‘If we were joint leaders? Would that make a difference?’
‘I… I don’t know. I hadn’t thought about it.’
‘Would you think about it now?’ His voice was low, his gaze fixed on mine.
‘Why would you want that?’
‘Honestly?’
‘Of course.’
‘I miss working with you, talking with you.’ There was a beat. A pause. ‘Being with you.’
‘Friedrich, we both know that’s not a good reason to make a career decision.’
‘I’ve thought it through,’ he said, his eyes now bright with excitement. That I didn’t doubt. Friedrich was nothing if not logical and thorough. ‘Pooling our respective knowledge and instincts makes a lot of sense. And now you can have the lead you wanted.’ Tact had never been one of my ex’s strong suits. ‘We both can.’
‘I don’t understand.’
‘What?’
So many things…
‘Firstly, why you would want to share the position. You’ve always been so…’ How best to say this with more delicacy than he would? ‘Focused. I know you’ve been looking to lead a dig for ages too, and now you have that opportunity.’
‘True. But wouldn’t it be so much better together?’
‘But surely there’s only enough funding for one lead?’
Friedrich waved away the query. ‘All sorted.’
‘How?’
He let out a sigh. ‘Does it matter?’
‘Yes, Friedrich, it does. As much as I’d like it to, my house doesn’t run on fairy dust. I need to know I’d have enough money to pay my bills and put food on my table.’
‘I spoke to the main backer. He’s happy to put up a bit more in order to have two experts running it. The likelihood is that with both of us running the dig, we’ll be more successful anyway which is good for the sponsors and the board.’
‘Out of interest, who is funding the expedition?’
Friedrich waved his hand in a dismissive manner. ‘Nobody you’d know. Loaded but not terribly bright. I’ve got him wound around my little finger. Hence being able to get you on board.’
I tried not to let Friedrich’s natural tone of condescension rankle. ‘There’s a reason most teams, in any field, only have one leader. Have you ever heard of the phrase “too many cooks”?’
‘Of course, but that’s not us. We work well together. We are of the same mind. Symbiotic.’
I was beginning to think that the champagne had gone to my companion’s head. If a straw poll had been held as to whether or not Friedrich was a fan of speaking in such purple prose, the result would have been a resounding no. This was a side of him I’d not seen and I couldn’t help but smile. Friedrich, however, took this as a sign of agreement.
‘I knew you’d see the brilliance of it! Shall we order?’
Truthfully, I was not at all convinced but I was bloody hungry. I’d consider the proposal later without Friedrich interrupting my thoughts.
‘Are you taking the Tube or a taxi?’ Friedrich asked as we exited the warmth of the restaurant into the clear, cold night.
‘Tube, I guess. Unless you want to share a taxi?’
‘Are you still at Primrose Hill?’
