Pas de Deux

"What would you suggest?"

"The Rose Adagio from 'The Sleeping Beauty'. Now that's spectacular, but not technically a solo."

"Why?"

"Aurora does all the dancing, but she has four male dancers on stage for support. I'm sure I could persuade four of the boys to do that. We're all conversant with Frederick Ashton's choreography. Would Sir Henry let me do that?"

"I doubt that Sir Henry knows his dying swan from his adagio. I wouldn't even ask him. Hell! Antonia you are dancing for free. You do what you want to do."

She thought for a moment and I could see her decision firm. "I'll talk to the Director tomorrow and get the scores for the orchestra."

The Gala went off well. It was a sort of 'spot the celebrity' evening. Of course Henry was in his element, glad-handing, back-slapping and air-kissing cheeks. I stayed out of it, probably for the best as my conversation was too dry and medical at these times. Nor did I get a good seat. The stalls and circle were reserved for the paying through the nose customers. The freebie seats were in the upper tier and well to the back. A very put out Shelley was with me. She thought that Henry should have seated her next to him. It's at times like this that you understand where you are in the pecking order. During Antonia's performance she watched with interest then towards the end turned to me. "She's bloody good. And she is sleeping with you?"

"You sound surprised, Shelley." She shook her head.

"No Simon. Probably envious of her."

"I seem to recall a conversation we had about your being an expensive girl."

"That's true. It doesn't mean that I wouldn't mind getting between you and your mattress occasionally though."

"Sorry, Shelley. I'm a one girl man, and that's the girl, the one on the stage."

"She's bloody lucky." I could hear the anguish in her voice.

After the show the Bars opened and we entered the crush as the guests, having relieved their thirst for culture, now relieved their thirst for alcohol. The girl behind the bar was very surprised when I asked for champagne for Shelley and a sparkling mineral water for me. The first drink was free, courtesy of the theatre. I found a comfortable place half-hidden behind a potted palm. Shelley left me to see if she could get to Henry's side.

The sound of clapping brought me out from my lair. It was for Antonia. My appreciation of her dancing was more about my love of looking at her than her technical ability. The clapping was for her performance. I had gathered from overheard snippets of conversation that she had danced this difficult piece superbly. She acknowledged the clapping and compliments with her smile even as she searched the bar with her eyes. Then she caught sight of me and graciously yet determinedly she made her way through the crush. I met her half-way and she came into my arms, uncaring of the people around us. She lifted her lips for my kiss. "Well! What did you think?"

"Absolutely beautiful. And the dancing was quite good too." She laughed and punched me playfully on my arm.

"Come with me as I pay my respects to Sir Henry and some others, then we can get off home." She stopped and a peaceful smile flitted across her face. "Home. I like that. Your home is my home, the Castle where my gallant Knight resides, where I can be me and be protected." A glint came into her eyes. "And be fucked so beautifully. Lets' get this done, Mister, as I need some loving."

We did the rounds. Henry, with Shelley in attendance, was effusive. "What a wonderful performance, absolutely superb." He looked at me then back to Antonia. "A little bird tells me that you and my star researcher have become a bit of an item. Is that so?"

"No need to be coy, Sir Henry. I am sharing Simon's home and his bed, so the answer's yes." Henry as ever took this in his stride.

"Oh I'm so pleased. I do like my protégés to have a settled home life." As we chatted another man came to join the group. Henry welcomed him. "Miss Berwick. May I introduce Edgerton Cummings?" Antonia politely extended her hand to shake.

Mr. Cummings took her hand and held on to it. "It's really great to meet with you, Toni. I had heard of you of course, but until tonight didn't realise how well you danced." Edgerton Cummings spoke with an American accent. "I have some great plans I would like to discuss with you." He kept Antonia's hand, gripping quite tightly, so tightly that white shadows appeared as blood was excluded from her epidermis. I could see Antonia trying to release her hand and becoming uncomfortable and I got pissed off with his impertinence.

"Mr. Cummings. I do understand that in the U.S. people will use given names from the start. However in this country we don't until invited to. Miss Berwick was introduced to you as Miss Berwick, and you are hurting her by holding her hand tightly like that."

