so much. So do I. But…’ She hesitated. ‘I have to go away for a few days—just to Beaufort.’ And she explained the situation.

  Irina beamed at her. ‘I think it’s just wonderful that your mother has found someone to love. So romantic. She brought him to meet me, you know. In fact, I bought one of his paintings. I do hope he has a successful exhibition. How long will you be gone, my dear?’

  I would love to know how much you know, Irina, and what Alex told you when I ran away to Beaufort, Tattie thought. Because she felt as if she was walking on eggshells, and ten times more so because Irina was in hospital and had nearly died.

  ‘I’m not sure,’ she said. ‘Alex knows of a couple who could take over now I’ve got the project off the ground.’ She paused. ‘I haven’t met them, but from the forward bookings we have I think it is going to be a success and I’m…really happy about that.’

  Irina studied her thoughtfully. ‘You know, we all underestimated you, Tattie.’

  Tattie blinked in surprise.

  ‘And perhaps most of all Alex did,’ Irina went on.

  ‘Would I be correct in saying you’re not prepared to accept anything but true love from Alex?’

  Tattie almost fell off her chair, and Irina smiled wisely. ‘Everyone thinks I’m a silly old woman who imagines her only son can do no wrong. And, yes, perhaps I did have to have it pointed out to me who Leonie Falconer was—too late, as it happened.’

  ‘Who…?’ Tattie stared at her dazedly.

  ‘A friend of mine rang me the day after the anniversary party. I don’t know if you remember, but that’s why I rang you the next morning in a bit of a state.’

  ‘Yes,’ Tattie breathed as her mind flew backwards. ‘Oh!’

  Irina patted her hand again. ‘And now they tell me Flora Simpson is back in town.’

  Such was her surprise, Tattie was speechless for almost a minute. ‘But…you weren’t supposed to know about her!’

  ‘The only amusing aspect of that, Tattie,’ Irina said a shade ruefully, ‘is that both George and I knew but we tried to shield each other from the knowledge.’

  Tattie gazed at her helplessly.

  ‘Of course you must do as you see fit, Tattie; I suspect you’ve done that all the way through,’ Irina continued. ‘But only you can know what’s best for you in regard to Alex. If half a loaf is not good enough for you, then stick to your guns, my dear. I did.’

  ‘I… This… You mean with George? But I thought that yours was an arranged marriage and you approved of that kind of thing.’

  ‘Firstly, yes—I mean George. Although it wasn’t quite the same situation as you and Alex. He might have thought his mother arranged our marriage but what he didn’t know was that I planted the seeds of it in his mother’s mind. I wanted George, you see, but he couldn’t quite make up his mind about me.’ Irina gazed fondly back down the years. ‘Now he’s quite convinced he made the right choice, with a little help from his mother.’

  ‘Bravo, Mama Constantin!’ Tattie said softly, using the pet name Alex sometimes used for his mother.

  Irina smiled. ‘As for arranged marriages in general, all I ever wanted to do was find a girl Alex could fall in love with, or, if not that, grow to love and respect. Instead, I found a girl I will always love and admire, whatever happens between her and my son. Of course, I hope and pray that you and Alex will resolve your differences, but that is not my main concern now. A little brush with death,’ she said humorously, ‘gives you a new perspective on life, I think. Be happy for yourself, Tattie.’ And she leant forward to put her arms around Tattie.

  ‘On the other hand,’ she said softly as she cupped Tattie’s face, ‘I predict he will not give a damn about Flora Simpson being back in town.’

  Back home in the apartment, Tattie tried to sort through this surprise development as well as she could.

  It was an intense relief, she realised, not to be hiding things from her mother-in-law any more. It was even more of a relief to know that she had been vindicated in a sense, or at least had had her side of the story understood by his mother and was still loved and admired just for herself. So what was the fly in the ointment? she wondered.

