Part 52 (1/2)

Slowly, he lifted his open palm, held it there briefly, then stood and left the room.

”Very well,” Matthew said and lowered his hand. The others followed suit then silently gathered their things and left the room.

All alone now, he lowered himself to a chair with an exhausted sigh. He had done it again. First Peter. Then the strategic alliance. Now the merger. An agreeable sensation of vengeance washed through him when he thought about Peter Jones and whatever plan he had up his own sleeve. For the second time he had voted Peter out, crus.h.i.+ng whatever his secret scheme with ICP might have been.

But then he was. .h.i.t by a sudden troubling thought. What if Peter's new project actually was superior to Joey? What if William no longer wanted Wallaby? What if the two had already decided to do business together?

He bolted from his chair and raced from the board room. He had to hurry and try to reach William after he was through with Peter Jones, even if that meant intercepting him at the airport.

She had considered driving straight to Jean-Pierre's after finis.h.i.+ng her business with the bank, but decided instead to drop the car at home first and walk to his cottage. The stroll and the fresh air would calm her.

In her tight fist she carried the receipt from the funds transferred to Jean-Pierre's Swiss account. Transaction complete.

Very soon she would find herself strolling to their own stable on their own ranch, with as many horses as she wanted. She envisioned a large property with a simple, stately home, the stable not far from her own back door, nestled among the rolling hills where she and Jean-Pierre would ride.

She rounded the bend of the path that opened onto the ranch.

There were a few riders tramping out to the hills, a trainer in the ring was instructing a young student. Jennifer spotted her and waved from her doorstep just before going inside. Greta returned the greeting with a wide, happy sweep of her arm.

She doesn't even know, Greta thought. For that matter, no one knew about her and Jean-Pierre. They had been discreet with the affair, seeing each other when Matthew was out of town, which had been often in the past months. She still rode almost every morning, and often Jean-Pierre joined her. Together they would hunt out a secluded spot in the hills with a beautiful view, dismount from their horses, and make love.

Yes, that was how it would be almost every day in her new life with Jean-Pierre. As she approached the rear of his cottage, she noticed the drawn curtains on his bedroom window. Was he napping?

She knocked, but there was only silence.

She twisted the doork.n.o.b. It was unlocked, and she decided to let herself in - just as the door was jerked from her hand as it swung inward.

The girl from the sus.h.i.+ restaurant stood there, shocked.

”You!” Greta screeched.

Laurence took a terrified step backward and attempted to swing the door shut in Greta's face.

Greta charged and trapped the girl between herself and the kitchen table. ”What are you doing here?” she screamed.

Laurence lifted her hands to protect herself, just as Jean-Pierre rushed in from the other room and stepped between them.

”Greta, wait,” he pleaded, grabbing Greta by the shoulder.

”Laurence is one of my students.”

”What?” Greta said, turning to him with a confused and exasperated expression, the girl temporarily forgotten.

”Yes,” he said. ”In fact, it was your husband who referred her to the ranch, knowing that you kept your horse here. Please, let go of her darling. Come inside. Let me get you something? He spoke as if he were entertaining guests, three old friends gathering for lunch.

Laurence had managed to extricate herself from the threesome, and was presently collecting her bag.

”She” Greta said, ”is having an affair with my husband.”

”I know,” Jean-Pierre said indifferently.