The Accidental Mistress (16 page)

‘It didn’t take you long to make up your mind that night at the Waverley.’

Touché.

‘No … that decision was pretty easy to make.’

John smiled, and lifted his glass towards hers, clinking them together.‘For me too. And I’m sorry … I know I’m trying to pressure you. I can’t help myself. But I will endeavour to let you make your own decision in your own time.’ He gave her a seductive smile, something he excelled at. Lizzie’s heart fluttered, and despite everything they’d done that afternoon, she hungered for him again. ‘But you will come and stay with me sometimes, eh? Just throw me a few crumbs. After all, we’re barely any further from the centre of town here than you are at St Patrick’s Road.’

‘Of course I will … Sometimes … Believe me.’

‘Good! Thank God for that! I’ve managed to wring something out of you.’ His eyes went dark. He was thinking of other things he’d wrung out of her, up in the master bedroom. ‘So, what do you think of the rest of the house? How was Jason’s pitch? I’m sure he knew that if you had misgivings, I’d give back word in a heartbeat.’

‘He was very competent. Very good at his job. He does sell a good pitch, but he’s not pushy.’ She took a sip of the Champagne. ‘And I do love the house … and the swimming pool … and the tennis court … Do you play, by the way?’

‘I have in my time, but I must be very rusty by now. We’ll have to give it a bash when we’re not exercising in other ways.’ He flashed her a wink, and reached for the Champagne bottle. There was just a drop left, but he shared it scrupulously between them.

‘I was always rubbish on grass, but I’m not too bad on a
hard court. I’m looking forward to giving you a damn good thrashing.’

John let out a bark of laughter. ‘And playing a few sets of tennis too, I hope.’

Oh yes, that too. It had been a strange night, at that party held in the unknown mansion, the one she called the Eyes Wide Shut party. Being John’s dominatrix for an hour or so had been so new to her, but she could still remember the delicious dark thrill of it. Maybe if he kept badgering her about moving in, and spending ridiculous amounts of money on her, she might have to have another go at that too, sooner or later.

‘So, what else did you discover on your tour?’

‘Well, there’s a rather spooky wine cellar … Not much in it. In fact, just a couple more of these and some dusty-looking reds.’

‘That’s soon rectified,’ remarked John roundly. ‘What else?’

Ooh, yes, something! Something that made her smile.

‘When we were passing through the utility room, guess what I saw? There’s a cat flap in the outer door, and there was a water dish and a mat … for a little someone called “Alice” …’ Without even stopping to think, she’d called out, hoping the owner of the dish and mat was around. ‘Jason said there
is
a cat that lives here. She was bought for the children of the former owners, but she took more to the house than the kids, and when they went, she managed to find her way back. The old housekeeper had been feeding her … but she’s in a cattery at the moment.’ She glanced at John sideways. ‘Jason said they’d find another home for her, of course. Unless we wanted to keep her?’

‘I guess we’re keeping her, then?’ John grinned at her.

‘Well … yes … I said she could stay.’ She gave him a steady look. He wanted her to move in. He wanted her to be happy. Well, he could indulge her in this, if he wanted to entertain hopes. ‘I’ll miss Mulder when I’m not at St Patrick’s Road, so it’ll be nice to have a moggie here too. Make it more like a proper home … if you can call a five point three million pound mansion house a home.’

‘I intend to. It’s my plan to spend most of my time here, when I’m not travelling. I’ll keep my London flat on, but this will be my base.’

Crikey …

She opened her mouth to speak, but John beat her to it. He was staring down the drive. ‘Here’s Jeffrey. We’d better swig this lot down, then close up and set the alarm.’

Five minutes later they were speeding away from Dalethwaite Manor. Lizzie turned around and looked out of the rear window, fixing it in her mind just as it disappeared out of view behind the stands of trees that lined the drive.

John’s home now. And hers, if she wanted it.

‘Where shall we eat dinner?’ John’s voice, and the touch of his hand on her shoulder, forestalled her inner debate. ‘Do you want to go back to the Waverley, or perhaps try somewhere else? I know of one or two decent restaurants near here.’

Much as she loved walking into a crowded room with John, and feeling that electric thrill, knowing everybody was looking at them, Lizzie suddenly felt tired. It had been a long, strange day, and it was barely more than early evening yet. When she’d woken up and set off for New Again this morning, she hadn’t even anticipated seeing him – and now they’d helped Mrs Cox, he’d bought himself a blooming
great mansion, and they’d even christened two of the rooms there, by making love in them after a fashion.