  How could anyone predict what Alex’s reaction to the beautiful Flora Simpson would be. That was one of them. As for fly two, she thought with a grim spark of humour, it was quite simple. She refused to be dictated to by her husband. If he truly loved her, as opposed to finding her desirable at the moment, surely he would have been prepared to discuss the situation at Beaufort rather than simply laying down the law?

  She glanced towards the front door. Surely he wouldn’t subject her to what virtually amounted to imprisonment just to get his own way?

  She chewed her knuckles for a while, then came to a decision. She made her plans, which included a phone call, then got out the dancing teddy bear she’d bought earlier in the day and wrapped it up. She took a cup of tea and some shortbread out to Leroy—she had already provided him with a chair.

  ‘Thank you very much, ma’am!’ Leroy said enthusiastically.

  ‘By the way, Leroy, I’m going out to dinner at a friend’s house in about an hour. Do you have your own transport?’

  Leroy hesitated.

  ‘I only ask because it could be uncomfortable for you to be sitting in the Golf for a few hours, so perhaps you’d like to chauffeur me backwards and forwards in your car, if it’s bigger?’

  Leroy’s face cleared. ‘My Holden is bigger, if you wouldn’t mind?’

  ‘Not at all! See you soon.’

  ‘Where are we going?’ Leroy asked an hour later as he ushered Tattie into the front seat of his Holden.

  She gave him an address in Fannie Bay, then enquired what he intended to do for dinner, because her visit might take a good couple of hours.

  ‘I was going to ask you if you’d mind if I stopped to get a burger, ma’am.’

  ‘Please do, Leroy. I’d hate to think of you sitting there for hours, starving.’

  So they stopped at a drive-thru, where he ordered an inordinate amount of food, then drove to Fannie Bay.

  ‘This is it.’ Tattie pointed to a house, although she’d never seen it before.

  Leroy parked in the driveway and looked around alertly. ‘Don’t you worry, Mrs Constantin. I’ll do regular checks to make sure the house and grounds are secure, and here’s my mobile number just in case you need me.’ He handed her a card.

  Not too regular, Tattie prayed, and felt a trickle of guilt. Then she stiffened her spine, thanked him, and went to visit Laura Pearson and her new baby.

  Laura was thrilled to see her, and thrilled with the present, although the baby, at two months, was unimpressed. ‘Just wait
until he’s a little older, Tattie, I’m sure he’ll adore it. Let’s have a cup of tea.’

  So they had tea and a little chat, then the baby started to protest. ‘He’s hungry—he’s always hungry,’ Laura said ruefully, with a spark of exhaustion in her eyes.

  ‘Well, don’t worry about me, Laura. I can let myself out. You just sit down with him and put your feet up. What can I get you? Aren’t nursing mums supposed to drink gallons of water? I’ll get you a glass.’

  And it was as easy as that. Tattie settled Laura and the baby in a comfortable chair, put some nice music on for her and brought her a glass of water. Then she said goodbye and took the tea things back to the kitchen on her way out.

  ‘I’ll just go out the back way,’ she called softly, and did so.

  But instead of heading for the drive and Leroy, after a short, pregnant reconnaissance she tiptoed across the back lawn, climbed the low fence into the house behind Laura’s, prayed she wouldn’t be set upon by vicious dogs or vigilant householders, and stole out onto the street behind.

  Then she started to walk rapidly away, thinking that the only thing that could go wrong would be if Laura noted that she hadn’t heard a car start up. She would just have to take a gamble on the girl being too involved with her baby. She pulled her mobile phone from her bag and called a taxi. Within twenty minutes she was in the garage of her apartment building, driving the Golf out of it. And ten minutes later, when she was sure she was far enough away from home not to be found easily, she called Paula Gibbs on her home phone number.

  ‘Mrs Constantin.’ Paula drew a shaky breath. ‘Alex will—’

  ‘Paula, all you have to do is tell Alex I’m going to Beaufort, come hell or high water,’ Tattie said firmly.

