Loving Alex (The Alexandra Drake Series)

by Sarah Elizabeth Ashley

  “You’d better show me what this surprise is!” His tone harsh.

  “You promise you won’t be mad?” I ask sheepishly. Somehow I think he’ll blow his stack when he sees what I’ve done. “Sit down.” I tell him. He moves to the sofa and sits, I crawl across the rug and sit on the floor between his legs. “You ready?” I ask, my back towards him.

  “Just get on with it Alex!” His tone is clipped, impatient. I feel a little scared, what if he kicks off, what if he hates hit. What if he hates tattoo’s? After all, it’s a subject we’ve never discussed.

  I lean forward and lift my t-shirt to my shoulders. “Move the dressing.” I hear him sigh, I think he knows its ink. I feel his soft fingers at the edge of the melolin dressing as he peels away the tape I flinch slightly.

  “What have you done?” He whispers.

  Oh shit, he hates it. I turn my head towards him, looking over my shoulder. “Look. LD has gone!” I say, my tone hushed.

  I’m aware that he’s removed the whole dressing completely. I feel his hands lightly on my shoulders. “Oh Alex!”

  “What!” I’m close to tears, “Don’t you like it?”

  “It’s beautiful, absolutely beautiful. But why didn’t you say what you were doing, I’d have come with you, held your hand.” He stands and moves in front of me, dropping to the floor, kneeling in front of me. He clasps my shoulders in his big hands and pulls me to his firm chest. “It’s stunning Blossom.”

  “I haven’t seen it properly.” I say quietly to his chest.

  “Come with me.” He stands offering me his hand and pulling me up, he guides me upstairs to my bathroom and my full length mirror. He stands in front of me, my back at the mirror, “Look!”

  I look back. There, covering the L.D brand that was so cruelly left by Lewis I see a fat strawberry with a bright green stalk. The artist has done a brilliant job, even the little strawberry seeds are showing. He’s worked on the L.D brand and somehow changed these into a J.A beneath the red, it’s so subtle.

  “Wow!” I gasp, “I never thought it would be so good. Oh James, he’s going, bit by bit.”

  James holds me tightly, his big arms wrapped around me. “If you want, we’ll move away from here. I know you’re not keen on the place. We’ll go, when everything’s settled. Then eventually he’ll be gone forever, a few more weeks, that’s all you have to wait.” He holds me so close, we stand wrapped in each other. I feel so very, very safe and protected in James’ arms.

  I’m overwhelmed and delighted that James likes my new body art and that another bit of Lewis has been chipped away from my life. I feel the tears pricking my eyes and I bury my face in James’ shoulder, “I love you.” I whisper. He pulls me closer.

  Chapter 13

  I sleep so well, despite feeling a little uncomfortable from the artwork that I’ve recently acquired. It feels like James has held me in his arms all night, I feel so loved and protected, despite liking this feeling it is also a little alien, not that I’m complaining.

  I wake early and concerned that my underwear is missing I rummage through every drawer quietly, so as not to disturb my lover. I go through the laundry bin again, although I know for a fact that it’s empty and through the utility room. It’s completely gone.

  I make a pot of tea and prepare breakfast for James, all the while making a mental note of what I need to do today.

  Talk to Gerald, my accountant about Henry’s, priority number one. Buy new underwear, this would be priority number one if I didn’t have any concerns over Nial and talk to Gia and Roberto about arranging for Ramiro to come over and stay for a few days. In an ideal world I would like him to come over at the end of next week. Oh, and Anna comes home tomorrow so I need to make sure we’re all planned for that!

  James joins me as I fuss around the kitchen. I’ve bagels in the toaster, a box of Weetabix on the island and a bowl of freshly rinsed strawberries, he can eat them whichever way he wants!

  “How are you feeling?” He asks as he sits at the island and reaches for the cafetière.

  “I’m fine, great in fact. But James, you really haven’t taken my bras and knickers have you?” I ask in all seriousness.

  “No, absolutely not.” He insists.

  “Well someone has. I’m going to have to buy more today, all of my new stuff has gone, apart from the things I was wearing yesterday. I want to know where the hell it is.” I snap, I’m angry.

