A Servant of the Company (18 page)

‘Get the A4 pad Carol,’ she ordered. ‘Make a list and sort yourself out.’ Relief was now taking over from the moments of despair she had experienced over the past few weeks. She was in control again, and liked it.

His case was packed, that and a small holdall contained the sum total of Steve Henderson’s possessions. Anthea had suggested leaving some of them behind but he decided against doing so. Once he had left, he reasoned that she could meet someone who might become a more permanent fixture in her life, and going back to collect his things could prove difficult for her. He decided to wear his new suit on the train to Manchester, it would have become very creased in the case and he wanted to start off looking the part. It was not a case of trying to impress anyone, he would dress for his new role as a merchandise manager. Looking in the mirror he straightened his tie, fastened the centre button on his lightweight navy blue suit and tugged on the double cuffs of his shirt to show his newly acquired cuff links. He was satisfied he looked the part. As with any dramatic change in lifestyle, he still felt apprehensive about the company and just what the job involved. His instruction two weeks after the telephone offer had been to travel to Manchester the following Monday where a reservation had been made for him in a 3 star hotel near the city centre. The advice to take some old clothes with him had come as a surprise, but this company seemed to be full of surprises. He guessed that he may have to either decorate an office or move furniture to set up the business. He couldn’t have been more wrong.

It was time to go, the train to London was at two p.m. then he had to get the Manchester connection. ‘Right Steve, let’s get those bags in the car.’ She found it difficult to speak, the tears would come if she didn’t make herself busy. She picked up her car keys and without looking at him, headed towards the door.

Steve caught her arm before she reached it and pulled her towards him. ‘Anthea I don’t know what I would have done without the help and support you have given me.’ Holding her close to him, he could feel her silently sobbing. ‘Don’t get upset, or you’ll get me started. It wouldn’t do for a new business suit to get on the train topped by a tear stained face, would it?’ Through the tears she laughed at his attempt to cheer her up. He kissed her on the cheek before she turned towards him, and then they were kissing each other as though the final day on earth had arrived. They breathlessly broke from each other, both wondering why this had not happened before. Now was too late to discuss it, he would miss his train if they didn’t leave soon. ‘Anthea, I don’t know what to say. Can we talk when I visit, although I have no idea when that might be? Once I get to know the ropes, I’ll have a better idea of free time. I’ll let you know when I ring. Is that alright?’

‘Of course it is silly, you’ve got a job to do, I know that. I’ll just have to be patient until they let you out to play.’ She was happy and sad at the same time. The kiss had told her what she wanted to know. He was interested in her as a woman as she was interested in him as a man. Things had moved to a different level and their lives with luck, could be permanently linked.

It took twenty minutes to get to the station and during that time neither of them spoke yet they felt content in the knowledge that they were now a couple. When she was able to take a hand off the steering wheel, she had held Steve’s hand, gripping it tightly. It was a new found pleasure for her, and Steve acknowledged the gesture by holding on to her hand until the last possible moment. They both knew it was childish but each of them relished the moment which was to be so short lived.

‘Just drop me here Anthea, it’s impossible to park for longer than it takes a warden to write a ticket. I’ll ring you tonight and let you know how things are.’ He turned to her and held her face in his hands before kissing her. ‘Must dash although it’s the last thing I want to do, if only the job had been here it would have been perfect.’ Opening the car door and he quickly got out and retrieved his case from the back seat knowing that Anthea was near to tears. He didn’t want her to be upset, and thought a quick getaway would allow her to concentrate on driving home and not just on their parting. He turned before entering the station and waved to her as she started the engine and was pleased to see her smiling at him.

Two train journeys and four hours later he arrived at the hotel. It was a small but very elegant building and he felt a bit out of place as he entered the reception area with its antique furniture and beautiful floral displays. He reminded himself that this was the first hotel he had ever stayed in. The reception desk was deserted but a small notice on the desk invited visitors to ring the bell. Never having been faced with this sort of challenge before, Steve glanced around before pressing the button. Not too far away he heard the sound of the bell ringing, as he removed his finger it stopped. ‘Now what happens?’ he asked himself. That problem was soon solved with the arrival of a tall elegant lady. She smiled at Steve as she approached.

