The Accountant's Wife

"Was it a woman you were waiting for," he asked? "Only one's just run out of the restaurant and is chasing after us."

I turned to peer through the rear window. Rebecca was running in our direction. She wasn't wearing a coat, and she kicked off her high heels as I watched and increased her pace.

After a moment's thought, during which I seriously considered ignoring her, I said, "Wait for her please." I wondered if I was making a big mistake.

The street was empty, so instead, he U-turned and drove back toward the running woman. Then he turned a second time and stopped next to Rebecca. She yanked the door open and climbed in.

She was crying, and she threw herself at me. She shivered as she hugged me. She was only wearing the dress, and even though she'd been running, she was cold. I slipped my coat around her shoulders as I told the driver to drive off.

"Just head for Brighton mate. I'll give you the address in a moment."

I didn't want to push her in the state she was in, but conversely, I also needed answers. How far had her 'friendship' with Marcus gone? Was I looking at the death knell of our marriage? I waited until she stopped crying and got a hold of herself. It took a long time, outside the taxi the streets of London had morphed into the fields and towns of Surrey.

"What happened in there?" I asked.

Her voice, when she finally answered me, was hesitant and full of emotion. "I love you, Mike; I'm sorry I kept you in the dark about tonight. I should have told you about Marcus and the other guests. I knew you wouldn't be happy if you knew I'd be around him all evening."

She lapsed into silence, then she blurted out, "Mike, nothing has happened between Marcus and me, not tonight nor at any other time."

"Are you sure, because that's what he's saying, and I know what I saw and heard earlier."

"You heard what Mia said to me didn't you." She gave a sigh. "It's true; I let Marcus get closer to me than I should have. He was over attentive all evening. It was a pain at the beginning to keep him at arm's length, and I wasn't always successful. If I'm honest, I quite enjoyed the attention, but there was nothing more than his hands roaming a bit further than they should have when we danced. I don't know what he told you, but I've done nothing to betray our marriage, not tonight, nor at any other time. The room was for me if I needed it, by the way, I didn't expect to use it. I had a car booked to take me home; I wanted to sleep in my bed tonight. You can call the car company and check if you want."

What was the point, it was true, or she'd already got her story straight with the driver. Either way, I was going to get the same answer. I shook my head dismissively. She continued, "I didn't want to have anything to do with him."

I interrupted her, I was bitter. I knew what I'd seen and heard and I wanted her to know it. "It sure looks like you made no effort to attract him, is that a new dress darling?" I gave the 'darling' the same inflexion I'd heard in Marcus' voice earlier. "I seem to recall that you swore you'd never wear anything that short in public unless you were with me. He sure seemed to like it."

She tried to tug the hem of her dress down her stocking clad legs, but all she did was emphasize how short it was. When she realized she blushed.

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "I bought it for me, I just loved the color and ignored how short it was on me. I was supposed to be my Father's partner, as Mother couldn't be here, so I didn't think it mattered too much." Her words drifted into silence as she saw the disbelief on my face.

She swallowed and continued, "Earlier this week Dad got on his high horse and insisted that I should be Marcus's escort. He said as you were going to be away, he'd arranged for Marcus to escort me for the evening. I told him you wouldn't agree, but he just kept on insisting, saying it was none of your business and it important for the firm."

"From what I could see, it didn't seem to be that much of a burden. You didn't seem pleased that I'd turned up, was I spoiling your plans for a cosy evening with that asshole? You could have told me at any time the past couple of weeks that the plans for the evening had changed, but you didn't, did you! You should have called me. I would have spoken to him."

"And what was I going to say, Mike!" Her voice took on a whiny tone as she said. "Sorry, Mike, Dad's taken over the company's Christmas party, and he's invited all these guests, including Marcus, the man you hate. The party that you can't attend!"

She shrugged and tried to gauge how I was feeling. I gave her a tight-lipped hint of a smile, and she continued. "As far as I knew you were busy in Rome and wouldn't be back until tomorrow at the earliest. I didn't want you to drop everything and try to get a flight back; I was sure I'd be able to keep control of the situation. I just hoped that you wouldn't hear about it and it would all blow over."

