‘I hatethis,’ Goodie said, grabbing a handful of blue material, ‘and this,’ she indicated to her face and hair, which was swept up off her neck in an elegant style, ‘with such intensity that sometimes I feel like they are actually burning my skin.’
‘Hey,’ Goodie called as she made her way across the room, ‘you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.’
‘I … I’m fine,’ he said, blanking his expression and shaking off the dark thoughts. ‘Let’s go.’
* * *
Goodie cockedher head to the side as she stared at the Indian minister for energy. She wanted to punch him, preferably in his testicles. But she suspected that a black-tie state dinner would not be the most appropriate venue for that, so she held back … just. He had been asking Ed about the possibilities for cold fusion, about how easily it could be implemented, and above all how much it would cost. Halfway through this conversation he’d turned to the Indian ambassador beside him and muttered in Hindi: ‘This guy is nuts; making heat from thin air? Why am I listening to this stupid bastard? These English banging on about the bloody environment all the time, trying to get us to stop burning coal whilst sitting in their warm houses.’
‘Maybeyouare the stupid bastard,’ Goodie said in perfect Hindi. The minister, who had previously only glanced at Goodie’s breasts rather than her face, turned sharply towards her, his eyes widening in shock. She smiled at him as if she had paid him a great compliment rather than an insult. ‘Maybe you should listen more carefully. Theyaremaking energy from thin air. It’s already happened. Do your research.Yourpeople need low-cost energy more than most. They won’t thank you for passing this up. The solution is staring you in the face. Do you want to be remembered as the man who turned his back on the biggest revolution in energy in the 21st century, or do you want to be remembered as the man who led India out of developing-country status and into world-leader status?’ The minister’s face was red and he was scowling. Goodie took a step closer to him and lowered her voice. ‘Now, you can either take offence and storm away, or you can listen to what this man has to say. You’re used to having the power but in this situation you do not. You need what he has and you need it badly. I suggest you take option two.’
The minister opened his mouth, and then shut it again. His heightened colour gradually receded and he smoothed over his furious expression, before turning back to a mystified Ed. Goodie smiled.
‘Good decision,’ she muttered under her breath as she passed him, and he sent her once last furious look as she limped away.
‘Golly,’ Bertie said as he caught up with her in her traverse across the large room towards Nick. ‘Did I overhear you speaking Indian?’
Goodie laughed so hard that she had to lean on her stick for support. When she looked up, her eyes met Nick’s as he moved towards her and Bertie. Once he made it to her he discreetly took her stick and placed her arm on his, so that she could lean on him instead. She managed to get herself under control with some effort. Nick raised his eyebrows in question.
‘Bertie overheard me “speaking Indian”.’
‘Ah, Bertie.’
Goodie looked up as Natasha emerged from the crowd and linked her arm through Bertie’s, kissing his cheek.
As Tasha started to explain to Bertie exactly what was so funny, Nick leaned down to Goodie’s ear. ‘Are you okay?’ he asked.
‘I’m fine,’ she said, frowning up at him. ‘Why?’
He shrugged. ‘It’s just that was the first time I’ve seen you laugh all night.’
Goodie looked around the room. Most people had polite smiles on their faces the same as she had been wearing all night. Hardly anyone was laughing. ‘What’s this really about?’
Nick shifted uncomfortably. ‘I know you don’t like to have to dress up, play a part. You’ve done so much of it before. I hate that being with me means you have to keep doing it.’ He rubbed the back of his neck. ‘I want you to be living a different life. To be happy.’
Goodie rolled her eyes. ‘You think I am so sensitive that I can’t wear formal clothes and act for a while? Have youmetme?’
‘I’m not saying you can’t do it. I’m saying you don’t enjoy it. I know how you feel wearing this stuff.’
‘Okay.’ She sighed. ‘I’ll admit I’m not a fan of them. Before, when I had to wear clothes like this it meant …’ She paused as she noticed Nick’s body stiffen. ‘Look, it’s not the same now, and I wouldn’t want to come somewhere like this without … armour, without power.’
He threw his hands up, then ran them both through his hair in frustration. ‘You wouldn’thaveto come somewhere like this if it wasn’t for me. Look, I don’t have to do this. We don’t even have to be in London. We could go anywhere we wanted.’
‘And leave Ed and Bertie to handle everything?’
He shrugged. ‘I have got other executives, you know: capable chaps, too. It wouldn’t matter if –’
She stepped closer to him and reached up to put her fingers over his mouth, stopping him midsentence.
‘What you and Ed are doing is important to me too, okay? I wasn’t just trained in violence; I was trained to manipulate any situation I needed to. I can help you; I’vebeenhelping you. That makes me happy, understand?’
He searched her face for a long moment before his frown smoothed out and he finally smiled.
‘Exactly how many languages do you speak anyway?’ Nick asked out of the corner of his mouth as they approached the Chinese ambassador. Goodie smiled and when they were welcomed into the group she bowed to the ambassador, greeting him in perfect Mandarin.
*ebanashka– crazy person
Chapter30
