There were other joggers and people with their dogs. They smiled at me or called out greetings. I passed the familiar American Embassy building and ran further up the road until I got to Hyde Park where a group of people were practicing Tai Chi, their movements slow and graceful. I kept going until I reached the Serpentine Lake before my lungs felt as if they were on fire, and I turned around and started to retrace my steps.
The morning sun was beginning to filter through the buildings and London was coming alive with pedestrians and morning traffic. Almost everybody was dressed for a day in the office and not as friendly as the dog walkers and joggers I had passed on my way out. By the time I got back I was drenched with sweat, but feeling absolutely exhilarated.
I let myself into the apartment and I could tell immediately that Ivan was up and about. His bedroom door was yanked open suddenly and he stood at the doorway in his pajama bottoms, shirtless and frowning. My eyeballs nearly exploded. Whoa! I'll be dog-gone! Who knew that underneath all those perfectly tailored suits the icy English Lord had a chest full of tats?
Designs like you would see in Chinese landscape paintings decorated his pecs. Like dragons or flying beasts, the inked creatures flew down the powerfully developed muscles of his upper arms.
It was shocking to think that half-asleep and grumpy as a grizzly, a man could ooze raw sex appeal like that, but before he could think I was a special kind of stupid I dragged my eyes back up to his brooding face.
'Good morning,' I said cheerfully.
His eyes moved arrogantly over my hot, sweaty face. 'What's good about it?' he asked moodily.
'I don't know. The sun is shining? We're alive?'
'Of course you'd have to be a morning person,' he groaned disgustedly.
I smothered a laugh. 'And of course, you'd have to be a mean sow in the morning.'
He threw me a filthy look, and was about to turn around and disappear into his room again when I spoke up.
'I could make us breakfast?' I suggested brightly.
'No. I have a breakfast meeting.' He paused. 'Maybe coffee?'
'Aye, aye, sir,' I said with a mocking salute.
He nodded and went back into his bedroom.
After he shut his door I went into the kitchen and switched on the machine. While it was heating up I hit the shower. I hurried through my toilette, but by the time I came out of my room he was gone. There was an empty coffee cup in the sink.
The sight deflated me further.
Oh, well. I had the whole day to myself, maybe I should do some shopping. All the stuff Theresa got for me was too big and clumsy. Yes, I should go out and get a few things that I needed. With some amusement I realized that I, the dreaded gold digger, didn't have any money.
I called up the bank and asked them to courier a replacement debit card to Ivan's address. They were extremely accommodating even when I told them that I had no ID on me. They said they would send a teller who could recognize me with my new card. I would have it in less than two hours. I put the phone down and reflected that the world really did bend over backwards to accommodate people with money. I remembered when I had none at all, how the bank manager looked at me as if I was a bit of shit at the end of his shoe.
Well, no more of that. Robert had seen to it that I would never again have to endure such a situation. I put the phone down with a feeling of accomplishment.
Right, breakfast. I went back into the kitchen and looked around.
I was actually ravenous and ended up eating a bowl of cornflakes, two fried eggs, bacon, and two slices of toast. I washed it all down with two glasses of pomegranate juice. Afterwards, I placed all the dishes in the dishwasher and cleaned up after myself, then got ready to go out.
I was pulling on my shoes when the phone by the front door rang. The concierge was ringing from downstairs to say that there was a flower delivery.
'Shall I send her up?'
'OK,' I said.
I opened the door and a woman wearing a smart uniform said brightly, 'Hello. Where do you want these?'
'Wow!' I said, looking at the riot of colors. It was a really big and gorgeous bunch of flowers. So beautiful it was more like a work of art. I opened the door wider and bade her to put them on the dining table.
'Thanks,' she said after I signed her little pad and gave it back to her.
After she left I went to look at the flowers in surprise. Whoever they were from they must really be crazy for Ivan. I went closer to the arrangement and to my surprise I saw that the card was actually addressed to me.
Bemused, I tugged it out and opened the envelope.
Happy Valentine's Day
Underneath was a large scrawling signature that clearly read Ivan. With everything that had happened, I had even forgotten it was Valentine's day.