She'd lied to me by omission, and I wasn't happy. That supposedly nothing had happened was irrelevant, but that was something I could deal with later. The first thing was to deal with her father's threat to try and take the children away.

"We can talk about the way you were acting like a schoolgirl around the class heartthrob later. What's more important is Conrad's threat to try and take my children away from me." I felt her start at my description of the children as mine and not ours. "What the hell have you two been planning while I was away?"

"I wasn't acting like a schoolgirl, and we weren't planning anything. I don't know why he said that."

"I didn't hear you say anything after he made his threat."

"I was too shocked to say anything; I just thought he was angry, and he didn't mean it."

"Well we'll find out if he was serious soon," I said. At least I was able to relax as I'd made sure the children weren't where he thought they were. What I couldn't shake from my mind was the image of Marcus's smirk, and how friendly the pair of them seemed. I'd intended waiting until we'd got home to confront her, but now seemed as good a time as any.

"So do you want to explain why he felt entitled to put his arm around you and both of you were about to play your version of Dirty Dancing?"

She buried her head in her hands, "I can't explain it, I know you hate him, but he's always been charming to me. He's nice and friendly. It just felt okay to be with him tonight. I was annoyed that you weren't there."

I interrupted, "How could I; you knew I was away this week. If you'd held the damn thing on Saturday as usual, I'd have been back. But no, it had to be tonight."

"I know, I'm sorry. I wasn't annoyed at you, I was annoyed that my father wouldn't let me change the date so you could be there. I was upset because I was missing you. Marcus seemed to sense how upset I was; he kept me entertained and tried to keep me from dwelling on your absence."

"And how far had he gone to keep you entertained?"

She raised her head and gave me a guilty look. "We talked; I let him put his arm around me. We danced, and he held me close, and I didn't stop him. I don't know if I'd have done more than that if you hadn't arrived."

She paused, then said. "As soon as you left I tried to follow you. Dad wouldn't let me go; he kept saying I'd be better off without you. That he wouldn't let you take Jessica and Davy away. Marcus kept going on, that you were a wimp and were running away. He followed you, saying he was going to make sure you were leaving. I had to get Mia to call security so I could get away from my father and that took several minutes. When I got outside you'd gone, Pete pointed out the cab you'd left in, and I started to run after you."

I couldn't work it out; I struggled to understand what the hell had happened over last few days? Conrad had always been a bit distant from me. It was only my friendship with David and Mary that seemed to appease him. From what Becs was saying, her father had been actively pushing Marcus in her direction.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me earlier that Conrad was playing silly buggers?" I asked.

"I couldn't, he pulled the senior partner card, and insisted I kept everything under wraps, and that included the changes to the party for some reason."

She took a breath to calm herself down before continuing. "Look. Something has been going on all week; he flew over earlier than planned and then took over my office. He's been camped in there with Roger and Marcus for the past few days. I tried to join them as I assumed it was something to do with Marcus's court case. They sent me packing and refused to discuss anything in my presence. Dad claimed attorney-client privilege. It's almost like they are plotting with Dad, Roger has been giving him orders, and they don't seem to be related to any legal case I'm aware of."

I was more confused than ever after all this. The driver asked for the rest of the address, as we were getting close to Brighton. I gave him Karen's address, which made Rebecca give me a surprised look.

"But why are we going there?" she asked.

I replied, "After your father's threat I called and asked Karen to get the kids. They've at her place."

"You don't seriously think he meant that?"

"I've no idea, but I wasn't going to take any chances."

"When were you going to tell me?" Her voice was bitter.

"When I decided you and he weren't working together."

"I don't know how many times I have to tell you, that I have no clue as to why he said what he did, but I won't let him take our children away from us."

I didn't reply. I just sat back in the seat and watched the last few familiar miles of countryside fly past in the white cones of the headlights.

"Is this the one?" The driver asked as he approached a driveway flanked by a pair of old stone columns.

"Yeh, just pull up the drive please."

Karen was waiting for us; she must have seen the lights of the taxi as it drew up. Rebecca went over to her as I paid the driver.

