Chapter Ten #3
‘So you went along to ask Harriet to undo your dress,’ he prompted. ‘Shame I wasn’t around, I’d have undone it like a shot, then who knows how your night might have turned out?’
I glanced at him sitting on my bed with that naughty-boy look on his face and I realised that it was a charade, that he was all talk and no action, at least where I was concerned.
It made me wonder how I’d ever thought of him as relationship material.
Oh, he was good company and he made me laugh, but something about him didn’t ring true.
And this morning, for the first time, I didn’t even fancy him.
Those once-gorgeous green eyes had lost their magic.
‘But you weren’t around, were you?’ I said coolly. ‘You could have been, but you disappeared quite early on. What did you get up to for all that time?’
He smirked. ‘I wish I could say it was something exciting, but I just went to my room and fell asleep. Anyway, we were talking about you, not me. What happened next?’
What happened next was that I crossed a boundary that should have been sacrosanct, had the best sex ever — and couldn’t forgive myself for it.
Aloud I said, ‘That’s none of your business.’ I softened my words with a smile and added, ‘You’ve done me good, Flynn, and I’m grateful to you, but I think I’ll go home now.’
‘Well, you know where I am if you ever want to talk.’ He got to his feet, came over to me and planted a kiss on my forehead.
‘Just remember, you can’t help your natural instincts.
Don’t fight them, go with the flow. These are enlightened times, even in a place like Highbury.
’ And he sauntered out, as if he hadn’t a care in the world.
I took a deep breath. Time to move on.
* * *
~~MARK~~
As I walked through the car park, I looked for Emma’s car. It was still there, which meant that I could call at Hartfield on my way home without any further confrontations.
Anxious not to disturb Henry, I left the car on the road and walked as quietly as I could up the drive. I was just about to slip an envelope through the letter box, when the door opened and there he stood in his dressing gown, beaming at me.
‘Lovely morning, isn’t it?’ he said.
I glanced up at the overcast sky. ‘If you say so.’
‘Oh, I know the weather’s nothing special, but I’ve had my best sleep in years. And it was all thanks to this.’ He produced a little bottle and waved it in my face. ‘I’m sure there’s a business opportunity here, must look into it. Mary says her mother swears by this stuff for all sorts of things.’
‘It’s basically gin, Henry. It makes you forget all your inhibitions — or, in your case, your ailments. If you drink enough of it, you’ll forget them permanently. But I wouldn’t advise it. Drink never solved anyone’s problems, did it?’
He looked horrified. ‘You mean I’ve been in a — a drunken stupor all night? That’s with Emma being at Forbury Manor, you know. If she’d been here, this would never have happened.’
‘And neither would certain other things,’ I muttered under my breath. In a louder voice, I said, ‘Would you mind giving this to her?’
He gave me a quizzical look as I handed him the envelope.
‘It’s just some pointers from our mentoring discussions, as a sort of wrap-up now that I’ve switched to Jane,’ I went on, knowing that he wouldn’t open it and discover I was lying.
‘Oh yes,’ he said vaguely. ‘Do you know, I don’t think I’ve told Emma about that yet.
I meant to, but I must have forgotten. I’ll do it as soon as she gets here.
She shouldn’t be long, she’s just rung to say she’s on her way.
Come in and I’ll make you a coffee, then we can both tell her about the mentoring. Might be better that way, mightn’t it?’
I shook my head. ‘Sorry, Henry, must dash. And thank you for last night, it was a really good do.’ I felt a right heel; it was like thanking him for the opportunity to sleep with his daughter. ‘I’ll be able to reciprocate in a week’s time,’ I added, ‘when you come to the Donwell Organics party.’
He smiled. ‘It’ll be a nice little family outing with Isabella and Emma there too.’
I managed to smile back, although I doubted that Emma would want to come; not now. ‘That reminds me, I’d better book a babysitter. John and Izzy and the kids are all staying at Donwell Abbey that weekend.’
And with that I said goodbye and hurried off. There was no way I was going to risk bumping into Emma while my feelings were still so raw. I’d need all the time I could get to prepare for our next meeting.
* * *
~~EMMA~~
Dad dropped two bombshells almost as soon as I walked through the door.
‘Lovely to see you back safely, darling. You’ve just missed Mark.’
Bombshell number one. I put down my overnight bag and said, as calmly as I could, ‘What did he want?’
‘To leave this for you.’ He held out a crisp white envelope with the Forbury Manor logo in the top left-hand corner and my name scrawled across the middle. My fingers trembled as I took it.
‘It’s about the mentoring,’ said Dad.
‘Mentoring?’
