Someone Wishes to Speak to You (15 page)

The deputy commissioner concluded the meeting by saying that he would personally exert pressure on Jarman to drop his case against Mathew and, should he refuse to do so, he would threaten to prosecute him under the 1964 Civil Rights Act for still displaying ‘Whites Only’ signage at his hotel. He would also instruct the local police department to start to look more carefully at the Lakeside Inn’s possible infringement of the licensing law when playing host to the monthly meetings of his KKK fraternity, which the local community had always been well aware of. Also, as he genuinely wished to cooperate with his good friend Dr Cohen to the maximum, he told them that he would be reprimanding the sheriff for unlawfully divulging confidential police information to an investigatory reporter.

On Mathew’s return to Atlanta, he was quick to pass on to Lucienne and Osman Hill the encouraging discussions that had taken place during his thirty-six hours in Macon. He also took the opportunity to tell Osman Hill that he could not thank him enough for introducing him to Dr Cohen, who under the circumstances could not have been more helpful.

It was now only two months until Mathew was due to submit his dissertation to the doctoral committee and to defend it. As the American university system allowed a PhD student to choose a committee of his professors and other relevant university faculty members, who as a consequence had to receive and read the dissertation, he had chosen Osman Hill to chair the committee. With the defence of the dissertation being scheduled to take place a few weeks after its submission, Mathew considered that providing everything went according
to plan, and that he was successful in achieving his doctorate degree, he should be in a position to return to England by mid-December. Then he would have the opportunity look at the potential merits of returning to Africa, perhaps to Rhodesia, in order to continue with his primate field studies.

In the latter part of October, Lucienne discovered that she was pregnant. She was devastated. Although she had been seeing quite a lot of Mathew since their weekend together in Macon, the intensity of their feelings for each other had started to wane due to the academic pressures on both of them. Lucienne had also become rather disillusioned when she found a letter in Mathew’s flat written on Girton College notepaper from Antonia Clinton-Kemp. The sentiments expressed in it had made her, for the first time, aware that she was not the only girl in Mathew’s life. She sensed that Mathew had become more distant and less affectionate. Partly due to this, and also as she was determined not to deflect Mathew’s focus from his preparation for the defence of his dissertation, she decided for the time being not to let Mathew know about the unplanned pregnancy.

At the end of the month, Lucienne received an unexpected invitation from the Embassy of the Zaire Republic in Washington DC to attend a reception to celebrate President Mobutu Sésé Seko’s private visit to the USA. He was to have a meeting with President Nixon at the White House. Lucienne was delighted, as it would take her away from Atlanta for a few days and give her time to reflect on her predicament and how to tell Mathew about it. The invitation was as a result of the embassy having decided to gather together a select number of Zairian university graduates who were studying in the USA. The Zairian Ambassador had also invited a cross-section of people from the US Foreign Service, in particular those working in the African Section of the State Department in Washington.

It was at the Zairian Embassy reception that Lucienne first met Daniel Olingo, an African-American who had recently graduated from the University of Chicago and joined the ranks of the US Foreign Service, specialising in African Affairs. Daniel was immediately attracted to Lucienne. She looked stunning in a loose pink floral dress and seemed to be smiling every time he looked at her. Although, due to the presence of a closely guarded President Mobutu, it had taken some time for Daniel to arrange for an embassy official to introduce them, it did not take long after meeting her before they were thoroughly enjoying each other’s company.

After the president had given a rather lengthy and laborious speech with regards to how the USA represented one of Zaire’s closest allies and friends, Daniel grabbed the opportunity to make a suggestion to Lucienne.

‘I hope you don’t think me presumptuous,’ he asked slightly nervously, ‘but I was wondering if you would like to come to see the new African-American art exhibition which has just opened at the Smithsonian? Afterwards, I could show you around some of city’s highlights and then perhaps we could have dinner. There’s a little Afro-American restaurant in Georgetown which has great food – what do you say?’