Mr. Cummings turned his gaze on me. We agreed silently that we didn't like each other. "And you are?"

Antonia made the introduction. "This is Simon Easton, my fiancé." Now that was the first I had heard of that. Cummings ignored me and addressed Antonia again. He did release her hand though.

"Could we get together sometime, Miss Berwick." He emphasised the 'Miss'. "I have some projects I would like to talk about."

"I'm sorry Mr. Cummings. I have a contract with the Ballet Company D'Anglais and cannot work outside of that contract. If you would like to contact the company's director, Mr. Ballinger, he could probably help you."

"But you danced this evening."

"Yes. It's a Charity Gala, and I had the Company Director's permission to perform."

I had no antipathy towards Yanks, indeed quite a lot of my family had emigrated to Boston in the nineteen twenties. Also I had many conversations with other researchers in the U.S. with whom I got on well, so I had many relatives and friends on the other side of the Atlantic. It wouldn't have mattered what nationality Edgerton Cummings was, he was rude and overbearing. His worst offence was that he had treated Antonia disrespectfully. I was glad when we got away. Unfortunately we would encounter Edgerton Cummings again.

CHAPTER SIX

The Ballet D' Anglais, unlike other companies did not have a permanent home theatre so could be described as a touring company, although most of its productions were in London. In the time we were together Antonia had performed at three London theatres and with the company had danced in Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh. These were usually for a single week of performances. She had just heard that the company had been asked to tour the U.S.A. Antonia was excited and depressed, obviously excited at touring the States and depressed because she would be away for at least six weeks.

We were having one of those fine spells that occur infrequently in England and we had gone up to the Heath to walk, enjoy the sunshine and to discuss the tour. "I'm in bits, Si. I shall be away from you for at least six weeks. The people who are arranging the tour are trying to get more bookings so it could be even longer." This was the depressed Antonia and then in the next breath I got the excited version. "We will be performing in New York, Boston, Seattle and then Los Angeles and Houston, we shall be seeing pretty well all of the States." Her enthusiasm was infectious although I was certain that this whistle-stop tour would not show her half of what the States had to offer. Then her happiness dissolved. "I am going to miss you terribly."

I stopped and took her into my arms. "Antonia, if it's for six weeks or eight weeks, it is little enough time compared with the rest of our lives and when we are old you will look back and treasure the memories."

"Are we going to grow old together, Si?"

"Yes. You introduced me as your fiancé, so you can't back out of it now, and I think we should make it official."

"Are you asking me to marry you?"

"Yes, Antonia. When you came to the flat I asked you to stay forever. Your life and mine are intertwined, without you I am just a dried up medical researcher, with you I am alive and I understand things that I have looked at but never seen. I love you Antonia and I want you to be my wife and my soul mate."

There was no hesitation. "Yes, Si. Totally and completely, yes. There's nothing I want more than to be your wife."

"We'll go and choose an engagement ring as soon as possible." I decided.

"Leave it until I'm back from the States, darling." I looked askance and Antonia went on to explain. "I can't wear jewellery when performing and once I am wearing your ring, I will never want to take it off." She paused and a mischievous smile spread across her face. "We'll phone Becky tonight and give her an update on our romance."

"Do you keep her informed of everything?"

"Oh yes, Si. She's my best friend after you. Becky got to know about the first intimate touch, the first kiss and of course you know about my telling her that we slept together."

"Is there nothing private?"

Antonia shook her head. "Not between a girl and her best friend."

The phone call was made that evening. Becky answered and Antonia, without any salutation announced her news. "Si has asked me to marry him and I have said yes."

Whatever Antonia was going to say then was drowned by the squeal of joy from the other end. "Oh Ant. that's great, I am so happy. I was hoping that you and Si would get together. Even if he is my brother I am so pleased that you caught him."

"She didn't catch me." I had to say something. "I came willingly." There was a sudden silence and then giggling from Becky and sniggers from Antonia. I realised my unintended innuendo.

Between giggles Antonia carried on the conversation. "Don't pay attention to him, Beck. He's a man and you know their thinking is always based down there."

"Don't I know it?" Becky laughed. "So when will it be?" I answered that question. "As soon as possible when Antonia gets back from her tour to the States."

