chapter 2

I watched as Carolyn left the cafe and noted that she was heading towards the main exit. I took out my phone and sent a text: "Got one. 5 minutes." I closed my book, strolled out into the main airport building and purposely walked the opposite way to Carolyn. After a few steps, I casually glanced at my watch, did a double take and swore. Turning, I rushed towards the main exit occasionally shouting apologies to the people I almost barged out of the way. To the people in the airport, and more importantly the CCTV, I was now some fool who was close to missing a bus or train connection. I certainly wasn't a guy chasing after the woman that he had been studying in detail for the last half hour.

I burst out into the afternoon sunlight and almost ran into the back of Carolyn. She turned and looked at me as I mumbled an apology; I could tell that she was not impressed and I needed a way to rescue the situation and fast. Luckily, Carolyn sat on one of the benches, pulled her handbag onto her knee, fumbled inside and took out a cigarette. I was instantly there with a lighter.

"I know you can't take these on a plane," I said with a friendly smile as she allowed the end of her cigarette to catch the flame and inhaled deeply.

"Thank you," she said. "I needed that after a seven hour flight." She turned away and inhaled again while I stood there in awkward silence. Sensing the tension, Carolyn turned back.

"I'm sorry," she said coldly. "Would you like one?" She offered me the packet, which I declined.

"Thanks, but I don't smoke," I replied. Carolyn looked at me with a puzzled expression so I explained: "I just carry a lighter to break the ice. Ever since the smoking ban was introduced in England, there are often women standing outside pubs and bars, and this gives me an opportunity to speak to them." I waved my hand between the two of us and added, "Just like this."

Well, if Carolyn looked unimpressed before, she positively sneered at me now as she assumed, quite rightly, that I was making a terrible attempt to get a date with her. Obviously, that was part of the plan. Carolyn finished her cigarette and stood up.

"Listen," she said, "I don't know why you are hovering around here, but if you think that you and I are..."
I stopped her mid-sentence. "I am just waiting for my lift and passing the time in polite conversation. I really didn't mean to offend you. I don't even know how I have to be honest." I shrugged and Carolyn looked embarrassed; a red glow spreading across her pale cheeks. Before she could speak, and with perfect timing, my vintage Bentley pulled into the drop off bay outside the airport doors, and my chauffer, Jenkins, came round to open the door for me.

"Good afternoon Sir," he said. "May I remind you that you have a dinner reservation at eight?" I sensed Carolyn's attitude change, and on the edge of my vision, I could see her watching intently.

"Thank you, Jenkins," I replied, and as I was about to get into the car, I turned back to Carolyn. "It was nice to meet you," I said, "and I really hope you enjoy your stay in England." I made a move towards the open door, but Carolyn quickly came up to me.

"I am really sorry for being rude earlier," she said. "I was just tired after the long flight, you know." She flashed me the most amazing smile, and swept her hair back around her ear, all traces of her previous conceit gone. I did notice however, that though the apology was aimed at me, she was looking beyond me and at the red leather interior of the Bentley.

"Don't worry about it," I said, dismissively and turned to get into the car, but again Carolyn spoke and stopped me.

"I guess you need to get back to your wife and family..." she said, but left the phrase hanging, so I obliged and gave her the answer to her unasked question.

"I am not married," I said.
"Girlfriend?"
"I am recently single," I told her. "My girlfriend left me... not long ago at all actually." That was possibly the most truthful thing I had ever said in my life. Carolyn nodded sympathetically and gave me her smile again. She put her hand on my arm and told me how I seemed really nice and didn't deserve to be treated like that. I looked at her and for a moment it seemed like there was nobody else in the world.

As we gazed into each other's eyes, Jenkins cleared his throat. "I apologise for interrupting, Sir, but we are in a temporary parking spot. I need to move the car immediately." I looked at my watch, making sure that Carolyn could see the diamonds on the face and nodded. I climbed into the car and my chauffeur closed the door behind me. As he took his place in the driver's seat and started the engine, I could see Carolyn trying to find a reason to stop us. She slumped onto the bench and started to cry.