  “Have you spoken with Muriel?” I can tell that he’s making light of this but deep down me must be as concerned as me.

  “No, but I damn well will do. She’s the only person that comes into the house, apart from you, me and Anna when she’s home. I know it’s not Anna because she’s the other side of the bloody world!” I’m fuming.

  I know that James is concerned but not showing it. I’m not stupid, I know that if he shows his concern he thinks I will get more agitated and more wound up, I know what he’s playing at.

  We sit and eat our breakfast in relative quiet. James puts away a couple of bagels, a bowl of Weetabix and nearly all the strawberries, offering me a couple as he leaves. He takes delight in kissing away the strawberry juice.

  “What do you do when they’re no longer in season?” I ask.

  “Then I have to make do with the imports and pray for forgiveness at the carbon footprint I’ve created by buying them.” He laughs.

  By eight we’re both showered and dressed. Him in his usual black trousers and white shirt, he’s wearing his Paul Smith cufflinks again and looks, well wonderful as he always does. His unruly hair tamed as best it can be.

  “Are you coming to Reid’s today?” He asks.

  “No, too much to do. Have to sort the underwear business out, talk to Gerald and I want to shop for when Anna comes home tomorrow, I thought I’d do a roast. Oh, and I want to speak with Gia about arranging for Ramiro to come over. I thought next week?”

  “Sounds good. Don’t do too much though!” He kisses me fully, passionately as he leaves the house, down the steps and to the Jaguar.

  Once he’s gone I go through the paperwork for Henry’s, so that I’ve got everything I need in front of me when I call Gerald, I arrange for Archie to pick me up at 11’ish and run me into town and then to Tesco and I need to look at some flights for Ramiro.

  I make another pot of tea and have just poured myself a cup when Muriel arrives.

  “Morning Muriel. How are you feeling this morning?” I try and engage her as she walks through the hall to the kitchen, hopefully today I’ll get more than a two word answer!

  “Fine Mrs. Drake.” She sorts herself out putting her bags down on the floor.

  “Tea?” I ask.

  “Please.”

  She fumbles around with something in her bag and then sits on one of the stools.

  “Muriel, have you seen my underwear? It’s all disappeared, completely!” I ask her outright, because if James hasn’t had it and I’ve not removed my own stuff then she must have, unless we’ve been burgled and the stupid burglar has taken nothing but my underwear.

  “No pet, not at all. There was some in the last laundry I did, I put it on your bed.” She’s looking away from me as she speaks, fumbling with that bloody bag of hers.

  “Umm, I know and I put it away but it’s all gone, all of my new stuff anyway. Nobody came here yesterday did they?” I quiz her.

  “No pet, only me.” She drinks her tea and appears unconcerned that some of her employer’s personal possessions have disappeared. I have to say, if it were me in her position and something had gone missing I’d be so worried that they would think it was me that had taken them.

  “Well, I’ve looked everywhere, all of my drawers, laundry bin, utility room. It’s nowhere to be found.” I’m sure my tone’s becoming angry.

  “I’ll keep an eye out, shall I?” She snaps. “Do you have any plans for today?” She changes the subject and her tone.

  “I’m doing some work from home this morning and I need to pop out, to b
uy new underwear, but otherwise no, I’ll be at home.”

  “Umm,” she mumbles, “Well, I’d better get on. Did you say your daughter’s home tomorrow?”

  “Yes, tomorrow lunchtime.” I take a drink from my mug.

  “Well, I’ll do her room first. I’ll make sure it’s all nice for her when she gets back.”

  She puts her tea down and goes through to the utility room returning with a carry box full of various cleaning materials, dusters and sprays. She walks through the hall and up the stairs. Now she’s gone I reach for my handbag and my phone and take it through to the study where I can shut the door.

  I search for Gerald’s number and tap his name. Within a few moments a young lady has connected me to Gerald.

  “Morning Alex, how’s my favourite client this morning?” He booms, Gerald can’t seem to do quiet!

  “I’m fine Gerald, just fine. I need you to do something for me though. I meant to call yesterday, but well, I didn’t have time in the end!”

