A Suitor for the Princess - Chapter 33

        Martha was very old-fashioned and was a person who espoused the institution of marriage.  It was sacrosanct!  She couldn’t imagine violating it even in her dreams.  Yes, she wasn’t a home-breaker.  She vowed to bury all romantic notions about the genial Arnold and maintain a friendly but formal distance from him.

        The next day when Arnold didn’t turn up at 7 a.m., Martha instinctively knew that something was seriously amiss.  Arnold was a punctual person hence she racked her brains for him not arriving on time.  As the word ‘accident’ flashed before her mind's eye she chided herself for being so fatalistic.  Of course there would be a mundane reason.  She would soon know when he’d meet her, which would be any time soon!

        But when the clock’s hands pointed towards 9 p.m., she was very, very worried.  She debated going over to his place.  She was also anxious that she couldn’t phone the psychiatrist and apologize for being late (as they surely would be), as she didn’t have his phone number. 

        She tried Arnold’s phone number several times.  It kept ringing each time.  When she could no longer sit twiddling her thumbs she locked the house, jumped into her car and raced to Arnold’s house in the town.  All through the ride, the thought that his behavior was uncharacteristic, hammered at her.  Surely he would’ve at least phoned her and explained about the inordinate delay!  When she reached his finely constructed bungalow, she saw a lock welcoming her and was thoroughly disappointed.  She felt very cross with Arnold for letting her down, just when she needed him the most.

        When she turned around, she came face to face with Arnold and his pretty wife Anne.  He was looking dapper in a brown suit with a cream shirt and a red tie and Anne looked elegant in a black business suit of trousers and top with white ruffles at the collar.  She was a brunette and her hair shone with good health from under her pink woolen scarf. 

        She looked coolly at Martha with what Martha felt was a slightly condescending, mocking expression.  Arnold looked sheepish as he tried to hide his embarrassment at finding her there; unsuccessfully.  He hadn’t expected her to land up at his doorstep, though he knew that he had blundered by not calling her up.  How could he have told her that his wife had called him up from the airport and asked him to pick her up at 7 a.m. that morning, leaving him harried and with no time to even call up Martha and explain his delay?  He had felt guilty in doing so before his wife, as he hadn’t informed Anne before about his appointment with the psychiatrist for Martha.  She’d have blown her top!  That she was possessive, would’ve been an understatement, to say the least!

        Quickly Arnold tried to break the awkward silence with a “Hello Martha!  What a pleasant surprise?” Though taken aback, Martha realized his predicament and decided to play along.  She said politely, “Good morning Arnold, Good morning Anne. I had come to town for breakfast.  I have a few errands that I’ve been putting off since many days.  Just decided to drop in and take you both along.  Would you like to come along?  The treat is on me.  But if you’re tired, as I can see, just have rest.  Bye then, folks!”

        With that exaggerated brightness, she hurriedly went away, leaving Arnold and Anne looking at each other with an amused expression on their faces.  Inwardly, Arnold felt like a cad for having let down Martha.  He had to find a way to meet her alone and speak to her. 

        After entering their home and putting away the luggage, he told Anne that he’d just hop across to the supermarket and get some essential items that they needed. Being tired Anne agreed.  She had been flying all night long and just wished to hit the bed.  She kissed Arnold, said “Bye” and went off to sleep.

        Relieved, Arnold hurried to the café where he knew he would find Martha.  She had often mentioned that she loved the items on the menu and the ambience of that place.  He spotted her sitting morosely at a corner table with a plate of toast and eggs and coffee.  On seeing him enter, she visibly brightened and greeted him.  “Hi there, come and join me.”

        He sat down on a chair and called for the waiter.  “One omelette and coffee for me please!” Then turning towards her, he said “Sorry Martha.  You were wonderful today.  Thanks for being so gracious and understanding.  You know, Anne is a sweet girl but jealously makes her vicious and unmanageable.  I hadn’t told her about our trip to the psychiatrist; thinking that she was due to be back only tomorrow.  But her meeting for tomorrow was cancelled and she decided to be home a day earlier.”

        “Relax Arnold.  I think that you should give me the phone number and address of that psychiatrist.  I’ll go there on my own.”

        “Nothing doing Martha!  After our breakfast, I’ll be fixing an appointment for tomorrow.  I’ll take an off from work and pick you up.  We’ll fix an afternoon appointment so that Anne won’t become suspicious if I start out early in the morning.”

        After breakfast he called up the psychiatrist’s clinic, apologized for his inability to go there that day and fixed an appointment for next day.

        “Thanks Arnold, for being such a dear!” she said sincerely as tears sprang up in her eyes.

        “Hush Martha!  Everything will soon be all right.  Trust me!” he said putting his arm around her to comfort her.  Then he went to the supermarket.  She went to the bank.  When she reached home it was 4 p.m.  She had had lunch at a charming restaurant near the bank, strolled along the lake side and enjoyed the pleasant weather and sunshine.  She was in good spirits when she returned, all charged up for another writing session.    

To be continued....         

The copyright of this novel is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.