Forever Scarred (Scarred Series Book 3)

by Jackie Williams

“He will be ‘ere in a while. He was just having a coffee in the kitchen. He looks terrible. I don’t think he had much sleep…” She gave a huge grin. “Maybe he was chilly last night. I don’t suppose his cabin was nearly as warm as it had been the night before.”

  Ellen glanced up at Geraldine’s mischievous expression and then looked curiously at Lucy’s brightly flushed cheeks. She let out a great laugh as she suddenly realized what must have happened but she kept her eyes down and her mouth shut as Joe walked in.

  His eyes caught Lucy’s for a fraction of a second but he quickly moved towards the buffet breakfast and was soon surrounded by the crowd of Lucy’s hungry co-workers who suddenly appeared at the same time.

  She rolled her eyes. So much for a quiet few words and escaping the chateau un-noticed.

  Carter Freeman arrived with Jessica Dennison hanging onto his arm and Lucy was revolted to see that both of them had swollen lips. Carter even sported a smear of lipstick beside his ear and Jessica’s cheeks and neck were covered in stubble burn.

  Everyone was keen to eat but as soon as the group was seated Carter Freeman stood up. He banged his knife on the side of his tea cup to catch everyone’s attention.

  “I want to say a few words while everyone is present. These have been a fabulous few days for us as a company. All the things we have learned will be put to excellent use back in the workplace. We have all gained enormously from what we have learned and I’m sure that we will be seeing more of our hosts in the future. At this point I would like to offer Ellen and Patrick Reeves our heartiest congratulations on their newfound parenthood. Rose is a delight to behold.” There were mere murmurs of agreement that suddenly erupted into a round of applause with people calling out to Ellen and Patrick. Carter waved his hands for silence again. “I know I came to this chateau with my own agenda for the staff here but I have to say that they have passed my tests with flying colours. I have learned a few things about myself…No, not that I am an arrogant bastard, I already knew that.” He waited until the howls of laughter died down. “I have learned to listen to others and that’s a big step for me. Who could possibly forget my dunk in the river or my getting us lost in the forest?” There was more laughter from some of his audience. “In view of this fabulous experience that we will be sharing with all our other business associates, I would like to make a special presentation to someone who has made this trip a memorable experience. Lucy, would you like to come and take this envelope?”

  Lucy’s head shot up from her plate of mushrooms.

  “I don’t deserve any special presentation.” She stammered out but suddenly saw the sickly smile on Carter’s face. “Oh, sorry…you want me to hand out the presentation.” Her cheeks flushed a deep pink.

  Carter rolled his eyes and some of the staff tittered at Lucy’s humiliation.

  “Yes Lucy. You are my personal assistant. That’s what I employ you for.”

  Lucy decided that now was not the right time to remind him that she had resigned the previous evening and slid out of her chair. She walked across the room to Carter Freeman in slight trepidation. She had seen through his speech immediately and didn’t believe a word that he said. She knew he was up to something bad but couldn’t guess what.

  He held out an envelope to her.

  “Would you please present that to our wonderful course leader, Joe. We couldn’t possibly have had such a splendid few days without all his hard work and unending patience.”

  Lucy took the envelope with trembling fingers and walked slowly across the dining room floor. She knew that this wouldn’t be good. She wanted to tear up the envelope and run but her feet kept moving. She couldn’t look Joe in the eye as she stopped in front of him and handed the envelope over. There was a round of applause as Joe frowned over towards Freeman and then back down at the envelope. He paused for a moment as he drew in a breath and then he slid his finger under the flap and he opened it.

  There were two pieces of paper inside.

  The first was small and stiff. He picked it out and turned it over. His heart stilled in his chest as he saw the name of the cosmetic surgery clinic. He lifted his hooded eyes slowly to Carter Freeman. The man’s smirk was a mile wide. Joe held his gaze for a moment and then looked back down into the envelope. He slid out the other piece of paper. It was folded in two across the middle. He waited for a few moments, calming the pulse that was beating hard in his throat and hardening his heart in the silence of the dining room. Then opened the paper out and stood staring at it for a long moment. It was a cheque for twenty thousand pounds.

