Masters & Lovers Box Set Three

Chapter 18

*****

Ten minutes later, up to our chests in warm water and foam, I fill the flutes, passing them across.

“’Scuse me a mo,” says Charlotte, then slides under the surface. She rises again a few seconds later, snorting bubbles.

“How do you feel now?” I ask.

James tips his glass to me, smiling, but he doesn’t speak. Then, his lids drooping, he looks away.

*****

 

Klempner - Twenty-Six Years Ago

I step out, feeling bright. Everything is going perfectly.

Bech’s done well…

Nothing like a little competition to get the prices up

Another shipment like that and I can open the east wing at Blessingmoors…

So Yakovlevski wants a mix...

A couple of leggy Russian types ought to fit in well…

Back to Helsinki…

But first I want to see the apartment. Keys jingling in my pocket, I head out.

Will she like it?

But as the lock turns smoothly and the door clicks open, my doubts settle.

What's not to like?

The space is bright and airy, morning sunshine spilling through panes and onto, as I requested, new flooring and walls painted in cool neutral colours.

Much better than what she has…

And she can soon put her own stamp on it…

The carpets are deep and thick. Nonetheless, my footsteps echo in the empty rooms.

To furnish or not to furnish…?

Let her choose from the start?

Or furnish first then she can change it to suit herself?

it in the style she already

Not easy…

No.

window overlooks the harbour, the better part with the

She’ll like that…

she’d like

Sell her own

She’s artistic…

talented…

Don’t get distracted.

the rest of the apartment, the

How to play this…?

Bookshelves…

Definitely.

Double bed...?

that I have

doesn’t take her

she has a

and head out for one of

*****

Her phone rings.

“Hello?”

wondering, are you

you

today. I want to show you something. I’ll send a

“That’s great. What time?”

“About two?”

“I’ll see you then.”

*****

is wearing a track in the carpet. I turn down the

in the fur-lined boots and gloves I bought her in Finland, enfolded in a huge woollen shawl and with a scarf covering half her face. Poking out from under the

must be freezing. Come into the warm. Here,

you don’t mind…” She looks sheepish as she slips off the boots and

wrap, she offers

by the fire. What would you like to drink? Something hot

“Lovely.”

as she perches on a stool

to have the owner’s stamp on it. On which subject, let's see this housewarming

and even before I

as the cloth falls away, I

… extraordinary…

isn’t it? I recognise your

I painted it.” She moves around to look at it with

yes. Very

at sunset. I painted it to give it back to

does she do

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