"Will someone like to explain to me why I have two children asleep in my spare bedroom, and one very pissed off au pair in the kitchen?" Karen asked me.

"Do you want to tell her what your bloody father threatened?" I said to Rebecca. She shook her head and disappeared into the house leaving Karen and me alone.

"I take it Larissa wasn't happy when you turned up?" I said.

Karen gave me a cold look, "That an understatement! Her boyfriend was there, and I interrupted their make-out session on your sofa. She insisted on coming with me. Neither of you is answering your phones. Conrad called the house while I was there, but I put the phone down on him. What in God's name is going on, Michael?"

"I wish I knew," I replied. "I found Rebecca in Marcus' arms when I got to the party, and she seemed to be enjoying it. Then when I offered to kick his ass, her father asked me to leave and threatened to try and take the kids away from me."

"That doesn't make any sense. Why would Conrad want to take his grandchildren away from you two?"

"I didn't say from both of us. I said from me. It's as though he thinks Rebecca wants to leave me."

Karen's face turned grim and she hurried into the house without saying another word. I watched her disappear and gathering my wits about me slowly followed her, only to be intercepted in the hallway by a black-haired beauty. Francesca hugged me tight to herself. Not normally an issue, except she was only wearing one of her lover's silk dressing gowns and it had flipped open just before she'd attacked me.

For the briefest of moments, I forgot the traumas of the evening and reveled in the feel and scent of the semi-naked woman in my arms. Francesca kissed me and then stepped back and belatedly wrapped the gown back around herself with an embarrassed smile.

"Michael," she said in her hormone inducing Italian-accented voice. "I've missed you. What is going on? First, your call, which I must say came at a very inopportune moment." She gave a little laugh and glanced down at herself. I realized that her familiar scent had been overlaid with the heady musk of an aroused woman. I raised my eyebrows at her, and she laughed again, this time a full-throated laugh.

I said, "Yes, well sorry about that, but I wouldn't have called if it wasn't urgent."

Her face turned serious, "Darling Michael, I know you wouldn't. What's going on, Rebecca hurried past me and ran upstairs. Then Karen just did the same thing."

"I'd rather not explain several times; can we wait until they come back down?"

She reluctantly agreed, I took off my suit jacket and removed my tie. Feeling more comfortable, I sat down on the sofa next to Francesca. She did that magic trick that all women seemed to have perfected, her legs folded impossibly under her, and she rested her head on my shoulder.

"So mio uomo bello, I come to see my lover, and you interrupt our passion. You better have a good reason."

I sighed; I knew I wasn't going to be allowed to wait to give my explication. Not that I knew everything, the only person that did, was upstairs with my aunt. A clatter from the kitchen reminded me that Larissa was here as well. I used that as an excuse. I disentangled myself from Francesca and went to talk to Larissa.

She stood behind the kitchen island, making hot chocolate in a saucepan. She was a lovely young Dutch woman, who'd been working for us for the past year. She was devoted to the children, and she wasn't looking happy with me.

I put my hands up in in a vain attempt to apologize. "I'm sorry about this," I told her. "If there were any other way I could have done it without dragging the children out of bed and ruining your evening, I would have done it. I just couldn't risk losing them."

She gave me a surprised look. "Why would you lose them?"

"It's too complicated to explain at the moment; just accept I wouldn't have done it if I didn't think it was necessary."

She seemed to accept that. A good job, because the more I thought about it, the more I was convinced that I'd over-reacted and made a mountain out of a molehill. I was saved from any more self-recrimination by the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. Larissa poured the hot chocolate into four mugs she'd placed on a tray. She passed me the tray and nodded in the direction of the lounge.

I returned to the lounge and was met by a stony-faced Karen. Her lips twitched as she saw the tray in my hands. She took it from me and stood back, letting me see the other two women sitting on the sofa. I felt like a rabbit in the headlights, and I withered under their combined glares.

Then I stiffened my spine; I wasn't the one in the wrong, Rebecca was. "So what's your excuse for your behavior this evening? What's going on with your father?"

Karen hissed in annoyance, "That's something you two need to discuss later. What is far more important is why you felt the need to have me kidnap your children?"