Lucienne accepted, and the following day the two enjoyed a memorable day of sightseeing, conversation and laughter. She hadn’t felt so happy and carefree for some time. On her flight back to Atlanta, she couldn’t help reflecting on just how engaging she had found Daniel’s company and how very much they had in common. ‘I would really like to see you again, Lucienne,’ Daniel had said when he drove her to the Zairian Embassy’s guest residence to collect her suitcase. ‘I could always come to see you in Atlanta . . .’ Much to Lucienne’s surprise, she responded by giving him her address and telephone number and adding, ‘That would be lovely, Daniel – keep in touch.’ She wasn’t sure if her reaction was due to the combined uncertainties of her pregnancy and her unhappiness about the
heart-felt deterioration of her relationship with Mathew (especially that he was soon to leave Atlanta and return to the UK), or if her feelings when she said goodbye to Daniel were genuine. If they were, it was yet another situation that she would soon have to resolve.

After Lucienne’s return to Atlanta, she had only seen Mathew three times prior to the presentation of his dissertation although they had spoken on the phone on several occasions. This was not only due to the pressure of her personal academic commitments, but also to Mathew’s preoccupation with the submission of his dissertation. However, in the last week of November Mathew received the news that the committee had awarded him the PhD. He called Lucienne immediately to tell her and to arrange a celebratory dinner at the earliest opportunity. He also sent a telegram to his parents and his brother, as well as a note to Antonia, to inform them that he had at long last been successful in attaining a Doctorate of Science at Emory University.

Mathew arrived at Lucienne’s flat on the Friday evening feeling on top of the world, very much in a spirit of euphoria. Lucienne had her hair tied back with a colourful pink silk ribbon that matched the colour of her dress, and Mathew considered that he had seldom seen her looking so attractive. After a celebratory cocktail in her flat, they took a taxi to a new five-star Mexican restaurant, the Alma Cocina, in downtown Atlanta. During the course of the meal, and while enjoying some classic Californian wine, Mathew talked enthusiastically about his immediate future.

‘I can’t tell you what a relief it is, Lucienne. Now I can make the arrangements to go back to the UK before hopefully going on to Rhodesia. As my father has offered to provide an introduction to Roger Willock, the new British Senior Representative in Salisbury, I’m really hoping he’ll be able to help with any problems I may have getting in to the country.’

‘You’re lucky to have a father with friends in high places! I’m sure it will make things much easier for you.’

‘It should certainly help iron out some of the beaurocratic wrangles. I’m also hoping he’ll be able to introduce me to people who’ll be able to advise me on the best place to carry out the field studies.’

Mathew explained to Lucienne about the comparative methodology he planned to adopt. ‘The Samango and vervet group of guenons are native to Rhodesia, and if I have time, I aim to make some observations on the social grouping of chacma baboons . . .’ Lucienne listened, genuinely interested in discussing his plans, but changed the topic of conversation when the opportunity arose to tell him about her recent travels.

‘I met some really interesting people at the reception and had the chance to have a look around Washington – it’s a wonderful city. A diplomat I met at the Zaire Embassy took me to see a fascinating African-American art exhibition at the Smithsonian. Then he showed me round the city’s major landmarks, there’s a lot of beautiful architecture there.’

After the conversation had lapsed for a little while, Lucienne reached over the flickering candles on the table and took Mathew’s hand.

‘I’ve been putting this off but I can’t leave it any longer. I’m two and a half months pregnant.’

Although Mathew looked as if a bomb had just exploded by his side, he squeezed her hand tightly, got up from his seat and bent over to caress her. Lucienne’s eyes were soon moistened by tears as she tried to battle with her emotions in having at long last released herself from keeping her pregnancy a secret from him. Mathew returned to his seat, still holding tightly onto her hand, and silence prevailed for a while.

Eventually, Mathew said quietly, ‘We must spend the day together tomorrow to talk about the future. We’ve got to do everything we can to make the right decision, for all our sakes.’

