by Viva Jones
Chapter Twenty-Four
‘Mind if I join you?’
Nathalie opened her eyes. She was lying on her usual sun bed by the pool.
‘Tanya, please do,’ she said, welcoming the chance for a chat. ‘I never seem to see you these days.’ She was looking so much more sophisticated, Nathalie thought, so well put-together.
‘I’ve been really busy. Loads of clients and meetings in Nicosia and what have you.’
‘So things are going well, then? On the sales side?’
‘Oh, yes,’ Tanya said enthusiastically. ‘It’s really popular, this complex.’
‘Good, I’m happy for you. Lovely bracelet, it’s new, isn’t it?’ She reached out to touch the heavy gold chain around Tanya’s wrist.
‘This? Yes, it was a present from a client, because basically he said I’d gone out of my way to be helpful.’
‘How very generous of him. It wasn’t the man I saw on that yacht, by any chance, was it?’
‘Yes, that’s the one.’
Nathalie allowed this to sink in.
‘There’s nothing dodgy going on or anything,’ Tanya insisted. ‘He just likes me, and he gives me gifts, that’s all. He helped me out when my car needed fixing. He’s Arabic, they’re generous like that.’
‘You don’t have to explain yourself.’
‘There’s nothing wrong with it, is there? Getting presents?’
‘Only if he’s expecting something in return.’
‘What, like sex?’
‘That’s the obvious thing.’
Tanya fell silent for a minute. She was still struggling with her conscience, and with what had happened at the parties. She had the chance to meet wealthy men through her job, Tanya realised; it wouldn’t do to be recognised as a performance artist, or whatever Dolores called it.
‘If I did sleep with him, and I’m not saying I have or anything, but would that be so wrong?’
‘He’s married, I take it?’
Tanya nodded. ‘His children are grown up.’
Nathalie shrugged. She had no intention of becoming Tanya’s moral guardian. ‘Men give women gifts all the time. Especially to mistresses.’
‘Mistress! That’s the word.’ Tanya was relieved to hear it. That was what she was to Mr Makhtabi. It sounded mysterious, romantic even, rather than something to be ashamed of. Then another thought occurred to Tanya.
‘If the presents are cash, does that make a difference?’
‘There’s a fine line between being given a gift and being paid in cash.’
‘The cash really helps me out, though. I don’t see that I’ve been doing anything wrong. I mean it’s not as if I’m out on the streets getting touched up by some old drunk or anything. This is civilised. On his boat. Nice hotels.’
‘Tanya, why are you telling me this? You’re a grown woman, you can make your own choices. I’m not here to judge you. Just be careful, that’s all.’
‘Careful about what?’ Anna’s voice boomed out from behind them.
‘Some tricky Russian buyers,’ Tanya said with a speed that impressed Nathalie. ‘I think they’re trying it on.’
‘Oh.’ Anna lost interest. ‘I’ve been making bloody travel arrangements all day. Richard’s party. One couple just cancelled on me. That weekend clashes with the start of the new term, and they can’t possibly leave little Reggie and Ivy with the new nanny. I’ve had to bloody well cancel their hotel room and car hire now, and I had a hell of a job trying to book it in the first place. Tanya, please tell me number two is still booked in my name?’
‘Of course it is. Deposit’s paid and everything’s sorted.’
‘Thank Christ. This is the first and last time I do anything like this, believe me.’ Anna flopped down onto her sun bed.
‘Your husband will appreciate it,’ Nathalie told her.
‘He’d bloody better.’
In the distance they heard a car pulling up, and seconds later Douglas appeared from the car park.
‘Ah, my three favourite goddesses, partaking of the sun,’ he said, striding towards them. ‘God, it’s tough living here. Bloody awful views.’
Anna stared at her toe-nails, trying not to think of her recent fantasies.
‘How’s your car?’ Nathalie asked him without looking up.
‘All fixed,’ he told her. ‘Had a slight bump the other evening,’ he airily informed the others.
‘Any news on the other car?’
