Roberta Leigh - Give A Man A Bad Name

‘How?’

‘By ensuring that the second time they stay in one of our hotels, that hotel knows their foibles before they arrive; that way we can put their favourite drinks and flowers in their room, the reception clerk can enquire about their children or their wife—’

‘Whether they prefer morning coffee to tea,’ Marly cut in, ‘or bath-towels to robes! That’s easy. All I need do is enlarge the questionnaire.’

‘How long before you can let us have the software?’

‘It depends on the problems I come across.’

Alex’s mouth crooked in a half-smile. ‘I suppose it’s part of your job to make it sound complex. How else could 3S justify their fee?’

‘If you think I’d be party to such a—’

‘I was teasing,’ he said quickly. ‘I’ve no idea of their charges. That’s our finance director’s province.’

‘I see.’ Her annoyance, which was genuine, faded. ‘I’m sorry I misunderstood you.’

‘Misunderstandings seem par for our course.’

‘I agree.’ She paused deliberately before continuing. ‘For that reason, it would be better if we didn’t see each other socially.’

‘You’re joking?’ The astonishment on his face told her no female had ever said such a thing to him. ‘I thought you liked me.’

‘I do.’

‘Then why—?’

‘Because it will create problems.’

‘How?’

‘Do you often date your staff?’

‘No. This is a first.’

‘Why are you making an exception of me ?’

‘Because you’re an exceptional young woman.’

‘Exceptional?’ Wide-eyed, she gazed at him, and he lowered his head towards her so that she saw the silver flecks in his grey eyes.

‘You are intelligent, charming, and very feminine.’

‘So are thousands of other women.’

‘But you don’t flaunt your intelligence.’

In other words I’m docile, Marly thought, and knew her plan was succeeding. He had probably dated intelligent women by the hundred, but one who also deferred to him constantly was a novelty not to be lightly discarded! Slowly she turned away, affording him a view of her small, straight nose and sweetly curved mouth.

‘Are you always embarrassed by compliments?’ he quizzed.

‘If they come from my employer.’

‘Can’t you just see me as a man who wants to know you better?’

Certain that he meant ‘know’ in the biblical sense, Marly longed to cut him down to size, but knowing this would put paid to her plans for him, she swallowed her ire and gave him one of her shy smiles.

‘No comment?’ he ventured.

‘It wouldn’t be seemly.’

‘I bet I’m going to hear that pretty often!’ He leaned closer to her. ‘Are you free to have dinner with me tonight?’

‘I have another engagement,’ she lied.

‘Tomorrow, then?’

His persistence was gratifying, but she had no intention of making it easy for him. Let him sweat a little!

‘I’m sorry, but I promised Nan’s mother I would be home to dinner.’

‘Have a drink with me beforehand?’

‘Thank you.’

‘I’ll call for you here and we’ll go up to the Rivertop. We promote it as having the best view and the best cocktails in Bangkok, and I’d like to see how honest our advertising is!’

As the door shut behind him, Marly danced a little jig around the room. Her long, tight skirt hampered her and she sat down giggling, and stared at her blank computer screen. Blank? Then why was Alex Hamilton’s face filling it? She poked her tongue at it and the image vanished.

Although she had no regrets about her charade, she knew that by encouraging him to fall in love with her she was playing a dangerous game. He was the handsomest, most interesting man she had met, and if she wasn’t careful she could emulate Andrea and, she suspected, every other woman with whom he came in contact, and fall madly in love with him.

Yet she had one advantage. She knew the man behind the mask. Not for her the rose-coloured spectacles of innocence. She saw him for the philanderer he was, and that should be enough to keep her immune to him.

So absorbed was she in thought that the telephone rang twice before she heard it. It was Kevin, to see if she was free to go to the cinema with him that evening. Glad the engagement she had pretended to have was now an actuality, she accepted at once. Besides, it would be a relief to be herself again.

‘What are we seeing?’ she asked.

‘The new Spielberg. It’s the opening night, and I’ve unexpectedly been given two tickets. I’ll pick you up at seven-thirty.’

An evening with a nice uncomplicated man would help her put Alex into perspective, and remind her he wasn’t the only handsome male in the world. Except that Kevin, attractive though he was, left her cold. On the credit side, though, she couldn’t envisage him two-timing anyone, and that, as far as she was concerned, was a great big plus.

RETURNING home to shower and change, Marly wished Nan wasn’t working late, for they both enjoyed their pre-dinner gossip, and right now she had plenty to gossip about!

She was dressed and ready half an hour before Kevin was due, and enjoyed wearing her own clothes. She had gone slightly overboard, with citron and white linen a dramatic contrast against her olive skin, and the smooth sleekness of her centre-parted hairstyle had been replaced by her usual one of tonged curls cascading to her shoulders.

‘Here comes the Marly I recognise!’ Nan’s mother exclaimed as the girl she had seen grow from a tomboy into a beautiful woman entered the living-room, high-heeled sandals clicking on the polished wood floor. ‘I take it you aren’t seeing Mr Hamilton tonight?’

‘Thank heavens, no. It’s an awful strain pretending to be a docile young lady and agreeing with everything he says.’

‘There’s no reason why you can’t disagree with him,’ the older woman stated. ‘In the last ten years my countrywomen have become much more emancipated, and many of them run big companies and are highly successful.’

‘Alex hasn’t realised that, so I’m still playing up to his outmoded ideas!’

‘He’ll change them when he’s lived here a little longer.’

Marly knew this to be true, for the twentieth century, with its satellite television and world-wide communication, was having the same impact here as in the West. Yet family bonds were still important, religion remained strong, and young people continued to treat their parents with respect.

Professor Damrong came in, and watching him greet his wife—smiling without touching, the smile itself being an embrace—Marly thought it a nicer salutation than the meaningless peck on the cheek of a Western couple.

A few moments later Kevin arrived, and after a drink and the usual social chat they set off for the cinema.

‘The professor was telling me what a success the show was,’ he commented as they strolled down the street in search of a cab. ‘I wish I could have seen your act.’

Marly almost told him she was still acting, then decided against it. Alex Hamilton was occupying enough of her thoughts without allowing him to impinge on her evening with Kevin.

An empty cab cruised past and he flagged it down and ushered her inside. But they had only gone a few blocks when she asked the driver to stop.

‘I think we’ll be better off walking the rest of the way,’ she suggested. ‘This traffic jam is dreadful.’

‘Suits me.’ Kevin paid the fare and helped her out. ‘As long as your high heels are up to it!’

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