Martha always enjoyed her days in London, especially when David asked her if she would like to spend some time there while he was away on business. Before the trip, if David gave sufficient notice of it, she'd go on a diet and plan her stay down to the last detail. She always wanted to look her best when she went away with him.
The arrangement, as before when he asked it of her, was that they would drive down, settle in, take in a show, and have a day together in a hotel overlooking Hyde Park, and he would then leave for his trip, usually taking an evening flight. Upon his return, they would spend another day or two 'in town' before going home to their place in Norfolk.
The bonus for Martha, and often David too, was that she could see her grandchildren. But, she always resolved not to overdo it, not because of her not being the mothering sort, but simply that it was all too much for David, the shopping, glamming up for a show or ballet, and the rest of it. She preferred to look on her stay in London as a treat, a minibreak, and David agreed simply to humor her.
Because of that attitude, which he did little to moderate, she also wanted time to herself; to be indulged and pampered in the hotel's sauna and there to enjoy a massage; to be soothed by having warm oils smoothed into her skin and to feel the languorous pleasure that could bestow upon her. That way, Martha thought, she could look on her stay as a diversion from the loneliness she often felt when at home and David was away overseas on a business trip that he rarely spoke of upon his return.
The Civil Service still had a use for him; called David in when there was a particularly tricky matter to deal with. The task was never dangerous, or so risky, that it put his life in danger. It was work that required his diplomatic and negotiating skills.
She had learned a trick or two from David in those ways of it. The talks always came down to bartering, something in exchange for another. That way, no one lost face and each party believed that they had won.
So it was that, in early June, she found herself in London once more and in the same plush hotel, feeling happy and energized. David had given her some notice of a 'possible' trip. A provisional booking of the hotel had been converted into a certain one, and something of a crash diet had been rigorously pursued so that she had even been able to wear again, comfortably, some of her favorite clothes, items that she had kept, just in case age and nature were kind to her.
'What shall I bring back?' David asked of her as he made to leave for the airport.
'Oh, I don't know, surprise me,' she sighed, looking at him fondly as she adjusted his tie. 'Aren't you a bit over-dressed for the flight?'
David shrugged. 'You know me...'
She did, her husband never could get used to the 'slovenly' ways of the age. 'Where are you going to, remind me?'
'Oz then Singapore...it's a bit of a trek. But, someone's got to do it.' David brushed back his thinning grey hair and studied his lined, lean face in the mirror. 'Well?'
'Well, I've always wanted a few opal beads that I could string onto a gold necklace. I could have one made up.'
'Not here, in London, you won't. It would be far too dear. Besides, white gold might be better with them.'
Martha smiled, just to please him. 'Well, we can decide on it together when you come back...with the opals.'
'I'll do my best for you. Now, I'd better get going.' David kissed her in his rather perfunctory, but kindly, way of it.
'I'll be here, darling, when you return. I'll try not to overdo things.'
'And mind our things, won't you?' he said in a distracted tone as he took one last look around their room. 'Enjoy yourself and don't spend too much will you?'
He grinned, knowing that request might well fall on deaf ears.
'Yes, now off you go.'
Martha followed him to the elevators and waited until the doors closed him off from her view.
Yippee, now for the shops!
She skipped down the corridor and back to their suite, the electronic fob soon making the light on the lock glow green before she pushed open the door. It would be a good time of day to try and strike a bargain, the shop attendants might be having a slow time of it and might cut her a better deal than they might have done earlier. She could indulge herself without being too extravagant.
She might even fit into some of the clothes that she had tracked down on the internet. Her diet and some exercise had toned her body wonderfully; her white, blonde hair shone with good health and hung to her shoulders. Her blouses fitted neatly across her full but somewhat sagging breasts and her slacks didn't pinch at her waist. Pleased as she was with how she looked, she could not deny that she was becoming scrawny, her arms thin and lacking the tone of her younger years. Still, her slacks flattered her thighs and, to David's ways of seeing them, her bum cheeks. Furthermore, she felt that she could walk comfortably in her low-heeled shoes, their straps no hindrance and not digging into her skin. A dab of powder to her pronounced cheekbones, and the wipe of a tissue over her full, lightly rouged, lips was enough to satisfy her.