‘I’m pleased to say they’ve gone very quiet,’ he told her. ‘But as a precaution, I’ve decided to avoid the coast these days. And all partying, come to think of it. I’ll live like a hermit in my own home, reading and studying in quiet contemplation. You won’t even know I’m here.’
Nathalie smiled wryly while Tanya opened the latest copy of Heat.
‘How’s the book going, Anna?’ he asked. ‘Surprised you’re not inside, chained to your computer.’
‘Oh, it’s practically writing itself,’ Anna lied, avoiding his eyes. ‘Flying off the page.’
‘Delighted to hear it. And the big birthday bash?’
‘All going to plan; not a word to You-Know-Who. The ninth of September. I hope you can make it, Tanya?’
‘The ninth? That’s the day of the Odyssey party,’ Tanya remembered. ‘I can’t miss that.’
‘The ninth of September?’ Douglas repeated. ‘You do realise that’s when Paphos celebrates the festival of Aphrodite, don’t you? And you know what her festival’s called?’
Anna looked at him blankly.
‘Oh come now, you can do better than that. It’s Aphrodisiac, of course!’
‘Oh, Douglas, really!’
‘So that should be the theme of your party then, the aphrodisiac!’ he cried out in delight. ‘You’ll have to have oysters, of course. You do know why oysters are considered aphrodisiacs, don’t you?’ he asked, enjoying having an audience. ‘It’s because they resemble the vagina, as does the orchid, so you’d better get a few in. And figs. Now Anna, why d’you think they’re considered aphrodisiacs, eh? Come on, use your imagination. It’s because they look like balls!‘
Anna squirmed in her seat. Ginnie, wearing a yellow sarong, appeared from her doorway, and scurried to join them.
‘Am I missing anything?’ She peeled off the sarong to reveal a matching bikini and stepped into the pool.
‘In Peru cat meat is considered an aphrodisiac, you know,’ Douglas announced for her benefit. ‘They celebrate a cat-eating festival every October.’
‘That’s disgusting!’ Ginnie exclaimed, starting her lengths. ‘You do say the most awful things!’ She shivered as she remembered Douglas’s cock in her mouth. Of all the memories in her life that alcohol had erased, that sadly was not one of them.
‘Has Tanya told you our latest?’ she continued, deciding it safer to change the subject. She told them about the neutering campaign. ‘For some reason they want to tie the launch in with Aphrodite’s festival,’ she added. ‘I suppose it fits in with the villas, but I can’t see what it’s got to do with cats.’
‘I’d have thought it was obvious, really,’ Douglas started. ‘Aphrodite was born of the severed genitals of Uranus. And your campaign is all about severing the genitals of every stray tom on the island. I’d have thought it a perfect match, really.’
‘Oh, Douglas!’
Douglas just smiled and headed towards number seven, where he had to content himself with a hand-job, imagining each of his goddesses out there, but Nathalie in particular, sucking him with an expertise that made all others seem amateurish. Nathalie, coupled with Svetlana’s athleticism, had become his recent fantasy of choice, performing a routine in his living room, her pussy that beacon of light, the icon at which he must worship.
Chapter Twenty-Five<
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Nigel Wentworth was sitting at his desk, looking over the signed agreement that Ginnie had presented him. The Odyssey Property Company were offering to sponsor a six month advertising campaign with billboards, posters, radio and print advertisements. They had also agreed to cover costs of all male neutering in that period, plus fifty percent of female. Tiggles was to become the main information point, and recipient of a healthy monthly donation for the following year.
‘Congratulations,’ he said without enthusiasm, his mind in a state of turmoil. What had been looking for in the document, some huge flaw? Some major drawback which would hinder the deal? And why? Didn’t he and Ginnie want exactly the same things? Why couldn’t he just be happy for her achievement?
‘Is there something wrong, Nige?’
‘No, no, I’m impressed, that’s all,’ he said evenly. He looked up at Ginnie. ‘Congratulations on a job well done.’
