at our house near Iver in Berkshire. It's quiet there. She doesn't like London life—entertaining, theatre, shopping—it's a nightmare for her. As long as I go home regularly, she's quite content.'
'Why doesn't she like London?'
'She grew up in a quiet village in Greece, and her family were very poor. I'm afraid she doesn't like the lifestyle of the wealthy.'
'Then she shouldn't have married you!' Lisa stated with the cruel logic of the young.
'I was poor then. It's the usual boring story. I've spent a lot of time making money, and while I've been busy with my work she's brought up the girls while remaining basically the same person I married. I, on the other hand, have changed out of all recognition. It isn't her fault.'
'But difficult for you both?'
'For me certainly. I need someone in town to act as hostess and companion. For her? Not really, as long as she's allowed to live as she wishes, she's quite content.' Neal's ability to lie through his teeth with apparent sincerity was notorious but Lisa believed him. She might not have done except for the champagne, but as it was she accepted all he said. She also realised that the price of her small house and raising Jessica might be paid for by acting as hostess and companion when Neal was in town. The prospect wasn't displeasing. Provided that sex wasn't involved, she'd be perfectly willing to accept if he asked her.
'So how do you manage?'
'I've got a very good friend, Kay Masters, who stands in for Naomi as necessary.'
'Is Kay married?'
He laughed. 'Hardly! Not many husbands would be that complacent. No, Kay's totally free.'
Oh well, thought Lisa, wrong again. He didn't need her as a hostess. It was almost a disappointment. The sophisticated, powerful older man watched the emotions flicker across her face and was pleased. He'd sown the seed and then taken away the pressure. He'd return to the subject in time but leave now while she was relaxed and at ease. 'I've got a late night appointment and ought to be going. Is there anything you need at the moment? Mr Heywood says you can come out in another six days.'
'I'd like a good book. Something big but not too taxing on the brain. My concentration's gone at the moment, I keep looking at Jessica!' 'I'll drop in a few paperbacks. My wife's a romance fan, is that your genre?'
'No! Comedy or horror will do me nicely.'
'I'd have thought you'd had your fill of horror,' he said dryly, and then gave her the briefest of kisses on her forehead before leaving. That night she slept better than she had since Simon died.
The next morning, Steve arrived. She remembered how kind he'd been to her on the night Toby attacked her and tried to thank him but he brushed it aside. 'It wasn't anything, Mrs Walker. I was only doing my job.'
'You were marvellous. I'd have been in hysterics without your comforting presence.'
'Here are some books from Mr Gueras,' he said quickly, handing over a box that must have held at least twenty. 'If you don't like any of them he said he'd be ringing later and you could let him know.'
'Please thank him for me.' Her tone was cool now that she realised the young man no longer wished to be friendly.
'May I look at the baby?' he asked, sensing her change of mood and not wanting to offend.
'Of course, although she's probably asleep.’
'No, she's awake. Her eyes are wide open, she's obviously going to be very bright.'
'Unlike her father!'
He was surprised by the tartness of her tone. 'I suppose so. Good luck in the future.'
'Thanks. Oh, Steve?'
He turned, looking apprehensive. 'Yes, Mrs Walker?'
'Why don't you call me Lisa? I only wondered if you knew where this house of mine is going to be?'
'I'm afraid not.' She was sure he was lying, but guessed that Neal wanted to surprise her.
Turning her attention to the books she found them all excellent, and they kept her occupied during her spare time, which wasn't as much as she'd expected because for some reason bathing and dressing Jessica took a
'Why doesn't she like London?'
'She grew up in a quiet village in Greece, and her family were very poor. I'm afraid she doesn't like the lifestyle of the wealthy.'
'Then she shouldn't have married you!' Lisa stated with the cruel logic of the young.
'I was poor then. It's the usual boring story. I've spent a lot of time making money, and while I've been busy with my work she's brought up the girls while remaining basically the same person I married. I, on the other hand, have changed out of all recognition. It isn't her fault.'
'But difficult for you both?'
'For me certainly. I need someone in town to act as hostess and companion. For her? Not really, as long as she's allowed to live as she wishes, she's quite content.' Neal's ability to lie through his teeth with apparent sincerity was notorious but Lisa believed him. She might not have done except for the champagne, but as it was she accepted all he said. She also realised that the price of her small house and raising Jessica might be paid for by acting as hostess and companion when Neal was in town. The prospect wasn't displeasing. Provided that sex wasn't involved, she'd be perfectly willing to accept if he asked her.
'So how do you manage?'
'I've got a very good friend, Kay Masters, who stands in for Naomi as necessary.'
'Is Kay married?'
He laughed. 'Hardly! Not many husbands would be that complacent. No, Kay's totally free.'
Oh well, thought Lisa, wrong again. He didn't need her as a hostess. It was almost a disappointment. The sophisticated, powerful older man watched the emotions flicker across her face and was pleased. He'd sown the seed and then taken away the pressure. He'd return to the subject in time but leave now while she was relaxed and at ease. 'I've got a late night appointment and ought to be going. Is there anything you need at the moment? Mr Heywood says you can come out in another six days.'
'I'd like a good book. Something big but not too taxing on the brain. My concentration's gone at the moment, I keep looking at Jessica!' 'I'll drop in a few paperbacks. My wife's a romance fan, is that your genre?'
'No! Comedy or horror will do me nicely.'
'I'd have thought you'd had your fill of horror,' he said dryly, and then gave her the briefest of kisses on her forehead before leaving. That night she slept better than she had since Simon died.
The next morning, Steve arrived. She remembered how kind he'd been to her on the night Toby attacked her and tried to thank him but he brushed it aside. 'It wasn't anything, Mrs Walker. I was only doing my job.'
'You were marvellous. I'd have been in hysterics without your comforting presence.'
'Here are some books from Mr Gueras,' he said quickly, handing over a box that must have held at least twenty. 'If you don't like any of them he said he'd be ringing later and you could let him know.'
'Please thank him for me.' Her tone was cool now that she realised the young man no longer wished to be friendly.
'May I look at the baby?' he asked, sensing her change of mood and not wanting to offend.
'Of course, although she's probably asleep.’
'No, she's awake. Her eyes are wide open, she's obviously going to be very bright.'
'Unlike her father!'
He was surprised by the tartness of her tone. 'I suppose so. Good luck in the future.'
'Thanks. Oh, Steve?'
He turned, looking apprehensive. 'Yes, Mrs Walker?'
'Why don't you call me Lisa? I only wondered if you knew where this house of mine is going to be?'
'I'm afraid not.' She was sure he was lying, but guessed that Neal wanted to surprise her.
Turning her attention to the books she found them all excellent, and they kept her occupied during her spare time, which wasn't as much as she'd expected because for some reason bathing and dressing Jessica took a
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