The door was closed and the key fob was put back into her small clutch bag. It, along with a silken colorful scarf, was put in a stylish tote bag that she slung casually over one shoulder.
She groaned, inwardly, as the lift descended. Just where was she to start? Did she have time? An old school friend would call by for a drink and maybe to share a light supper in the hotel's bistro. Until then, the rest of the day was for her to enjoy.
She would be alone for much of the time but would not miss David too much. There were enough distractions to be found -- somehow and somewhere. Her David always seemed to be a different man after his trips. It was as if he had been recognized as someone of value, again.
It was what she took from these trips away also. She looked upon them as a holiday and felt rejuvenated by them, ready to face again the quieter ways of a rural life.
♥
'Jenny!' she cried out on hearing her friend's cultured voice.
'Martha, I'm...I'm sorry to say that I won't be able to see you tonight or this evening.'
'Oh, that's a shame...I was looking forward to meeting up with you again.'
Martha cursed. She had been caught out in the rain and very few taxis seemed to be about or available to be flagged down. With her bags of purchases, in hand, she had been in a hurry to get back to the hotel.
'Yes, I know. I wondered if Friday would be of any use to you. I know you're here for a few days?'
Martha thought quickly.
'Yes, that would be okay. Oh! Wait...' Martha thought about it some more and scrabbled in her handbag for her iPhone to check things out. 'If you could make it for lunch then it's fine. My David's coming back that day but won't be with me until after four...'
She heard Jenny laugh in that way of hers. 'Great! I'll see you at twelve!'
'Yes, until then...bye!'
A taxi finally drew up and she gave the driver the details of the hotel. An emptier evening seemed to be stretching out before her, but a late booking theatre ticket site might be the answer to that.
♥
It was still the rush hour and the traffic was heavy and slow-moving in the downpour. It beat a rhythm on the roof and Martha met the taxi driver's look as he cursed. He had also glanced her way in the rearview mirror and shrugged.
'It's okay, it can't be far.'
'No love it's not, and it's not getting any easier even when the weather's fine. Too many people and not enough space is what I reckon is the problem.'
'That's true.' She wasn't going to debate the point and held the bags a little tighter by their thin, stringy handles.
One of them contained a racy, see-through nightie. She'd bought it on a whim and had thought to treat herself. She could still pass herself off as the attractive older woman, even for a fifty-five-year-old married to a man of sixty.
The taxi driver dodged and weaved and soon slewed to a stop in front of the hotel. The doorman stepped out to meet her, a large umbrella shielding her from the deluge.
'Keep the change!' she told the diver and rushed away.
'Ta missus!'
'Phew! I'm glad you were there to meet me,' she laughed at the man before she scurried into the lift lobby and pushed the call button.
What now? She took to thinking of the evening ahead. A swim and then maybe a supper...or...try a theatre...see if there was anything worth rushing out for again and into that rain.
Martha fumbled for her door fob as she drew near to the room. Only...only...she noticed that the door was unlocked, just pushed to as if to give the appearance of being shut. She had seen a housekeeper's trolley at the far end of the corridor but thought nothing of it.
She peered through the crack and saw a shadow moving across the wall, cast by the lights from outside and below in the street. She saw a man's tall, slender figure in a white shirt and black trousers; a duster and bucket in hand. But he was more interested in what he took up from the bedside table...on her side of the large bed with its ornate headboard.
Martha put her hand to her throat. Damn, she'd not put on her gold chain and locket, nor her engraved gold and white gold filigree bracelet. How could she have been so careless after David had cautioned her? The rush to be in the shops was quite forgotten now.
The man took up the items and shoved them deep into the bucket before he piled some cleaning cloths over them.
'What do you think you're doing? Thief!' she cried out from the doorway before it was kicked shut behind her.
The man looked round sharply before he met the blows of a bag to his outstretched arms and hands. He soon dodged away to avoid further blows and saw that the door had already been closed behind the woman. Who would hear her?
'You stupid to leave them there...' he said in a deep and challenging tone of voice
Martha heard the Spanish intonation and was disconcerted on seeing his sullen good looks and the dart of his eyes over her, given the circumstances.