  “Oh, and why’s that?” He asks, a question I ignore.

  I recount my meeting with Nial yesterday, how he didn’t have any balance sheets available and seemed vague when discussing the business in general, how Josie the young girl had caught up with me and told me that their wages were not being paid on time and that some staff had even left because of it. I tell him that I know he’s not the accountant for Henry’s but the reason for my call is to find out if there is anything at all he can do.

  “Alex, I’m sure we can look into this for you. It’s not good from what you say. What’s odd is that you receive an income from the place every month, and a good one at that. Maggie did too, never any problems. Leave it with me, I’ll get one of the guys onto it now and hopefully I can come back to you in an hour or two. Is that okay?” He suggests.

  “Great Gerald, thanks.”

  We end the call and I move from the study and start upstairs, I’m only on the bottom step but as I look up I see Muriel standing by the balustrade on the gallery, she’s just standing there. I don’t think she could have heard me but I could swear she was at the very least trying to listen to what I had been talking about.

  I move up the stairs slowly and once she hears me she scuttles back along the gallery and into Anna’s room singing some tune or other.

  I go to my room to refresh my makeup and fish my flat pumps from my wardrobe before I go through to Anna’s room. “I’ll be off in a little while Muriel, I expect you’ll be gone when I get back. I’ve just one more call to make, Archie’s picking me up at eleven. I’ll see you on Monday, okay?”

  “That’s fine Mrs. Drake. You have a nice weekend with your daughter won’t you?” She sounds off again, the way she says daughter.

  “Are you okay Muriel?” I huff, I’m starting to get a bit fed up with the attitude.

  “Yes, I’m fine.” Her tone acidic again.

  I shrug, “Well, I’ll see you next week.” Although deep down I hope I don’t!

  I make my way downstairs and call Gia when I get back to the kitchen. I tell her about the flights that I have seen online and ask if her or Roberto would telephone Ramiro and ask if he would like to come here for a few days, I don’t even know if my birth father has a passport, but I’m sure we could have his cousin, Franco, help sort it quickly if necessary. She agrees and asks when we are going to see her again, I suggest Sunday for lunch at ours, she and Roberto can meet Anna then. She’s delighted with the arrangements in a way that only Gia could be.

  Chapter 14

  Archie soon arrives, slightly early as usual and whisks me off to Harvey Nichols. I ask him to come back in a couple of hours and we agree a meeting place as usual. I check he has his phone with him in case I want to be collected early, although as I prefer solitary shopping I don’t think I will be any quicker.

  Once I’m in the store I make a bee-line for the lingerie department which I peruse for a little while before selecting a stunning Stella McCartney black bra and knickers set. The design looks almost like open fretwork, of course it’s not, it feels so luxurious on, of all my lingerie purchases, this has to be my favourite. I also choose a lacy pink set trimmed with a black bow by Agent Provocateur, an Elle MacPherson set which is black and cream lace, two Wacoal bras, one in black and one in nude, both with matching knickers in addition to a further handful of knickers and thongs to replace the vanished ones.

  With time on my hands I wander around the ladies wear, I’m not someone who fills their wardrobe with clothes that I never wear, I would rather buy things as I need them, despite the cash in the bank, but I am drawn to an Alice Temperley merino wool cape, it’s just me and will look fabulous with jeans, what the hell, we’ll have that too!

  Whilst I’m here I have a wander into the men’s department, nothing catches my eye, which is unfortunate as I would love to have taken something back for him.

  By the time I’ve purchased what I came for and had a look around my time’s nearly up and I walk to the meeting point agreed with Archie just outside the store. I stand waiting for him and in usual Archie fashion I’m not kept waiting too long for the ultra-punctual driver to arrive.

  “Where to Mrs. Drake?” He asks.

  “I need some groceries. Anna’s home tomorrow, so Tesco or Waitrose, I don’t mind which.” I sit in the back of the car checking my emails as we drive through London, nothing important really.

  “There’s a Waitrose not too far from here.” Archie suggests.