I want something normal now. Something I’d do if everything in my life hadn’t changed. Something from before John … but something I can share with him.

‘I don’t really fancy eating out.’ She bit her lip, watching his face. ‘What do you say we call for some fish and chips and eat them back at St Patrick’s Road, watching the telly? You know … live life how the other half live, Mr Gazillionaire?’

John beamed at her. ‘Sounds great to me! I love fish and chips.’

‘Yeah, right.’

‘I do! It’s a while since I had decent ones too. They don’t know how to make them in these awful Michelin star gaffs I have to eat in all the time, and they get really narked if you ask the chef to serve them in newspaper.’

‘Stop taking the piss!’ She punched him on the shoulder, but didn’t seem to make much impact on the hard muscle beneath his beautiful suit.

‘No, I’m serious. I would love to have fish and chips. In fact, I can’t think of anything better. Where’s the nearest good chippy?’

When Jeffrey had been directed to the Barracuda Fisheries, Lizzie said, ‘Crikey … I forgot … You don’t mind eating with Shelley, do you? I’d forgotten all about her. Isn’t that
awful
? I’d better ring and see if she wants chips too. She was supposed to be dieting but I’m not sure how that’s going now.’

Before she could reach for her phone, John took her hand. ‘Of course I don’t mind eating with Shelley. She’s your friend and she’s in your life. So she’s in my life too.’ He kissed her fingers. ‘Anything for you, love. You know that, don’t you?’

Lizzie started to shake. She couldn’t stop herself. John frowned, then swept her into his arms. ‘Hey … hey … it’s all right. I know this is all new … but we’ll muddle through. Don’t worry.’

Lizzie leaned against him. He was so strong. Like a rock. And he smelt of her own body spray. Which made her smile.

‘Oops, sorry, I’m not usually a fainting miss, you know. It’s just that it’s been a really sort of weird day. So much has happened.’

His arms tightened around her. ‘Yes, it has … but good stuff, isn’t it?’ She felt his lips move against her hair, and his breath wafting her fringe.

‘Yes … yes, it is.’ She slid her arms around him, savouring the beautiful feel of his body. ‘But I think I need a quiet night in now. How about you?’

‘Absolutely.’ Gently easing her away from him, John gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. ‘Now ring Shelley and we’ll call in for our supper, and I’ll check the listings and see what’s on the box tonight. Does that sound like a plan?’

She nodded. He seemed to understand that she needed some things in their relationship to be ‘normal’ and not a fairy-tale sex adventure all the time.

Shelley answered after a few rings, sounding breathless.

‘Nice thought, but I’m going out tonight. I’ll probably have left by the time you get home.’

A date? Lizzie felt a rush of guilt. She’d not really been taking as much notice of her friend’s life as she should have been lately. John had commandeered her time, eating it up even when he wasn’t around. Lizzie had been vaguely aware that Shelley had been preoccupied, certainly, but she hadn’t probed. Maybe she should have? Shelley was normally a person who liked to share, rather than keep things close to her chest.

‘Oh, that’s super! Anyone I know? How did you meet?’

‘No … you won’t know him. I don’t really … it’s sort of a blind date thing.’

Something was up. The girl who liked to share sounded distinctly cagey. There was a definite ‘don’t ask’ subtext going on that troubled Lizzie, compounding her guilt. She’d just have to make time for a girly night in, or out, with Shelley soon, regardless of John, and Shelley’s mystery man.

‘Ah well … Hope you have a fabulous time. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do … which gives you a pretty wide latitude, I’d say.’ She was pleased to hear her friend giggle in response.

‘Yep, I’ll need a wide latitude. In fact I’m counting on it!’ Shelley paused. ‘Look, I’m running late, but we need to catch up. I’ll tell you all about my … um … date, when I get in. Will you be home tonight? Or will you be with John?’

‘I’m not sure. I don’t know yet.’

Would he stay over? Did she even want him to? He’d shared her bed briefly at St Patrick’s Road before; but it hadn’t really been for much sleep, and certainly not sex. It didn’t seem right, somehow, to fuck him in the house she shared with the others, weird as that seemed.

