Ralph ignored the remark and put it down to Peter just wanting to be controversial, and continued to make his point.
“I saw a case recently of a painting that had been taken, presumably by an army unit, could have been American, or British, or German, some 90 years ago from a town in Belgium. It had turned up in a collection somewhere in America. It was a famous painting of a carpenter’s daughter by Julio Breton”.
“Good luck to Julio, a carpenter’s daughter sounds fun,” interjected Peter.
“The Immigration and Customs unit repatriated it to the original owners, which happened to be a museum. So this case is no different. And how much money do you think there is residing in Swiss Banks that probably got there by a similar route during wartime?” Which thankfully, Peter recognized as being a rhetorical question.
The three friends relaxed back over their drinks. Ralph was in a reflective mood and as tiredness started to take its hold over his inhibitions he started to think about Jane and what the future might hold for them. He decided that it was time that he got some advice from his two friends over what he should do about his relationship with her.
“Peter, David, I know you won’t mind me asking a personal question. You are both married men and I know things don’t always go right in a relationship, but do you think that there’s a chance of someone resurrecting an old relationship?”
His two pals were quiet, for a change. After a few minutes Peter spoke.
“Look Ralph I expect that you are talking about you and Jane. Well from what I can see she’s keen enough on you, and you are obviously still smitten with her. But it’s not always wise to expect to be able to pick up a relationship just where you left off. Women change and so do blokes, and you have to accept that your idea of what things were like at Cambridge between you and Jane may be way out of line with the way it might be now.”
“I get that Peter, but from what I can see they were good times and when we were out recently for dinner she seemed to be just the same as she always was. Well taking your point, at least I thought so. But she is more mature now, or perhaps professional would be a better way of putting it.”
“You’ve become quite a different person since she’s been around, too, Old Boy,” David said. You take more care over your appearance and have started to shed that dusty old professor image that you were beginning to cultivate. And you don’t seem to be so keen to pop off to Brighton with that girl from your local pub for a drive. So from where I stand, Jane is good for you. But I think Peter’s right, you do have to accept that everyone changes to some degree. And hopefully mostly for the better. At least I have found that to be the case,” he said with a grin as he thought about his own marriage.
“Look, Ralph,” said Peter. “I’m not exactly the best one to ask for advice. I remember my dad telling me to be very careful about giving advice. You see my old man was a Brigadier in the last war. He told me that just before his regiment went off to war this young officer came into his office asking him for advice on what it would be like fighting in Italy and how should he behave towards the locals. Well my dad told him that he should give up smoking and stay away from drink and women. That if he led a pure life he would come out of the war a better man, find a nice English girl, get married and bring up a family.”
Peter paused while he let his audience get the full picture before he continued.
“Well time passed and about a year later my dad told me that he was at the opera in newly liberated Rome, enjoying a cigar and accompanied by two of what used to be called ‘the local ladies’. As the lights went up who should be sitting in front of him, none other than the young officer who had sought my dad’s advice. The chap turned round, saw my dad and the two girls. “I’ve spent a year resisting all temptations because I believed in you. Now I see that it was all a waste of my time.” He gasped. “And with that he stormed out of the opera house leaving my dad suitably chastened. So you see, Ralph, after hearing that story, I’ve always been a bit reticent about giving people advice.”
Ralph could see Peter’s point, and knowing about Peter’s own domestic situation, he could understand why he was reluctant to further the discussion on this particular topic.
“What about you David? You seem to have got it right, from what I can see.”
David had his own views as to why Jane might be finding it difficult to move easily into a new relationship as he had heard from Ralph about her marriage and how it had ended so abruptly.
“Well Ralph I was probably lucky in that my first real relationship turned out to be the one that resulted in a wonderful marriage. But my view is that a relationship is not necessarily a precursor to marriage. Perhaps you might find it helps if you stood back a bit and started to build on the things that you like about each other. Then if you focus on those things, it might develop naturally rather than trying to force things along. You have a nice lifestyle, a vintage car and a first class apartment, as well as a career that you enjoy. She also has a career that takes her to the far corners of the world. You will both need to see how supportive you can be to each other when your careers and lifestyles don’t dovetail as well as you had hoped,” David said.
“So how about planning a trip by car to Istanbul or even to Samarkand, I’m sure that would give you plenty of chances to find out what sort of people you now both are, and have some fun together at the same time,” Peter interjected with a bit of a chuckle.
“Well, perhaps nothing quite so extreme, but I’m sure you can see what we’re saying,” said David.
Ralph could see that his friends were trying to be helpful, but it was up to him, and Jane, of course, to figure out where they wanted to go now.
David was thinking about getting home as it was one of his kids birthday that week and he and Mary had some plans to sort out. Thinking of Mary reminded him of something that he had meant to say to Ralph earlier.
“Oh, and yes Ralph, there is that little thing about being in love. By all accounts it’s pretty important. Got to get going now everyone, duty calls.”
Ralph offered to give Peter a lift to the station. It was now getting pretty late and his friend was starting to fall asleep. Peter grinned as he stood up.
“No worry this time mate, as our colleague, Katie, or former colleague, I should say, would have said. Marcia and I have decided to give it another try. She’s picking me up outside Kenry House at ten. And no I will not be found in that damned bath tub this time. That’s one lesson that I’ve learned. So that gives me 5 minutes to smarten up and then we’re off. But thanks for the offer, Ralph; much appreciated old pal.”
Once both of his friends had gone, Ralph was left to his musings about the past few months. He was thankful that Janice had now recovered from her injuries and he was looking forward to having her return to work the next week. He had heard that Jim Stocker was also on the road to recovery and able to get around with the aid of crutches. Ralph found himself warming to the thought of being able to make Jim one of his friends in the future. He mused that Jim would probably give back the money that he had used to fund his gambling at Monte Carlo and perhaps just get a slap on the wrist for the rest of his activities. With luck he would then soon be back in class teaching. And he felt sad that his friend Katie had finished up losing everything that she had cherished, and all for naught by a cruel twist of fate.
Even better news was that the Centenary celebrations were now fully approved by the University Governors and Granger had been successful in negotiating firm links with the town of Perrone, and with The Sorbonne and Diderot University in France.
Ralph realized that it was time he shook himself out of his reverie and made his own way home. As he walked past Kenry House the moon lit up the outline of the ivy covered building. The clock in the stable tower struck eleven and he thought about poor Jack Welsh and how all of his plans to retire on the stolen treasure had come to nothing. Wherever Jack was now, he knew that there would be lots of stories being swapped with his old army pals
about how he had managed to fool everyone in the end.
Just then a stiff breeze created a sighing sound from the tall pines bordering the house and Ralph turned up the collar of his coat before hurrying on towards the lights beckoning him at the end of the driveway.
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The Gypsy Hill Murders (The Ralph Chalmers Mysteries Book 1) Page 17