  Joe’s eyes flicked to Lucy who was staring at the cosmetic surgery card in horrified amazement. He knew that she hadn’t planned this but she had clearly guessed it would be something insulting and she had still given it to him. He watched her carefully as she suddenly lifted her chin and glared up at Carter Freeman’s arrogance. She fisted her hands at her sides and Joe tore his gaze from her back to Freeman. His voice was like ice as he spoke from between gritted teeth.

  “I thank you for your obvious concern at my welfare. You are clearly under the impression that I need to have something done about the way I look, but unfortunately apart from the fact that nothing more can be done to improve my situation, I cannot accept any donations from members of the public, however I would hate for your money to go to waste.” He picked up the cheque and walked quickly across the room. He handed it to Patrick who was staring open mouthed at the scene taking place in front of his very eyes. “I’m passing this onto you Patrick. I’m sure you will find an excellent use for it where it can benefit far more deserving cases than me.” Joe didn’t catch anyone else’s eye. He screwed up the envelope that contained the card with the surgery details and slammed it down hard on the table then he strode from the dining room, his head held high while everyone else sat there in stunned silence.

  David suddenly rose to his feet and glared towards Freeman.

  “You shit faced bastard! What the fuck do you think you are playing at?” There was no hiding his fury. Patrick calmly passed Rose to Ellen and stood up beside David. The pair of them appeared to grow frighteningly large.

  “You had best get out of this chateau before I throw you out.” Patrick’s voice was only just above a whisper but the menace it contained reverberated around the silent room and penetrated even Carter Freeman’s feeble brain. He coughed uncomfortably.

  “It was meant as a gesture of good will. I am only trying to help the poor man. To go through the rest of his life looking like that must be a terrible strain on him. I pity him.”

  That was it. The final insult had been cast.

  Geraldine shrieked as David launched himself over the table, knocking crockery, cutlery and food all over the place. He bulldozed his way through the stunned crowd, looking as though he was about to wring Freeman’s neck. Patrick was right behind him, his face contorted with rage as he snarled with fury.

  “Get out! Get out of this chateau now you slimy bastard! Do not stop to retrieve your bag. If I can be bothered I will send it on. Just leave before I smash your fucking face so hard even your mother won’t recognize you!”

  There were some indrawn breaths at his threats and people suddenly began to move. Several ran for the door and effectively blocked it. Geraldine tried to calm the situation down, shouting above the commotion that Patrick had only meant his harsh words for Freeman.

  Rose began to cry again and Ellen quickly cuddled her to her chest and moved towards the small door to the kitchen.

  Lucy marched straight up to Carter Freeman, the glare on her face telling everyone exactly what she thought of him. Then without any warning she drew her fist back and punched him square on the jaw. He staggered backwards and fell into Jessica who flapped her arms and screamed blue murder.

  Carter quickly regained his feet and scowled down at Lucy as he rubbed his jaw.

  “What the hell was that for? The man is hideous and you’re the one that slept with him out of pity. I should have thought you w
ould be pleased I was trying to do something for the guy. Going around looking like that, I’m surprised he ever gets anyone into his bed.”

  Lucy glared up at her ex-boss and spoke through gritted teeth.

  “You stupid, stupid man. Can’t you even see past a couple of scars? Joe doesn’t need anyone’s help, least of all yours. He is just perfect exactly as he is.” She turned away from Freeman who was grabbed by the arms and manhandled from the room by David and Patrick.

  Jessica screamed at anyone who came near her and Lucy couldn’t help herself. She moved in front of the woman and slapped her hard across the jaw before she spoke.

