To bring those of you who haven't read parts one and two up to date... no, it's far too long a story. Why not go back and start at the beginning. It's worth it. Honestly.
*
An hour or so after Bob had his little chat with me, Cassie came dashing up to the studio. 'How did he know?' she gasped as she hurried in through the door.
'He said you seemed a lot happier recently and I think he likes it. He reckons you are as happy together as most couples are and that you have a good life together but he seems relieved that you're a lot more content.'
'We've argued a lot less than normal and that must have been obvious to him' she agreed. 'While you were away we actually seemed to be getting on quite well. Maybe knowing that I had you around made me a lot more tolerant of him and his goings on β even his little trips into the town.'
'Ah, you know about that, do you?' I asked.
'Of course I do', she replied. 'This is a small country district where everyone knows everyone. You can't hide that sort of thing. He thinks that no-one knows but...'
'So where do we go from here?'
We sat down and talked. It seemed to us that we had two choices. We could continue as we were β Bob having Lindy and his drink, and Cassie having me β but Cassie didn't know whether she could cope with such a strange lifestyle and she didn't know if it could be kept under wraps, as her husband had insisted.
'It just seems weird', she said. 'What happens if you and I leave the room in the evening? Is he going to be terribly civilised about it? "Off to have a fuck, dear? Have a nice time."'
I could scarcely stop myself from bursting out in laughter. 'When he heads off into town, do you ask him "Going to have a fuck with Lindy, dear? Try to get back in time for tea"? Of course you don't. You know what he's up to but you turn a blind eye to it and he's offering to do the same, except that in his case the blind eye will be firmly shut in drunken sleep. We'll be doing exactly the same as we did before.'
'But the difference is that I'll know that he knows. How will I look him in the eye over the breakfast table with him knowing that I've just come from your bed and that you were making love to me half an hour before?'
'He manages to look you in the eye over dinner when he gets back from one of his afternoon trysts', I retorted.
'But he thinks I don't know about it. And, anyway, it's different for a man.'
I looked at her quizzically over the top of my glasses, which led to a few moments' silence between us. I knew she was struggling with the dilemma and in the end only she could resolve it.
'It comes down to a choice, doesn't it?' I tried to put the dilemma as simply as I could for her. 'I know it will seem very odd at first and we'll have to work it out as we go, but it could be a solution that gives everyone what they want. The alternative is that we have to give each other up. I don't want that and I don't think you do either.'
Her whole body tensed as she thought long and hard about it.
'Ok', she finally decided. 'I can't give you up completely but there's no question of us heading off to bed together every night. I know it's silly', she went on. 'I could cope with it while we were sneaking off and doing it behind his back but going to bed with an 'approved lover' just seems wrong. It would be as if he'd contracted out his marital duties to you.'
'I'm not surprised you feel like that', I admitted. 'I knew you would even while Bob was talking to me. In fact, I even wondered if he knew it too and it was his intention to make you feel awkward. I've got a nasty feeling that if you do come to bed with me, you won't feel able to make love. You'll worry that he's awake and listening to you.'
An air of gloom settled over her. 'That's strange you should think that because I've just had exactly the same feeling and I don't know what to do about it.'
'The first thing you have to do is to think about is that he's managed to turn things round so that everything's back where it was a month ago before we met. And the second is to remember that a couple of times every week he'll be popping off for his rendezvous in town and he won't feel any of the guilt that's weighing on you. I'm sorry, but he's got you where he wants you.'
'No', she looked up at me, 'I'm the one who should be sorry. I know you're right but I just don't know how to deal with it. Can you give me a bit of time to think about it?'
*****
I'd not long settled back down to my work when the studio door burst open again. This time it was Rachel. 'What on earth's happened?' she demanded. There was a stony look in her eyes that I'd never seen before. 'I was looking for mum and I eventually found her in her room crying her eyes out. Have you two fallen out or something?'
I shook my head and began to tell her the whole story.
'The bastard!' she almost shouted. 'He's been fucking that bloody Lindy for years β and he lets her have that house of hers rent free β and yet as soon as mum finds a bit of happiness, he tries to put a stop to it. I bet he's had this tactic up his sleeve for years in case mum ever found a lover.'
There was a pause while she let her anger subside. 'What are we going to do about it?' she asked when she had finally calmed down a little.
'There's not much we
can
do', I said. 'I think you're right. He knew exactly how your mum would react if he made that suggestion and I don't really see how we can make your mum feel better about it. That's how she is and that's what makes her who she is.'
'But there must be something we can do.' Rachel was almost pleading with me. She expected the older, more experienced man to come up with an answer; an answer I wasn't sure I had.