She enjoyed a few mild flirtations with the workmen but mainly kept out of their way, embarking on wanton spending sprees in the new boutiques springing up in the main shopping areas of London, loving the new fashions, especially the short skirts favoured by Mary Quant. Margaret had lovely long, shapely legs and it was a joy to be able to show them off, watching men gaping as she strolled along the busy streets. The wolf whistles she attracted gave her a real thrill.
Once it was known the beautiful fun-loving Duchess was in town more or less on a permanent basis and contemplating residing at the awesome family residence, which many would dearly like to explore, the invitations arrived at a dizzy speed, mostly from those with whom she only had a vague acquaintance. It became a mad social whirl with trips to the theatre, dinners, weddings, balls and hair-raising parties.
With all this activity, it was vitally necessary to keep up one’s appearance so Margaret sought out and found a glorious new beauty salon in Kensington High Street named Pampered People, run by a fascinating, ambitious, and focused woman, Katherine Parfitt. A day in her salon enjoying a vast array of treatments and then relaxing for hours afterwards on the luxurious loungers, listening to soothing music and being waited on by pretty girls in sparkling white uniforms was a wonderful way to while away at least a couple of days a week, and kept her looking radiant and at her best at all times.
Margaret made the acquaintance of Katherine when she was taking advantage of her own salon one afternoon, relaxing on a nearby lounger.
“It’s terribly important to become a client in this business,” Katherine had explained as they sipped on lemon water. “I like to know exactly how they feel so I can adjust any problems or niggles immediately. I want my ladies to have the best experience possible and walk out of here, or any of my other salons, with their minds and bodies completely relaxed and rejuvenated so they not only return but tell their friends too. I eventually want to expand out of London, all over the country in fact and indeed, maybe Paris or New York,” she smiled enthusiastically, unable to believe her luck at having a real live Duchess listening to her. Katherine was determined not to let Margaret, with her favourable connections, slip away and never be seen again. This was a golden opportunity to get to know her better.
“I’m having a gathering tomorrow evening to celebrate three years of Pampered People being in existence and would love it if you could join us, Your Grace. We have one or two well-known celebrities along with Lady Annabelle Scott and Lady Felicity Campbell gracing us with their presence too. It should be a delightful evening when I intend to unveil my plans for the forthcoming expansion of the business.”
“I should be delighted,” purred Margaret. She had nothing planned and an evening with the amusing and somewhat risqué Lady Annabelle would be something to look forward to. They had met once at one of Amelia’s dinner parties and Margaret had been quite surprised to learn from Amelia that Lady Annabelle wasn’t quite such a lady as she appeared. Margaret guessed Katherine couldn’t possibly know of Annabelle’s’ exploits because if she did, she wouldn’t be so keen to entertain her. However, Margaret reasoned, Annabelle was very beautiful and knew an enormous amount of people so could bring a lot of business to Katherine.
The event was to change Margaret’s life forever. Hair up in a French pleat, carefully applied make-up, with glittering emerald and diamond earrings, necklace and bracelet complementing the dark green satin mini-dress she chose to wear, she was more than satisfied with her appearance. Twirling in front of the floor to ceiling mirrors running the full length of one wall recently installed in the master bedroom at Canleigh House, she was delighted to see how young, vibrant and healthy she still looked even after bearing three, no four, children.
Half an hour later, glass of champagne in her hand, she was chatting amiably to her hostess who couldn’t wait to introduce her to other prominent guests. The evening was uneventful and even the daring Lady Annabelle was quiet and restrained. There was no-one else who intrigued Margaret enough to want to exchange small talk with for long and she began to look forward to the moment she could make her excuses, return to Canleigh House and remove the gold stilettos which were beginning to hurt her feet. Had she been wearing a long gown she could have taken them off and no-one would have known but in the mini-dress, there was nothing for it but to suffer.
Then, with a bang of the front door, like a refreshing whirlwind, the young and gorgeous looking Simon Parfitt entered the room, a wide tantalising grin on his handsome face. He was wearing a white t-shirt and Levi jeans, his bare feet encased in navy sandals. Katherine was not amused by his casual attire and even more flippant attitude on such an important evening but maintaining her poise she introduced him calmly to the guests he didn’t know, Margaret being one of them.
As soon as Simon’s hand took hers and she looked up into his fabulous green eyes, she was smitten. His large, warm hand enveloped hers and his welcoming smile would remain in her memory forever. Her feet suddenly didn’t hurt anymore, the event was miraculously one of the best she had ever attended and there was absolutely no way she wanted to return to Canleigh House.
Forced to talk to other guests who vied for her attention, her legs like jelly and her tummy doing somersaults with desire, Margaret kept her distance after the first introduction, watching Simon’s every move out of the corner of her eye, fully aware he was doing the same
