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By the time Estelle got off the phone with Jack, she was too tired to do anything other than turn the light off and close her eyes.
There was a tentative knock on the door.
‘Yes?’
Elyse appeared. ‘I’m going to bed now.’
‘Sleep well.’
‘Thanks, you too.’ She hovered in the doorway.
Estelle pushed up onto her elbows. ‘Can I get you anything?’
She shook her head. ‘I just wanted to ask a favour.’
‘What is it?’
‘Can you please not tell James or his family where I am?’
‘Okay.’
‘Thank you. And for everything else.’ Elyse gave her a smile, then disappeared, closing the door behind her.
Estelle knew she was dreaming, but wasn’t sure if it was a fantasy or a nightmare. Darth Vader riding Duke, then taking off his helmet to reveal James. Tumbling off the balcony at the Winter Ball into the arms of BeaverFarmer69. James pressing her up against the office wall and calling her ‘Star’. Isaac in a yoga class with a rope in his hand and a twinkle in his eye.
There was no clear narrative, just a series of images that morphed in and out of each other until she wasn’t sure if she was going to have an orgasm or be sick. It was so exhausting that she forced her dreaming self to imagine she was going to sleep, to a place where her mind disappeared into blackness.
After what seemed like another lifetime of experiences, Estelle woke, disorientated. She stared at the light coming in under the bottom of the curtains.
Shit. What time is it?
Glancing at her bedside clock, she groaned. Nine-thirty. Hauling herself out of bed, she went to the bathroom, only remembering Elyse was now living there when she was confronted by an array of beauty products and wet towels left on the floor.
‘Elyse?’
No answer.
Fuck’s sake. Estelle had a quick wash, then took Elyse’s towels to dry in the airing cupboard. The kitchen was another bombsite, with dirty dishes, crusts, and a used tea bag lying on the work surface. Estelle may have been messy, but not when it came to keeping herself or her house clean. She made sure Chester and Joy were fed, then bundled them into the Defender and set off for Shoscombe Manor. Breakfast could be French Fancies and a cappuccino.
After pulling up outside the office’s front door, Estelle strode straight for the kitchen. She stopped in shock, her hand on the door, as through the glass panel she saw James embracing a woman.
He caught her eye, shook his head, and raised his finger as if to say for her to give him a minute.
Estelle dithered as confusion and hurt battled inside her. It was just like yesterday morning, all over again, when she’d heard James talking to his old colleague. Just when she was starting to think he was a decent human being who actually might like her, he ruined everything with his actions. Again.
She couldn’t see the woman’s face, but James was stroking up and down her back. How could he? The woman lifted her head from his chest and wiped her eyes.
He’d made her cry?
‘Motherfucker!’ Estelle yelled, pushing the door open. ‘What have you done to this one?’
The woman spun around and screamed at the same time Chester and Joy started barking. The dogs leapt towards James, but the woman was in the way. James grabbed their collars and manhandled them out of the room.
‘Don’t worry,’ Estelle said to the woman. ‘I won’t let him touch you again. Stay here and let me get rid of him.’ She followed James into the hall, where he was crouched down, petting her dogs and shushing them.
‘You just can’t help yourself, can you?’ she shouted.
‘What? I told you to give me a minute!’