Ginnie smiled but was puzzled. How could he not be as ecstatic as she was? This meeting wasn’t going the way she’d planned. Ginnie was standing behind the chair opposite Nigel’s desk. She’d expected him to flick through the document, then to jump up, rush round to her side and give her a big hug. She thought he might call Trisha in, suggest they go out for lunch. Instead, he seemed rather cold.
‘You’ve shown me up, Ginnie,’ Nigel continued, though now there was a edge of resentment in his voice. ‘I should have been doing more all along. You’ve shown that this sort of thing, corporate sponsorship, is possible.’
‘But Nigel, it’s not as if you’re not doing things as it is, I mean, you run this place, you look after all the animals - you set the whole thing all up, after all.’
‘Yes, but it isn’t enough, is it?’ Nigel snapped. ‘We’re still struggling, Ginnie. We haven’t really made a difference.’
‘I disagree.’ Ginnie felt winded. She couldn’t believe that such a positive event could be having such a terrible effect on her boss. ‘We make a difference every day. Look at Grace. Last week she was out on the street, going through the bins. Now she’s in her own enclosure, she’ll soon be having her kittens and then she’ll be spayed and re-housed. That’s a difference, Nigel. That’s a huge difference.’
‘Yes, congratulations again,’ Nigel said tersely. ‘Another one of your success stories.’
Ginnie plonked herself down on the chair opposite him. ‘Nigel, what is this? What’s this all about?’
But Nigel couldn’t tell her. He couldn’t bring himself to admit how much he wished he was the type of person who could go to a meeting, make a compelling presentation and get exactly the deal he wanted. He couldn’t tell her that, as much as he enjoyed the quiet life, looking after the cats and keeping a meticulous eye on Tiggles’ finances, a major part of him felt like such a failure.
Everyone at work had known it. There was that meeting once, where he’d had to stand in for the regional director, and when it was his turn to speak his whole chest had contracted, and he’d delivered the year end financial statement between gasps and gulps. It had been a humiliation his company had ensured never happened again. The next time his boss had needed a stand-in, he’d chosen the smarmy Trevor Whitcroft instead.
Nigel knew his limitations alright, but that didn’t stop him resenting them.
‘Look, shall I just proceed with this?’ Ginnie tried. ‘Briefing the advertising agency, getting the copy right and all that? I mean, I’ll consult with you the whole time, of course. You’ll have the final say as far as Tiggles is concerned, but would you rather I just got on with it?’
‘That’s only fair. It’s your project, after all, Ginnie.’
‘But I’ll consult with you all the time, of course,’ she repeated. Why was he making this so difficult?
‘Yes, I’d appreciate that,’ Nigel said, gathering himself. ‘I’d like to have the final say on everything.’ Just saying those words made him feel important again.
‘All right. I’ll leave you to it then,’ Ginnie said awkwardly, getting up to go.
‘A website link,’ Nigel said suddenly. ‘There’s nothing in that contract about a website link. They should link our website to theirs, we’ll get more hits that way. And you can tell them I’m upgrading ours, that’s another thing. Adding a few features that’ll make it more attractive. Will you see to it that they know?’
‘Yes, of course I will, Nigel. I’ll get on to them right away.’
As Ginnie closed the door behind her, Nigel tapped furiously on the keyboard. He felt as though she was depleting him of his power. He had to get in control again. He flicked the screen over to his secret new project. Advertising campaign, indeed. It was only a six month deal - a short term fix at best. Nigel had other ideas, and soon he’d be putting them into place.
***
The worst thing, Anna decided, about emailing old friends, was receiving their endlessly smug replies. With Roger’s annual bonus they were buying a farmhouse in the Dordogne. Little Charlie was doing exceptionally well at school and had become a gifted pianist. The Lawsons had just spent a month in Asia, staying in five star resorts. Sophie had got a huge promotion and bought a sports car. Nick and Amanda were building a conservatory off their living room, adding enormous value to their property. Lucas might only be two, but he was already showing impressive numeracy and literacy skills.
