Forty 2 Days (The Billionaire Banker) by Georgia le Carre Read Free Book Online

desert.
    ‘ My position does not allow me to say, but do not underestimate Blake Law Barrington.  He could surprise you yet.  Besides, don’t you think that women who blame the other woman are stupid?  The other woman owes them no allegiance.  Look to your own man.  He is the one who has betrayed you.  Get angry with him, if you dare.’
    I nod.  Fleur is right.  I have done nothing wrong.  I kept to my agreement. I left the country for a year.  I did not approach Blake.  He came looking for me.
    ‘ Good,’ Fleur says with an encouraging smile. ‘Here is what we will do.  We will go to my friend’s boutique and find something for you to wear tonight and tomorrow I will have some clothes that I think will be perfect for you sent to your apartment?  And you can choose what you want and return the rest, OK?’  
    ‘ OK.’
    ‘ I will reschedule your hairdresser’s appointment and Laura will push all the other appointments up accordingly.’
    In a daze I hear her call the celebrity hairdresser and effortlessly get him to come into the salon four hours earlier than scheduled.  People bent backwards to accommodate a Barrington’s needs.  After that she calls Laura.  
    ‘ Slight change of plans,’ she says.  ‘Mmnn.  Tell you about it later.  We are going to the hairdresser’s at 1:00 pm.  Push all the other appointments up accordingly.’  A pause while she listens and then she says, ‘Right.  That’s fine with me.  Speak later.’  She turns to me.  ‘All right?’
    ‘ All right.’
    ‘ Lunch first?’
    I am not hungry, but I nod unhappily.
    She takes a deep breath.  ‘If you promise you will never tell anyone what I am about to reveal to you then I will tell you a secret.’
    I promise quickly.  
    ‘ It is very important that you do not tell anyone, especially Blake, or you could drop both Laura and me into some extremely foul smelling stuff.’
    ‘ I won’t tell anyone.  Especially Blake.’
    ‘ You are more important to Blake than you think.  Sometime after he met you last year, when he was about to go into an important meeting, he called over his shoulder and told Laura to hold all his calls.  But then he turned around and said, “except for Lana”.’
    ‘ Laura was very surprised by the request.  You see, never before had he given her such an instruction.  Not even for his father or brother.  “Is that for just this meeting or for all day,” she asked.  “Until I tell you otherwise.”  But here is the most surprising thing of all: Blake Barrington has never told her otherwise.’
    The first thought in my mind.  That was before.  
    ‘ Don’t make the mistake of thinking that is because he has forgotten.  Blake never forgets anything.  Not even the smallest details.’
    I nod.  Perhaps he did care.  Perhaps he will learn to care again.
    ‘ I did not want us to meet Victoria not because I am afraid of her, but because I think it is unnecessary.  It is unnecessary for you and unnecessary for her.  She has overestimated her importance; you have underestimated yours.  Be confident.  Things are not always what they seem.’  
    A business call comes through for Fleur.  She asks if I mind her taking it.  I say no and spend my time looking at the shoppers on the street, my stomach rolling with anxiety.
    The car comes to a stop outside a brightly painted corner shop called Bijou.
    Fleur pushes open an old-fashioned door and a quaint bell tinkles.  A waft of carpet deodorant rushes out to greet us.  The small shop is so crammed with clothes, jewelry, hats, bags and shoes and so different from the usual pared down designer shop that Fleur usually takes me to that I actually have the impression of having stumbled into Aladdin’s secret cave.  
    A well-preserved small woman of indeterminate age stands from behind an ornate desk and comes forward to greet and air kiss Fleur on both her cheeks.  Her laughter is a sophisticated, heavy smoker’s rasp.  She