‘Yes, a sort of wrap-up, since he’s going to be mentoring Jane in future.’
Bombshell number two. I knew he wouldn’t be mentoring me any more, but . . .
Dad went on, ‘He discussed it with me and, in the circumstances, we decided it was for the best.’
‘What — what circumstances?’ I felt myself go cold. Surely he wouldn’t have told Dad about last night?
‘Well, he’s always been a great fan of hers, hasn’t he?’ Dad said cheerfully. ‘And he seems to think she’ll be more responsive than you, at the moment anyway. Benefit more from his expertise, that sort of thing.’
All at once I was back in the hotel bedroom shouting, ‘Wasn’t I just a substitute for Tamara?’ And every word of his reply was branded on my memory: ‘Yes, you were. Only not as good.’
Oh, I got the message all right. He may still be getting over Tamara but, when he did finally move on, it would be to Jane Fairfax.
Such a deserving cause, so much more responsive than me to his bloody expertise!
The mentoring would be a front for getting time alone together without raising too many eyebrows; no doubt he’d be just as unprofessional with her as he’d been with me, as soon as he got the chance . . .
Dad was eyeing me anxiously. ‘You do understand, don’t you, darling? And Jane’s only here for a short while, whereas you can have mentoring any time.’
I gave him a bright smile. ‘Of course I understand. Let me just take my things up to my room, then I’ll come and have breakfast with you. Put the kettle on, please, I’m gasping for a coffee.’
He went into the kitchen while I hurried upstairs. As soon as I reached my room, I sank onto the bed and ripped open the envelope.
The letter was very short and to the point.
Emma,
If you find out you’re pregnant as a result of last night, please let me know as soon as possible. I would make every effort to discuss the situation sensibly with you and whoever else may have to be involved.
‘Whoever else may have to be involved’. In other words, Jane.
If you’re not pregnant, then I suggest we forget what happened.
Mark.
Forget what happened? Was it that easy to contract amnesia? Every time we met, I’d think of what he looked like naked. Every time we kissed at family gatherings, I’d be reminded of other kisses, far less platonic. Every time I saw his hands move, I’d remember exactly what they were capable of . . .
It was obvious that he thought of last night as a big mistake, just two sex-starved people who’d had too much to drink. But he was being his usual responsible self, ever mindful of the consequences of his actions.
If I was pregnant, I certainly wouldn’t be going to him and Jane ‘to discuss the situation sensibly’.
I’d handle it all by myself, whether he liked it or not.
* * *
~~MARK~~
On Monday I took Jane out for lunch and another mentoring meeting. It went quite well until we touched on more personal matters.
I’d been meaning to ask her about the Highbury Foods Christmas party and saw my chance when she made an apology for her poor appetite.
‘You didn’t eat much on Saturday night, either,’ I said casually. ‘And what happened to you later on? I didn’t see you again after our dance.’
She lowered her gaze. ‘I felt rather ill, so I went upstairs to lie down for a bit. I must have fallen asleep.’
‘Ill? What was the matter?’
‘Indigestion probably. And I was tired.’
‘You seem to be generally off colour at the moment. Mary’s quite worried about you.’ I paused. ‘I don’t want to intrude, but I’m happy to listen if you’ve got a problem and you need to talk it through.’
She stiffened. ‘That’s kind of you, but really I’m fine.’
‘The offer’s always there if you need it.’
‘Thank you, but there’s absolutely nothing wrong. Now, did you want to look at my focus group results analysis and see if I’ve missed anything?’
I sighed and did as she suggested, reflecting that, if I ever needed to be mentored in stonewalling techniques, I’d know exactly who to turn to.
* * *
~~EMMA~~
By half past nine on Thursday morning, Harriet still hadn’t turned up for work.
Her mobile was switched off and I was just about to drive over to her house in case she’d overslept, when she burst into my room.
She was a terrible sight: hair in disarray, mascara running, tights laddered, white fake leather coat stained and torn.
I jumped up from my desk. ‘Whatever’s wrong?’
‘Friggin’ Goths—’ She glanced over at Jane. ‘Sorry, no offence.’
Jane looked understandably baffled.
‘Have a seat.’ I took Harriet’s arm and guided her to the nearest chair. ‘Would you like a cup of tea?’
‘Christ no, but I could friggin’ kill for a bottle of Lambrini.’
Lambrini? I dreaded to think what sort of dubious plonk she wanted to pour down her throat. My lips tightened; it was as though she’d suddenly reverted to Late Neanderthal Chavette. The contrast with the image I wanted her to project for Harriet’s Secret Recipes couldn’t have been more marked.