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Authors: Charles Brett
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recognisable human resource function. Rather its people management, if that's not a contradiction, seems to operate on the mushroom principle. You remember?"
"I don't, sorry."
"Keep people in the dark but throw in some manure every so often to keep them happy."
"It can't possibly be that bad," argued Marta.
"Yes, it can and is. That's not, however, to say all our diplomats are useless. Many are excellent, some exceptional. These are the ones labouring for the good of the country, even though they're denied proper support.
"Nevertheless the whole set-up is far too like a self-perpetuating parody for my liking. But my points are two. Personally I'm not sure I want to run the risk of becoming like them. I certainly don't want my wife acquiring airs and graces, as some wives do, to which she and I cannot honestly pretend. And, forgive me when I repeat myself, but why am I being considered for such a post? Plus there's now the problem that you've raised today, whose implications may extend further than you may have considered."
Alfredo ran out of words. After a minute or so he resumed. "Marta, I think we both need to do some deeper thinking. Do you have to return to Valencia today? Can you stay?"
"Are you propositioning me yet again, Alfredo? If you are, the answer is still no. And yes, I really do have to return this evening."
"You misunderstand me. All right, I didn't word it well. I apologise."
Marta blinked in surprise. By long-proven experience Alfredo did not apologise for anything.
"For the record, I am not propositioning you. I want to talk through the broader implications of what you've raised today. Could you meet me this weekend or next? Sooner would be better in my judgement. As to where, one possibility is a modest house in the campo in the hills outside Soria. This I use for discreet business meetings when discretion matters. You'd have your own chalet in the orchard. There we'd have time to talk and work out what to do."
Marta was not entirely convinced. On the other hand she had already concluded she had no real ally or anyone else to talk to about the implications of what Luis had said yesterday. This still resonated and bothered her. Alfredo probably needed to know. He was, after all, a lawyer, used to handling confidences. She came to a reluctant decision.
"I accept. Make it this weekend. My darling husband has arranged for us to visit some of his relatives whom I really don't want to see. I'll make my excuses."
"Thank you, Marta. From what you've described I truly believe we may need each other."
CHAPTER FIVE
Coincidence and Acquaintance
Friday, ten days later: Alcobendas
Emilia and Caterina arrived at the office much later than planned. The Metro, usually so reliable in Madrid, had left them standing on the Bernabéu station's platform. One minute the train was working fine, the next they were following everybody out after an incomprehensible – at least to Caterina – announcement from the driver. They had waited for the broken train to go and for three trains to pass before there was enough room to empty their platform and enable normal service to resume. But it had lost them almost an hour.
Walking into the ORS offices, they bumped into Felipe. He had a big smile on his face, and was looking pleased with himself.
"What's up?" asked Emilia, who lost few opportunities, at least in Caterina's view, to try to attract Felipe.
The good news was that these endeavours seemed to be gradually succeeding. Emilia's attention had wandered from Davide. This was a relief to Caterina in one way, though it had not solved her own problem of what to do about Davide. She had not been able to sum up the courage, or even cheek, to talk with him beyond work topics. Neither had he made any sort of approach towards her, remaining unfailingly and annoyingly courteous. She couldn't blame him. The ball was firmly sitting on her net
"I don't, sorry."
"Keep people in the dark but throw in some manure every so often to keep them happy."
"It can't possibly be that bad," argued Marta.
"Yes, it can and is. That's not, however, to say all our diplomats are useless. Many are excellent, some exceptional. These are the ones labouring for the good of the country, even though they're denied proper support.
"Nevertheless the whole set-up is far too like a self-perpetuating parody for my liking. But my points are two. Personally I'm not sure I want to run the risk of becoming like them. I certainly don't want my wife acquiring airs and graces, as some wives do, to which she and I cannot honestly pretend. And, forgive me when I repeat myself, but why am I being considered for such a post? Plus there's now the problem that you've raised today, whose implications may extend further than you may have considered."
Alfredo ran out of words. After a minute or so he resumed. "Marta, I think we both need to do some deeper thinking. Do you have to return to Valencia today? Can you stay?"
"Are you propositioning me yet again, Alfredo? If you are, the answer is still no. And yes, I really do have to return this evening."
"You misunderstand me. All right, I didn't word it well. I apologise."
Marta blinked in surprise. By long-proven experience Alfredo did not apologise for anything.
"For the record, I am not propositioning you. I want to talk through the broader implications of what you've raised today. Could you meet me this weekend or next? Sooner would be better in my judgement. As to where, one possibility is a modest house in the campo in the hills outside Soria. This I use for discreet business meetings when discretion matters. You'd have your own chalet in the orchard. There we'd have time to talk and work out what to do."
Marta was not entirely convinced. On the other hand she had already concluded she had no real ally or anyone else to talk to about the implications of what Luis had said yesterday. This still resonated and bothered her. Alfredo probably needed to know. He was, after all, a lawyer, used to handling confidences. She came to a reluctant decision.
"I accept. Make it this weekend. My darling husband has arranged for us to visit some of his relatives whom I really don't want to see. I'll make my excuses."
"Thank you, Marta. From what you've described I truly believe we may need each other."
CHAPTER FIVE
Coincidence and Acquaintance
Friday, ten days later: Alcobendas
Emilia and Caterina arrived at the office much later than planned. The Metro, usually so reliable in Madrid, had left them standing on the Bernabéu station's platform. One minute the train was working fine, the next they were following everybody out after an incomprehensible – at least to Caterina – announcement from the driver. They had waited for the broken train to go and for three trains to pass before there was enough room to empty their platform and enable normal service to resume. But it had lost them almost an hour.
Walking into the ORS offices, they bumped into Felipe. He had a big smile on his face, and was looking pleased with himself.
"What's up?" asked Emilia, who lost few opportunities, at least in Caterina's view, to try to attract Felipe.
The good news was that these endeavours seemed to be gradually succeeding. Emilia's attention had wandered from Davide. This was a relief to Caterina in one way, though it had not solved her own problem of what to do about Davide. She had not been able to sum up the courage, or even cheek, to talk with him beyond work topics. Neither had he made any sort of approach towards her, remaining unfailingly and annoyingly courteous. She couldn't blame him. The ball was firmly sitting on her net
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