Sleeping Cruelty

by Lynda La Plante

  Humphrey Matlock, cutting a slice of cheese, turned round. He wiped his hand on a napkin. ‘You have stunned us into silence yet again, like an angel passing over.’ He kissed her hand.

  She allowed it to remain against his lips just a fraction longer than necessary. ‘Thank you,’ she said softly, and watched as he returned to his cheese.

  Then Justin slipped his arms around her shoulders. ‘But this poor darling is going to be all alone for a few days,’ he announced.

  Everyone turned their attention to the brother and sister.

  ‘My fiancé has been called away. He’s expecting other guests so he’s gone to the mainland. Something to do with security,’ Laura said lightly, before Justin assured them their host would not be away for more than a few days. Then he led her out of the room. Again, as soon as they disappeared, a hubbub of conversation broke out as they wondered who the guests might be – the island already seemed entirely secure.

  ‘I heard it was the Prime Minister,’ Matlock said flippantly, and they looked from one to the other.

  Angela’s lips tightened. She knew now why he had insisted they accept the invitation, even though he had been aware of what torment it would cause her. ‘You never said anything before about the Prime Minister,’ she said softly.

  ‘Only just found out,’ he lied, and made no mention that he had been told his main competitor was also expected. Still, it meant that he had a couple of days to enjoy himself and not think about business. He began eagerly enquiring about fishing.

  Justin unhooked Laura’s dress and she stepped out of it, kicking off her sandals. He fetched a robe and put it around her shoulders. Then she sat at the dressing-table while he unplaited her hair and began to brush it.

  ‘So?’ he asked.

  She half turned and lifted her hand. ‘Kiss it,’ she said. He did so and she laughed. ‘Now give me your hand. You be me and I’ll be Matlock.’

  Justin held it out to her. She lifted it to her lips, brushing them against his fingers, then darted her tongue between two.

  ‘He did that?’

  She nodded, and turned back to the mirror. ‘It’s going to be easier than we dreamed. I will have him crawling, begging for it. And you know what’ll make him crazy? I think he’ll find out that his son has been there before him.’

  Justin flopped on the bed and laughed. He loved to hear her talk dirty. ‘Shall I fuck him too?’ he asked.

  ‘James? Why not?’ she said, creaming her face.

  ‘What about William’s ex? The strait-laced Angela,’ Justin asked. He didn’t relish the idea of screwing her. ‘God, that man had lousy taste.’

  ‘You take her first. I think she’s got to be given something, maybe half a tab.’ Laura plucked a tissue to wipe over her face.

  Justin rolled on to his stomach and told her what the maids had said to him, that despite her frumpy look, her lingerie was lacy, flimsy and sexy.

  Laura got up and lay on top of him, nuzzling his neck. ‘The Baron and Baroness seem tedious. Do we need to bother with them?’

  ‘He’d roll over for a monkey,’ smirked Justin, ‘as long as it had its mouth taped up so it couldn’t give away his secret.’ He turned on to his back.

  Laura remained on top of him, feeling him erect beneath her.

  ‘What about Clarissa?’ he said.

  ‘She’s wet just looking at you. The skinny boy Max isn’t a pushover, though. And he’s got the hots for the Hangerford girl. He looked as if he’d never had an erection before, never mind fucked anyone.’

  Laura sat up and moved away from the bed. Justin yawned; he was really tired. He stretched, and his jeans slipped down to reveal his tight, flat belly. No man had ever made Laura feel so aroused. She sighed and reached over to unzip his pants. ‘This’ll make you sleep.’ She knelt down between his legs, taking him in her mouth.

  ‘We have to be careful,’ he said, eyes closed, loving the feel of her mouth around him. She sucked harder, clawing his thighs and twisting his testicles. The pain made him gasp and with a moan he climaxed into her mouth.

  ‘That was a quickie,’ she said, wiping her lips with a tissue. Usually it took much longer.

  ‘It’s been a while.’ He zipped up his trousers. ‘And I’ve had a hard-on all evening thinking about you.’

  She went into the bathroom and started to clean her teeth. Justin lolled at the door. ‘Willy must be on the flight by now,’ he said. ‘You know, I’ve become fond of him.’

