Pity and a Shame

Chapter 3 - Fifteen Years Earlier

The barge chugged lazily up river against the flow. A shallow wake parted in wavelets from the stern, carrying their short careers to each bank of the narrow tributary. Overhead, slate clouds hung like expectant party balloons awaiting each peep of the pale sun to bring them to life.

Seated on the port side in comfortable deck chairs, the man gazed smitten at his companion. Her honey coloured tresses wisping about her face in the continuous breeze, teased his imagination and stirred the passion he struggled to keep in check. This trip would provide the perfect setting for the proposal he would make.

Seven months ago he knew this day would come, there was no doubt in his mind. They had planned a blissful future together including the tiny house in the country with the two point five children, the classic, and naïve expectations. Money would be no problem; while she had none to speak of, he was more than wealthy enough for both.

He beamed as he watched her; how could a man be so lucky? Another man wobbled toward them balancing a small tray of drinks, his face a pantomime of impending disaster.

"Whoah! Quick, grab one of these before we wear the lot!"

The woman removed a glass from the tray and sat back, leaving both the men to struggle for themselves. The third man sat on the opposite side of the woman and held up his glass with a huge smile.

"Well, here's looking up your bottom, Paynt. Cheers."

"Is that why you two were late for dinner last night?" The question was directed at the drink bearer, but she slid her eyes toward the man called Paynt.

"Poff! If I was late because of looking up bottoms, it certainly wouldn't be his!"

"I think those comments are out of place, Mickey," Paynt said primly, watching the woman.

"Oooh, old Paynter is into his gentleman mode. What do you think, Gwen?"

"I think I'm disappointed it wasn't my bottom," she said provocatively and laughed cruelly with the man named Mickey.

Paynter Gough flushed and bit his lip at their ridicule. The trip was supposed to be a romantic, pre-engagement holiday for he and Gwen, and until they met Mickey, an old alumni friend of hers, who insisted on joining their cruise up the Rhine, things were progressing well.

Now Gwen seemed to be using Mickey as some kind of playful tease to illicit jealousy - and it was working. The trip ended in Wiesbaden and the trio, instead of splitting up, booked accommodation at the same hotel near the Hessian State Theatre.

Paynter tried to pry Gwen away for a heart-to-heart talk but she was enjoying every minute of his discomfort too much and kept avoiding his pleas with trips to the Kurhaus casino, the mineral springs and the Colonnade, remnants of a Roman wall known as the Heidenmauer. Eventually, Paynter abandoned his efforts and tagged along, rationalizing her behaviour as a sort of, 'last fling'.

When the time for the trip was over, Mickey followed them to Frankfurt where they were to catch their flight home. They booked into the hotel, had a quiet dinner and retired early; their flight left at seven the following morning.

Paynter decided he'd waited long enough for Gwen to hear him out and when he felt the time was appropriate, he went to her room next door and knocked. When there was no response, he knocked louder and heard her voice asking whom it was. Paynter answered, telling her they had to talk, and waited, longer than he felt necessary, for her to answer the door.

"I was getting ready for bed, Paynter." Her voice tinged with mild annoyance.

"This won't take long." He entered the room, glancing about, and sat on the end of the bed. "I had hoped to do this much earlier on in the holiday but circumstances-"

"What is it Paynter?" Gwen shook a cigarette from a package on the night table and lit it, puffing noisily.

"Gwen, before we left, I made some financial arrangements designed to show you that my commitment to our life together was totally unhindered, trusting and complete."

"What are you talking about, Paynter?" She paced huffily beside the bed.

"I placed all my finances in a joint account for both of us and I made you beneficiary of a large insurance policy should anything happen to me." He saw the effect immediately. Paynter's personal finances were considerable, a huge inheritance from his father.

Gwen studied her cigarette and put it out in the ashtray. "Paynt, darling, I'm not sure I understand..."

"Yes you do. Gwen, I want you to marry me. That's what this whole trip was supposed to be about. What I've done, I've done to cement my commitment to you."

"Oh my god! Paynter!" She flopped across the bed, throwing her arms about his neck and showering him in kisses. "Do you mean it?"

"More than you know," he said, reaching for her as she pulled away and began moving about the room erratically.

"Paynter- the money- you mean I cou- can- can... use it?" Her face flushed and her eyes dazzled him with their sparkle.

"Yes, right away. It's my gesture of complete trust, Gwen." He stood and held out his hands. "So, what do you say?"

"What do I say! Ohh... first of all, we can't go home tomorrow, I've just got to get my wedding clothes here! Ohhh..." She raised her fists and performed a little jiggle of excitement. "Paynt, baby, you don't know how happy this makes me." She grinned at him but didn't approach.

He took a breath and smiled wanly; this was what he wanted and if staying a little longer made her happy, well wasn't that the whole point? "I'll change our tickets in the morning, you can take all the time you need to shop."

Gwen clapped her hands joyfully then tilting her head, she held out her arms and they met in a warm embrace in the middle of the room. She was bubbling over with plans and arrangements, punctuating each idea with a strong kiss.

"Paynt, listen, I've got a great idea." She kissed him again and held his hands in hers, eyes twinkling unremittingly. "You take tomorrow's flight and get everything set up at home, I'll shop for all the things we'll need; I'll take care of invitations, gifts, and stuff like that and you can arrange the church, the reception and the guest list. Whatever you want is fine with me. Ohh Paynt, I don't know what to say."

The idea was not his favourite. Paynter pictured them making all the arrangements together, informing their friends, hosting pre wedding parties. This made it all so... packaged. "Gwen, I don't-"

"Oh Paynter please! This is everything I ever wanted. The plans, the shopping, all the best things we could hope for... and you, my love, you meeting me at the airport where we can just show everybody how much we care for each other."

She prevented his reply with a scorching kiss, manoeuvring her body seductively over his.

"Ahh, Gwen-"

"Okay. Listen Paynter, darling." She kissed him again. "I've got to get to bed. Oh my god will I be able to sleep? There's so much to do. Leave me the bank information so I don't have to bother you tomorrow and you go back to your room and get rested for the rest of your life, sweetheart."

She rubbed her hand over him suggestively and he gasped slightly, bending away and holding her off good-naturedly.

"Alright, alright. You try and get some sleep." They embraced once again and when he had written the information down, Gwen waved him down the hall, blowing kisses.

She crossed the room and sat on the bed, lighting another cigarette. This was the absolute best of all worlds. She punched a fist into the air, finished the cigarette and lay back on the bed, opening her housecoat.

"Okay Mickey, where were we?" She called, laconically to the partially open bathroom door.