"That's fantastic news. Should save me a few quid in tax. I already sorted the new accounts with Goldings, so I can change my indemnities to Monday, and begin. You never know Elle, cut my tax bill enough, and I too might be able to afford an expensive girlfriend."
I frowned, "I'm sure you're not short of thruppence. Can I ask though, why did you take your sister on Saturday, and not a date?"
He smiled, "oh I don't date, not in the traditional sense anyway."
"Really? Why's that?"
"I hate the superficiality of the dating thing. I can't bear a whole evening spent with a dozy airhead who wants to discuss Brangelina and shopping, so I don't do it. I prefer to be alone." Weirdo alert.
"That's interesting, anyway Paul, thanks for the coffee. I'm going to head home and make a start on Jeffrey." I stood and gathered my bags.
"Yes, me too. Well it's been lovely to see you again, and I'll email you about the books." He kissed my cheek, and I headed out. It had been a strange conversation, and I was a touch unnerved by it. On the surface, he had pleaded almost poverty, yet I knew he was extremely wealthy, and the whole 'not dating' thing was really weird. As I perused the ready meals in the deli, I wondered if he was one of those odd dominants like the one portrayed in fifty shades. Either way, I would be keeping my distance.
I lugged all my bags home, mildly disappointed that Roger obviously hadn't been on phone tracking duties that afternoon. Back at the flat, I unpacked everything, adding my new lingerie to the now slightly fuller closet, and made a nice coffee to go with my novel. At least it had taken my mind off events for a few hours, although I had the whole evening to get through without becoming maudlin yet.
I had barely read the first chapter when my phone rang with an unknown number. I answered it, expecting it to be the police or coroner. "Hello Elle, hope you don't mind me calling," said Lady Golding, "but Oscar told me about your poor mother. I just wanted to offer my condolences."
"That's very kind of you Lady Golding, thank you. Oscar did send some lovely flowers."
"Good. I also heard that his dreadful date on Saturday night insulted you. Some of these girls just have no manners at all."
"I agree, mind you, with the events of Sunday, I really have forgotten all about it. None of it seems so important now. By the way, how's Mrs Smith?"
"I haven't really spoken to her much. She's been disgraced by the whole sorry saga. Her husband left her as well. I gather she was stealing the money for her lover, not herself as such, so her husband found out about her affair, although she claimed it had ended years ago."
"That's rather curious isn't it? That she would steal money for someone she had a fling with years back. Why would anyone do that?"
Lady Golding sighed, "I think she still held a torch for him, hoped he'd return to her. She was just a silly old woman really. She refuses to tell anyone how much she took though."
"It was a hell of a lot, Lady Golding. Nearly bankrupted the factory. That factory is a big employer in the area, a lot of family breadwinners depend on it. If people knew how close they took it to closure, well, she wouldn't be popular."
"Dreadful business. It was jolly lucky you stepped in when you did, is all I can say. Did Oscar tell you that the church newsletter went down a storm? Lots of people have commented on how wonderful it was. Oscar has suggested that I go on a computer course to learn
I frowned, "I'm sure you're not short of thruppence. Can I ask though, why did you take your sister on Saturday, and not a date?"
He smiled, "oh I don't date, not in the traditional sense anyway."
"Really? Why's that?"
"I hate the superficiality of the dating thing. I can't bear a whole evening spent with a dozy airhead who wants to discuss Brangelina and shopping, so I don't do it. I prefer to be alone." Weirdo alert.
"That's interesting, anyway Paul, thanks for the coffee. I'm going to head home and make a start on Jeffrey." I stood and gathered my bags.
"Yes, me too. Well it's been lovely to see you again, and I'll email you about the books." He kissed my cheek, and I headed out. It had been a strange conversation, and I was a touch unnerved by it. On the surface, he had pleaded almost poverty, yet I knew he was extremely wealthy, and the whole 'not dating' thing was really weird. As I perused the ready meals in the deli, I wondered if he was one of those odd dominants like the one portrayed in fifty shades. Either way, I would be keeping my distance.
I lugged all my bags home, mildly disappointed that Roger obviously hadn't been on phone tracking duties that afternoon. Back at the flat, I unpacked everything, adding my new lingerie to the now slightly fuller closet, and made a nice coffee to go with my novel. At least it had taken my mind off events for a few hours, although I had the whole evening to get through without becoming maudlin yet.
I had barely read the first chapter when my phone rang with an unknown number. I answered it, expecting it to be the police or coroner. "Hello Elle, hope you don't mind me calling," said Lady Golding, "but Oscar told me about your poor mother. I just wanted to offer my condolences."
"That's very kind of you Lady Golding, thank you. Oscar did send some lovely flowers."
"Good. I also heard that his dreadful date on Saturday night insulted you. Some of these girls just have no manners at all."
"I agree, mind you, with the events of Sunday, I really have forgotten all about it. None of it seems so important now. By the way, how's Mrs Smith?"
"I haven't really spoken to her much. She's been disgraced by the whole sorry saga. Her husband left her as well. I gather she was stealing the money for her lover, not herself as such, so her husband found out about her affair, although she claimed it had ended years ago."
"That's rather curious isn't it? That she would steal money for someone she had a fling with years back. Why would anyone do that?"
Lady Golding sighed, "I think she still held a torch for him, hoped he'd return to her. She was just a silly old woman really. She refuses to tell anyone how much she took though."
"It was a hell of a lot, Lady Golding. Nearly bankrupted the factory. That factory is a big employer in the area, a lot of family breadwinners depend on it. If people knew how close they took it to closure, well, she wouldn't be popular."
"Dreadful business. It was jolly lucky you stepped in when you did, is all I can say. Did Oscar tell you that the church newsletter went down a storm? Lots of people have commented on how wonderful it was. Oscar has suggested that I go on a computer course to learn
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