A very Corporate Affair Book 1 (The Corporate Series) (19 page)

                 "You're very different from the girls he's brought home before. I get the impression that you aren't angling for marriage and babies. All the previous girlfriends have been desperate for the ring on their finger."

                 "It's not my agenda at all Lady Golding. I know you won't understand the career girl thing, but that's who I am. It's very early days with Oscar, and I don't know him terribly well yet. I find all the accoutrements a touch intimidating to be honest."

                "He was such a difficult boy growing up. Always surly and angry, yet needy and weak willed. His father and I tried to help," she sighed, "but he fought with us about almost everything. Seeing him with you last night, so calm and happy, and so eager to take care of you, well, it's nothing short of a transformation."

                "You didn't seem very happy about it last night," I said, remembering her death glares.

                "Envious, seeing him protecting you, looking at you the way he does,"
what?
"he's still my little boy remember. Is he still asleep?"

                 "Sleeping like a baby, we all had a lot of champagne last night, and it knocked him out. I hope he doesn't sleep too late, I wanted him to show me around the gardens, Mrs Dunton recommended I see the white garden."

                 "Oh yes you must, it's putting on quite the show this year. The dry spring we've had has helped. It's really romping along with the spring flowers. Do you have a garden?"

                 "Sadly not. I live in the apartment above Oscar in London, even the balcony is tiny."

                 "We'll you can enjoy our gardens when you're here. Now, I suggest that if Oscar isn't awake by nine, you give him a shake. Mrs Dunton likes to have breakfast done and dusted by half nine." She got up, and swept out of the room. I sat back and replayed the conversation in my head, it had been like talking to a different person.

                 I closed down the computer, and took the tray of tea things back to the kitchen, leaving it on the huge table. Back in the bedroom, Oscar was snoring softly. I stroked his shoulder to wake him up, and he opened sleepy blue eyes. "What time is it?"

                "About nine. You were out cold." He rolled onto his back, pulling me onto the bed with him.

                "How did you get out of the cuff Houdini?"

                "You left the key on the table. Which was lucky as you were sparko," I giggled, as he kissed my neck, his bristles tickling me.

                "A dastardly escape. Oh god, I want you again. What are you doing to me Elle?"

                "Turning you into a sex fiend I think. Your breakfast is almost ready downstairs. I was sent up to get you, not jump you."

                 "Ok, ok, I'll get up. You go down to the breakfast room, and I'll be down in ten." He jumped out of bed, and wandered naked to the bathroom. I sat on the bed, watching his slim, lithe buttocks as he moved. "I can see you staring," he said.

                "I'm forming the Oscar's arse appreciation society," I replied, before getting off the bed, and going back downstairs in search of the breakfast room.

                 Only Darius and Arabella were up and dressed, and helping themselves to coffee when I walked in. Mrs Dunton had laid out heated tureens of bacon, sausage and scrambled egg. She came in carrying a rack of toast, which she placed on the sideboard, before checking the eggs hadn't gone rubbery. "Everyone's so late this morning," she grumbled, as she fussed around with the coffee pot. As soon as she left, I poured myself a coffee, and seeing that the others had started eating, served myself a plate of toast and eggs, and joined them at the table.

                "So you're still in one piece then?" Darius said, prompting a glare from his wife.

                "Oh yes, I'm fine thanks. What time did you all stay up till?"

                "About half one. Paying for it now though. Is Osc up?"

                "Yes I'm up," said Oscar as he walked in, and straight to the coffee pot. He shovelled some food onto a plate and sat down opposite me.

                 "You're looking perky this morning," said Darius slyly.

                 "Looking forward to the shoot this afternoon," replied Oscar, "I'm always perky before a shoot." Darius smirked. "What would you like to do this morning Elle?" Oscar asked.

                 "I'd like to see the white garden. Mrs Dunton highly recommended it, if that's ok."

                 "Thought you had to do that stupid newsletter?" Darius asked.

                 "Done, approved by Lady Golding, sent to the printers, and paid for," I replied.

                 "You saw my mother this morning?" Oscar said, frowning.

                 "Yes, she came and found me in your study just as I finished the newsletter. She was very nice. Different to how she was last night. We had a nice chat, and she was pleased with how I did the layout for her." The two men looked at each other.

                 "Are you sure it was my mother and not an imposter?" Oscar said, prompting a snort from Darius. "It's just that 'nice' and my mother are rarely in the same sentence." Darius sniggered.

                 "Well she was nice. She cares about you." With that, Oscar changed the subject, and began to discuss shotguns with Darius. We finished breakfast, and Oscar suggested we go for a walk.

                 We strolled hand in hand through the knot garden, an impossibly romantic place, flanked on three sides by ancient yew hedges. The sun shone brightly, adding to the perfection. We walked in silence, me enjoying the tranquility and peace of the place, but Oscar looked thoughtful, as if he was wrestling with something.

                "Are you having a nice time?" Oscar asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

                "Oh yes, everyone seems really nice and welcoming, and a lot more fun than I expected."

                "I know you were nervous. I was too." He looked into the distance, rather than directly at me.

                "Why would you be nervous?" I was curious.

                "Because I know that you can walk away from me. You seem so strong and self contained. It makes me nervous that I could say the wrong thing again and you'd be off. I nearly laid an egg last night when mother mentioned rehab."

                "What were you addicted to?"

                "Cocaine. I was a heavy duty coke head. Been clean for four years now. It's why nobody does drugs around me. It started off as a party thing, only I couldn't control it. Darius could always take it or leave it. I ended up an addict."

                "How did it get that bad?"

                "I went from using it at the weekend, to during the week. Eventually I couldn't get out of bed without a line first. It all got hushed up by my father of course. He carted me off to some godawful place on the Isle of White to get clean. I doubt if I'd still be here if he hadn't."