  ‘Oh, no.’ Laura sighed. ‘Don’t tell me you’ve fucked him. I told you not to.’

  ‘I haven’t, and I like him. He’s good company. Sure he can lash out a bit, but considering all the tedious family situations he’s had to go through, he’s impressed me.’

  ‘I like him too,’ she said softly, then laughed. ‘He kisses like a teenager. He was so nervous of taking me in his arms, even if it was just for show.’

  ‘He means us no harm, Laura, I know that. Sometimes I think he’s the only man I’ve ever trusted.’

  ‘Are you in love with him?’ she asked, her voice soft and afraid.

  ‘Hell, no, I mean … it’s more that I love him like …’ He thought about it for a moment. ‘… I don’t know.’

  ‘Love him like a brother, perhaps?’ She stared at Justin in the mirror.

  His brow was furrowed in a deep frown and he shook his head slowly. ‘No, not like that. Maybe it’s because I’ve never known anyone for such a length of time. I dunno. It’s a new one on me, but the old codger grows on you.’

  He stood behind her and slipped his arms around her, hugging her close. He had a vulnerable side, and it was the side she cared for most of all. ‘I miss you so much when you’re away from me. I love you, Laura,’ he whispered.

  ‘I know, I know. Now go on. Go to bed.’ She cupped his face between her hands and kissed his lips. ‘We only have two weeks, then it’ll all be over and we’ll be free.’

  ‘You won’t leave me?’ he said anxiously.

  ‘No, of course I won’t. Will you leave me?’

  ‘Not even with all the diamonds Willy’s going to give you?’ Justin insisted.

  ‘We’ll be together, Justin, I promise. We’ll live in our villa, just you and me, and no more nightmares. We’ll have paid Matlock back and we’ll be free. It’ll all be over.’

  ‘Yes,’ he said, then kissed her lightly before he left the room.

  This was the side of Justin that William had rarely seen. Hardly anyone had ever seen it, apart from Marta and Laura. This was not the vicious, twisted Justin, or the over-confident, witty, talented Justin. This was the child who hid in the darkest recess of his adult mind, when Laura became the stronger of the two.

  Next morning, Justin and Laura went to the control room to survey the guests at play. Justin’s mood had lifted, and he was chuckling at the film footage.

  ‘Well, I’d better start work,’ she said. ‘If I have to begin with Cedric Hangerford, you’d better stand by. I doubt if it’ll take long. His kind never do. Where is he?’

  Justin flicked on a monitor and pointed at the screen. ‘As arranged. He’s midway through a workout with Kurt in the gym. He’s got a massage booked immediately after with Kiki.’

  ‘Tell Kurt,’ Laura said softly, ‘to suggest to his lordship that he has a sauna. Justin? Did you hear me?’

  ‘That’s not on the list.’

  ‘No, I know. I’ve just had a good idea. I’ll work him over in the sauna. So arrange it.’ Then she leaned towards him, and whispered further instructions.

  ‘Sauna it is, my darling. And just remember, Big Brother is watching you.’ He picked up the intercom phone. He adored Laura: sometimes her mind was even more warped than his. She was right, though: they needed to move fast on William’s tedious guests, get rid of them as soon as possible, leaving Matlock for the plucking.

  Kurt replaced the receiver.

  ‘I’ve arranged a sauna for you,’ Kurt said to Hangerford, now flat on his back, arms splayed at
his sides.

  ‘Christ, I don’t think I can get up,’ he said.

  Kurt put out his hand and hauled him to his feet. ‘I’ll take you through, sir. I’d keep to the lower bunks,’ he added, ‘it’s hotter and better for your skin.’

  They went in and Kurt laid out a towel for Hangerford, who flopped down with an exhausted sigh of relief. Then he passed him a bottle of chilled water. ‘Drink as much as possible,’ he said encouragingly, and waited a moment as he watched Cedric gulping it down.

  Laura lay on the top shelf of the sauna, naked apart from a small white towel across her thighs, her body glistening. When the door opened she didn’t move a muscle, but remained still with her eyes closed. Hangerford sighed again, as soft relaxing sounds drifted into the sauna, the noise of waves and whales over the sighing ocean.