"Because Conrad said he was sending people to collect the kids for Rebecca. Yes, I know I probably overreacted, but in my defence, I wasn't thinking rationally at the time. I called you while I was waiting to see if Becs was going to come with me or stay with her father."

"I told you," Rebecca said. "I have no idea why Dad did what he did. He wouldn't let me go after you until I got that bouncer to make him let go of me."

"That doesn't explain why after all I've warned you about that asshole Marcus, it's obvious you were cuddled up with him for most of this evening. What hurts is how comfortable you seemed around him. That wasn't the first time you'd been with him in a social situation, was it?"

It took her a few moments to respond, and when she did, it was a soft whispered "No."

Before I could respond Karen pulled Rebecca to her feet with a muttered: "we need to talk some more." She pulled her out of the room, and I was left with Francesca.

Neither of us said anything for a few moments. Finally, Francesca said, "I think you two need to take a step back. We need to get the children and you out of Conrad's reach."

"What do you suggest?"

"You and the children should come and stay with me for the next couple of weeks, stay for Christmas. You and the children will be safe there. I'll sort out flights for us tomorrow. Hopefully, we can get a flight in the evening."

"What about Rebecca?"

"That's up to you; if you want her to come it's your decision. She's welcome of course, but if you feel you want some time alone to consider your options, I would understand."

Francesca took my hand and gave it a squeeze. "This isn't an invite to share my bed," she said. "As much as I have fond memories of our times together, that's not what you need now. This is an offer of a safe place for you and the children, so that you and Rebecca can get back to your happy place because I can't believe she's involved with that nasty man! You know what I think; I'll invite your parents and my lovers as well."

There was a bitter tinge to my voice as I muttered, "I'm not so sure as you are that they aren't involved; you didn't see the way she was all over him."

Steps outside in the hall coming closer prevented Francesca from responding. Karen entered, followed by a red-faced Rebecca.

"Your wife wants to explain what's been going on," Karen said. "You're not going to like all that she tells you, but I suggest you wait until tomorrow before you make any rash decisions. I want the pair of you to meet some people I know that may be able to put all of this in context."

"Who?" I asked.

"Remember I told you that something about Marcus's name sounded familiar; I recalled hearing his name a year or so ago at one of Geraldine's dinner parties."

"Geraldine, the lawyer?"

"Yes, only she's a barrister friend of mine who lives over in Lancing. She told me about Marcus. He apparently tried to seduce the wife of a close friend of hers. I called her a little while ago to see if she knew any more about your Marcus and she wants to talk to you. She can see us in the morning, and she'll see if the couple will be willing to talk to you as well."

She looked Rebecca and me, waiting for us to respond. Rebecca gave a quick nod and then glanced at me. What the hell, I thought. I might as well get another opinion on Marcus. But if she'd slept with him then I was not sure I'd be able to forgive her, nor did I see how this could explain Conrad's bizarre behavior at the party.

"Fine," I said. "I'll be interested to find out what else that dickhead has done." I turned towards Francesca, "But then I'm going to take up your kind offer Francesca. The kids and I would love to come and stay with you."

There was a gasp from Rebecca. "What about me," she asked. "Why would you want to take Jessica and Davy?"

"Because I still think your father is up to something and I don't trust him not to do something stupid."

"You are welcome as well," Francesca said to Rebecca quickly as she gave me a harsh stare.

I looked at Rebecca, "It's up to you, Francesca offered to sort out flights for us tomorrow, you'll need to let her know if you need a seat."

She looked from me to Francesca and back again. "When were you thinking of flying back?"

"Francesca has invited us to stay for a couple of weeks, so I guess a day or so before Christmas."

"Christ, Mike, I can't be out of the office for that long. Not when the case is as delicately poised as it is."

"So he's more important than the children and me."

"Nooooo," she cried. "That's not what I'm saying. I don't care about him, I do care about winning the case for me."

"And that what I don't understand. How can you separate him from winning?"

Rebecca shook her head, tears trickling down her cheeks. Karen broke the silence, "I'm going to make up the extra bed in the small guest room for Larissa. She can sleep with the children. You two are in the other guest room because I'm not letting you drive. Any case, you two need to talk!"