‘You must be Mr. Henderson. Welcome to Oak Tree House. My name is Corinne Blandford. My husband and I own the hotel. I think you have been booked in by your company for three weeks to begin with. If you would just sign the register, then I’ll show you to your room.’ Passing him the register and a pen, she turned to a notice board and collected a number of leaflets.

He returned the smile, but he was worried and didn’t want to show his lack of worldly experience on his first hotel visit as a guest. Looking at previous entries, he almost burst out laughing with relief. There was nothing to it, why had he been so foolish. Quickly writing down the required information he handed the pen back to Mrs. Blandford.

‘I’m afraid you will have to carry your own case to your room, you don’t mind do you? My husband has recently been in hospital and can barely move at the moment. If you would follow me we will get you settled in.’ Walking ahead, she soon showed Steve into a very comfortable room on the first floor with its own bathroom. ‘If you wish to have your evening meal here, we serve dinner between seven and eight p.m. Breakfast is from seven o’clock until nine thirty. I have some leaflets here that may interest you. They will give you some idea of the entertainment and sights to see, but like all young people you will soon sort out what you want to do. Anyway, if there is anything we can help you with please ask. Enjoy your stay. I’ll leave you to it.’

‘Thank you, I must say you have a very nice hotel and I’m sure I will be very comfortable here.’ He smiled as she left the room, and thought the company certainly knew how to pick places to stay and Mrs. Blandford must be the best looking hotel owner in the country. This was a mini mansion, far better than the big multi storey, four hundred room soulless places he had seen in films. He explored the room, opening drawers and wardrobes, there was even a trouser press. By the side of the bed was a tray with tea, coffee and everything to go with it. ‘This is sheer bloody luxury,’ he quietly assured himself, he had experienced nothing like it. He marvelled at the array of toiletries in the bathroom and the pure white towels resting on the large radiator. Yes this would do nicely. He opened his suitcase and carefully unpacked his belongings depositing them in their new home. If only his mother could see him now he thought. He must ring her and let her know of his new career. She would be disappointed he had left the Army where she had seen an unruly boy turn into a polite, controlled and successful young man, but would surely welcome his rise in the world of business.

By the time he had unpacked, had a shower and changed into a casual outfit, it was seven o’clock and time for dinner. When he went downstairs to the dining room, he found there were several people already seated and checking the menu. They all looked very middle class, and Steve checked himself in the mirror to be sure he didn’t look out of place. Satisfied, he took his place at one of the tables set for two.

The meal was excellent and Steve soon relaxed and settled into what had initially felt like alien surroundings to him. He almost felt at home by the time the friendly waitress had finished fussing over him. Recommending the best things on the menu, with a smile indicating she knew what she was talking about. He accepted her choices and when the meal was finished, had thanked her for the advice she had given. From the smile he received, he knew he would be well looked after in the dining room. As he got up to leave, Mrs. Blandford approached the table carrying a large brown envelope.

‘I do apologise Mr. Henderson, this arrived for you this morning and it slipped my mind.’ Handing the envelope to Steve, she continued, ‘I hope the delay hasn’t caused you any inconvenience. If you have any further mail, would you like it putting in your room?’

Steve accepted the envelope glancing at it for clues of the sender. ‘No problem at all, if you don’t mind it would be great if you would have anything put into my room.’ He smiled as he turned to leave the dining room. ‘And by the way, that was a delicious meal.’

‘I’m so pleased you liked it.’ Mrs. Blandford did like good manners and appreciation for the efforts she and her staff put in to make their guests stay a pleasurable one. ‘Yes,’ she said to herself, ‘A very nice young man.’

The envelope seemed to be getting hotter as Steve hurried to his room. It must be his joining instructions, he told himself. Quickly opening the bedroom door, he entered closing it behind him. He was excited, but before opening the letter he quickly checked that the door was locked and that there wasn’t a maid in the bathroom.

