‘Is it Mirabeau?’
Lechowski went very still.
‘It seems we both underestimated each other.’
‘Taking the file was a bit of a giveaway.’
‘You still bought the company.’
‘That makes the file my property.’
A waiter brought the food. Ellie put on a pretty, blank smile while her mind raced. When the waiter was gone, she straightened herself.
‘If you never meant to buy Talhouett, then our deal is void.’
Lechowski dug into his food. ‘Caveat emptor.’
‘Material non-disclosure.’ She reached across under the table and trailed her hand across Lechowski’s thigh — then suddenly pulled it away. ‘I’m entitled to withhold payment.’
‘You wouldn’t do that,’ he protested. But she could see he believed her. As soon as the seducer hesitates, he breaks the charm.
She toyed with the food on her plate. She swirled the champagne in her glass. She forced herself to go on. ‘Perhaps we can amend our deal. You withheld Mirabeau from me, fair enough, but the deal’s done. It’s not worth anything to you any more.’
Lechowski stared at her as if she were naked. ‘I wouldn’t say it’s not worth anything.’
Holding his gaze, she reached inside her blouse and straightened her bra strap. Her fingers brushed the top of her breast.
‘I can make it worth your while.’
‘You promised me that last time.’
‘And now I’m here. I’m good for my promises.’
Lechowski didn’t blink. ‘I have the file in my office. We can go there tomorrow morning.’
‘I’m flying out first thing,’ she improvised. ‘Can’t we get it on the way home?’
‘I think I prefer to see some evidence of your good faith.’
Ellie swallowed a gulp of champagne, then leaned across the table and kissed him. His tongue flicked out at her like a lizard’s; she forced herself not to recoil. He tasted of chewing gum and too much aftershave. She took another deep swig of champagne to try and drown the taste.
‘Is a down payment good enough?’
‘We can get the file on the way back to my hotel.’
She stiffened. ‘Are you in the Sofitel?’
‘The Hilton.’
Lechowski had a sports car which he drove like a maniac, presumably because his book said it would impress her. She waited in the car, double-parked outside his office, while he went in for the file. Her breath fogged the windscreen; the seat leather was like ice against her thighs.
She knew at once it was the genuine file: she’d seen enough of them that day. She could see the F2727 stamped on the spine. She began to flip through the documents, but Lechowski slapped it shut.
‘Everything is there. Lechowski is as good as his word.’ A leer. ‘I trust you are as good as yours.’
‘You’ll find out soon enough,’ she mumbled.
As long as they’d been in the restaurant, she’d been able to ignore what was coming. In the car, the illusion began to waver; when they reached the hotel, she couldn’t deny it any longer. If any doubt remained, it vanished when Lechowski draped his arm around her as he sauntered through the lobby. His hand swept proprietorially over her chest; his fingers wandered down her top.
She made herself walk to the lifts without screaming. In the lift he was all over her, pressing her against the mirrored wall and rubbing himself against her. She didn’t resist. The moment they were inside his room, he started fumbling with his belt, while the other hand pawed at her buttons.
Ellie pushed him away and went back to the door.
‘Where are you going?’
She didn’t miss the edge in his voice. You think Lechowski is such a fool he cannot smell the rat? He might play the buffoon, but he was used to getting his way. She remembered what Doug had said, back in the summer. The first sign of weakness, they’ll tear you limb from limb.
She waved the plastic Do Not Disturb sign at him, and hooked it over the outside door handle.
‘We don’t want any interruptions. I’m not in any rush.’ Her mouth was dry; she hoped it came out husky rather than croaky.
‘I thought you had a flight first thing.’
‘Monsalvat can afford another ticket.’
She closed her eyes. Lechowski had undone her top: he buried his face in her cleavage and squeezed her like something he could get juice out of. If he noticed that she was as limp as a doll, he didn’t complain. Perhaps he liked it.
There is not one woman who does not prefer a little rough handling to too much consideration.
‘I knew it.’
Ellie’s eyes snapped open. Light from the corridor flooded in to the dim room. Doug stood in the doorway, his face twisted in fury.
‘You little slut.’
‘Please, Doug.’
Ellie stepped back. Lechowski stared. His flies gaped open. ‘Who —?’
‘Shut it!’ With a move straight from the rugby field, Doug dropped his shoulder and sent Lechowski sprawling back on the bed. Before Lechowski could react, Doug picked him back up by his shirtfront, and threw him down on the floor.
‘If I ever hear one word that Ellie was here tonight, I’m going to hunt you down and make you wish you’d never touched her! I’ll cut off your cock and make you eat it! Do you understand?’
He grabbed Ellie’s wrist and dragged her towards the door. She just had time to snatch up the folder on the dresser on her way out.
‘“Make you eat it?” That’s disgusting. Where did you get it from?’
They were back in the car. Outside the windows, the grey blocks of suburban Luxembourg dragged by. Doug, driving, looked embarrassed.
‘Must have come from a film or something.’
‘You were great. Really scary.’ She squeezed his knee. He flinched.
‘Seriously, don’t ever do that to me again. It was horrible.’
‘It wasn’t any better for me.’
Doug drove on, staring stiffly ahead. A sullen silence gripped the car.
‘Stop here.’
He glanced at her, saw the look on her face and didn’t argue. He pulled over in front of a mini-market. ‘What?’
She reached across the car, cupped her hand around his head and pulled him towards her. She kissed him hard, feeling the warmth of his mouth against hers. He tried to pull back after a decent interval, but she refused to let him go until she felt the muscles in his neck relax, until his eyes shut and his arms closed around her. She wanted him to understand.
‘I’m sorry.’
She didn’t say for what. If he’d asked, she’d probably have told him everything. But he didn’t. The strain on his face seemed to loosen a little. He attempted a smile.
‘I suppose we taught that creep a lesson he won’t forget. Where now?’
Ellie opened the folder. Three pages in was a map.
‘South.’
XXXVIII
I bow towards my audience. Laughter goes round the hall. There are no kings and few counts among them, but they appreciate the flattery.
My boast gets their attention. They lean forward to listen, to see if I can deliver on my promise. I’m sitting to one side of the fire, my face half in the light and half in shadow. They don’t see me: their eyes are full of the knights, castles, kings and damsels I’m conjuring for their imaginations. But I can see them. I scan their faces, searching for one I recognise.