Ricky-Rashid’s double life began that day - a life that he split by his name. In England, he was Ricky, Verity’s husband, a leading light in the local community and keen member of the tennis and cricket clubs, an enthusiastic gentleman and scholar, successful in his work, who lived life to the full, cheerfully tolerated his stuffy in-laws and was exasperatingly happy with his wife. In Bangladesh, he was Just Rashid, Henna’s absentee henna-pecked husband, a rarely missed dullard who travelled a lot on business. Ricky would believe that all his time as Rashid, his twenty-five years of married life to Henna, had been illusory, his training ground, his purgatory, lightened only by the birth of his daughter. All that time, he had simply been waiting for his real life to begin. He had been waiting for Verity as long as she had been waiting for him, and she had finally arrived.

The Triumphant Return of Ricky

the Conqueror

THE DAY AFTER Ricky met Verity Trueman and took her for supper at one of the least indifferent brasseries that Paris CDG had to offer, he went to his interview and performed with an urbane brilliance that he had not realized he still possessed. He was Ricky the Conqueror once more, the College Captain of Cricket and Captain of Men, with fire in his belly and a steely glint in his eye. Ricky realized how high the stakes were - getting the job meant a future in England with his own English rose, if she would have him.

The Global Head of Finance was impressed, and although he did not offer Ricky the job on the spot, made it clear that he thought Ricky was a very serious contender. He asked Ricky, off the record, whether his potential relocation might cause any problems, suggesting that he might need to discuss it with his family and would need a certain amount of time to organize the move.

‘I can move here as quickly as you need me,’ Ricky said without a flicker of doubt. ‘My daughter already lives in England, she’d be delighted if I were to move here.’

‘And your wife?’ asked the Global Head of Finance, a touch indiscreetly.

‘My wife and I are separated,’ said Ricky firmly. ‘I have no ties in Bangladesh.’

Satisfied, the Global Head of Finance suggested that Ricky meet the team of people he’d be working with, should he be successful. The next week, Ricky would receive a call in the Dhaka office; the job was his.