by Earl Watson
“It’s good to see you Paige Boy. Where is Barbara? But who cares I see that you are traveling in better company now.”
Willis almost turned fire engine red.
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Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress
“Marcus this an old friend of mine, Antoine Fenton.”
Antoine reacted to Willis’ use of the word “Old” as if Willis had shot him. He keeled over in mock pain.
“For the love of God, Paige Boy not the old word. What have I done to deserve that? You know Marcus me and Paige Boy here were once an item before something, or should I say someone....took his place.
It was the same as when I was with someone else and he took their place. Remember that Willis darling? But that is not how he saw it Marcus. Paige Boy saw it as a betrayal and started to do little mean things and hold a grudge.” Antoine reached across the table and mussed Willis’ hair and Willis jerked his head away. “You see what I mean Marcus? He’s still holding a grudge after all of this time.
You shouldn’t hold grudges Paige Boy, I hear that it is bad for your digestion.”
Willis had heard enough.
“What do you want Antoine can’t you see that we are trying to enjoy a quiet dinner?”
“Don’t be so touchy! Don’t be so touchy! It’s not like I am tampering.” He turned and focused on Marcus.
“Marcus you tell me am I tampering, am I? If anything I am admiring Paige Boy’s ability to have taken a step into the big leagues. There is no harm in that is there Marcus?”
Marcus folded his hands on the table and could see how upset Willis was and looked at Antoine.
“It’s not an issue of harm. It’s an issue about you leaving at this very instant and allowing me and my companion to enjoy a quiet meal.”
Antoine snapped his head backward in dismay and quickly got up in one motion.
“I can see that you are still as insecure as ever Paige Boy.” He turned away from the table and walked away.
“Marcus tell Amanda that I wish her even more success. Paige Boy you can go and screw yourself! If you are interested Marcus I am staying at the Ritz.” Willis was embarrassed and stayed quiet before addressing Marcus.
“Marcus, I am really sorry about that, he’s just an old ghost from the past and....thanks for playing along. For the rest of his life he will be tormented by the fact that you didn’t leave with him.” After 130
Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress finishing their meal they decided to skip their nightly walk and get some sleep.
“Hey Marcus, I told Amanda that I would call her tonight. Why don’t you call her? I am sure that she is tired of hearing only from me.”
“No Willis it’s your show, your baby. Maybe I will call her in a few days.”
“Who are you trying to kid Marcus? You have been the one that put all of these monster deals together. I am just the middleman who knows how to speak French a little.” Willis retired to his room, fixed a drink and picked up the phone to call Amanda.
“Hello Mandy I just called to tell you that we had another banner day. You had better call your accounting firm and tell them that they are going to have to find a bigger bank. Marcus tied up that Hol-lanide deal in no time. Tomorrow we are heading to Milan, and I know that we are going to do well there too. How are things going back there?”
“Oh everything is fine, Carney is here with me.”
“What is she doing there? Isn’t somebody somewhere in the world in need of some kind of sexual pain?” Carney pressed the phone’s speaker button.
“Willis, tell me how are the men in Paris?”
“Your kind of men or my kind of men?” Amanda tried not to sound too anxious as she cut in.
“How is Mr. Peterson doing?”
“He’s in his room.” Carney silently whispered to Amanda.
“Ask Willis if Marcus is alone?” Amanda shook her head no, so Carney asked in her own round about way.
“I bet that Marcus has been busy with those French vixens since you two touched down.”
“No Carney, he’s been a very good boy. So far it’s only been work, a little sightseeing, then to bed. I hope that I am not cramping his style. Anyway that is all that I have to report. Amanda Fashions is getting richer by the minute. I will check in with you in a few days.
Bye.” Carney pushed her chair away from Amanda’s desk.
“Are you happy now! Maybe I can get some sleep tonight.”
“Is it really that obvious?”
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“Amanda if you don’t even have the nerve to talk to him. How are you ever going to get up the nerve to go to bed with him? You should call him tomorrow.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know, do what most women do, lie! Make up something, anything. I know tell him that Raz is pregnant and is telling everyone that he is the father.”
“Be serious Carney, I can’t do that.”
“Do you know what I would do if I were you. I would fly over to Paris with some story about work. I would knock on his door with my luggage in my hand.”
“Why would I want to share his room when I could get one of my own?”
“Jesus girl didn’t you ever go to college? His room is really your room because your company is paying for it. Now before he can answer you start pulling out of your suitcase every sexy negligee that you have just brought. Then you say in your sexiest voice, well Mr.
Beautiful, which one do you like the best? Mandy I really think that would work.” Amanda looked out into the empty space of her office and rolled her eyes.
“I can’t believe you. The things that your warped mind can conjure up knows no bounds. What do I do if he insists that I leave?” Carney fell silent and thought for a second.
“Well....if he does that, you start talking about Raz and the baby again.”
