Deceit of Angels

by Julia Bell

  They had a pleasant lunch at the club, sitting at their favourite table by the window. It seemed the weather was getting worse and the wind was becoming stronger, causing the trees to bend alarmingly. Many of the players were abandoning their game and coming in for an early lunch. Among them were Caroline Beaumont and her friend who took a table close to Jason and Anna.

  But when Caroline spotted them she came over to them. “Anna, are you OK? I heard that you took poorly.”

  Anna smiled. “I felt…dizzy. That’s all. Nothing to worry about.”

  Caroline frowned at Jason. “I hope you’re being careful! I’m intending to break down Anna’s resistance until she joins my team. But it’ll all be for nothing if she’s unavailable for the next nine months!” She left them, laughing with amusement.

  Anna felt stunned. “Was she talking about a baby?”

  Jason looked up from the menu he was studying. “It seems so,” he smiled.

  “Good heavens!” She glanced around at the other diners. “How did she know I’d felt…ill? I’m amazed how news gets round this place. It’s a hive of rumour and speculation.”

  “That’s a golf club for you. But it’s something to think about.”

  “What is?”

  “Having a baby.”

  Anna’s mouth fell open with surprise. “I think I’d rather concentrate on the current problems, if you don’t mind!”

  He leaned towards her, resting his elbow on the table, his hand cupping his cheek. “I’d love to have another child. A brother or sister for Hollie sounds wonderful.”

  She was saved from answering by the waiter coming to take their order.

  They were just finishing their coffee when Jason received a call on his mobile, a fact that caused annoying stares in his direction since he had forgotten to turn it off and they were forbidden in the restaurant. He quickly headed for the foyer, apologising to everyone as he past them. Anna sipped her coffee. It was then that she noticed that Caroline was bending her head very close to her companion and they seemed to be discussing something in great depth.

  Jason reached the spacious foyer and took the call. He was just concluding it when he saw a woman come out of the bar and start climbing the stairs, obviously on her way to the ladies room that was on the next floor. He called her name, loud enough to hear but not enough to attract attention. She halted her climb and looked down at him. A satisfied smile spread across her face as she came slowly down the stairs.

  He took her arm and pulled her into the well of the stairs where they couldn’t be seen.

  “I want to know what’s going on!”

  “What are you talking about?” Deborah smiled a slow smile.

  He pushed her roughly against the wall. “Tell me now, why you have it in for Anna!”

  She smiled again. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Did you frighten her the other day? Did you deliberately drive your car at her?”

  She threw back her head and laughed. “Why are you so upset that your sweet, little girlfriend got a drenching? I was just having some harmless fun.”

  Disgust overwhelmed him as he confirmed his suspicions about the driver of the black Porsche.

  “So, that was you?”

  “Yes, it was. Hope she didn’t catch a chill.”

  “Why did you do that? What has she ever done to you?”

  She pulled a face and sighed. “Well, you know what they say about a woman scorned.”

  Jason squeezed her arm. “You evil…!”

  “Let go of me.” Jason closed his eyes and regained control. He released his grip. He stared at her, hatred pouring from his eyes. For some strange reason his anger seemed to excite her. She reached up and put her arms round his neck. “We were always good together, weren’t we Jason?” She pressed herself against him. “I’m sure you don’t get as much…pleasure with her as you did with me. I can understand why you want to have a little fling with your secretary, but when are you going to forget all this nonsense and come back where you belong?”

  He pulled her arms away. “Oh, it’s a lot more than a little fling. I’ve asked Anna to marry me.”

  Deborah’s lips twitched, her eyes dark with envy. “Have you really? Now, why would you want to do that when you can do so much better?”

  Her meaning was clear, but Jason had heard enough and turned away as if to leave. “You’re nothing compared to her,” he said with loathing. “Absolutely nothing.”

  He turned his back on her and walked away. In the dining room, he ordered another drink.

