I knew it was ten-thirty when my PA brought the coffee, biscuits and a daily paper into my office. Marjory has been with me since I became the CEO and knew exactly how and when I liked my morning coffee and afternoon tea.
'I have reserved a table for twelve-thirty at the Belsham Hotel for our lunch appointment with John Chimes, Mr Sterling'
I thanked Marjory and confirmed there were no other meetings until then. I had long ago given up asking her to call me Tim, like everyone else.
Having worked long and hard to become the CEO of Asquith Financial Services, one of the largest investment companies in the country, I really appreciated having such a reliable PA, like Marjory, looking after me.
Alone with my coffee and munching on a nice chocolate biscuit, I knew that at fifty-seven I was finally enjoying my career ambition. My power within Asquith Financial Services was unquestionable, and my income, together with stock holdings, bonuses, and investments are considerable.
Privately, I also considered myself very fortunate. I had a long and very satisfactory marriage to a remarkable woman. Amanda, at just two years younger than me, and was the senior partner with Montague, Morgan and Partners, a leading firm of corporate lawyers. Like me, she had worked hard to achieve her career ambition and was now being exceptionally financially rewarded.
I would say that many would consider that my wife and I were quite high up in social status. Not that it concerned either of us.
Our housekeeper, Mrs Stokes had the evening meal ready to be served when Amanda and I arrived home at about six-thirty. Mrs Stokes had been with us for five years and was now totally indispensable to both of us.
During dinner, Amanda and I talked about our two children, Steve and Susan. Both were happily married to successful husbands but there was still no talk of either of them giving us grandchildren.
'How did you lunch with Mr Chimes go,' Amanda asked me.
'He wants financing to upgrade a large portfolio of small, rental properties.'
'How many?' she asked.
'Seven Hundred and seventy-one,' I told her. 'His family have acquired them over the last fifty years. He needs to spend between eight to ten thousand on each one, which means an investment of seven to eight million.'
'Is it a good investment for you?'
'It's not what we usually undertake but we are going to have another meeting. What about your day, anything interesting?'
'Yes, I've been approached by a perfumery house about a new brand they are developing.'
'Perfume, that smells interesting,' I joked. 'Who approached you?'
'I think it will be very interesting,' Amanda replied, with just a smile at my joke. 'It was just a preliminary phone call to set up a meeting with their CEO, Jacelyn Penrose.'
A month later I went ahead with the investment into Mr Chimes property portfolio. Amanda told me she was still negotiating the contracts for the launch of the perfume house's new brand.
Two months later I casually asked Amanda about her negotiation with the perfume people. 'Are you still in negotiation with Jocelyn Penrose about that perfume thing?' I thought she hesitated a bit before answering.
'Oh, that just concluded,' she said. 'It's a new range of garments, not perfume. It should be in the shops in another three months. I'll be having some samples soon,' she added.
When I asked her if she was still seeing Jocelyn Penrose, again she hesitated. 'Well, yes, we still meet occasionally. Her husband, Grayson owns a chain of hotels, he inherited them from his father.'
Both her hesitation and the change of subject to Jocelyn's husband worried me for some reason. 'He owns some hotels, perhaps Jocelyn could get me a discount if I stay in one of them.' I don't travel much but everyone likes a good discount.
'They're not business hotels, darling. They're all small, exclusive hotels, in out of the way places.'
The way she spoke about them had me thinking she knew more than she was telling me about Jocelyn and her husband. 'They sound wonderful, how about we book a few days away together? The next time you see Jocelyn ask her about it.'
The following Saturday evening, we went out to dinner at our favourite restaurant. Something we tried to do at least once a month. When, like us, you can afford it, dining at a Michelin three-star restaurant is always a special occasion. The ambience, the company of the other clientele, the courtesy of the waiters, the way your meal is presented, everything lulls you into a feeling of wellbeing. Then there is the meal itself, priceless.
Over the desert, Amanda told me she had asked Jocelyn about us staying at one of her husband's hotels. 'We are going to be their guests next weekend,' she said. 'At a country house hotel tucked away in the Cotswolds.'
'That's very kind of Jocelyn, am I going to meet her?' Perhaps I'll find out why my wife has been so hesitant when talking about her.
'That's what she said to me, "it's about time I met your husband."
'Have you met her husband?'
'No, I'm looking forward to meeting him.'
While I was anticipating a weekend away in a boutique hotel in the Cotswolds with my beautiful wife, she seemed to become increasingly nervous. On Thursday Amanda phoned me at the office, nothing unusual in that, except this time it was to tell me Jocelyn was in town and had invited her out for the evening. They had been out together in the evening twice before but I had been told about it a couple of days beforehand.
She returned home at ten and immediately told me they'd had a lovely evening together. Then told me she had to change as she was still wearing her business suit. When I thought about it later I wondered why she hadn't changed into one of the dresses she kept in her office.
We had both expected that I would drive us to the hotel, but that evening Amanda told me a limousine would be at our house by four on Friday.