Thanks to Marcus, the Milan trip was more of a success than Paris. He used his contacts that he had made in Albany to secure a few deals with some of the top fashion stores in Italy. They stayed in Milan for three days before returning back to Paris. After one more day in France they returned back to the United States.
Amanda was waiting for them at Kennedy Airport when they got back. Willis ran down the stairs to meet her.
“Mandy! Mandy! Mandy! He did it! He did it! He got you the best deals ever in Paris, and Milan.” He gave her a bear hug and spun her around.
“We are set for life Amanda! Marcus got us an exclusive deal with Milan’s top fashion house. You know Cresdidies LTD. It is in the 132
Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress contract that they will sell and promote anything that you send them for seven years!” Willis put her down and placed a kiss on her cheek.”
“Where is Mr. Peterson?” Just then she saw Marcus come around a sharp corner. She took a quick sharp breath and felt for a minute that she forgot how to exhale. She could still hear Willis saying something but she couldn’t make out what it was. Marcus was getting closer and closer but to her he seemed to be walking in slow motion. He was wearing a gray pin stripped suit, a bold pink shirt, a light gray tie, with a matching handkerchief in his breast pocket, sparkling cuff links, and black shoes. Marcus stopped walking when he was about ten feet away from her and reflected.
“I have never really paid attention to just how truly pretty she really is.” He started walking toward her again with a bashful grin on his face. Now only Willis was standing between them. He was still overly excited and still going on about Milan. Marcus put his hand on Willis’ arm.
“Look Willis will you go and get our luggage? I would like to talk to Miss. Wilcox about something.”
“Sure no problem, I will meet you at the car.” As Willis stepped away Marcus moved a little closer to Amanda. She was close enough to smell his intoxicating cologne.
“It was a very successful trip Miss. Wilcox, you will be filling orders in Paris and Milan for quite some time.” Amanda shuffled her feet and mumbled.
�
�I have you to thank for that. Willis tells me that you....”
“Well if I did that good a job why are you looking at the ground? I would like it much better if you looked at my face. Amanda raised her head and her eyes met his.
“I am sorry, I didn’t realize that I was....”
“Why are you whispering?”
“Oh am I?” She was starting to mumble again when he put his finger to her lips.
“Will you go to dinner with me tonight? Don’t answer just shake your head yes or no”. Amanda nodded her head as Marcus took her hand and led her to her car. Willis and Manny sat in the front and Marcus and Amanda sat in the backseat. As they sat shoulder to shoulder she could feel the strength and power of his body and 133
Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress pressed her’s closer to him. At first she tried to do it with stealth, hoping that he didn’t feel it. But after a few blocks she didn’t care, she wanted him to feel her against him. Manny dropped Marcus off first. As he left the car he turned to Amanda.
“Do you know where The Victoria Club is?”
“I have heard about it, isn’t it over on.” Manny spoke up.
“I know where it is Marcus. It’s over on Park Avenue and Forty Fourth Street?”
“Yeah Manny that’s it. Can you have Amanda there by six o’clock?”
“Sure Mr. Peterson, no doubt about it?” Marcus took a quick look at Amanda before he closed the door.
“Alright, I will see you then.” Willis and Manny turned toward each other with their eyes bulging with questions. Then they turned to look at Amanda who instantly looked out of the window. She noticed some construction cones in the middle of the street and tried to make conversation.
“Don’t they ever fix anything in this city on time?” Manny started driving again as the two men exchanged knowing smiles. Amanda could see them out of the corner of her eye but pretended not to notice. Willis was dropped off next and decided to tease her a little.
“Miss Wilcox, you shouldn’t allow your new employees to refer to you as Amanda. Before you know it they will be calling you Mandy.
It is very disrespectful! “ She could hear Manny let out a laugh, as Willis happily walked into his building she rolled down the window and yelled after him.
“You are never going back to Paris! Ever!!” By the time that Manny dropped her off at her apartment. The smile on his face went from ear to ear. He came around the car and opened the door to let her out. Then said is his best upper class British accent.
“I shall promptly return at five thirty so that you can be dropped off at The Victoria Club at six. I do believe that is the time that your young man requested. Is that so madam?”
“If you don’t take that stupid grin off of your face I am going to call your wife and tell her that you are making fun of me.”
Manny’s voice broke out into a full howl.
“You can’t call her boss because she is in the islands with the kids.
Besides she would be on my side on this one. When it comes to ro-134
Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress mance and love she is a bigger sucker than I am.”
Amanda called out for Carney as soon as she entered her apartment.
“Carney you’ve got to help me pick out something to wear. I am going to dinner with Marcus and Manny is picking me up at five thirty.” Carney turned away from the television to ask.
“So you finally got up the nerve to ask him out?”
“No he asked me out. He is taking me to The Victoria Club.”
Carney ran over to Amanda and took her by the arms with excitement.