  “For goodness sake shut up Jessica! Everyone is sick of the sound of your pathetic voice.” And with that parting shot Lucy turned around and walked out of the door. She picked up her bags and marched out of the chateau towards her car. She didn’t stop even when she heard Geraldine calling out her name as she threw her bags into the back of the car. She gave one last look up at the beautiful chateau and then started the engine and drove back down the long driveway that she had only driven up a few days before.

  Chapter Twelve

  Lucy walked slowly from room to room. The house wasn’t large and as it was almost empty it didn’t take her long, but in each room she stopped and turned around, reliving moments that she had thought she had forgotten. She ran her fingers down the curtains that she had so lovingly sewn, she smiled as she found the strip of wallpaper that she had hung upside down by accident and not noticed for weeks. There was even the slight stain on the carpet where she had spilled a glass of red wine and spent hours frantically scrubbing to try and get the colour out.

  She glanced up into the corner of the ceiling as she walked up the stairs, to where a black wooden beam met the wall and she spied the spider that had lived there since she and Stewart had bought the place three years previously. The corner wasn’t even that high, but neither she nor Stewart could bear to hoover the spider up. They had tried to brush the web with the aid of a broom but both of them had given up after becoming too nervous to use it in case the hairy creature fell down upon their heads.

  They hadn’t been there forever but she had made an attachment to the house that she hadn’t been ready to let go and her heart gave a lurch in her chest as she realized that this would soon all belong to someone else. The worst thing about the whole situation was that whatever she did she would still be paying that slime of a man for the next four years. Even if she raised the money she couldn’t pay it off immediately.

  She had been to two sets of specialist lawyers and it was just as Carter Freeman had said, the contract was wrapped up in cast iron. There was no way out and no recourse to the law. The lawyers both agreed that given her position in the company she must have known exactly what she was getting herself into when she signed the papers. It seemed that she would just have to live with it.

  Worse still, she could prove nothing about the blackmail or the threats to her future success at finding another job. She was out of money, out of options and out of time.

  The only thing that was in her favour was that the buyers of the house were willing to pay her asking price. The deal had gone through quickly. She would have enough money to pay off the mortgage company and leave herself with savings to cover the payments of the unsecured debts to Freeman while still giving herself a few thousand pounds to try and set herself up again.

  Her brother Michael had offered her accommodation for as long as she had needed it and while he was obviously confused as to why she had left her well paid job, he didn’t pry. Lucy had made an excuse that he had pretended to believe and for that she was grateful. She couldn’t tell him the truth. If she did she knew that he would take the law into his own hands and probably only end up in trouble himself. She couldn’t allow that to happen. She wouldn’t let his life and that of his family be ruined too, so she kept quiet about the true circumstances.

  She ran her fingertips along the windowsill and stared out into the pretty, flower-filled garden below her bedroom. She opened the window and a tear slipped down her cheek as the delicate perfume wafted up to her. She had lovingly planted all of flowers in the riotous border especially for their scent. She closed the window again and shut the beautiful fragrance out.

  She turned away from the window, walked back down the stairs and through into the kitchen. She glanced into the fridge. There was just some milk and a bottle of wine. She gave out a grim laugh. Should she actually spend a few pounds, order in a takeaway and drink the bottle of wine? She had one more night in the house and then the removal van would be here in the morning.

  She pulled the local Chinese restaurant menu out from beside the telephone and quickly chose a couple of dishes. After calling them from her mobile, as the phone lines had already been disconnected, she arranged a delivery and went to open the wine. She twisted the top without looking and then rolled her eyes as she realized that this was one of the last bottles that she had bought while on the ferry home from France and the French still used corks.

  She looked around the kitchen trying to decide which box she had put all her cutlery in. The cork screw would be in one of those.

  She kicked a couple of boxes that sat on the floor and then shook a couple more that stood on the counter, wishing that she had been a little more specific in her labeling, but then she heard the jangle of knives and forks in the second one she picked up. She had just pulled the top open and rummaged through to find the cork screw when she heard a knock on her front door.