                "Have you ever relapsed?"

                "No. I have no desire to ever go back to being an addict." He looked down at the ground, "are you shocked?"

                "A bit. I thought you were into fitness and health. I'm glad you told me though. I want to get to know you." We came to a large rose arch, Oscar checked for webs, before guiding me through into the most beautiful garden I'd ever seen. White flowers of every conceivable shape and size billowed against a backdrop of deep green hedges. Oscar led me to an arbour dripping with white wisteria, and we sat down, and I breathed in the heady perfumes around me. "This is paradise," I declared.

                "It is now that you're here," he said, "I want to know you better too. It always feels as though you're hiding something from me, and it makes me nervous."

                 I contemplated whether or not to share my insecurities with him. It was nowhere near as bad as the revelation that he'd been a junkie. I took a deep breath. "I come from a poor background." I waited for his response with baited breath.

                "I knew you weren't rich, but I wouldn't have pegged you as poor. Why is it such a secret?"

                "I work in one of the best law firms. All my workmates come from privileged backgrounds, public school, you know. I didn't, so I had to work ten times harder, and cover up a lot. If I didn't, I'd never have been taken on, let alone won promotions. I carry a lot of insecurities and hang ups around with me. I don't really belong in this world I live in. I sneaked in."

                "Is that how you felt during dinner last night?"

                "Yes, you guessed."

                "Only because you looked so lost." He looked at me with such sympathy that it took every ounce of self control I possessed not to cry. "Elle, you are the most amazing woman I've ever met. You're stunningly beautiful, astoundingly clever, and the sweetest person I know. You have nothing to feel insecure or inferior about. I imagine a lot of women feel intimidated by you instead."

                "I doubt that very much," I snorted.

                "My receptionist does. Sulks all afternoon when you've been in," he grinned.

                "I did tell you she has a crush on you."

                "She's normally fine. It's only when you visit that she gets all snippy. Are your own colleagues not jealous of you?"

                 "Not that I've noticed," I frowned, "one secretary really doesn't like me, but all the other lawyers are men, and they just tease me about you and Ivan." Oscar looked quizzical, "they are nosy about you, and think its funny that I used to hide in the loo whenever Ivan was in," I explained. Oscar laughed.

                "You used to hide from Ivan? Does he know?" I shrugged.

                "I was scared of him. I'm not anymore though. I was scared of you when I first met you. You seemed so angry."

                "That morning you walked into me in the lift, mother had called me, giving me a hard time, berating me for missing my narcotics anonymous meeting. I was annoyed, then as soon as I actually saw you, I was angry with myself for being such an arse. Then when I chased you into the coffee shop, she bloody phoned me again. She couldn't have worse timing if she tried."

                I smiled, "spectacularly bad."

                Oscar stood, and grasped my hand, "I doubt that you have a thirst for blood sports, so shall I teach you how to shoot lumps of clay? Then you can be a proper hooray Henrietta." He winked at me and smiled.

Chapter 14

                Clay pigeon shooting was a lot of fun. I wasn't particularly good at it, but Oscar and Hartey patiently tutored me in how to hold and fire the gun, and how to anticipate the clay. I even managed to hit a couple. Hartey was the best shot, explaining that he grew up in the highlands where his family have an estate, and was shooting grouse and pheasants almost as soon as he was big enough to hold a shotgun. Oscar was pretty good, and only missed a few clays. I watched him as he relaxed and had fun, observing how competitive he was with Darius, and how his brows knitted together as he concentrated. I may have even drooled slightly watching his broad shoulders tense and flex as he fired his gun, and his arse in Levi's was a work of art that Michelangelo himself would be proud of.

                We headed back to the house around four ish, and had coffee and cake in the sitting room. After our conversation that morning, Oscar was protective and attentive, staying close and shooting little glances over to make sure I was ok, making me all warm and fuzzy.

                 We headed up to Oscar's room to bathe and dress for dinner. He ran the bath while I lay down on the bed, yawning my head off.

                "Is the fresh air getting to you?" Oscar asked as he wandered in.

                "I'm not used to clean air. It's knocked me out a bit." I yawned again.

                "We'll make it an early night tonight. Everyone looks a bit ropey after last night." I followed him into the bathroom, and stripped off my clothes. The bath looked deep and inviting, and my shoulders were sore and stiff from the recoil of the gun. I stepped in, and sank into the foam. Oscar climbed in behind me, and pulled me against his chest, resting his hands on my tummy. We lay like that for a while in companionable silence before Oscar asked, "did you enjoy the shoot?"

                "Oh yes, it was fun. I wasn't too bad at it for my first go was I?"

                "No. I thought you took to it really well. Most girls can't even hold the gun up, let alone control the recoil. Must be all that weight training you do. Hartey was surprised too. I bet your shoulder aches though." He soaped up his hands and began to rub my shoulders. "Can I ask you something Elle?"

                "Go on."

                "You said you came from a poor background. What exactly did you mean?"

                I hesitated for a moment before replying. "A council flat in south London, and a single parent family, on benefits. It was grim. All I wanted was to escape and never go back." His hands stopped rubbing.

                 "I had no idea. You don't look like you came from something like that."

                 "I'll take that as a compliment. I don't look chavvy," I teased. He rinsed my shoulders and planted a soft kiss. "Can I ask you something?" I said.

                 "Go ahead."

                 "How come you're still single? Have you never fallen in love?"

                 "That's two questions."

                 "So sue me."

                 "In answer to question two, yes I fell in love at university, but she couldn't cope with the coke habit, and left me. I loved the drugs more than I loved her I guess. In answer to question one, I didn't meet anyone after her that I wanted to spend my life with, and I enjoyed thwarting mother's attempts at matchmaking. It became a mission of mine."