‘Don’t worry, we’ll catch up,’ said Shelley cheerfully, ‘Somehow. I’ve got quite a lot to tell you, and I hope to have more after tonight. Look, gotta hustle … talk to you later!’

Lizzie stared at the suddenly silent phone, intrigued. She thought about quickly calling Brent, to see if he knew anything about this mysterious date of Shelley’s. Perhaps the other girl was confiding in their male house-mate more now? Lizzie knew she’d been preoccupied with John Smith, almost to the exclusion of the whole world, and she’d barely exchanged more than a few brief texts with Brent since he’d
left to stay with his parents. He was probably due to come home any day now … but Lizzie didn’t have a clue about his intentions, so wound up in herself and her lover had she been. ‘She’s got a date. So it’ll be just us. Some new bloke that she’s being very close-mouthed about. I hope he’s all right …

Shelley’s had some bad luck on the romance front, and she’s ended up with some very dubious characters sometimes.’

‘Bit like you, then,’ said John teasingly, reaching out to squeeze her arm. ‘Don’t worry. I’m sure she’ll be fine. She knows to call you, if there’s a problem, presumably?’

‘Er, yes, I think so.’

Within moments, the car was drawing up in the small layby, where the fish and chip shop and a cluster of other small outlets was situated.

‘Do you have wine in the house?’ John nodded towards the off licence two doors down from the Barracuda. ‘Something white, to go with fish?’

‘I don’t think so. Brent’s usually the one who buys wine. He knows more about it than Shelley and I. We just drink any old rubbish. And we usually drink beer or pop with fish and chips … or the traditional cup of tea.’

‘I’ll get us a bottle,’ said John, reaching for the door handle, just as the ever efficient Jeffrey opened the door for them. ‘What do you usually get at the chippy? Fish and chips apiece? And mushy peas?’ he added gleefully.

‘Don’t mock! They’re delicious!’ Lizzie scurried out of the car after him. ‘And the fish and chips are my treat, if you’re buying the wine.’

John’s eyes widened. When was the last time a woman had paid the tab? Might it be as long ago as his marriage? Whatever, he looked bemused for a moment, then grinned. ‘OK, it’s a deal. I’ll see you back here in a few minutes, then?’

Luckily, the Barracuda was quiet, and Lizzie didn’t have to wait. Within a couple of minutes she was heading back to the car, with her warm bundle. Would this be a first? She’d lay good money on the fact that there’d never been fish and chips wrapped in paper in the back of John’s limousine before.

‘I think these will do.’ She nearly jumped out of her skin. He’d come up behind her so quietly she hadn’t heard him.

‘Um … yes. I guess they will. They’re white at least.’

John was carrying a transparent plastic carrier bag, with what looked like two tissue-wrapped bottles of Champagne inside it.

‘I couldn’t resist,’ he said, as he settled into the back seat beside her. ‘I rather got a taste for it this afternoon, and it’s not every day one buys a house, is it? Five point three million is a significant purchase, even for me.’

‘It’s a lot of money.’

It terrified her. Perhaps he would have bought Dalethwaite anyway, wanting to gradually creep closer to a rapprochement with his family, and needing a base from which to do it?

But she had the feeling it had been more about her. And the weight of five point three million pounds was a heavy responsibility.

A giant commitment, for her, as well as him.

‘Don’t worry, sweetheart,’ he said, in that sudden way of his, that spooky way that suggested her thoughts were an open book to him. ‘It’ll be all right. We’ll work things out. We’ll do it together.’

Lizzie smiled back at him. She was being silly again. Just getting the collywobbles, overwhelmed by changes in her life.

Perhaps it would all be all right? After all, change was good … and they had fish and chips, and Champagne, and they were together.

‘Thanks, I need this,’ murmured Shelley, grateful as the barman set her glass of wine in front of her, a large one. It was a bit drier than she normally drank, but it seemed quite strong and she needed the sudden heat, glowing in her belly.

‘Enjoy!’ replied the handsome young man, giving her a nod and a wink before moving away down the long bar to serve another punter.

I wish it was you. You’re really cute
, she thought, following his progress but trying not to be too obvious. He had lovely firm, boyish buttocks in his tight uniform trousers, but she’d have to lean right over the counter if she wanted to see them for much longer, and tipsy letch would not be a good look on her.

Opening her bag on the bar counter, she slipped out her phone, checking the details.