"See! He's eager." Antonia told Becky.

The fateful day, a Sunday arrived and I drove Antonia down to Bloomsbury where three coaches were picking up the company to take them to Heathrow. It appeared, wisely I thought, that they didn't trust the dancers to be on time for their flight should they be allowed to make their own way there. The dancers milled about, chatting to each other and with the well-wishers seeing them off. The Director, Mr. Ballinger was red-faced and perspiring as he tried to get his charges in order. Antonia was clinging to me as if her life depended on it, even as the last stragglers arrived and boarded the coaches she clung fiercely. The Director noticed and disembarked from the coach. "Time to go Toni." He said gently. Antonia buried her face in my chest denying the moment. "Come along Toni. We must leave now." Reluctantly and with a final kiss she parted from me.

"I'll phone you as soon as I can." I nodded. To be honest this was hurting me as much as Antonia. She boarded the coach with Mr. Ballinger bringing up the rear like a shepherd dog rounding up the strays. The door closed and the coaches pulled away. The last I saw of Antonia was her waving at me from the back window. Unhappily I went back to my car and drove home alone.

The next morning I was grumpy at work. The other researchers and technicians soon learned to keep out of my way. I was in my office at lunchtime when Shelley came in. "The boys and girls are telling me that you are a bear with a sore head." I grunted. Shelley went on. "Missing her already? It's only been a day."

"She won't be back for six weeks at least. That I will find difficult."

"I'll be happy to console you."

"What?"

"You heard."

"Shelley I remember telling you that I am a one girl man. Just because that girl is away for a while doesn't mean that I can change that status."

"You wouldn't. It would still be a one girl situation, just the girl being different."

"What about Henry?"

"Henry will never be a one girl man. Anyway I think I am giving up on him. He took me to a party over the weekend. It was all cronies and floozies, low cut short dresses and legs all over the place. I suddenly understood how he viewed me, and I didn't like myself."

I could see her eyes moisten in shame. "I think you are being too hard on yourself."

"Possibly." She nodded. "But you could say it was an eye-opener at any rate. So while I am looking for my next millionaire I could help you get over your loneliness, or at least prevent frustration."

"Under any other circumstance, Shelley, I would be very happy to have you on my arm and in my bed. But Antonia and I are getting married when she gets back. If I can't survive for six weeks without her, I don't deserve her."

"If only a man would say that about me." She wailed. The moisture in her eyes turned to tears. "Simon you are one of the best, and if I ever get the chance I will tell Antonia." She ran from the office.

I heard from Antonia frequently, although some of her phone calls were in the very late hours or early mornings, she hadn't got the hang of time differences. It became obvious that as the company travelled west the time difference would involve one or the other of us making or receiving calls at ungodly hours. I tried to call her at the hotels they used, but that seemed to be at times she was either performing or out and about. A couple of times they had not booked into the hotel they were supposed to be staying at. When we did speak she was angry as the organisation of the tour seemed to be quite haphazard. One of Antonia's little idiosyncrasies was her forgetting that her mobile phone needed recharging, or topping up with credit so phoning her cell was a frustrating exercise as four out of five times she didn't answer. Consequently I had to rely on Antonia to phone me. Her sour mood mollified as the days rolled by. "I can't wait, Si. Just four weeks to go and I shall see you again." She was counting down the days and weeks and with every day passed she was nearer to being home. The next time she called me she was disconsolate. The tour had been extended for another two weeks

Three days later Henry asked me to come to his office. He was as usual, urbane and full of himself. This is a good sign for him. "Ah, Simon." He welcomed me."Thanks for popping by." He got up to shake my hand and indicated the coffee pot on the side table. It was fresh and steam rose lazily from the spout. Being offered coffee was a good sign, or rather a sign that Henry wanted something from you. If he had poured the coffee himself it would mean he was to ask a very big favour. However I was left to pour my own coffee. It would be only a middling favour then. "Simon. I will be going to the States in ten days time. There is a meeting that I should attend. However it has come to my notice that included in the proceedings will be seminars and discussion groups, so I think your presence would be advantageous. There may be some representatives of the big drug companies there but mainly many of your research colleagues from other countries. The venue is a hotel and conference centre in Denver. Shelley will get your accreditation and make your travel arrangements. Do you think you could get away?" The question was largely superfluous. Whatever I thought I was going. It was obvious from what he said that much of the discussion would be beyond him so he needed me there to talk the technical stuff, whilst he did what he did best. Politicking and shaking hands.

