Dishonorable Intentions (7 page)

T
hey rode back to the house, gave the horses to the groom, and went upstairs for a jet lag–defeating nap. Gala was sleeping soundly in minutes. Stone switched on his phone and chose the tracking app. The green dot was at Heathrow.

—

S
he woke him from his nap in the late afternoon with a gentle touch, followed by more caresses. He rose to the occasion, and soon they were entwined. Recovery required another, shorter nap, afterward they showered together, then dressed for dinner.

While Gala did her makeup, Stone checked his phone again. The green dot was in the West End of London, and by zooming in, he could place it at Claridge's Hotel.

They were having drinks when Geoffrey came in with a telephone. “Dame Felicity Devonshire for you, Mr. Barrington.”

Stone took the phone from him. “Good evening,” he said.

“My spies told me you were back.”

“An unexpected trip. I've brought a friend. Where are you?”

“I just got to my Beaulieu River house.”

“We're just having a drink. Why don't you join us for dinner?”

“Sold. I'm assuming your friend is female?”

“Quite right.”

“No matter. I'll be at your dock in half an hour.”

“You'll be met.” He hung up and rang for Geoffrey.

“Yes, sir?”

“Dame Felicity will be at our dock in half an hour. Will you have her met, please? And we'll need another place set for dinner.”

“And who is Dame Felicity Devonshire?” Gala asked.

“An old acquaintance. You'll enjoy her.”

“And why does her name sound familiar?”

“She is the director of MI6, the British foreign intelligence service, the equivalent of our CIA.”

“Ah, I expect I've read that name in the papers.”

“Her name used to be a deep dark secret, but things have loosened up a bit.”

“And how did you come to know her?”

Stone thought about that. “Let's see. . . . Ah yes, MI6 retained me once to help them locate a former operative of theirs in the States.”

“And did you locate the operative?”

“I did, but I didn't know it for a while. He had changed his identity.”

“It all sounds very mysterious.”

“Mysterious and confidential. I had to sign the Official Secrets Act, which means I could be jailed if I blabbed.”

“So you won't tell me more?”

“What, do you want to see me in Wormwood Scrubs prison?”

“You make it sound ghastly.”

“All British prisons are ghastly. Hardly any of them have proper plumbing, last time I heard.”

“How do they . . . ?”

“Slop buckets.”

“Ugh.”

“Yes, I think they haven't updated because they consider the conditions to be a deterrent to criminals.”

“It's enough of a deterrent for me.”

“And for me, too, so don't wheedle me into compromising myself.”

“Was I wheedling?”

“You were about to, weren't you?”

“Well, yes, though I like to think I would have wheedled charmingly.”

“I don't doubt it for a moment.”

“I should have wheedled when we were in bed, then I would have had more leverage.”

“So to speak.”

She laughed. “So to speak.”

—

F
elicity bustled in on schedule, introductions were made, and a stiff whiskey and soda placed in her hand by Geoffrey, who had not had to ask her pleasure.

“I feel so at home in this house,” she said, and behind her, Gala rolled her eyes.

“You've known it far longer than I,” Stone said, letting himself off her hook. He turned to Gala. “It was Felicity who insisted I fly here from Rome. She made me buy the house.”

“What happened to the previous owner?”

“He was ill at the time and died a few weeks later.”

“It all looks so fresh,” she said.

“Yes, a well-known London designer completely redid it for the previous owner. It was nearly done when I first saw it.”

“She is a very good designer,” Gala said, casting an eye around the room.

“She is, indeed,” Felicity said. “Stone and his French partner had her do the big house next door, too. It's now an Arrington.”

“We saw it this afternoon while riding,” Gala said.

“Stone, has your new boat arrived?”

“It's due any day. Hinckley is sending over a team to launch it and to educate me in its operation.”

“Wasn't your last boat a Hinckley?”

“Yes, but the layout and equipment are all new to me. I'll need to know how to handle light maintenance.”

“And who will do the heavy maintenance?”

“Hinckley has arranged that with a Southampton yard.”

“How convenient.”

“Do you live nearby, Dame Felicity?” Gala asked.

“Oh, yes, just across the river.”

“How convenient.”

Stone cringed a little.

“Yes, it is, isn't it? And you must drop the Dame—I'm just plain Felicity.”

“Thank you.”

“You are most welcome, Gala.”

Geoffrey called them to table, and they polished off their drinks. They were given a pâté of smoked mackerel to start, with a glass of very dry sherry, and a crown roast of lamb to follow, with potatoes au gratin and haricots verts.

“The lamb is from the estate next door,” Stone said, “and the vegetables are from our own garden.”

“And the wine?” Gala asked.

“A Chateau Palmer 1978,” Stone replied, swirling some in his glass and tasting it. “I think we'll drink it.”

Both women made appreciative noises about the wine.

“Felicity,” Gala said, “Stone tells me you are in the intelligence business.”

“I hope that's all he told you,” she said, “or I'll have to have him clapped in irons.”

“He was very discreet,” Gala said. “But I'm a screenwriter by trade, and I sometimes write about your sort of derring-do. Perhaps if Stone gives you enough wine, you'll tell me some trade secrets that I can put into a film.”

“If Stone gives me enough wine, he knows I'll tell all,” Felicity replied. “So I'd better be very careful.”

Stone poured her another glass of the Palmer, and they all had a good laugh.