“The Victoria Club! The Victoria Club! Amanda he’s a member of the Victoria Club!! Are you kidding me?”
“It’s not a date it’s just diner.”
“Mandy let me tell you something. When a man invites a woman out after five o’clock it’s a date. But to be taken out to The Victoria Club on a first date! Where ever he takes you after that will be slum-ming.” They began going thru Amanda’s closets and Carney started filling Amanda in on what had happened to her client in Japan.
“I got a call from the wife of that client of mine that died in Japan.
She told me that at the inquest she testified that her husband had died at his own hand.” Amanda stopped searching for a minute.
“I figured that something bad happened and that you would tell me at the right time.”
“I wanted to make sure that everything was cleared up before I mentioned anything. He had been a client of mine for a very long time.
He was an investment banker and he was very nice. He liked me to get all dressed up for him in one of my outfits and watch him tie himself up.” Amanda knelt down on the closet floor and looked up at Carney.
“What! Why would he tie himself up?”
“He was into this thing called Auto Erotic Bondage. He would slowly and carefully tie himself up with ropes. Until he got them tight enough to where he could come. I told him a million times that he should never do it alone and that someone should always be with him. He had gotten away with doing it alone so many times.
But this time it didn’t work out. When I got to the hotel and found him I called his wife and she called the police. When something like 135
Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress this happens as an American, you should call the U.S. Consulate. At first they took my passport and wouldn’t allow me to leave. But after taking his wife’s initial statement they gave me back my passport and let me leave and return to the states, but to keep in touch with the U.S. Consulate. Now that the police have closed the case I am free to travel where ever I want to again. I will be leaving for Sweden in a few days.” Amanda jumped to her feet in horror.
“Oh no Carney, you can’t! Can you stay a few more days, please?”
“No I can’t. Don’t forget that I am a working girl, and a high priced one at that. I have got to make money and I have already leached off of you long enough. Don’t you think that....hey wait a minute. You are scared aren’t you? Now that he’s showing some interest in you you’re scared! Oh no Mandy girl. This time you are on your own!
Like every other woman in the world sooner or later you have to enter the lion’s den alone. You are totally intimidated by him, that’s why you are so intrigued by him, and that only means one thing.”
“What?”
“That’s why you are madly in love with him. Now Mandy, if you and Marcus decide to come back here after the Victoria Club. Just call and give me a heads up and I will rush out and get a room for the night.”
“Oh! You mean that! I don’t think that I am ready for that yet.”
“That’s your problem, you are never ready for that. Let me tell you something Mandy, and you had better not forget it. When it comes to that!! You had better remember, Marcus ain’t Patrick! Those child-ish games won’t work on him. When it comes to that!!”
The Victoria Club had been around for about fifty years. It was one of those places that the super rich belonged to but in order to be a member it required more than just money. You had to have that certain something that nobody could define. It was the sort of place where if you had wealth, class, and pedigree. It still didn’t mean that you had a better chance at getting in. No one knew what the rules for membership were or who made them up. Everything was secret and mysterious and that only made being accepted there more alluring and desirable. You could only become a member if another member offered your name. But even after that there was a background check that may have been more intensive than the 136
Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress CIA’s. At least ninety six percent of the people that were presented for membership were denied.
As soon as Manny pulled up in front of The Victoria Club a Doorman and a valet appeared at the same time. The valet opened Amanda’s door and she stood almost face to face with the Doorman.
“Good evening Miss. Wilcox. Mr. Peterson told me what kind of car you would be arriving in. If you will please follow me.”
The Do
orman held the door for her as she entered the lobby. A group of about seven men and women, all dressed in black were clustered around the door to the elevator. Amanda got in and the operator closed the door behind her.
“Welcome to The Victoria Club Miss Wilcox. Mr. Peterson is waiting for you in the third floor dining room. When you get off your guide will escort you there.” The operator had hardly finished speaking when the elevator door opened.
“Thank you Miss. Wilcox, I hope that you have a wonderful time.”
As soon as she stepped out of the elevator a tall white haired man dressed in a dark blue uniform took her by the arm.
“Right this way madam, my name is Henry and I will be your guide.
I am told that this is your first time to The Victoria Club.”
” Yes it is.”
“I am sure that you will like it Miss. Wilcox. It is unlike any other private club in the world. I have worked in some of the best ones like in London, Switzerland, Hong Kong. Take it from me Miss.
Wilcox none of them can hold a candle to The Victoria Club.” As Amanda walked on the carpet she marveled at how quiet everything was. Even her guide seemed to be speaking in a hushed tone. From the far end of the hallway she saw another group of men and women walking toward her. They were dressed in the same black outfits that the other group had on in the lobby. As the group passed her one of the women uttered a friendly “Good evening madam.” There were ten rooms on each side of the hallway. Her eyes were drawn to each door that was a reddish oak, and each handle was made of a high class copper that shined under the lights. Amanda couldn’t help asking the man.