Obviously, it did not mean anything.
I was staying at his flat and he must have felt sorry for me. I walked around the bunch admiringly. Gosh, it must have been really expensive. Hmm … I wondered why he had decided to spend so much money on me. Did he expect something back in return?
The phone went again. It was the bank employee with my replacement card.
'I'll come down and get it,' I said.
She was very pleasant. 'Anytime you need our help, please don't hesitate to call,' she said.
I got the card from her, then took a taxi to Fenwicks of Bond Street where I picked up a whole bunch of lovely lingerie, matching bras and panties, garter belts, camisoles, slips, a totally sexy and unspeakably naughty blue brocade corset, and a peek-a-boo black baby doll. I knew I would probably have no use for them for the foreseeable future, but purchasing them was therapeutic. Buying gorgeous underwear always made me feel better, and already I felt a whole lot perkier.
Carrying my bags quite jauntily, I stopped for lunch at a pretty little crepe café. As I was enjoying my goat's cheese, scrambled eggs and herb crepe, I overheard a snatch of conversation between two women who were passing by my table.
One was telling the other, 'I've booked a cab, but I might stay on at the party. It all depends what everyone else wants to do after that, I guess.'
Both women moved out of earshot and I did not hear more, but that little snippet of their conversation made me feel unaccountably sad. That was exactly the kind of life I had always wanted for myself. Having workmates and good friends and going to parties that I have to book cabs home for.
Slightly depressed, I paid for my food and walked up the road to Liberty's. It was a grand, two hundred year-old nineteenth century Tudor revival department store that was that an Aladdin's cave of fabulous things. I spent the afternoon acquiring two pairs of skinny jeans, a few tops, a couple of tracksuits for running, a pair of cowboy boots, a cream cashmere coat, a soft woolen scarf and leather gloves.
I was already weighed down with packages and bags and thought I was done, but as I was leaving the store I noticed a mannequin wearing a black silk, sleeveless, wraparound evening dress. It had a wide, deep V-neck and a bowknot sash at the waist. It had been accessorized with an intricate necklace made of red stones. I bought both without trying them on. On another floor in the shoe department I found a pair of red high heels to match.
It was nearly six o'clock when the taxi dropped me at the entrance of my temporary home. When I got into the apartment I realized that Ivan was already in. I always knew when he was around. The atmosphere became electric. I went into the kitchen and, firing up the kettle, switched it on. I was sitting at the island with my sweet tea when he walked in wearing a dinner jacket and pale yellow shirt.
I did not dare stare but, my, my, what a very attractive specimen he was. Speaking totally neutrally of course. I'm not interested in him like that.
'Thank you for the flowers,' I said. 'They're very beautiful.'
'Yes, I guessed you'd need a bit more time before you snared your next conquest.'
My shoulders slumped. For a second I looked at my bare feet. Wow, that hurt. I felt wounded, actually. Maybe because I had not been expecting it. I looked up at him. 'Did you send me flowers so you'd have another excuse to insult me?'
He stared at me and I could tell that he regretted what he had said. 'That was uncalled for. I'm sorry,' he muttered finally.
'It's OK,' I said softly.
'You're going to be OK on your own?'
I smiled. 'Yeah. I like my own company anyway.'
'Good night, then,' he called moving away.
'Ivan,' I called.
He turned back around, one eyebrow raised.
'Have a nice night.'
'Thanks,' he murmured, and hesitated as if he wanted to say something else. He must have thought better of it because he shook his head, smiled at me, and walked away.
CHAPTER 14
Tawny Maxwell
I sat staring at my cold tea. Without him the apartment felt so empty. I stood up and paced the kitchen restlessly. I couldn't get the image of him as he hesitated, out of mind. The moment was like a splinter in my flesh. He was out having a good time. Everybody was out.
I felt lost and lonely.
Maybe I should go out for a walk, but it was probably a bad idea to be wandering about aimlessly on my own on Valentine's night. What I needed was something to do. I should watch a movie. Or read a book. My eyes fell on the lemons in the stainless steel lemons basket. I knew what I wanted to do.