  “Sorry to have left you so long. It was Graham, finalising the next contract.”

  “Are you OK?” His flushed complexion and glistening eyes alarmed her.

  He nodded. “Certainly.” He took in a breath, thankful that his anger was ebbing away.

  Anna’s gaze was drawn to Caroline and her companion, who were still engrossed in conversation, although now and again their eyes would turn in Anna’s direction.

  “Jason, I get the feeling that they’re talking about me.”

  “Who, sweetheart?”

  “Caroline and her friend.”

  Jason smiled. “Probably discussing your illness on the golf course.”

  Anna looked towards Caroline and her companion. “Somehow I don’t think that’s what they’re talking about.”

  But Anna’s fears were confirmed when she went to collect her jacket. As she slipped her arms through the sleeves, she overheard them as they were collecting their equipment.

  It was Caroline’s friend who seemed offended. “Of all the terrible things to do! To say she’s a widow and nursed her husband through a terrible illness and all of a sudden she’s a married woman. How can Jason accept all her lies?”

  Caroline answered with a contemptuous click of her tongue. “Well, I think we should give the girl a chance. We don’t know the full story and it’s very wrong of Deborah to go round spreading gossip like that.”

  Deborah! Anna bit her bottom lip anxiously. Had Deborah now resorted to causing trouble for her at the club? She fastened her jacket and sighed. They were going back to Bishop Sutton the following day and she would have some distance between herself and all this hostility. She breathed a sigh of relief and went to meet Jason who had gone ahead to put their bags in the car.

  During their journey home they talked about their future and Anna’s spirits lifted, as she thought about their wedding and their life together. But then she remembered Caroline’s conversation with her friend.

  “They were talking about me. I overheard them,” she sad sadly.

  “Eavesdropping again?”

  She tapped him on the leg. “You should talk!”

  He gave a chuckle. “All right, what were they saying?”

  “Well, they’ve heard I’m not a widow.”

  Jason shrugged it off. “Let them talk. Next week they’ll have found something else to bitch over.”

  “But how do they know so quickly? I only told the others on Monday.”

  “It’s strange how these things get around. It could have come from Fran or even Irene. Not John though, he wouldn’t spread gossip.”

  “They heard it from Deborah.”

  Jason frowned. “Did they now?” He shook his head. “That woman is beyond belief. If I didn’t mind going to prison, I’d strangle her.”

  “I’d come and visit you every day,” she said, smiling.

  When they arrived home Anna decided to take a quick shower. The trauma of the day had literally brought her out in a cold sweat and she needed to freshen up. She was just coming into the bedroom when Jason knocked on the door and came into the room. They were so secure in one another now, that waiting for permission to enter a room seemed unimportant.

  He grinned cheekily. “Irene has made us a pot of tea.”

  “I shall be ready in two ticks.”

  He studied her. “Good.” He lifted her chin with his forefinger and briefly kissed her lips. “Hurry up. I’m
finding it very difficult to concentrate knowing that you’re naked under that towel.”

  She gave a giggle and changed the subject. “After our tea I’m going to phone Dave.”

  “You can use the phone in my room if you want. It’ll be more private.”

  Anna took the stairs once more to Jason’s room to make the call to her husband. She sat on the bed for some time staring at the phone trying to pluck up the courage. Finally she picked up the receiver and dialled the number.

  Dave’s voice was quiet when he answered. Anna paused for a moment before saying, “Hi Dave, it’s me.” It seemed ages before he replied. She detected a chilly tone in his voice and she was relieved. Now he sounded like the old Dave and not the one she had spoken to that morning. “I said I’d phone back.”

  “You didn’t waste any time. So, have you thought about what I said?”

  “I have but…I’m sorry Dave, I still want a divorce. Please can I have the name of your solicitor?”

  There was a long silence before he answered. “Didn’t you listen to a word I said! I said I would move down there. I said I would give up everything for you.”

