To Cut a Long Story Short

‘The knight has advanced across the board - or, to be more accurate, the Channel - and I have a feeling he’s about to be brought into play.’

‘What are you talking about, Tony?’

‘I think you know very well what I’m talking about,’ I replied.

‘What a coincidence,’ a voice said from behind her.

Susie swung round and put on a convincing display of surprise when she saw Richard standing there.

‘What a coincidence,’ I repeated.

‘Isn’t it a wonderful exhibition?’ said Susie, ignoring my sarcasm.

‘It certainly is,’ said Rachel, who had obviously not been informed that she, like me, was only a pawn in this particular game, and was about to be taken by the queen.

‘Well, now that we’ve all met up again, why don’t we have lunch?’ suggested Richard.

‘I’m afraid we’ve already made other plans,’ said Susie, taking my hand.

‘Oh, nothing that can’t be rearranged, my darling,’ I said, hoping to be allowed to remain on the board for a little longer.

‘But we’ll never be able to find a table in a half-decent restaurant at such short notice,’ Susie insisted.

‘That shouldn’t prove a problem,’ I assured her with a smile. ‘I know a little bistro where we will be welcome.’

Susie scowled as I moved out of check, and refused to talk to me as we all left the museum and walked along the left bank of the Seine together. I began chatting to Rachel. After all, I thought, we pawns must stick together.

Jacques threw his arms up in Gallic despair when he saw me standing in the doorway.

‘How many, Monsieur Tony?’ he asked, a sigh of resignation in his voice.

‘Four,’ I told him with a smile.

It turned out to be the only meal that weekend that I actually enjoyed. I spent most of the time talking to Rachel, a nice enough girl, but frankly not in Susie’s league. She had no idea what was happening on the other side of the board, where the black queen was about to remove her white knight. It was a pleasure to watch the lady in full flow.

While Rachel was chatting away to me, I made every effort to listen in on the conversation that was taking place on the other side of the table, but I was only able to catch the occasional snippet.

‘When are you expecting to be back in New York …’

‘Yes, I planned this trip to Paris weeks ago …’

‘Oh, you’ll be in Geneva on your own …’

‘Yes, I did enjoy the Keswicks’ party …’

‘I met Tony in Paris. Yes, just another coincidence, I hardly know him …’

True enough, I thought. In fact, I enjoyed her performance so much that I didn’t even resent ending up with the bill.

After we had said our goodbyes, Susie and I strolled back along the Seine together, but not hand in hand. I waited until I was certain Richard and Rachel were well out of sight before I stopped and confronted her. To do her justice, she looked suitably guilty as she waited to be chastised.

‘I asked you yesterday, also after lunch, “If you could do anything in the world right now, what would it be?” What would your reply be this time?’

Susie looked unsure of herself for the first time that weekend.

‘Be assured,’ I added as I looked into those blue eyes, ‘nothing you can say will surprise or offend me.’

‘I would like to return to the hotel, pack my bags and leave for the airport.’