More Than You Can Say Read Online Free PDF

same time.
    ‘Fortunately, we have found just the girl for you,’ Mr Khan continued. ‘I will arrange an introduction in next to no time.’
    ‘Let me get this straight. You want me to get married tosome girl you’ve found and whom I’ve never met? Is that what I’m hearing?’
    ‘Of course. It is what you British call an arranged marriage. These are so often the most successful marriages. I am a great believer in arranged marriages. All of my wives were arranged for me. They brought money, useful contacts – and, of course, the inestimable pleasures of female company. You too will approve of our arrangements on your behalf, Mr Gaunt, once you know a little bit more.’

Three
    There was a silence. I was struggling to understand the situation I found myself in. If I had been writing a report for my superiors when I was in the army it might have read:
‘8.30 a.m.: knocked down by large car and kidnapped. 1.30 p.m.: received indirect proposal of marriage from unknown man of Asian origin on behalf of girl, also unknown.’
    Mr Khan sensed my confusion.
    ‘You have met Kevin. He is one of my goons. I hired him for qualities other than his ability to think.’
    ‘Oh, good,’ I said stupidly.
    ‘His instructions were to find a vagabond – a drifter – a man of no fixed abode. He saw a man in evening dress walking along by the side of the road and concluded, for reasons I cannot comprehend, that you were just such a person. It was
not
part of his instructions to knock you down. But it is so difficult to get good staff these days.’
    His assessment of Kevin’s abilities was the same as my own.
    ‘I see from talking to you that you are an educated man. A refined, civilised person, who happened to be out for a walk. You still have not mentioned
why
you were walking along the road at that time of the morning in evening dress …’
    ‘It’s a long story,’ I replied.
    ‘That is immaterial. You may tell me later, after you are married. For a little while at least, you should think of me as you would a father-in-law. But perhaps you have a girlfriend at home who is anxious to hear from you?’
    ‘Not at present,’ I said.
    ‘Or an employer, wondering why you have not turned up for work?’
    ‘Not at this precise moment.’
    ‘Then I hope that your stay with us will cause you the minimum of inconvenience. Of course, you will be compensated for the use of your time, and for your patience with us, and for the – happily minor – injuries you sustained when Kevin bumped into you with his car. So unnecessary! If you will give us another forty-eight hours I will pay you ten thousand pounds. I hope you will find that acceptable.’
    While Mr Khan had been talking I had been thinking. The truth was, no one
was
waiting for me: no girlfriend, employer, friend or dog pined for my return. I had no pressing engagements in my diary, now that I had missed my date at the Randolph Hotel. I had no prospect of employment, and just at that moment, not even the slightest curiosity as to how I might earn my living.
    The last two years had been one disaster after another. There had been the restaurant, which had shown so much promise at first. It had failed because its co-owner couldn’t do his sums, and had a violent temper that the staff and customers would not put up with – not to mention worse behaviour. Then various jobs, each less glamorous and lower paid than the one before, as I failed to turn up to work or, on turning up to work, quarrelled with someone. It was not an enticing prospect. The thought of my empty flat in Camdenwith its unmade bed, and unwashed dishes, and scale-stained bath did not tug at my heartstrings. At any moment the landlord was likely to turn up and change the locks, then chuck my few belongings out on to the street: my rent must be at least two months behind. I realised that I had become absorbed in my own thoughts and that Mr Khan was waiting for an answer.
    ‘Another two days here, you say …