  ‘I’m perfectly safe, I promise you. But what you need to do right now is call Leroy off. I don’t want my friend hassled in any way, and I mean that! Nor is it Leroy’s fault in any way; I deliberately gave him the slip.’

  ‘But…but…why?’ Paula objected.

  ‘It’s just something between me and Alex, Paula. Incidentally, don’t even think of calling the police, because that would create the kind of gossip Alex would hate. And please don’t bother his father; he’s got enough on his plate at the moment.’

  ‘How are you getting to Beaufort?’

  ‘I’m flying. Bye now, Paula!’

  Two days later Tattie arrived at Beaufort in a light plane she’d chartered.

  She’d driven to Katherine and had to spend the night there. She’d left the Golf in a garage and taken a Greyhound bus to Kununurra, from where she’d chartered the light plane after another night in a motel. She was almost reeling from physical tiredness and mental exhaustion as she stepped out of it onto the airstrip, and was immensely relieved to see no other plane on the strip. The last thing she felt like doing was confronting Alex.

  But there was a surprise waiting for her. Polly drove down to the strip, as was the custom when the homestead was buzzed by incoming planes. And she flung her arms around Tattie.

  ‘Thank heavens you’ve arrived! Not only is Alex in a terrible mood, but we’ve also got a houseful of guests!’

  ‘But what about my mother and Doug? I didn’t think they were going until Friday, and I didn’t think…you had…any bookings.’ Tattie’s voice ran down as the other pertinent bit of information sank in. ‘You mean Alex is here?’ She stared at Polly disbelievingly.

  ‘Hop in.’ Polly gestured to the four-wheel-drive vehicle. ‘I’ll explain on the way.’

  She did. Alex had arrived yesterday morning straight from the pearl farm, in a combination float and wheel plane. He’d sent her mother and Doug to Darwin in it, so they could get a flight to Perth, and told them that she, Tattie, was on her way to Beaufort. Then, out of the blue, a bus-load of tourists had arrived with confirmed bookings for two nights’ accommodation.

  ‘But…how…?’

  ‘Somehow the dates must have got scrambled; we weren’t expecting them until next week. Mind you, I had everything hunky-dory, but…’ Polly raised her eyebrows expressively. ‘Anyway, Alex bucked in and helped. In fact he’s taken them on the billabong tour, so Mum and I can concentrate on dinner. But he’s been talking to all sorts of people on the phone and, well, it sounded to me as if no one knew where you were, Tattie.’

  ‘I…I was planning to fly from Katherine, but I couldn’t get a flight so I had to take the bus to Kununurra.’

  Polly drew up in front of the homestead and looked at her strangely. ‘You couldn’t have hopped on a Constantin plane?’

  Tattie swallowed. ‘It…got a bit complicated, Polly. Where’s Oscar?’

  Polly blinked, then shivered suddenly. ‘Uh…he’s gone with Alex. They should be back in a couple of hours.’

  They were the longest few hours of Tattie’s life.

  Nothing could have been more eloquent or indicative of Alex’s state of mind than Polly’s involuntary shiver. And nothing gave her hope that the sight of her on the homestead veranda when the billabong tour returned was alleviating her husband’s state of mind.

  He surveyed her, his expression darkly inscrutable, and if it hadn’t been for Oscar a pall would have been thrown over the whole party, she was sure. But Oscar suddenly realised who she was and raced up to her with utter delight palpably displayed all over his body.

  She bent down and he jumped into her arms. ‘Oh, you’ve grown, young man! How long have I been away? I don’t think we can do this any longer.’ She staggered and put the dog down as everyone laughed, and the tension of the moment dissipated. For most of them…

  Alex began to introduce her to the party and she was regaled with all the marvels they’d seen. Then he said, ‘If you’ll excuse us for a moment, folks, my wife and I haven’t seen each other for a couple of days. Polly?’

  Polly leapt into action and told everyone that afternoon tea would be ready in half an hour.

