Free Hotel du Barry by Lesley Truffle

wickedness.
    Eventually Daniel told her, ‘You’re old enough to choose your own books from my library. It’s about trust.’
    Cat smirked.
    Daniel looked Cat straight in the eye. ‘I know what you get up to, Cat. But try not to devour all the risqué books in one go. There’s a lot of great literature to choose from. Think about how you want to furnish your mind. And what sort of a person you want to be when you grow up.’
    Cat gave him a kiss on the cheek. ‘Oh, all right then.’
    Edwina was not in the habit of giving up. One winter’s evening, she waited impatiently for Daniel to finish dinner and get comfortable in his favourite chair. ‘Danny, she needs to go to boarding school.’
    â€˜No. Boarding school was the worst time of my life.’
    â€˜But times have changed. Young Celeste Jones is –’
    â€˜No, Edwina. And don’t bring it up again.’
    Edwina sat on the arm of his chair and straightened his tie. She placed long, cool fingers on the back of his neck and massaged his neck muscles. Daniel tensed up, frowned and pointedly checked his watch. She ruffled his hair. He stared out the window. Edwina softened her tone, ‘Danny, it would do her good. Look what it did for me. I’m very well adjusted.’
    Daniel narrowed his gaze. ‘That’s debatable, Edwina.’
    â€˜You snide bastard!’
    Edwina jumped to her feet and drank the rest of her wine in one gulp. Lighting up a cigarette she sucked down the smoke in sharp intakes. Daniel reached for his coat and with infinite care knotted a silk scarf and smoothed fur-lined gloves over his fingers. ‘It’s only eight and you’re already sloshed. I won’t be back until tomorrow morning. If there’s a real emergency I can be contacted at my club.’
    She ground out her cigarette until her knuckles were white. ‘The whole of London knows you’ll be spending the night there with your rent boy.’
    â€˜I assume you’re referring to Michael. I’m not sure that being a Peer of the British Realm equates with being a rent boy. Eddie, why are you being so snaky? You like Michael and he’s given you no cause for complaint.’
    â€˜I feel diminished. I’m sure people talk about us behind our backs.’
    â€˜You have to learn not to give a damn and accept you will always have enemies. Anyway, you’re a fine one to talk. I overheard the hotel’s chauffeurs discussing the American boxer you picked up so publicly the other night at the Ritz. Surely you could exhibit some discretion?’
    â€˜You make it sound like I’m the whore of Babylon. And don’t you dare leave before I’ve finished having my say. You always manage to get the last word in.’
    Daniel shrugged and picked up his hat.
    As he made for the door, Edwina seized an antique crystal vase and swung it at him. It had been a wedding present from one of Daniel’s ex-girlfriends. Water drenched the luxurious carpet and hothouse roses flew across the room. Despite her slight build, Edwina could hurl heavy objects with stupendous ease. Daniel ducked and made a rapid exit. The vase hit the closing door with a resounding thud and shattered into tiny pieces. He went down the stairs whistling a jaunty polonaise.
    Sebastian paused midway up the stairs. ‘Is everything all right, Sir?’
    â€˜Yes, just the usual debacle. Mind the broken glass when you go in.’
    It wasn’t always blossom time in Edwina’s vicinity but in some ways she made up for the family he’d lost. For Daniel still missed the noisy breakfasts he used to enjoy with his opinionated father and two argumentative brothers.
    Sebastian entered the apartment and crunched his way across the carpet. Edwina was weeping on the sofa and furiously thumping the cushions into submission. She failed to notice him, so he quietly stepped into the dining room and waited.
    He listened