  We cruise through the streets that scare the living hell out of me, one of the reasons that I now refuse to drive in London – I hate the traffic, too busy and certainly not like I’m used to and are soon at the store, Archie pulls into a parking space and waits for me. I whizz around picking up everything I need for a Sunday roast.

  A large rib of beef, large because I know that James will put most of that away and with five of us to feed we’ll need it on the larger side, old potatoes for roasting, a jar of goose fat for roasting the spuds in, fresh carrots and broccoli, I know I’ve frozen peas and the bits and pieces I need for my Yorkshire puddings. I grab a decent bottle of Shiraz and a couple of readymade apple pies and a tub of custard, oh and whilst I’m here I stock up on strawberries and cream.

  Once I’ve got everything I need I make my way back to Archie and by three thirty I’m home and unpacking my groceries.

  Once I’ve done I go to my room, change into something comfortable and put my new underwear away. I check on Anna’s room, despite Muriel’s current attitude she’s a damn good cleaner, Anna’s room looks great, really good.

  I return to the kitchen and make a cup of tea and check the mail.

  A couple of pieces of junk mail, a letter for Anna with a Birmingham University frank and another large Jiffy bag which, as I pick it up feels and looks exactly the same as the one that contained the photographs. I open it carefully and as I think I was expecting there are about twenty pictures of me and of me and Gia on our shopping trip. They show us outside Harrods, in the store and sitting in Café Rouge. It has to be Lewis! I know he’s not at home but surely he’s not up and around just yet. Just as I was starting to get past him, starting to let go and move on from his controlling behaviour and his outbursts he’s clawing his way into my life again.

  I reach for my bag and phone and call James.

  “Hi Blossom.” He answers.

  “I’ve got another package of photographs,” I blurt out, “there of me and Gia when I took her shopping!”

  “Okay, sit tight and don’t touch any of them. I’ll call Benito now.” He’s so firm, taking control.

  “When are you coming home James?” I feel panicky again.

  “I’ll be there as soon as I can. Just sit quietly, have a cup of tea and I’ll be there as soon as possible.”

  I push the Jiffy bag to one side like I’ve been told to and wait. I try to carry on with normal day to day things, I fetch the box of jewellery that Maggie left and root the boxes, there are some lovely pieces, none that I
would particularly choose to wear, and it all looks real. White and yellow gold, diamonds, they look real, hell with Maggie’s worth they must be! The biggest ruby I’ve ever seen and some stunning pale blue sapphire earrings which I take out with a view to cleaning and wearing, they’re beautiful, I think I’ll pop those in some surgical spirit for a few minutes and wear them, they really are beautiful.

  I have no idea what I’m going to do with it all, there must be twenty five boxes of various shapes and size, some unbranded and a couple from independent jewellers, the names I recognise from the trips into London. The problem with jewellery is that it’s so personal. I think that most pieces, such as the more ornate ones, you either love or hate. I stack all the boxes neatly in the carrier that they were given to me in and secret them away at the back of the wardrobe, they really should be in a security deposit box somewhere, something else I need to arrange, or sell it. I need to discuss with Anna first.

  I’ve had a great day, albeit on my own, and now Lewis has ruined everything again. As I sit waiting for Benito my mobile rings, I check the screen, it’s the accountant’s office.

  “Hel..Hello.” I stammer.

  “Alex, are you okay?” It’s Gerald.

  “No, not really Gerald. But I’m glad you’ve called, you can take my mind of things until my friend gets here.” I feel at sixes and sevens.

  “Are you sure Alex?” He sounds concerned. Did I sound that scared when I answered my phone?

  “Yes I’m fine Gerald, honestly. Did you look into Henry’s?”

  “I did, it’s not good, in fact it’s a mess, a complete mess. He’s making a profit and a good one, but the money’s not being used to pay the suppliers,” I hear him take a deep breath, “my guess is that what he should be paying the suppliers with he’s using to keep the staff sweet, and you I suppose. By doing what he has been, Maggie and you would never have been aware of the issues, never suspected anything. Maggie wanted nothing to do with the running of the place, I know that, and as long as she was getting her cut every month, well nobody would have suspected anything, it’s only by you asking to see certain information that we now know how bad things are, and that girl approaching you!”