  “I know that, but I can’t…trust you. I shouldn’t have put up with your behaviour all those years.”

  “What the hell do you want me to do? I’ve said I’m sorry.”

  “I want you to give me my freedom.”

  She heard him suck in a breath. “I’ll use that one in Wakefield. The one I went to when I bought this house.”

  Anna thought for a moment. “I remember it.” She knew that she would get no more from him, not even the address. But she didn’t care. It would be easy to find the information she needed.

  “Are you absolutely sure about this? Don’t you want us to talk it over some more?”

  “No Dave, my mind is made up.”

  “Why don’t you come home and we can discuss it face to face.”

  Anna was suddenly filled with dread. Although she knew Dave was an excellent father and would never hurt the boys, she wasn’t so sure about her own safety. Once inside the house he might be capable of anything. She tried to dismiss these terrifying thoughts from her mind.

  “No, I don’t think so. We can communicate through our solicitors from now on. Have you got a pen handy? I’ll give you the details of mine.” She looked down at the card in her hand; the one Nigel Barnes had given her and carefully read out the name, address and telephone number. She hoped that Dave was writing it down.

  “This is stupid, Anna!”

  She ignored him. “I want to divorce you on grounds of your adultery.”

  “What? Do you mean from…six years ago?”

  “My solicitor says that as long as you admit it, then everything should go through smoothly.”

  “Forget it.”

  “Please Dave.” She was answered with a cold silence. She took in a steadying breath. “OK, then you…you can divorce me for…adultery.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Do you want me to draw you a picture!”

  “You’ve met someone else?” Anna tried to speak but her throat dried up. “Anna, have you met someone else?”

  “Yes…Yes I have. And I love him and he’s asked me to marry him and I’ve said yes.” Anna could almost feel the anger at the other end of the phone.

  “How long has this been going on? Who is he?”

  “That doesn’t matter. And you can’t judge me after your behaviour. Anyway, I met him when I came to work in Bristol.”

  “Oh no, you didn’t! I was right wasn’t I? You went down there because you already had another bloke!”

  “No, I didn’t. I came here to work,” she said defiantly. “Me and Jason only…I mean I.…”

  “Jason? Wait a minute, when I phoned Harrington Rhodes in Bristol, they gave me the number of a Jason Harrington. Is that him? Is it the man I talked to?”

  Anna began to curse her stupidity. Why, oh why, had she left her CV and her application letter on the computer? It would have only taken a second to delete them.

  “I don’t want to talk about him. I just want to get this divorce out of the way.”

  “Oh, do you! Well, you’ll not get anything out of me. I’ll fight you all the way!”

  “I don’t care about the money. I can support myself. I have a good job.”

  A bitter laugh erupted at the end of the phone. “Well, I’m sure you’ve got a good job if you’re screwing the boss!”

  “Goodbye Dave.”

  “You slut! I’m glad to get rid of you….”

  She didn’t want to hear any more and slammed down the phone.

  Anna sat for a while, hugging herself and rocking gently backwards and forwards. She closed her eyes and tried to calm herself. She mustn’t let him get to her. She would ring Nigel on Monday morning and pass on the details of her husband’s solicitor. And then everything can go ahead, even if it meant admitting her adultery. Life wasn’t fair, she sobbed, but it was only for four or five months and that wasn’t so long to wait. Then she and Jason could get married, here at the Grange. She would be happy with Jason, she knew it. And the boys would meet him and little Hollie too. They would love her new family. And perhaps in time, she would have another baby. Jason said he would like another child. Perhaps in twelve months’ time she might be pregnant. And they would all live happily together, for the rest of their lives.

  Jason stuck his head round the door. “All done?”

  Anna nodded. “I’ve got the name of his solicitor and he knows about us.”

  He came to sit on the bed with her. “How did he take it?”

  She turned her face away in embarrassment. “You were right about the animosity. And, damn it! You were right about the leopard.” She turned to face him again and he could see the pain in her eyes. “I’m trying to decide if it’s better to be a whore or a slut. I mean, what would you choose?”