I thought to get a little something for myself though. "I will be happy to go, Henry. If I took a few days off before I could visit my cousins in Boston on the way. Would it be ok if I get Shelley to book me with a stopover there?" It was a spur of the moment idea.

"Perfectly alright." He waved his hands casually as if giving a benediction. "Just make sure you are in Denver for the 30th."

It was my grandfather's brother, who emigrated to the States in nineteen twenty-three. In those years emigrating was a usually a journey into the unknown. It also meant losing contact with your family. Some ties did survive with correspondence. But in the main those who emigrated never again saw nor heard from the relations they left behind. When I was at Cambridge University doing my medical studies I had used their library to trace as much of my family as I could. University libraries have far more detailed information than most online ancestry sites. Easton is not an unusual name and it took me quite some time and many blank leads before eventually I managed to contact my cousin Kent who lived near Boston. He was astounded when I got in touch and we exchanged long emails bringing both of us up to date. I teased him a little for his name, Kent, as that county in south east England was where our family had lived for over three hundred years. In phone calls he urged me to come and visit and meet the family, so when I phoned him and announced that I was coming to the States and would visit he was thrilled. His wife, Amelie came on the phone and in no uncertain terms told me that I would be staying with them. I had already made a reservation at the Marriott Long Wharf, courtesy of Shelley who told me that the Foundation would pick up the tab although they wouldn't know about it. Despite this I accepted Amelie's hospitality as from her tone I daren't do otherwise.

I tried to call Antonia to let her know I was coming to the States, but her mobile was either in need of more credit or had run out of charge and the hotel she was supposedly staying at in Pittsburgh told me that the booking for the Ballet D'Anglais had been cancelled. They didn't know where the company were staying. Pittsburgh was on Eastern Daylight time and was five hours behind London so my phoning as I was at eleven p.m. should have been convenient for Antonia at six early evening. The following night Antonia called me, waking me up at twelve-thirty. Apart from mutual assurance that we loved and missed each other I asked what was going on. "Antonia, you never seem to be staying at the hotel your schedule indicates."

"I know Si. I am as confused as you. The bus picks us up at the airport and takes us to a hotel of which we have no knowledge. Mr. Ballinger is getting extremely angry." There was nothing either of us could do about this so I went on to give her some good news.

"I am coming to the States next week. I am staying with my cousin Kent in Boston and then moving on to Denver for a conference. I am sure I could get a flight from Logan to Pittsburgh and see you. Even if only for a day."

The wail of frustration could not be mistaken. "Damn, damn. Si. We are flying to San Francisco on Saturday." My spirits dropped. "What date to you have to be in Denver?"

"From the thirtieth for five days."

"We will be in San Francisco for that time. Perhaps I could come over for half a day?" Antonia suggested.

"Antonia that's about a thousand miles."

"Oh! I thought they were quite close."

"Not too close." I replied. "Where will you be staying in San Francisco?"

"I've no idea. This venue has been sprung on us at the last minute. I'll tell you now, Si. This tour has been put together by amateurs." That surprised me. I had never known the Americans be anything but efficient.

"Let me know where you will be staying as soon as possible. I am sure I can take a day off from the Seminar and grab a flight to San Francisco."

"If you can darling. That would be wonderful, it would cheer me up so much, and I'd love to see you." Antonia said with hope in her voice.

Having been allowed to enter the United States by Customs and Border Protection at Logan, I walked into a surprise. In the arrival hall I noticed a large cardboard sign with the words "Welcome Limey Cousin Simon." I walked over and was surrounded not just by Kent and his family, but his father and mother, sister and cousins both male and female none of whom I had ever seen before. Names came at me quick fire and my hand was shaken until it felt quite numb. Also more pleasantly I was hugged and kissed on the cheek by Amelie and other female relatives. My English reserve was shaken by their unabashed display of affection. I was relieved of every item of luggage and taken out to where their cars were parked.