There is a maze of lanes within the rich suburb; narrow, leafy roads that wind between the large houses with their high walls and hidden gardens. Many of these big houses were selling off their gardens to allow new apartments to be built in this expensive backwater of London.
I had decided to walk. The rest of the team were working on a nearby redevelopment, and the boss had asked me to go to the Show-Flat in the recently finished block of prestigious apartments overlooking the river.
“I’ve left the plans there. Go and fetch them for me will you, Jim? I’ll be back later this afternoon.”
It was a lovely early September day. The sun was warm and the sky flecked with thin clouds. I had just slipped through the shortcut between the ivy-covered brick walls surrounding some fine old Georgian houses, when I saw a woman walking towards me. She was a well-dressed lady, possibly in her late thirties or forties. Her hair was immaculately styled and I could tell from the way she carried herself with confidence, that here was a lady used to having everything she desires.
As I looked her way, our eyes met and there was this instant flash that occurs only rarely. I felt my pulse race. She slowed up as I approached. She carried an envelope in her hand, the address written in sweeping italic writing.
“I wonder, could you tell me ....“ she started slowly. “I’m trying to find my way to the river and I seem to have lost my bearings......”
Her eyes burrowed into mine. I saw her look down at my tanned arms and my plaster covered T-shirt.
“The river...?” I blurted. “Er, well, it’s down ..... I’m going that way ... would you like me to show you?”
“I’d be delighted.” she replied, and gave a little laugh. “These narrow lanes can be confusing to the visitor!” She had a faint trace of a foreign accent, possibly French. She turned on her elegant heel and walked beside me.
She asked me about my job, and I explained to her about the buildings I had been working on. As we walked, she had many questions about these apartments. It seemed that she was bored with her own penthouse apartment in the city, and was looking to invest a little money in buying some real estate in this area.
As we drew close to my destination, I said to her,
“The river is just at the end of that lane. I need to go in here....”
She looked in through the high wrought-iron gates into the deserted tree-covered quadrangle.
“And this is the building you’ve just been working on....?”
I put the key into the gate. It seemed strange that she was standing here chatting to me, when she had an appointment down near the river.
“I would love to see inside .. could I?”
“I only have the key to the Show-Flat ..... I’m only here to pick up the drawings ..”
She slipped through the gate and stood and looked around as I locked the gate behind me. She giggled a little nervously.
“After you,” she said. “By the way, I’m Suzanne. What’s your name?”
“Jim”
“Nice to meet you, Jim.”
The flat was a sumptuous open-plan space overlooking the river. Huge windows opened out on to the balcony. The interior was not to my taste, but it was elegantly furnished with pale leather covered armchairs and sofa, a big glass coffee table and gold framed mirrors. In one corner, behind the screen and the potted bamboo, was a king sized bed with deep maroon satin covers.
She took off her jacket as she walked over to the window, slid it open and walked out on to the balcony. I followed her and watched as she turned and leant right back against the railings, facing me. Her breasts strained against her silk blouse.