  Hangerford did not notice that the sauna was already occupied, until one perfect white hand swung down from the bunk above. Then Laura sighed, and yawned as if just waking. She dropped her towel, which brushed his shoulder, and he half sat up, wondering who was above him. As the sighs grew louder, he realized it was a woman, and that she was masturbating. His body flushed with anticipation. Laura began to mew like a kitten and then she moaned. Hangerford could feel the tremor of the bench above him and he was now fondling himself. As she became more and more vocal in her arousal, so did he. His body felt as if it was on fire.

  Laura swung her hips and legs down over the side of the upper bunk, and gripped the slats with her hands to keep from dropping to the ground. Cedric raised himself on one elbow. She thrust herself into his face. He put his head between her legs and began licking and sucking, grunting. She pushed her hips forward and wrapped her legs around his shoulders. He was virtually buried inside her when the sauna’s incredible heat enveloped him. His brain felt as if it was about to explode. He tried to draw his head away from her legs. He was gasping and unable to get his breath, but the more he panted, the dizzier he felt. He couldn’t breathe and his heart felt as if it was about to explode. Darkness descended and he passed out.

  Laura shoved him away from her, picked up her towel, and opened the sauna door. As it closed behind her she turned up the temperature and walked into the shower. By the time she felt cleansed, her skin tingling from her body scrub, she reckoned Hangerford might need assistance. As she passed the sauna, she lowered the temperature and headed for the changing cubicles. Justin joined her. ‘Get him out quickly,’ she said.

  Justin and Kurt carried Hangerford out of the sauna and into the shower. They remained with him as he spluttered and shrieked from the ice-water jets. From her changing cubicle, Laura saw Dahlia walking towards the sauna with Clarissa. With a white towel clutched to her naked body, she told Dahlia that she could never take more than a few minutes in a sauna. Dahlia laid the towel along the top bunk and assisted Clarissa up the ladder; then she lowered the heat, threw some pine essence on to the coals and closed the door. Laura left the changing rooms with Dahlia.

  Hangerford was resting, another glass of water in his hand. He wished Kurt would stop hovering around him. He insisted he was perfectly recovered and, in fact, felt remarkably fit. Just thinking about getting back into the sauna gave him an erection. It had been the most exciting sexual encounter he had ever experienced.

  The moment Kurt left him, he went straight back inside. His heart was thudding in his chest, yet he felt focused, full of energy and sexual drive. He closed the door and dropped his towel, proudly revealing his bloated penis. He walked to the bunk he had used before, lay down and stretched his hands up to fondle beautiful firm breasts. His hands roamed over the young body and he grew more excited as he masturbated the woman, pressing his fingers between her legs. Feeling her opening he could no longer contain himself. ‘Come down, I want to finish where I left off. I want to fuck you.’

  Clarissa raised herself on her elbow. She could hardly catch her breath. ‘Daddy!’ she gasped, leaning down to behold not Justin, as she had hoped, but her father.

  Hangerford charged out like a crazed bull.

  In the control room, Justin sat smoking a cigar, the camera still focused on the terrified face of Clarissa. Beautiful! The film would splice together perfectly. He also knew that his lordship would believe that his head had been between his daughter’s legs. He giggled. William was going to love it. Imagine releasing this to the Racing News! Better still the Jockey Club. Hangerford had certainly had quite a ride even if he hadn’t finished the race!

  Chapter Sixteen

  William sat in the Harbour Bar with a large Scotch and water. After leaving the island he had arrived at Tortola only to discover that his flight had been cancelled due to technical problems. Overnight, a heavy mist had fallen and the next flight had been postponed until conditions improved. He wondered how things were going back at the island. He would have liked to call Justin, but knew that that would be childish. Although he himself had instigated his departure, he now had reservations. But he told himself it made sense and, besides, he knew everything would be caught on video.

  Lost in his thoughts, he was surprised by a nudge on his shoulder. It was Lady Bellingham. ‘Are you stranded too?’ she asked. ‘I’m trying to see some friends off. They’ve gone to do some last-minute souvenir hunting so I thought I’d come in for a drink. It’s such a bore this hanging around.’

  William was unsure whether he should offer to buy her a drink. This was, after all, the longest conversation they had ever had. Boredom must have forced her to approach him.