"We got her," I said smugly to Jenkins and then I opened the window.
"Is everything OK?" I asked, my voice full of concern. "Can I give you a lift somewhere?" She didn't need the offer twice. Immediately, she was opening the car door, leaving her luggage on the side of the road. I noticed Jenkins pull a face, but ever professional, he did not complain; he just got out of the car and loaded the bags into the boot. As he came back around, he opened the rear door and pulled out a fold away table onto which he placed an ice-bucket and two glasses.

"I took the liberty of chilling some champagne, Sir," he said as he popped the cork. He half-filled my glass and fully filled Carolyn's but she did not seem to notice, or if she did, she did not mention it. "I really must move the car now though," Jenkins said as he climbed into the driver's seat and at last, we were heading out into London. It was on this journey that Carolyn actually told me her name.

"So, tell me your story, Carolyn. Why are you here?"

She drained her glass and I refilled it. I had only taken a small sip of my own champagne, and it was clear that she was enjoying it much more than I was; that was her third glass. I didn't mind though; the more she drank, the more open she would become and the more I could find out about her background. I refilled her glass again as she took out another cigarette which I lit for her. Jenkins cleared his throat and opened her window, but Carolyn just sniggered and blew a smoke ring at the back of his head. Finally, she answered my question.
"My boyfriend ditched me," she said without emotion. "He just told me that he'd been seeing somebody else, packed his bags and left."

"Well, he's an idiot," I said.

"It's sweet of you to say that," Carolyn told me flashing that stunning smile again. "I couldn't afford to my apartment on my own, so I sold our stuff and got on the plane. This is my first stop on a world tour." She finished her champagne and waggled the glass at me for a refill. I obliged, but this emptied the bottle and only half filled her glass. Carolyn's face was a mixture of disappointment and annoyance.

"Anyway, I have nowhere to stay." She drank the half-glass of champagne in one go and sat back with her arms folded, pouting. I wasn't sure whether the change in mood was because of the empty bottle, or whether it was due to her getting angry about her ex-boyfriend.

"I have a spare room," I said casually. "You can stay with me."

Carolyn looked at me suspiciously, and for a minute I was concerned that she was going to decline, but I noticed her eyes widen as Jenkins turned into the gated road which led to my home. Carolyn looked around at the large detached houses without speaking.

"It's a private estate," I explained to fill the silence. "I have the house at the end; this is just where I stay when I am in the city, so it's always good to have that extra bit of security."

We pulled into the driveway and Jenkins opened Carolyn's door extending his hand to help her out. As she stepped onto the gravel, she looked up in awe at the large front door and Georgian windows. Jenkins took her bags from the boot and led the way into the house, asking her to follow so he could show her to her room. I noticed that as Carolyn walked through the house, her eyes were everywhere, taking in the paintings and the antique clocks. I could almost see her calculating the value of my possessions as she climbed the stairs. After a while Jenkins led her back into the living room.

"You may finish for the day," I told him, but when he left the room, I followed him out and closed the door. Immediately, he turned to me and spoke, his perfect accent replaced with the same Northern tones of my own voice.

"I don't like this one," he told me. "I mean, she's really pretty but I think you need to be careful."

"It's alright Paul," I said, and changed the subject by sending him to get a taxi and fetch the other car from Heathrow. I wasn't going home tonight now! Paul only worked for me as my chauffer, complete with the fake servant voice, because he genuinely believed I worked on behalf of the United Nations to save young women from lives of slavery. How was that for irony? I walked back into the living room and smiled at Carolyn.

"Well, you have an hour to get ready," I said pointing at the clock on the mantelpiece. "We have a dinner reservation at eight. Do you not remember Jenkins saying he had confirmed it? Besides, you must be hungry after that long flight? I have been with you since the airport, so when did you last eat?"

Carolyn nodded, but looked puzzled. "I am hungry," she agreed, "but that reservation was made before you had even spoken to me! How could you know?"

I smiled and took the lighter out of my pocket and threw it gently to her. "You need this more than me now," I said. Carolyn caught the lighter and looked at it and then slowly up at me, realisation crossing her face.

"Never fails," I laughed. "Now, get yourself ready and we'll go fill that empty belly for you."