He paused before opening the letter, ‘Henderson you’re getting paranoid, stop acting like a master spy, it’s only a letter. You won’t have to swallow it once you’ve read it.’ It didn’t open easily, or had his fingers suddenly become all thumbs? Eventually he took out the wad of foolscap sheets and settled back on the bed to read them. The first thing he noticed, there was no company letter heading and the doubt he had felt days earlier returned. Once he had re-read the instructions for the third time, he was perspiring although his face had lost all trace of colour.

The words came from his lips as a question which he knew he couldn’t answer. ‘What the bloody hell have I let myself in for?’ He looked around the elegant room, thought of the meal in the dining room and wondered how the tasks he had been set could possibly relate to his present situation. He had promised to telephone Anthea, but dreaded it. What could he say about the job? He couldn’t say anything, the contents of the letter were so worrying that the slightest hint could bring retribution, not only against him but possibly against Anthea too. He hadn’t been asked to swallow the letter once it was read and understood, but he had to tear into small pieces and dispose of it down the lavatory. He would ring her, tell her about the hotel and its location and about the marvellous meal. Then he would leave it at that. He wouldn’t arrange for her to visit until he had sorted himself out, there was a lot to do and he had no idea how he could cope with it but cope he would have to until he could come up with a solution.

Before ringing Anthea, he read the instructions for the fourth time. Five sheets he tore up, the fifth was a map of his ‘area of influence’, the term used in his instructions. Folding it he put it into his wallet. Once he had visited the area and knew it intimately, this sheet would then follow the same route as the others. Gathering the pieces together he carried them to the bathroom carefully dropping them into the lavatory bowl. Checking that none had fallen on the way, he carried out his instruction. He had to flush the lavatory three times before the last piece of paper finally disappeared. This small action gave him a feeling of relief. It was as though his hands had been suddenly cleansed. The perspiration on his temple indicated his awareness that the feeling would be temporary.

Returning to the bedroom he glanced out of the window, imagining the different worlds that existed within a mile from the hotel, something he hadn’t given much thought about before. The seamier side of life certainly wasn’t new to him, he had lived it and there were very few things which would shock him. But having experienced a lot of one and a little of the other, he had to decide where his future lay. It was not a difficult decision. He would go along with the instructions, but was determined that the end result would not be that required by the Company. The plot would have to be made up as he went along, at this stage he didn’t have enough information. That would only come when his own input triggered a response. He couldn’t go to the Police. That idea had crossed his mind but there had been cases where police officers had been in the pay of criminal gangs, and his company was certainly that. He couldn’t take the risk. He would accept the pay and lifestyle, but tailor his own agenda.

Lying on the bed he reached for the mobile phone that Anthea had given him as a present before he left. Taking a deep breath he connected to her home number. As soon as the ringing stopped, he said, ‘Hi Anthea, it’s me on a very smart and attractive mobile phone that was given to me by a young lady of exceptional taste. How are you?’ He tried to sound cheerful and hoped that Anthea would not see through his bluff. With his mind still in turmoil, this was going to be a very difficult conversation, unless he could keep her off ‘The Company.’

‘Hello Steve, lovely to hear from you. Was it only this morning that you left? It seems like a lifetime. I have missed you and can’t wait until I can drive up to see you. How are things going?’ The pleasure she got hearing his voice was incredible. If it hadn’t been for that kiss, she might never have heard from him again. But that was not going to happen, she knew it and she knew that he knew it.

Steve imagined Anthea sitting next to her telephone and saw her beautiful face and natural grace and suddenly felt a bit more relaxed. ‘Awful journey, but I’m in a very nice hotel. Very olde worlde, lots of antiques, polished wood and shining copper. Flowers everywhere, you would love it. The food is great too, I can see myself putting on a lot of weight if I’m here for long. I wish you could be here with me, we do have a lot to say to each other don’t we?’