I
n bed after dinner Gala threw a leg over Stone's and stuck her tongue in his ear.

Stone responded.

“Now that I have your attention,” she said.

“You have it. Now what?”

“I wanted to bring up a subject that I have not broached before.”

“Why haven't you broached it?”

“Because the occasion had not arisen.”

“The occasion for what?”

“A potential threesome.”

Now she had his attention. “When did that occasion arise?”

“At dinner.”

“Somehow I missed that.”

“Men can be
so
obtuse.”

“I suppose so.”

“It was obvious that you and Dame Felicity have, in the past, been an item. Perhaps you still are.”

“Not at the moment.”

She laughed. “Well, right now, I'm taking up all the space.”

“Are you saying you'd like to share the space with Felicity?”

“The thought crossed my mind. It crossed hers, too.”

“Somehow I missed that.”

“Of course you did. She made it perfectly clear to me, though.”

“How, exactly, did she do that?”

“I'm not sure I should tell you. I don't know how you would react.”

“Try me.”

“All right, she ran a fingernail up the inside of my thigh, under the dinner table.”

“You're kidding.”

“Nope.”

“And how did you respond to that?”

“With pleasure. I told her I'd get back to her.”

“I didn't hear that, and I was there all the time.”

“Oh, not in so many words. I just gave her to understand that the matter was under consideration.”

“How, exactly, did you convey that?”

“Let's just say that I was discreetly receptive.”

“Oh.”

“And, need I point out that since the subject arose, you have responded in your own particular way?” She held him in her hand and squeezed.

“I think I must be responding to you.”

“Well, I hope so, but the subject under discussion produced a pronounced indication of interest. Have you and Felicity ever entertained another woman in bed?”

“Not that I recall.”

“Well, if that had occurred, I'm sure you would recall it.”

“I expect so.”

“What experience have you had with threesomes?”

“That's a very direct question,” he said.

“I'm a very direct woman.”

“I've noticed that and found it attractive.”

“So, answer the question.”

“A couple of times.”

“With what success?”

“Well, it happened—I guess that's success.”

“And how did you respond?”

“How do you think I responded?”

“Let me put it another way—on each occasion, who seemed to enjoy it most?”

“On both occasions, the women seemed to enjoy it most.”

“Enjoyed each other, you mean?”

“Well, yes.”

“At your expense?”

“You might put it that way.”

“That's unfortunate. It shows a lack of courtesy on their part. You were, after all, the host.”

“I suppose so.”

“Well, let me make you a promise. Should we, you and I, decide, both of us together, to invite another woman into our bed, you will not go unattended. By either of us.”

“How can you speak for the other woman?”

“It's a matter of judgment. Felicity, for example, is more interested in you than in me—although she is certainly interested in me. She demonstrated that to my satisfaction tonight.”

“You amaze me.”

“I assure you, should we decide to extend the invitation, Felicity and I will both amaze you.”

“How does one extend such an invitation?”

“You leave that to me.”

“Now that I've answered your questions, how much experience have you had in this area?”

“Five or six times, starting in college.”

“With what result?”

“After some initial fumbling, very satisfactory.”

At that point, the phone rang, and Stone picked it up. “Hello?”

“It's Felicity.”

“Hello, there.” He held the phone away from his ear, so that Gala could listen in.

“I'm down at your dock, and my boat won't start. Neither Geoffrey nor I can make it work.”

Stone looked at Gala, who was smiling and nodding. “In that case, I think Geoffrey should return you to the house, and Gala and I will make you comfortable here. The boat can wait until tomorrow.”

“What a lovely invitation.”

Gala leaned in. “We will both look forward to receiving you. Just come up to the master suite.”

“How delightful. See you shortly.” She hung up, and so did Stone.

“See how easy that was?” Gala said.

“I am astonished,” Stone replied.

“Now, you move over to the center of the bed, and leave room for her on the other side of you.”

Stone complied.

Shortly, there was a soft knock on the door.

“Come in,” Gala called.

Felicity entered the room, came over to the bed, and kissed, first Stone, then Gala.

“Use my dressing room,” Gala said, pointing. “There's a dressing gown, if you need one.”

“I don't think I will need it,” Felicity said, heading for the dressing room. She emerged shortly and got into bed next to Stone. Everyone kissed, then, as if by plan, the two women concentrated on Stone, who received the attention with alacrity.

Then they turned their attention to each other, while Stone watched and offered the occasional caress.

When they had satisfied each other and given Stone time to recover, they received him in turn, while the other watched and helped.

Then, exhausted, they all fell asleep.

—

T
he following morning, they repeated the experience, with variations. Then, while the two women showered together, Stone ordered breakfast and joined them, until the food arrived.

—

F
ollowing breakfast, they returned custody of Felicity to Geoffrey, who returned her to the dock.

“Oh, I'd better go and have a look at her boat,” Stone said.

“Don't bother,” Felicity replied. “I'm sure it will start immediately.”

They both laughed.

“Now,” Gala said when Felicity had departed, “was that a satisfactory experience?”

“Entirely satisfactory,” Stone said, kissing her.

“It could happen again,” Gala said, “with Felicity or some other suitable woman.”

“How will I know when?”

“I'll be sure and let you know. Just place yourself in my hands, so to speak.”

“I rather enjoy being in your hands, so to speak.”