said, then asked hesitantly, ‘How is she?’
He twisted his gold bracelets and his eyes brimmed with tears. ‘She’s going to be fine, but it’ll take a while longer.’
‘She’ll be coming home then?’
He nodded, and said caressingly, ‘Yes, our beautiful lily will be home, but you know how these clinics like to take their time and my money. They said she simply needed rest. She’s doing some new therapy with crystals, and she sounds much better. It wasn’t such a bad one apparently, but I like to be careful.’
Marta touched his hand gently. ‘You know I am always here for her.’
He started for the stairs. ‘I’d better get showered. Oh, is the fat man staying or is he just here for dinner?’
‘Just dinner,’ Marta said, as she wheeled the trolley towards the dining room. Two waiters came out to take it from her, and both looked to the stairs. Justin always had an effect on young men: the aura of danger that hung about him acted like a magnet.
Justin stood beneath the shower jets, eyes tightly closed, and pondered. Why was Sir William Benedict sitting at dinner? What did he want? What did he know? Or maybe it was all going according to plan. Maybe he was ripe for the picking already. Justin sighed. He knew he would find out sooner or later. And Sir William could not have appeared at a better time: Justin was broke again but downstairs, sitting at his dining-room table, was the man who had financed the reconstruction of this villa and paid off his debts. Justin spent money like water, and the cash William had given him was gone. He reached for a soft white towel and wrapped himself in it from head to toe. He was not sure yet how he could use his golden goose. The plan only formed later when everyone except William had departed.
William had drunk too much, and the combination of alcohol and anti-depressant pills had made him red-faced, sweaty, and unable to stand unaided. Every time he rose, the room spun and he felt ill. Justin helped him to his feet, and they went out on tothe balcony into the cool night air, which made his head spin even more. He almost fell, but Justin caught him, guided him to a chair and went to brew some coffee. Marta had gone to bed, as had everyone else at the villa, and they were alone.
William tried desperately to sober up. With his head in his hands, he took deep breaths and tried to concentrate on his own shoes. He felt wretched. When Justin returned, he placed the steaming mugs on a low table then went to stand behind William’s chair and began to massage his shoulders.
‘I’m sorry about this,’ William said hoarsely. The strong hands were soothing.
‘Don’t worry about it. Just relax. You’re very tense – your shoulders are rigid.’
Justin leaned over to the table, and passed William his coffee. ‘This’ll make you feel better, and maybe you should take a couple of these. They’re just aspirin, but they’ll stave off the hangover.’
‘Thank you,’ William said. ‘I’m sorry to have just turned up on your doorstep like this. To be honest, I don’t really know why I came.’
‘I’m glad you did. And you’re most welcome to stay over if you would like.’
‘No, no, I must get back.’ There was an awkward silence. William lifted his eyes to Justin’s and flushed as the handsome man smiled. It was extraordinary, he thought. Even though Justin was in his early thirties he had the look of a well-scrubbed youth. ‘I think I’m very tired,’ he said lamely.
‘You must have been through a lot,’ Justin said, sitting opposite.
‘That’s putting it mildly!’ William leaned back and gazed over the garden so that he would not have to look at Justin, whose handsomeness unnerved him. ‘I just needed to get away to try to recharge my batteries. I’ve made a fool of myself.’
‘It’s understandable. Anyone would feel the same.’ Justin lit a cigarette, watching him with lizard-like attention.
‘Can’t show my face anywhere in London
He twisted his gold bracelets and his eyes brimmed with tears. ‘She’s going to be fine, but it’ll take a while longer.’
‘She’ll be coming home then?’
He nodded, and said caressingly, ‘Yes, our beautiful lily will be home, but you know how these clinics like to take their time and my money. They said she simply needed rest. She’s doing some new therapy with crystals, and she sounds much better. It wasn’t such a bad one apparently, but I like to be careful.’
Marta touched his hand gently. ‘You know I am always here for her.’
He started for the stairs. ‘I’d better get showered. Oh, is the fat man staying or is he just here for dinner?’
‘Just dinner,’ Marta said, as she wheeled the trolley towards the dining room. Two waiters came out to take it from her, and both looked to the stairs. Justin always had an effect on young men: the aura of danger that hung about him acted like a magnet.
Justin stood beneath the shower jets, eyes tightly closed, and pondered. Why was Sir William Benedict sitting at dinner? What did he want? What did he know? Or maybe it was all going according to plan. Maybe he was ripe for the picking already. Justin sighed. He knew he would find out sooner or later. And Sir William could not have appeared at a better time: Justin was broke again but downstairs, sitting at his dining-room table, was the man who had financed the reconstruction of this villa and paid off his debts. Justin spent money like water, and the cash William had given him was gone. He reached for a soft white towel and wrapped himself in it from head to toe. He was not sure yet how he could use his golden goose. The plan only formed later when everyone except William had departed.
William had drunk too much, and the combination of alcohol and anti-depressant pills had made him red-faced, sweaty, and unable to stand unaided. Every time he rose, the room spun and he felt ill. Justin helped him to his feet, and they went out on tothe balcony into the cool night air, which made his head spin even more. He almost fell, but Justin caught him, guided him to a chair and went to brew some coffee. Marta had gone to bed, as had everyone else at the villa, and they were alone.
William tried desperately to sober up. With his head in his hands, he took deep breaths and tried to concentrate on his own shoes. He felt wretched. When Justin returned, he placed the steaming mugs on a low table then went to stand behind William’s chair and began to massage his shoulders.
‘I’m sorry about this,’ William said hoarsely. The strong hands were soothing.
‘Don’t worry about it. Just relax. You’re very tense – your shoulders are rigid.’
Justin leaned over to the table, and passed William his coffee. ‘This’ll make you feel better, and maybe you should take a couple of these. They’re just aspirin, but they’ll stave off the hangover.’
‘Thank you,’ William said. ‘I’m sorry to have just turned up on your doorstep like this. To be honest, I don’t really know why I came.’
‘I’m glad you did. And you’re most welcome to stay over if you would like.’
‘No, no, I must get back.’ There was an awkward silence. William lifted his eyes to Justin’s and flushed as the handsome man smiled. It was extraordinary, he thought. Even though Justin was in his early thirties he had the look of a well-scrubbed youth. ‘I think I’m very tired,’ he said lamely.
‘You must have been through a lot,’ Justin said, sitting opposite.
‘That’s putting it mildly!’ William leaned back and gazed over the garden so that he would not have to look at Justin, whose handsomeness unnerved him. ‘I just needed to get away to try to recharge my batteries. I’ve made a fool of myself.’
‘It’s understandable. Anyone would feel the same.’ Justin lit a cigarette, watching him with lizard-like attention.
‘Can’t show my face anywhere in London
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