  “Oh, sweetheart.” He put his arm round her and pulled her close, kissing her hair.

  She went into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out the coin that Jason had used.

  “I think I’ll put this on a chain and hang it round my neck!”

  He took it from her and put it in the drawer of the bedside table.

  “You must forget it now. Let Nigel do his job and all this will come to an end soon.”

  She leaned against him, fighting back the tears, finding comfort in his nearness. For quite a while they didn’t speak, as she breathed deeply trying to control her agonised trembling. It felt so good to feel the warmth of his body close to hers, to smell the aftershave he liked to wear.

  She lifted her face and he kissed her lips. “I need to know that you love me,” she said softly.

  “You know I love you very much.”

  “Show me,” she whispered.

  They undressed slowly. Being with Jason was always wonderful but it seemed for Anna, that this time was even more exquisite. Their kisses and caresses were gentle and unhurried; the tender murmurings of their lovemaking soothed and comforted her. She loved him desperately and she needed to feel part of him, to feel that she was truly his.

  And when he slipped inside her, she lifted her body to meet his, crying out in pleasure and the anguish she had endured seemed to melt away. She closed her eyes and let herself be carried to a place where only that instant counted and nothing else mattered. Jason held back until the last possible moment and only when he saw the warm flush spread across her breasts and neck did he join her in that special place.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  She was running, running so fast that she thought her heart would burst. Dave was right behind her, his face twisted in rage, his hands reaching out to grab her. She ran from room to room desperate to find an escape, a place to hide, but there was none. Suddenly she felt the force of his body on top of her and his hands were round her neck. She was choking, crying, pleading for her life, but he wasn’t listening. He was intent on her destruction and nothing was going to save her. Anna jumped
out of sleep with a scream and sat up in bed.

  Jason came hurrying out of the bathroom. “Dear Lord! What is it?” His face was white as he sat on the bed next to her.

  “Bad dream. Just a bad dream,” she gasped, reaching out and holding him close.

  He wrapped his arms round her and kissed the top of her head. “Wow! You gave me a fright.”

  “It was nothing. You go and finish shaving.”

  Anna watched him go feeling ashamed, she really must pull herself together. Their holiday was over and they were travelling back to Bishop Sutton to pick up the threads of their lives and Anna knew that Jason was keen to get back and resume his normal life. How strange it would be to work in the office once more, she thought and yet how wonderful too. She had been happy staying at the Grange and it seemed that the last week had been the most eventful of her life. Anna slipped out of bed, drew back the curtains and smiled at the scene outside the window.

  It was going to be a beautiful day now that the rain and gusty winds had moved off to the east. The telephone rang and Anna ran swiftly across the room. She answered in a hushed voice and to her delight discovered it was Martyn. Keeping her voice calm, trying to hide her excitement, she confirmed the details of their visit in just three weeks’ time. Anna told her son that arrangements would be made for their overnight stay and how much she was looking forward to seeing them again. As she replaced the receiver she saw Jason standing at the bathroom door.

  “Your turn,” he smiled.

  “Sorry, for frightening you like that.”

  “We all have bad dreams, sweetheart. So the visit is all sorted?”

  She nodded. “Saturday the twenty-eighth. But only the lads. The others can’t make it. Martyn has just told me that he’s passed his driving test, so he and Chris are coming down in my car.”

  Jason gave a quizzical look. “Your car?”

  She squirmed in embarrassment. “Yes, the car I used at home. It seems his dad has put him on the insurance and now he’s driving it. I’m pleased about that. It was only sat idle.”

  “Oh, so you did have a car,” he smiled. His smile faded. “Oh, dear, the twenty-eighth? That’s the weekend I’m going to Vancouver to pick up Hollie.” He saw her face blanch and quickly added, “But don’t worry I’ll make other arrangements.”