Chapter 77: Chapter 78

“I’ll go make something to eat. shall I.” He winks. “I’ll tell you something for free, James. I’ll be happier when you’re out of bed if only because I’m missing your cooking.”

He leaves and after a minute or so the clatter and bang of pans and crockery and cutlery cuts through the evening, briefly followed the smash of something hitting a tiled floor and loud cursing. I chuckle to myself….

When he was single, I think he lived on take-outs and ready-packed salad….

Then my mood swings, turning serious and I gnaw endlessly on my thoughts Suppose Klempner is lying….

…. As he almost certainly is….

How to keep you safe Jade…?

Without putting you in a prison….

... Even the kind where the bars are inside your own head….

They tried to murder Michael….

…. They almost succeeded with me….

….

….

If anything like this happens again….

If I died….

…. You'd only have Michael You need more….

….

….

You have a powerful enemy….

…. You need powerful friends….

Richard….

Tighten that bond….

How?

It won't come from you. You won’t volunteer it….

I punished you when you first met him….

….

I was wrong….

And I close my eyes against the memory of that day and my own stupidity and jealousy and the bitter consequences.

Never again Richard...

But how?

….

….

First let's get you safely married….

Michael will never let you down.

Ever.

*****

Three Years Ago Charlotte is polishing the brass finger plates on the bar-room door when Barbara-Vivienne strolls by.

Without breaking her stride, she murmurs, “The Cafe au Lait, six am?”

“I’ll be there.”

*****

As Charlotte enters, Barbara is waiting for her with coffee and waffles for two at the table. As Charlotte sits, the woman waves a hand across. “Help yourself.”

Embarrassed at, again, accepting gifts from strangers, Charlotte takes the coffee but doesn’t touch the waffles until Barbara pushes a fork into her hand.

“Look, kid, you’re broke. You’re doing your best to get out of it. I get that. Been there. Done that. Read the book. Seen the movie. Got the tee-shirt. Now eat. When you’re the City’s leading courtesan, you can buy me lunch one day.”

She waits until Charlotte has eaten a couple of bites then, “Okay, I’ve been talking to some people for you. The general agreement is that the best way for you to raise the most is by auction.”

“Auction?” Charlotte’s jaw drops.

Barbara lifts her chin with a finger. “Did no-one ever tell you it’s bad manners to eat with your mouth open? Yes, auction.”

She reaches into a bag, pulling out a sheet of paper. “Now listen, can you use a computer?”

“Sort of. I’m learning.”

“Alright, do a search. Here’s a couple of sites to start you off….” She taps on the paper with a long nail at a list of web addresses. “…. but once you start looking, there’s a few of them out there. I suggest you look at them to get a feel of what you are letting yourself in for. But….” She holds up her hand. “…. and it’s a big but, most of them are foreign and a lot reserve the right to take you out of the country. You don’t want that. You stay here, in this country where the law will protect you.”

Charlotte chokes down a mouthful of waffle. “Yes, I’ll make sure of that.”

Barbara shifts her finger down the sheet to a highlighted paragraph. “Take a good look at this one. It’s local, run by one of the City auction houses. It’ll not necessarily promise the best take for you and the house charges fifty per cent, but it’s a much safer option than most of the others. And it means that, if you want to, you can tell a friend where you are.”

She eyes the girl, even more pale-faced than usual. “You alright?”

“Yes, it’s just…. It’s becoming more real, talking about it like this.”

Barbara narrows her eyes, folds her arms. “Am I wasting my time? Are you going to bottle out on this?

Because if you are….”

“No, no. I’ll go through with it. It’s just….”

“…. Just hitting home hard?”

“Yes.”

Barbara softens her tone. “No-one’s going to force you to do this. It must be your own choice to do it.

But what I would say is, if you’re going to do it, then do it. Don’t approach the auction house and then change your mind. They’ll never give you a second chance.”

Charlotte’s gaze goes distant. “You’re right. I have to make up my mind and carry it though.”

The woman smiles. “Finish your waffles. I’ve got to go now but let me know what you decide to do. I’d like to know.”

“I’ll do that, yes.”

*****