Until The Singapore Negotiations, as they were now known, were complete, Richard had forbidden Anna from telling anyone about his career prospects, for fear they might jinx them. Anna loathed her paltry news: Richard continues to flourish at the bank and I’ve happily become a struggling writer, but drew satisfaction from imagining the revelation during the party, and the looks of envy on all their faces.
This was going to mean a lot to Richard, she told herself. Roger, Nick and Chris were the three who’d taken him to Amsterdam while Anna and the girls had indulged in pampering sessions and champagne at Claridges. It would be good for him to see them again, she thought. He’d become too isolated in Cyprus. It was time to put whatever had happened that weekend behind him.
This party might well prove to be a deliverance of sorts.
Pleased with her work, Anna carried on making lists and emailing people with details of their arrangements. As she was trying to decipher a phone number in her address book, her own phone rang. She picked it up, expecting it to be either Sophie or Amanda returning her call, but instead, the voice she heard made Anna’s blood run cold, and the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.
‘Anna darling, is that you? It’s mummy here.’
Chapter Twenty-Six
Nathalie flipped through her essential oil books, wondering what kind of mix might suit Tanya. The way she’d opened up to her like that at the pool, Nathalie was sure she was troubled. Clearly she’d been sleeping with that man for money, but had something else been going on too? Nathalie got the feeling there was more happening than Tanya wanted to admit, and sensed that her life was heading out of control.
She decided on a personal power oil, using cypress, lavender and patchouli, and waited until the evening before taking it round to her. She was about to knock on the door when Tanya appeared, her hair backcombed and face well made-up, fussing with her keys and handbag.
‘Nathalie, I was just going out.’
‘I’m sorry for disturbing you. I just made you some oil, that’s all. Just something to inhale from time to time, or to wear as a perfume.’
‘Thank you.’ Tanya looked puzzled. Her fingernails were long and freshly painted, and she opened the bottle carefully before taking a sniff. ‘Oh, it’s interesting, isn’t it?’
‘It’s supposed to be for personal power,’ Nathalie said lightly. ‘You know, Dutch courage, for when you’re doing all those deals of yours.’
‘Or hanging out with dodgy men?’
Nathalie admired her honesty. ‘Mightn
’t hurt. Is that who you’re seeing now?’
‘No, I’m going to a party, basically, with my mate, Dolores. Got a taxi due any minute. I wasn’t going to, but she really begged me. Doesn’t want to go alone, you know how it is.’
Nathalie could see she wasn’t entirely comfortable. ‘A party? I won’t keep you, then.’
There was the sound of a car pulling up and hooting.
‘That must be it,’ Tanya said, dropping the bottle in her bag. ‘Got to dash.’
With a sense of unease, Nathalie started walking away.
‘Thanks again, that was really thoughtful of you,’ Tanya called out as she darted towards the waiting taxi.
Nathalie was a funny one, Tanya thought, with all her oils. Tanya preferred sweeter perfumes, like Trésor; perfumes that oozed glamour, not something that had been knocked up in someone’s back room. Nice of her all the same, though. She took another sniff, grimacing as she did so, then Tanya sat back to watch the passing scenery.
An hour later she was at a villa in an upmarket residential area of Paphos, getting ready to entertain the revellers.
‘Sorry it’s such short notice,’ Dolores said, changing into her crotchless knickers. ‘But we’ll make more that way. Major fucking bonus.’
‘Do we know who these people are?’
‘Russians, as usual, and a few others. More than the last time, but we only have to put on a show. If they want to fuck us it’s between us and them, and in a private room. So there’s nothing to worry about.’
‘I do worry, Doe. I have clients, you know. And bosses. I mean, I’d die if this ever came out. You’ve got nothing to lose - ‘
‘Because I’m just a bar-maid, yeah, thanks, while you’ve got your important job and your presentations and such. You’re right, Tan, you’re far too good for all this, and you’re far too good for the likes of me.’