  With the cork screw still in her hand she grabbed her handbag and stepped over even more boxes as she went to pay for her dinner. She opened the door with a smile on her lips.

  “Wow, that was fast. I only ordered ten minutes…” The words died on her lips as the tall frame of Carter Freeman stood on her doorstep. She attempted to slam the door back shut but he had a foot inside the threshold and he pushed it open forcefully and then closed it gently behind him. Lucy jumped and dropped her handbag in surprise but managed to wrap her hand around the corkscrew and slide it up her cardigan sleeve. “What do you want?”

  Carter moved forwards slowly, a sneering smile on his face.

  “You know what I want Lucy. It’s what I have always wanted from you.” He let his eyes wander slowly up and down her body.

  Lucy folded her arms across her chest and spoke fiercely.

  “Huh! Last time I spoke to you, you said I was used goods. What’s changed your mind?”

  Carter gave out a brutal laugh.

  “Well that was over two months ago. I should think that gargoyle’s stench has worn off by now and I know that you haven’t been sleeping with anyone else. You’ve been too busy trying to sell up and find yourself a job. Fifteen interviews is it? And no one wants poor old Lucy Collins.” He laughed loudly.

  Lucy frowned, the depths of his depravity now shocking her to her core.

  “How on earth do you know how many interviews I’ve been to? You’ve been spying on me.” She declared.

  Freeman shrugged lazily.

  “Well not spying exactly, but I do have access to a fabulous computer expert. She can hack just about anyone’s computer and as you have arranged nearly everything you do via email, it’s not been hard to keep up.”

  Lucy’s mouth fell open.

  “Why you bastard! I should have known you were something to do with my failure to secure a place when all my interviews have gone so well. You’ve been telling the companies lies about me just to make sure I can’t get a job. Well damn you! I’ll take that to the police. They will be able to see what you’ve done.”

  Freeman laughed again.

  “I said that my computer lady was an expert Lucy. Do you think that if she can get into all your accounts so easily that she can’t get out undetected as well?”

  Lucy’s shoulders slumped in defeat. He had everything on his side. He was so rich he could just buy anyone, anything he wanted. She scowled at the vile specimen in front of her.

&
nbsp; “Just answer me one thing. Why me? Why do you want me so badly that you’d go to these lengths to try and get me in your bed? You have said it yourself, you’re not a bad looking guy, you have plenty of money and like splashing the cash. You could get easily other women to sleep with you if you wanted them. What’s so special about me?”

  Freeman stepped forwards and raised his hand to her cheek. She withstood the pressure to shudder as he brushed a fingertip down her face.

  “So lovely.” He whispered and for just a moment his eyes clouded over, but then they immediately came back into focus. He stepped back from her. “It’s simple really Lucy. If I want a woman, I have her. I always get what I want, even if it takes a little persuasion to get it. I refuse to take no for an answer. For months at work I had been trying to get you to notice me, but every time I had you on my own you turned up that cute button nose of yours and gave me the heave ho. Well, I have decided that it won’t go on any longer. I will have you Lucy.”

  Lucy shuddered. It was clear that he wasn’t going to give up. She tried another tactic.

  “But I don’t even work for you anymore and you have Jessica. Surely she keeps you busy. She seemed to keep you happy enough with her while we were in France. I distinctly remember seeing you both looking as if you had been at it all night on the morning we left the chateau.”

  Freeman threw his head back and laughed loudly.

  “Jessica Dennison! Are you mad! She was just available for the night. She’s a fraud Lucy, made of plastic. Every part of her face and body has been nipped or tucked or had something done to enhance or tighten it. It’s like fucking a plastic doll. She must have so few nerve endings left, I doubt that she feels much herself. She’s not a real woman, not real like you.”

  Lucy suddenly began to panic. It was clear the Freeman wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

  “So what has happened to make you come here tonight? It’s been nearly two months since we came back from France. I haven’t heard a word from you in all that time, so why now? This really is not a good time to discuss anything. I’m moving in the morning.”