  And Alex’s hand descended on Tattie’s elbow and he led her off the veranda.

  Not far from the homestead they’d built a gazebo on a rise like a small bluff, and the country sloped away from it in a lovely wild valley to a blue ridge.

  It was pagoda-shaped, with curved empty embrasures and a wooden lattice half-wall. The floor was paved, but the timber was natural and it blended in well with the country. There were benches to sit on. It was a wonderful place to sit in peace, to watch nature and to feel the vastness of Beaufort.

  But Alex said not a word as he escorted Tattie to it, and she had the absolute feeling that peace was not on the agenda. Even Oscar seemed to get the vibes and become subdued.

  And, as she climbed the steps, her nerves got the better of her.

  ‘If you’ve brought me here to have me shot at dawn, Alex,’ she said tautly, ‘think again!’

  She swung round to face him.

  He leant his shoulders against an upright and crossed his arms. In jeans and a black shirt he looked dusty, tired, perhaps, but all the same very tough.

  In contrast, although she too wore jeans, she was neat and clean in a pink blouse and with her hair smooth and tucked behind her ears.

  ‘Why would I do that, Tattie?’

  ‘Because I disobeyed you, because—’

  ‘You’re getting a little emotional and unrealistic here, surely?’

  ‘Am I? I don’t think so,’ she flung at him. ‘You virtually had me imprisoned so you could get your own way, Alex! Look, I’m sorry if I worried you but I will not be dictated to like that!’

  ‘Go on.’

  ‘What more is there to say? But if you want more, you can have it! You expect me to live in a place where I keep falling over your ex-mistresses—’

  He straightened. ‘When did that happen?’

  ‘It doesn’t matter.’

  ‘I think it may, Tattie. Tell me.’

  She swallowed but stood her ground as he loomed over her, and refused to speak.

  He said evenly, ‘All right, that aside, you’re rather cavalier
with your apologies for what you’ve put a few people through, Tattie. Paula, for example. She had no way of knowing someone wasn’t forcing you to ring her. The security guard—’

  ‘It wasn’t his fault,’ Tattie broke in. ‘It was all your fault for treating me the way you did. And I swear, if there are any repercussions for Leroy over this I will never speak to you again, Alex Constantin.’

  He raised a wry eyebrow. ‘Your concern for Leroy is touching, Tattie. What about my mother?’

  ‘Your mother? She knew I was coming back to Beaufort, Alex, she just didn’t know the lengths I had to go to get here. But for your information, your mother is no longer of the opinion I should stay married to you if I don’t want to.’

  He frowned. ‘Why?’

  ‘She thinks you all underestimated me—you in particular.’

  ‘She told you this?’

  ‘She did,’ Tattie agreed. ‘With no prompting from me,’ she added. ‘A brush with mortality did it. She actually told me that if you didn’t fit my requirements…’ She paused suddenly.

  ‘Which are, Tattie?’ he asked very quietly.

  ‘It doesn’t matter,’ she mumbled as some colour came to her cheeks.

  ‘Once again I beg to differ. Would those requirements have anything to do with the mysterious reason you keep parading before me for not wanting to stay in this marriage?’

  His gaze was so intent she felt as if it was pinning her to the gazebo upright she’d involuntarily backed into.

  ‘I can always get those requirements from my mother,’ he murmured.

  She bit her lip and closed her eyes. ‘Alex…’ She couldn’t go on.

  ‘Tell me, Tattie. I won’t let you go until you do.’

  She never knew afterwards what unlocked the secret she’d tried so desperately to keep from him, for so long. The bush beyond the gazebo was hot and still, the blue ridge in the distance was swimming in a heat haze, Oscar was lying beside her with his head on his paws but every now and then he was sending her an alert look.

  She was in the place she loved best with the man she loved—when she wasn’t hating him—perhaps it was the sum of all this that made it impossible for her to dodge and dive any longer.