Free With the Headmaster's Approval by Jan Hurst-Nicholson

of having an affair. “So who’s the lucky lady?”
    “I didn’t like to ask, but I’ve got a suspicion it could be Danielle.”
    “Danielle Du Bois from the sailing club?”
    “Yes. You know what she’s like.”
    “I think you could be right. She managed to trick me into lending her my phone and she found his number in it. But I thought Adam could do better than that.”
    “C’mon Lisa, don’t be catty. That’s not like you.”
    “Two divorces at thirty-six. And you forget that we went to the same school. Even back then she was known as the local bike.”
    “Give the man a break, Lisa. Danielle can be pretty persistent. But I think she’s finding him a bit more difficult to snare than the ones she usually catches with that yacht – asking men she fancies to crew for her. Apparently she’s offered to sell it to him.”
    “That Hilbre class one? I thought it belonged to her ex.”
    “It did. But he left it to her when he went overseas. I think it was to get her off his back,” said Neil.
    “D’you think Adam will buy it? There aren’t many Hilbre class yachts left.”
    “Maybe - as long as Danielle doesn’t come with it,” he said, laughing.
    “But in the meantime he’s taking what’s on offer?” she said, grinning.
    “You should know all about the motion of the ocean,” he said, slipping his arms round her.  She grinned, remembering the first time they’d made love on a yacht.
    “Please make sure to warn Adam about her. She can be trouble – she will be trouble if he’s taken up with her.”
    “Okay, I’ll mention it. But Adam’s a big boy. I’m sure he can take care of himself. Besides, he’s still in love with Michelle . He’s not looking for a long-term relationship.”
    “But he’s not going to turn down a few one-nighters. Is that what you’re saying?”
    “I wouldn’t have put it as bluntly as that – but, yes.”
    That may be so, she thought, but Adam doesn’t know what Danielle Du Bois is capable of if she’s crossed. And it wouldn’t be long before he found out.
     
    The following week Lisa was printing the agenda for the staff meeting when she heard the brisk click of high heels coming towards her office. She looked up to see Danielle standing in the doorway her face a mask of fury.
    “Where is he?” she demanded.
    “Good afternoon, Danielle. To whom are you referring?”
    “You know damn well who. That bastard, Adam Wild.”
    “He’s not in his office. If you wait here I’ll see if he’s available,” she said, making the mistake of glancing in the direction of the staffroom. It was enough for Danielle. She marched out, her heels beating an angry retreat. Lisa hurried after her, but it was only a short distance and she had no chance of overtaking the raging woman before she barged into the staffroom. 
    Adam was sitting with his back to the door. As he spun round Danielle’s hand connected with his face in a resounding slap. There was a collective appalled gasp as Adam sprang to his feet, his face dark with fury. “What the hell...?”
    Danielle raised her hand again, her mouth twisted in rage. “You bastard. You son of a bitch.”
    He grabbed her wrists and she struggled and writhed in an attempt to escape his firm grasp. Realising it was futile, she brought her knee sharply up to his groin, but he twisted and deflected it from its target and it connected with his leg. 
    “Stop it. Calm down. What’s wrong with you?”
    “That woman you were shopping with in the supermarket, who was she?” she snarled, still struggling to free her wrists.
    His eyes were black with anger. “It’s none of your damn business who I shop with. But it happened to be my mother-in-law.”
    But Danielle wasn’t listening. Blind fury had overtaken her and she fought back, twisting in a n unsuccessful attempt to wrench her arm from his grasp. In an effort to stop her struggles he folded his arms around her, pinning her hands behind her back and preventing her knee from