Lost and Found: A Novel - Chapter Two.
London 2018
'Why should I loan money to Richard?' Tom Bain almost spat out the question he was so angry. 'He's the banker for God's sake. He should be loaning money to me!'
Tom's wife Kate sighed, then remained silent for a moment to allow Tom's anger to subside.
'It would only be a short-term loan', Kate said quietly. 'Until Richard gets his big bonus at the end of the year.'
'Why does he need to put an extension on his house?', Tom went on. 'It's not as if he and Vanessa have children and need more room.'
When Tom had come home from the college he had intended to tell Kate immediately about his interview with Professor Cora Shelton and its consequences. However, no sooner had he come through the door than Kate confronted him with Richard's latest request for money. Richard was his eldest son and Kate's favourite child. He had gone to Oxford University like Tom and had done very well. Tom had hoped Richard might follow him into the academic world, but the attraction of big money in the City of London had proved too great. He had earned rapid promotion as a banker and enjoyed the sort of salary which Tom, a poor academic historian, could only dream about. Richard had met Vanessa at the bank and they had married. Their joint salaries were enough to allow them to buy a big house in Maidenhead. Then Vanessa decided to leave the bank and open an art gallery in the West End of London. It was not a success and their financial problems soon began. Richard supported Vanessa in her determination to keep the art gallery going, but several times he had been forced to get loans from his father.
'You still have all the money your father left you', Kate said to Tom.
'That's for us. For our retirement, so we can live comfortably', said Tom, but he still did not reveal that his retirement would come sooner than expected.
'You will help Richard, won't you?' Kate was almost pleading.
Tom was silent, but they both knew he would in the end loan Richard the money he wanted.
Why could Richard not be more like his sister Susan?, thought Tom. She was their only daughter and Tom's favourite child. Susan had turned down the chance to go to Oxford and instead went to the Other Place. Still, after visiting her there many times, Tom had to admit a grudging respect for the University of Cambridge. After university, Susan qualified as a lawyer at a big firm in the City, but then moved out of London to Reading with her husband Kevin, who was a computer systems consultant. They had one child, John, and Susan still worked for a local law firm. Even as a child Susan was always careful with money, and even though she and her husband had good salaries, she was never extravagant in her spending. She would never ask her father for money.
As for Kate and Tom's youngest child and second son, Andrew, he had always been totally different from his two siblings. No famous universities for him. He was more interested in outdoor pursuits and the countryside. Tom thought he might become a farmer. Instead Andrew had met Josie, a girl with similar interests, and they had set up a business in the Lake District taking tourists on hiking and climbing expeditions. Sometimes they went to Wales and Scotland as well. Tom had been ready to give them some money for the business and it seemed to be prospering.
Of course Tom knew that Josie was the business manager in the partnership. Andrew had been a placid child, always happy and cheerful. At first Tom and Kate had feared he might be retarded, but that proved not to be the case. What a comment that was on the world, thought Tom. If you were always happy and cheerful you must be mentally retarded!
And what of Kate? His wife was still looking at Tom, assuming his silence implied consent to a loan to Richard, but still not entirely sure. Kate was five years younger than Tom, the student he had seduced after his first marriage ended. Or was it the other way round? He chased her until she caught him? It was a minor scandal in the college all those years ago, but marriage had saved Tom's career.
Kate had let her own hopes of an academic career wither while she brought up the three children and managed her sometimes difficult husband. She did some part-time tutoring for the Open University, but household tasks still dominated her life.
Lately Tom had noticed that Kate seemed tired and irritable. Her once lustrous black hair seemed dull and streaks of grey had begun to show. Was she tired of her life, or just tired of him, Tom wondered anxiously.
Kate was moving towards the kitchen.
'Oh, I have some big news', Tom said, trying to sound casual.
Kate turned towards him.
'Cora gave me the boot today, and she enjoyed doing it', Tom went on.
Kate gasped.
'Why?', she asked. 'Was it because of that silly girl Jessica Jones?'
'Partly', said Tom. 'But there were other reasons too. Apparently the world has moved on and I haven't kept pace.'
'Can't you challenge her decision?', Kate demanded.
'No. I'm already over the official retirement age. Cora made it sound as though they had been keeping me on as some act of charity. Now they - she - are not feeling charitable any more.'
Kate came over to Tom and hugged him.
'My poor darling', she whispered in his ear.
'Perhaps you can get me some tutoring work with the Open University', Tom said to Kate. He tried to laugh, but failed.
Kate stood back and stared into Tom's face.
'What are we going to do?', she asked.
'Oh, don't worry about money', Tom replied. 'I'm on paid leave this term. Then there's the money my father left me.'
'Yes, you already mentioned that.'
'Perhaps we should go on a world cruise or something', said Tom.
Kate looked doubtful.
'But you hate the sea', she said to Tom. 'You can even get seasick on the ferry to the Isle of Wight.'
'They say those giant modern cruise ships are so stable they can sail through any storm and the passengers hardly notice.'
'I think that's unlikely', said Kate, no doubt picturing Tom throwing up regularly as the cruise ship crossed the oceans of the world.
'It was only a thought'. Tom said absently.
'Well, let's have something to eat, then we can discuss things further', said Kate, heading for the kitchen.
They spent the evening talking about possible futures, but Tom and Kate came to no definite conclusions.
Next day Tom realised that in his haste to flee college the previous day he had left some books he needed in his office. He was sure he could slip into the college and retrieve them without being noticed. He was wrong.
Tom collected the books from his room, but as he walked along the corridor outside he saw Professor Cora Shelton approaching. The door to the office of departmental secretary Valerie was open and Tom thought of going in there until Cora had passed by. However, he then suspected Valerie's office was probably Cora's intended destination. Cora was looking at some papers she was holding in her right hand. Perhaps Tom could slip past without her noticing him, but Cora then looked up from the papers.
'Tom, what are you doing here? I thought I sent you on leave', said Cora, blocking Tom's path.
'Oh, I was just getting some books from my room', Tom replied, trying to edge past the professor. She moved to obstruct his passage.
'Books from your room? Oh, thank you for reminding me, Tom', said Cora with an insincere smile. 'I think it would be best if you cleared all your books and other belongings out of your room now. You know how short we are of accommodation in this department. I can probably squeeze three postgraduate students into your room.'
Tom knew he would have to vacate his room eventually, but he had not wanted to be rushed.
'Yes, I'll be happy to do that', Tom said reluctantly. 'Give me two or three weeks.'
'Nonsense', said Cora. 'With the help of the college porters I'm sure you can clear the room in a day or two.'
'I'm not sure about that', Tom began to say, but Cora cut him off.
'I think you should be out by the end of this week', she said firmly.
Both Tom and Cora had raised their voices as they argued. Departmental secretary Valerie was now looking out of the doorway to her room, concerned at the commotion in the corridor.
Tom stepped away from Cora.
'Perhaps that is possible', he said weakly.
'Of course it is', said Cora as she swept past Tom and entered Valerie's office.
(TBC)