It had subsequently taken them the whole weekend of
mutual soul-seeking, weighing up all the pros and cons of a possible future of remaining together and even getting married, until they reluctantly concluded that the previous romantic magic of their intimate relationship was now a thing of the past. Although they both recognised that they were still extremely fond of each other and would always remain the greatest of friends, it was not just their contrasting cultural and ethnic backgrounds but the different career paths they had chosen that had started to separate them. They both acknowledged that even with the birth of their child, their future together would be unlikely to last the test of time.

It had taken a further two weeks before Lucienne had rather hesitantly agreed with Mathew that the best way forward was for her to undergo an abortion before the signs became too evident. Before Lucienne had told Mathew about her pregnancy, she read about America’s Abortion Act, Roe v. Wade, which had only been passed by the US Supreme Court on January 22nd of that year. The law had nullified state restrictions on abortions and now allowed women in all fifty states to obtain an abortion within the first trimester, for any reason that a woman so required.

However, Lucienne was also aware of the strong feelings in the Southern States against the new law, with many people believing that an abortion should remain on the statute books as a criminal act. It was for this reason, and for not wishing in any way to experience the regrettable stigma attributed to women who had undergone abortions in some areas of Georgia, that she had decided to travel to a more liberal-minded and sympathetic part of America in order to go ahead with it. It was thanks to a very understanding college obstetrician that she was given the name of a well-respected private abortion clinic in San Diego. As Mathew wanted to be as supportive as possible during this emotional and stressful time, he had insisted that he should accompany her to San Diego and stay for the clinic’s initial mandatory consultancy.

Although Mathew had told Lucienne that he would be responsible for all travel expenses to and from San Diego, and the subsequent private clinic costs involved in carrying out the operation, Lucienne had made it quite clear to him that she wanted to be by herself when the operation took place and to be totally on her own when she returned to Atlanta. She insisted that Mathew go ahead with his travel plans and return to the UK in early December as planned. She promised to keep in regular contact with him.

During the course of Mathew’s last week in Atlanta, he kept himself as busy as possible by gathering all the things that he had amassed during his time at Emory University and clearing out his flat prior to his imminent departure. Whenever he started to relax and reflect on the events that had taken place during the past month, his thoughts were preoccupied by his concern about the harrowing time that Lucienne was going through. He very much regretted that he had been unable to make Lucienne change her mind about travelling to San Diego alone. He had tried so hard to impress on her that he considered it to be very much his responsibility to be with her, and to keep her company throughout the traumatic times ahead. He had also reiterated that he would be only too willing to delay his departure from Atlanta in order to be with her; Lucienne had refused to be swayed.

The only highlight of their last few days together was a dinner given for them both by Osman and Yvonne Hill. The circumstances were very different to the last time they had visited, when Mathew had just returned to Atlanta after staying in the UK, and they had held hands excitedly throughout most of the journey. This time, despite her sadness, Lucienne looked as attractive as ever and was as outwardly cheerful as any host could have wished a guest to be.

‘It couldn’t have turned out much better under the circumstances,’ said Mathew as they discussed the outcome of the potentially disastrous situation in Macon. ‘Dr Cohen
and Otto Gwyne negotiated brilliantly with the Police Department and the Tourist Advisory Council, successfully persuading them how badly it would reflect on the town if the incident were made public.’

‘I wouldn’t be surprised,’ added Osman Hill in a rather jocular fashion, ‘if the dropping of the court case didn’t owe something to Murray Cohen having so many influential friends among the elite of Macon society and his involvement with the upper echelons of the Cherry Blossom Lions Club.’

‘Whatever it was, it worked and I’m immensely grateful. I never want to see the inside of a police cell again!’

The conversation moved on to Mathew’s return to Africa and his hoped-for field research, which he promised to keep his professor fully informed about. Osman Hill also took the opportunity to say how very impressed he had been with the high standard of the data collection that Lucienne had carried out on his behalf, and just how important this had been in the writing of volume 9 of his primate monograph.