MICHAELI stand, resisting the blow-out on my belly. "Shall we go?" I gesture to the door, then trying not to be obvious about it, let out my belt a notch.Too many pancakes...Mitch rises. Charlotte too, but James snags her by the elbow. "Help me with the clearing up please, Charlotte.""But Mas...""You can load up the dishwasher."I lead Mitch out. She follows but twists back, looking to the house. "Where are we going?""To the hotel. It's just a short walk.""Hotel? James said something about that.""It's a spa and leisure centre. You know, gym, pool, pamper days, beauty treatments.""It's yours?""Yes, but not just mine. Come on, I'll introduce you to the staff, then you can use any of the facilities you like." I cast an eye over her; beautiful, but she looks so tired. "I'd say you could use some pampering."She shifts under my gaze. "What are you looking at?""You." Her head inclines. "They used to say before you marry a woman, take a look at the mother.
KLEMPNERMy door stands open and a figure in uniform appears, Sutcliffe. He taps knuckles, quietly, onto the metal. "Mr Klempner, do you have a moment?"Lying on the bed, I lower my novel. "I have no other appointments today, Sutcliffe. What can I do for you?"His eyes dart right and left along the corridor then he steps inside the cell. "Sir, that woman you're interested in... They've found her."Jolting, I drop the book to the floor, then swing my legs down to sit upright. "Her? Mitch? Michelle Kimberley?""Yes, sir.""Where is she?""With them."With them?"Them? You mean Summerford and Alexanders?""Yes, sir. She's with them and... and your daughter..." He speaks the last word uncertainly. "... She's staying in their home.""The place in the mountains?""So I understand, sir."I pluck at a lip. "Why would she do that?" I'm not really talking to Sutcliffe, but he replies anyway."If they're the long-lost mother and daughter, that might be reason enough."
JAMESI scrape a hand over my face.It feels unreal.Reality hasn't settled in.A father again?At my age?A baby girl?A little boy?Red-headed and fiery?Dark like me?Doesn't matter...Beautiful whatever...She gave me this.And so did he.*****MICHAELI ease the bedroom door open, look inside.They're there, lying together on the bed. Normally she would be curled into the crook of his arm, but this time, he's lying across her, head pillowed on her breasts, stroking her belly."I still can't believe you did this for me. That you chose to do this.""You did everything for me, Master, up to and including saving my life. I wanted to give something back.""Oh, you did. Something precious. Something very precious." He falls silent, still stroking.Beautiful...As quietly as I can, I back out and close the door again.*****RICHARDThe elevator doors swish open and I stroll in. "Morning, Francis.""Good morning, Richard.""Anything fo
RICHARDLater, when we are alone, Elizabeth is quiet, thoughtful."Master...""Yes, my Love?""When Charlotte's baby is born, you know, she doesn't have any friends who have babies or small children.""I'm sure she'll meet some at..." I rummage through my limited knowledge of babies and the procedures that go with them... "... ante-natal classes and suchlike.""I'm sure she will. But don't you think it would be a good idea for her to have some close friends too, to talk to about it and share babysitting with and things like that."I scratch my head. "I don't think Kirstie's made up with Ryan and I can't think she'd choose to be a single mother.""I wasn't talking about, Kirstie." She drops to her knees, looking up at me, her eyes matching the hawthorn leaves sprouting outside in the spring sunshine. "Master..."But she doesn't finish what she's saying, simply gazing up, waiting.I'm not bloody telepathic...?? Aahhhh...I drop to my knees too, meeting her
MICHAELOut in the back garden, I stand, thumbs hooked in pockets, surveying the mess of outbuildings and sheds. The stable block is the focus of my interest. My intention had been that it become my own office, but given our changed circumstances, I'm having other ideas.Charlotte arrives, wearing that wide-eyed look she has that turns my knees to water and my cock to granite. "What are you doing?""Just considering the options."She follows my gaze for a moment then, her arms sliding up and around my neck, she whispers, "Thank you."My own arms slipping around her, I rest my hands on her hips. "You're welcome." Just holding her close, I inhale her scent. "Are you happy, Charlotte? This is what you wanted?""Yes, this is what I wanted. Everything I wanted. And I couldn't have done it without you."I chuckle. "I think you will find that in fact, you couldn't have done it without James."Her eyes drop, then rise again, cheeks dimpling. "That's true of course. But you help
MICHAELSlinging one towel around my hips, another in my hand, I head back into the bedroom. They're together between the sheets, naked, sheened with sweat, silent. He lies with his head pillowed on her breasts, stroking her belly. Her eyes follow me in. "Thought I was going to wash your back?"I scrub the towel into my wet hair. "From the sound of things, you were otherwise engaged."She flashes teeth, then wriggles out from under James. "Just have to do my own then." And she too heads for the shower.James sits up and I toss him a robe. "Michael," he begins, "I know I've already said it, but thank you. There aren't many men who would have done what you did. Ensuring that I would be the father of her first. I'd always assumed it would be a lottery between us." He shakes his head, rubbing a palm over the back of his skull. "I still can't believe I didn't notice what you were up to, the pair of you."My voice wry, "It's not as though there aren't other options. Mouth, as
MICHAELJames swivels from the cut of meat he's de-boning, the knife in one hand. His voice harsh, "Ben? You invited Ben to the party?""He promised he'll behave himself.""He'd better." He scowls and returns to the slab of beef on the counter. "If he upsets Charlotte..." He twists back, the knife raised. "... or Mitch...""He won't."*****I put the handset down in its cradle. Oh, my God...What am I going to tell him?Best get it over with...I pour two stiff whiskeys then go in search of James and find him on the terrace in a sheltered sunny spot, reading.He glances up at my approach, reaching to accept the offered glass. "Thanks. A bit early isn't it? Softening me up for something?"Shuffling my feet, I take a sip from my own glass."You are softening me up for something." His eyes narrow. "What is it?""Um... about that party..."His eyes thin to slits. "Aha? What about it?""Well, I told Ben he could come so long as he was on best behaviour, whi
RICHARD"Who's that?" Ben aims a finger towards the thin figure propping up the bar as he chats happily with one of the Agony Aunts."Old friend of Charlotte's, I believe, Benny. He was in a fix, so James did him a favour, gave him a leg up."Ben's brows rise. "What kind of leg up?""As I understand it, Benny had a poor upbringing. He was illiterate and so effectively unemployable. James put him on a training program with the company, aiming for an apprenticeship in the maintenance section.""But he can't read? Shouldn't he clear something like that with you?""Charlotte is making the time to teach Benny to read. And James has the full authority of a director in my company."*****Elizabeth nudges me. "I think we should rescue him."I twist, scanning. "Who?""James." She tilts her glass toward a corner table.James, seated at the back and wearing the expression of a man losing the will to live, is flanked to one side by two old biddies: if memory serves from the w