  ‘Do you mind?’ She indicated the empty chair at his table. ‘It’s always tricky, a woman alone having a drink in a bar,’ she said, sitting.

  William ordered a gin and tonic and they fell into an awkward silence. He was trying to think of something to say when Lady Bellingham remarked, ‘I hear that your son Charlie has gone into rehab. An old schoolfriend of Oliver’s is in Minnesota too, and he wrote to us.’

  ‘Fingers crossed, he seems to be doing well.’

  Another lengthy silence prevailed as she sipped her drink. Then she rattled the ice cubes around her glass nervously. ‘Oliver didn’t have a chance,’ she said, looking down into the glass. ‘His body was pumped full of Ecstasy, heroin, crack – you name it.’ She bit her lower lip. ‘I don’t know where he got it. I know there’s lots of pot around, I take it myself. But we wouldn’t let him have the hard stuff, and we kept him under pretty tight surveillance.’

  William recalled the party on the night their son had died. He hadn’t noticed much ‘surveillance’. Lord Bellingham had been stoned out of his head, along with most of the guests.

  A tear rolled down her cheek and dropped off her chin. ‘I’m sorry, so sorry to mention it. Let’s change the subject.’ William passed her a handkerchief. ‘I thought you’d sold up, or were about to,’ she said, wiping her face. ‘I’ve read so much about your place. We’re thinking of leaving. You must give me the name of your estate agents. They’re doing a grand job of promoting your island.’

  ‘Journalists,’ he said, ‘always get the wrong end of the stick. I’m not selling, quite the contrary, I love the place.’ The silence was descending again, but he found something more to say. ‘As a matter of fact I’ve lent my place to Justin Chalmers and his sister Laura while I do some work in London. I’ll just be gone a few days.’

  She put her head quizzically to one side. ‘Justin Chalmers?’ she said, and seemed perplexed.

  ‘Designer,’ said William. ‘Did the place up for me.’

  ‘Is that the Justin Oliver knew?’ she asked.

  William nodded. ‘Charlie talks about Oliver. He was very upset.’

  Lady Bellingham put her hand on William’s, blinking back the tears. ‘I can’t talk about it, I’m afraid. If I do I’ll start weeping. It’s been quite horrible, the whole business and, er …’ She swallowed rapidly.

  An announcement came over the crackly PA that the weather conditions were clearing and the airport would soon be functioning normally.

>   ‘Oh, Lord,’ cried Lady Bellingham, rising. ‘Must find my chums or they’ll be stuck here! Or, worse, I will!’ She drained her gin and tonic, then gave a brittle smile. ‘Nice talking to you, Sir William. You really must come and join us for dinner some time.’

  William was surprised that she had stooped so low as to converse with him, let alone invite him to dine. He, too, downed his drink and walked out on to the quay to get a taxi to drive him the five miles to the airport.

  In the lounge, he opened his laptop to discover a welter of e-mails from Michael, requesting he contact London immediately. But he had no time to place a call: the flight was already boarding. The messages worried him. What could be so urgent? Perhaps something had happened to Charlie. He never gave a moment’s thought to the idea that it might just be business: his concern was for his son. At last he was taking on the role of father.

  As the flight took off from Tortola, the paradise island was silent: most of the resident guests slept late, apart from Max. He wanted to watch the sun rise and had walked to the highest point of the island with a camera.

  Max was in the agony of a schoolboy crush on Clarissa, who had played cards with him and James late into the night after they had arrived. The following day she had not come out of her room and when at last he saw her she averted her face and refused to speak to him. Why?

  He walked on briskly because the early morning was still dark and the air chilly. He wondered if he was ever going to lose his virginity. With James around, he doubted if he’d get a look in here. He didn’t particularly like James: he was so competitive and aggressive. He seemed constantly to have to prove himself, whereas Max was more passive. As inexperienced in worldly and sexual matters as he was, he maintained an adult calm and perspective – which was about to be shattered.

  Laura was sitting with her hands clasped around her knees, perched close to the edge of the jagged rock, her hair blowing around her. Max emerged from the woods fifteen yards or so from her and was taken aback when he saw her. Although he was so close, he didn’t know whether she had heard him or not. He took a step further forward, but she gave no indication that she knew she was not alone.