Total pages in book: 209
Estimated words: 198235 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 991(@200wpm)___ 793(@250wpm)___ 661(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 198235 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 991(@200wpm)___ 793(@250wpm)___ 661(@300wpm)
Okay, now I am feeling a little guilty. He’s right. We’re talking about people of high society, people with high powered jobs. Jesse has told me that they delve into the history of these people to determine their financial status and medical history, including any criminal convictions. I suppose there is a confidentiality issue. ‘I could help.’ I offer reluctantly, even though I wouldn’t have the first idea where to start, but his overwhelmed expression as he scans the masses of paper on his desk is really nudging the guilt.
His eyes fly up. ‘You would?’
I shrug and grab the first piece of paper I can lay my hands on. ‘An hour here and there, I suppose.’ I scan the text in my hands and recoil. It’s a bank statement. At least I think it is. The figures on here look more like international telephone numbers, so it could be a telephone bill. I glance up at him. He’s grinning.
‘We’re very rich, Mrs Ward.’
‘Fucking hell!’
‘Ava…’
‘I’m sorry, but…’ I try to focus on all of the digits but lose my place. ‘This sort of stuff shouldn’t be lying on your desk, Jesse.’ It has his account numbers on and everything. ‘Wait… did Sarah look after your finances?’
‘Yes,’ he says quietly. I bristle. I don’t trust the woman.
‘Do you have any idea where your money is? How much there is?’ I place the paper back on his desk.
‘Yes, look,’ He takes the piece and points at it. ‘I have this much and it’s in this bank.’
‘You have just one account? What about business accounts, savings, pensions?’
He looks a little alarmed, and almost irritated. ‘I don’t know.’
I gape at him. ‘She did everything? All of your accounts?’ I don’t like that thought at all.
‘Not anymore.’ he grumbles, throwing the paper back down. ‘But you’ll help?’ He’s smiling again.
How can I not? This man is stinking rich and has no idea where and how any of his money is stored. ‘Yes, I’ll help.’ I grab a pile and start sifting through, but then I have a very worrying moment of realisation. My head snaps up, finding a contented face staring straight at me. ‘I said I’d help, that’s all. A few hours here and there, Jesse.’
He visibly sags at my words. ‘But it’s the perfect solution.’
‘For you! The perfect solution for you! I have a career. I am not giving it up to come here every day and file paperwork!’ The cheeky swine. He wants me to replace Sarah as his office girl. Not a chance. ‘And anyway,’ I dump the pile back on the desk and stand. ‘I don’t know how to lash a whip, so I think I’m a little under qualified.’ I don’t know why I said that. It was unnecessary and really quite spiteful.
He’s shocked. He’s sitting far back in his chair with a mixture of disbelief and anger on his face. ‘That was a little childish, don’t you think?’
‘I’m sorry,’ I scoop my bag up. ‘I didn’t mean it.’
John joins us again and breaks the uncomfortable silence that has fallen between us. ‘They’ll be an hour,’ He slips his phone back in his pocket. ‘Before I forget, we’ve had a further three memberships cancelled.’
Jesse’s eyebrows rise in curiosity. ‘Three?’
‘Three,’ John confirms as he walks towards the door. ‘All female,’ he adds, leaving the office.
I watch as Jesse’s elbows hit his desk and his face falls straight into his palms. I feel rotten. Dropping my bag, I make my way around his desk and push him back in his chair before sitting on his desk in front of him. He watches me as he chews that lip. ‘I’ll sort allof this out,’ I signal to the paperwork everywhere. ‘But you need to get someone on this. It’s a fulltime job.’
‘I know,’ He clasps my ankles and pulls them up so my feet are sitting on his knees. ‘Go for a swim. I’ll make a start on this, okay?’
‘Okay,’ I study him closely and he studies me studying him.
‘Go on, beautiful girl. Spit it out.’ He’s smiling a little.
‘They’re withdrawing their memberships because you’re no longer available to fu…’ I bite my tongue. ‘To have sex with.’ That makes me immensely happy and it’s obvious.
‘It would seem so, wouldn’t it?’ He narrows his eyes on me. ‘I can see this pleases my wife.’
I shrug, but I can’t hide my pleasure at this news. ‘What’s the ratio of men to women?’
‘Members?’ he asks.
‘Yes,’
‘Seventy thirty,’
My mouth drops open. I remember Jesse saying there were roughly fifteen hundred members. That’s a thousand women who are potentially after my Lord. ‘Well,’ I brush off my shock. ‘You might have to turn The Manor into a gay club.’
He laughs and dangles my feet back off the desk. ‘Go take a swim.’
* * *
The changing rooms are empty. I wriggle into my bikini, remove my diamond, re-tie my hair high on my head and stuff my things in one of the wooden walnut lockers. In all of the time I’ve been with Jesse, I’ve never used the spa and sports facilities, but I’m reliably informed that there’s no skinny dipping allowed, so I’ll brave it and put Jesse to the test at the same time. I wander through the area, looking for any sign of life, but it’s completely deserted. It’s lunchtime on a Sunday. I would have thought it would be a peak time for members to utilise this part of The Manor.