She went upstairs to the lavish master bedroom with its four-poster bed draped in gold brocade. Walking barefoot across the deep gold carpet to the dressing room, she opened the glass-fronted wardrobes edged in gilt and wondered what to wear for her forthcoming assignation. Clothes were taken into the bedroom and flung on the bed; black velvets, red chiffon, white satin; all too refined for the bash that evening. Finally, she picked a scarlet halter-neck cotton dress; simple, short and sexy, with no need to wear a bra. She would look stunning in it with her dark hair and plenty of gold jewellery. It would also be easy to remove!
The remainder of the rejected clothes were returned to the wardrobes and once the bed was clear Margaret removed her clothes and slipped between the cool sheets, dozing for three hours and feeling refreshed from the train journey when she rose. Without bothering to dress she fetched a bottle of Bollinger and a crystal glass from the kitchen and returned to the mirror-tiled bathroom next to the bedroom. While the sunken bath was filling up with a generous quantity of bath oil, swirling around with the steaming water, Margaret sipped the champagne. It was perfect. She drank a whole glass and then poured another, thinking of the evening to come and smiling appreciatively at the reflection of her lithe figure in the mirrored wall, running her hands across her ample breasts. Simon was in for a real treat. She was going to bring him back here after the party and spend a vast amount of time getting to know his body intimately and slowly … so very slowly. He would never forget tonight, never forget her. This was going to be a night to remember for both of them. She slid into the foamy bath and smiled, unable to remember a time when she had felt such sexual tension. Only a few short hours and the fun would begin. Thank God Charles was far away in his fusty old Canleigh Hall, unable to see what she would be getting up to. He would be utterly scandalised!
She idled away another hour in the bath, emerging with baby soft skin and a rosy glow on her cheeks. Returning to the bedroom, she checked herself from all angles in a full-length mirror and then sat down at the dressing table. She looked really good. Simon was years younger than her and no doubt viewed her as a top notch to add to the conquests already on his bedpost and she was definitely worth it. Deep devotion to skin care every night and morning for years had paid off. Her face was unlined and unblemished and with the tan built up over the winter during her trips to hotter climes, there was little need for foundation or powder. Lashings of black mascara and a thin strip of eye-liner on her upper lids emphasised her dark eyes. A touch of scarlet lipstick matched the skimpy dress which fitted her tightly, showing off her perfect figure. Her glossy hair flowed loose, caressing her bare shoulders sensuously. Her necklace, earrings, a heavily patterned bracelet on one wrist and a Cartier watch on the other were all gold. It was far too hot to wear stockings so her legs were bare, her feet in strappy gold sandals and she chose a gold evening bag to complete the picture. She was ready for what was to come!
* * *
Simon smiled with heartfelt relief when a taxi pulled into the car park just below the flat and Margaret stepped out. His anxiety had increased alarmingly during the thirty minutes since Big Ben had struck the midnight hour, terrified she would change her mind and didn’t come. He was staking everything on what happened tonight and if she didn’t play ball, his whole way of life was in jeopardy. She was literally his last hope for a comfortable life.
He shuddered when he thought of Michael’s instructions that he was to drastically change his lifestyle. It didn’t bear thinking about. Blast his step-father. If only he hadn’t married Mother. She had been putty in Simon’s hands before Michael came on the scene, but no longer. He was going to be thrown out in only a few weeks with nowhere to go and no money if he didn’t act quickly. He certainly had no intention of working for a living. How on earth could one have a good time and look good if always tired and exhausted from a day at the office, or whatever other jolly occupation his step-father considered might be worthy of his talent? Heaven forbid!
Margaret was the answer to his prayers. She had to be. There was no other alternative. Her husband was one of the richest men in the country and it was obvious Margaret was restless and unhappy, rarely seen in public with her husband and spending little time at Canleigh Hall with him. All this was to the good and left the way clear for Simon to make her very happy, very happy indeed. He was going to make himself totally indispensable in the bedroom department and then it would be easy to bend her will to his. He would encourage her to set him up somewhere where, of course, he would make himself available to her whenever she wished although he would have to make it clear he had to have time for his own pursuits too. It shouldn’t be too difficult, he thought, heading down in the lift to greet his important guest. As the lift doors opened in the reception hall, Margaret walked towards him, outwardly cool and composed. He took her hand and found it was shaking. No, he smiled; this wasn’t going to be too difficult at all.
CHAPTER 5 LONDON – MAY 1964
