He laughed. “Yes, I do. Oh, You’re so delightfully naive. Tell me about you.”
“Oh…” I blushed. “Well…”
“Yes?”
“Oh God. I’m sorry, I’ve never been asked about me. I’m an orphan, I lived in care for years before I came up here. I’ve been working here for a year or so now. Look, Edwin, there’s nothing to tell. I’m boring.”
“Oh…” He was taken aback. “You’re beautiful.” He stopped himself, oh goodness he was acting like a besotted teenager with this girl. She was pretty, but there was something else about her, an innocence which delighted him. Of course, he had relationships before, but this girl wasn’t interested in his money or power like so many of the women he had spent time with. She wasn’t painted with excessive makeup, instead, she had a ruddy, natural complexion which was captivating. He stuttered, oh this was madness, why was he like this with her. He glanced across, she was deep in concentration, her eyebrows knotted as she read the menu, he wanted to take her in his arms. “Pull yourself together…” He sighed below his breath.
“Sorry?” I looked up.
“Oh… Nothing…” He smiled. “What would you like to eat?”
“Oh…” I blushed. “I’ve not been to somewhere as posh as this. Why don’t you order for me?”
He was delighted by her naivety, he smiled. “Of course.” He gestured to the waiter and placed an order for them both. He looked across, she was staring at him.
“Look, I am so sorry… I’m not used to being in a posh restaurant, this is only my second time.” Edwin smiled, pouring chilled white wine into my glass. I sipped the liquid, again it was not something I had drunk before, however, this was sweet and delicious, I had to stop myself draining the glass. I placed it down carefully on the table. “So do you own many places like this?”
He shrugged. “I have a couple of night clubs, a hotel and three restaurants, it is far from a great empire, however, I do well enough.”
To be honest, I was no good at small talk, Edwin was a powerful man, I was in awe of him, but he put me at my ease. Chatting away about food and life, I was soon relaxed and laughing at his jokes. The meal passed delightfully and all too soon we were back in his car at the yard.
“I like to see you again…” Edwin held my hand.
I turned to face him blushing. “Why?” It was a natural question. His laugh was natural, he took my hand.
“Well… I think you are very beautiful, and you interest me.”
“I interest you?” I giggled.
“Yes, you’re a mystery and I’d like to find out more about you. I’ll call for you.”
With that, he stepped back into his car and drove away. Anne was watching from the office, I waved, but she ducked into the door before I could make eye contact.
“Well, well, you’re batting well above your weight there!” Sue put her arms around my shoulders.
“I don’t know what you mean?”
“He’s a very handsome and powerful man and more importantly, he’s falling in love with you.”
“What?” I span around, looking into Sue’s eyes. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that he fancies you something rotten. I can tell just by the way he looks at you, even dressed like that.” She laughed. “He’s attracted to you…” I laughed, but Sue shook her head. “No, you naive thing, I think you’ve just found a sugar daddy.”
“A what?”
“Look it up… However, I think you could do very well out of this relationship.”
***
“Oh, you’re back.” Patrick glared. “I did have meetings booked for you.”
“And I cancelled them.”
“Oh… You are infuriating.” He snarled. “Be careful with that girl. Don’t get carried away with some waif and stray you’ve found. It could complicate things.”
“Quite the opposite.” Edwin sat down behind his desk. “I think she could be very useful.”
***
Anne caught up with me as I was finishing for the night, she pulled me into the tack room and sat me down. She stood over me, swaying slightly, her speech slurred.
“Amanda, I need to warn you.”
“Warn me?” I gulped. “Oh goodness! What have I done?”
“No, you’ve done nothing wrong. It’s that man. He’s dangerous. You don’t know what you’re doing.”
“To be honest Anne, I really don’t. He wanted to take me out for a lovely lunch, but nothing more.”
“Please, be careful.” She sat next to me. “I don’t want you to get hurt.” She paused. “Now run along, you must be tired. I’ll lock up.”
Anne watched as I left the room, pushing the door too before pulling out the last of the bottle of vodka. She unscrewed the cap and took a deep slug of the clear liquid. She would do her best, but was under such pressure.
11
Presents From an Admirer
“Delivery!” Sue barged into the tack room. I was there taking a break between lessons, waiting for the kettle to boil for a much-needed cuppa after yelling at riders in the school for the first few hours of my day. She placed a large bouquet in my hand before Michelle came in with three parcels.
“What the hell is this? It can’t be for me.” I read the labels and yes, it was addressed to me. The flowers ‘to my beautiful Amanda’. I started to open the parcels, they contained beautiful clothes. Silk blouses, dresses and jackets and a selection of high heels. “Oh goodness…”
“I told you, Mandy, someone’s in love with you.”
“I think he’s just telling me he wants me to dress in something better than torn breeches and a polo shirt covered in hay and horse slobber!” I giggled. I pulled out some of the clothes and held them against myself. “What do you think?”
“Well… I think he is missing out on someone with more experience.” Sue sniffed.
“Jealousy will get you nowhere!” Michelle laughed, earning a slap on the shoulder from a pouting Sue.
“Look, I’ll put the flowers in our living room. The horses will eat
