I raised my eyebrows at her. ‘How would I feel if he was? It would certainly explain a lot, but he never moves from his chair. I don’t think he can even remember what to do.’

  ‘Maybe he has a problem in that area,’ Ann said.

  ‘I wouldn’t know any more. You hear about lots of couples living as friends for the kids’ sakes, but now we don’t even seem to be friends.’

  We sat in silence for a moment and sipped our champagne.

  ‘God, look at us pair, all maudlin,’ I said.

  ‘Ha, we need to snap out of it,’ Ann replied.

  ‘Here’s to an enjoyable evening ahead, with good wine and the best company.’ I raised my glass and Ann clinked hers against it.

  A few moments later the car began to slow down then turned in to the most magnificent driveway I’d ever seen. A pair of iron gates opened slowly, and the car snaked along the driveway towards an old manor house.

  ‘Blimey, look at this place!’ Ann exclaimed as she dabbed her lips with gloss before dropping the pot back into her handbag.

  A man held open the limousine door for us and we stepped out into the bitter chill of the night air. I shivered and pulled my shrug tightly around my neck. I took a deep breath as I glanced up towards the entrance of the house. A red carpet trailed all the way up the stone steps. Standing at the top of them was Marcus, who was tapping away on his mobile phone. I gawped at him. His suit was exquisitely cut: sharp looking and well fitted. The black satin lapels were perfect alongside his black bow tie, and I thought he wouldn’t look out of place in a movie, maybe an Aston Martin by his side. I began to feel extremely nervous.

  Marcus looked up as we approached and I caught his eye as he slipped his phone into his pocket and began to walk towards us. When he finally reached us, he stretched out his hands and took hold of mine. Our eyes locked.

  ‘Lizzie, you look gorgeous,’ he whispered, kissing me lightly on both cheeks.

  ‘Thank you,’ I replied, feeling my knees go weak.

  My heart was thumping hard so I smoothed down my dress and let out a calming breath. I smiled up at him.

  ‘So do you,’ I managed.

  ‘Hi Ann, you look amazing too,’ Marcus said.

  ‘Thank you,’ she replied.

  ‘You remember Pierre, don’t you?’ Marcus gestured to the man standing beside him.

  Ann and I met Pierre’s smile. ‘Of course.’

  He shook both our hands and airbrushed our cheeks with kisses.

  ‘I’m not sure whether you remember me saying that Pierre was new to the store too, but I’ve invited him to join us. I hope that’s OK with you ladies.’

  ‘Of course,’ I said.

  ‘I think we’re blocking the steps,’ Ann said, glancing over her shoulder at the queue of people hovering behind us.

  ‘Yes, let’s get inside,’ Marcus suggested, stretching out his hand towards mine. We walked in front of Pierre and Ann, who were happily chatting away behind us.

  ‘Lizzie, you’ve blown me away. You are stunning,’ Marcus whispered in my ear as he squeezed my hand.

  ‘Thank you again, kind sir. Pierre seems nice,’ I said, looking back over my shoulder. He and Ann seemed to be getting on like a house on fire.

  Marcus nodded.

  ‘I have to admit I’m feeling a little nervous,’ I said, looking back down the red carpet at the hordes of spectacularly dressed people spilling out of cars behind us.

  ‘There’s nothing to be nervous about,’ he assured me, squeezing my hand again.

  ‘Marcus, who do these people think I am?’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Here I am on the arm of the manager. Everyone will be wondering who I am.’

  ‘I wouldn’t have thought so, Lizzie. I’ve only been here a few days myself and half the staff won’t even know who I am. The majority of people here are on temporary contracts over the festive period, and they’ll be more concerned with how big the queue is at the free bar than wondering who you are. I’ve not explained my personal circumstances to anyone. I keep my professional and personal lives very separate. As far as anyone else is concerned, you’re my friends. Which of course you are. Honestly, don’t worry.’

  A cluster of photographers, hovering just inside the entrance, greeted us warmly as we walked through the door.

  ‘Hi, Mr Bowman,’ one of them said. ‘Would it be possible to take a quick photograph?’

  ‘Yes, of course,’ Marcus answered politely and we were both ushered towards an area at the side of the reception where a beautiful winter-wonderland scene had been created. The floor was laden with fake snow and an enormous Christmas tree towered over us, sparkling like a diamond.

  I felt apprehensive as an abundance of voices shouted ‘smile’ at us. I didn’t know which way to look. The cameras began to flash and I caught Ann’s eye; she was smiling at me in amusement.

  ‘And now turn this way,’ came another voice.

  After another photographer clicked his camera numerous times, we were finished. ‘Thank you, Mr and Mrs Bowman. I think we have the shot we need. I hope you both have a lovely evening.’

  I gasped in shock.

  ‘I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean for them to mistake me for your wife,’ I whispered, feeling mortified.

  ‘It’s OK – don’t worry about it. It’s an easy mistake to make.’

  Our attention soon turned to a swag-bellied Santa sauntering through the foyer, a sack thrown over his shoulder. ‘Ho ho ho,’ his jolly voice rang out. ‘Merry Christmas, everyone!’

  We all huddled in a group and watched as he shook hands with the guests filtering in from the cold.

  ‘Which list are you on this year?’ whispered Marcus.

  ‘I think for the first time ever I’m about to be on the naughty list,’ I said, meaning every word.

  Marcus laughed softly. ‘I think I like the sound of that.’

  We moved further into the lavish foyer. There was a crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling and the floor was slate marble that stretched towards a regally arching stairway. A balcony circled the entrance hall. There were clusters of guests drinking from champagne flutes dotted above in the gallery and an army of staff circulating glasses of fizz and hors d’oeuvres.

  ‘Look at this place!’ Ann exclaimed. The whole building was awe-inspiring.

  ‘Are you ready?’ Marcus asked us.

  Ann and I nodded.

  ‘After you, ladies,’ Pierre said politely as Marcus led us through the double doors to the left of the hallway. My heels tapped on the slate floor as I walked.

  Marcus held the door open and I gasped. It was yet another glorious room and I was completely lost for words at the extravagance of the place.

  There were three gigantic windows that ran floor to ceiling at the far end of the room. Each of the round tables was decorated with a pristine white linen cloth with a pale blue sash and a silver candelabra. A live band was setting up their instruments next to the dance floor and a vast ice sculpture in the shape of Bretton’s department store stood by the side of the mouth-watering buffet laid out on the right side of the room. Through the windows I could see that snow had begun to fall lightly on the softly lit lawns.

  I had never seen anything so magnificent in my life. I shivered.

  ‘Are you cold?’ Marcus whispered.

  I shook my head. ‘It’s just nerves, I think. I feel like a fish out of water.’

  Marcus squeezed my hand reassuringly. His eyes locked with mine. ‘You look like you belong here.’

  I felt myself flush.

  The room was bubbling with excited chatter. Waiters circled the room, offering canapés and champagne.

  ‘This place is beautiful,’ Ann breathed.

  ‘It’s certainly the most spectacular venue I’ve ever seen for a work Christmas party,’ I said, gazing around the room.

  ‘That’s because you don’t work,’ Ann joked, nudging my arm.

  We all laughed.

  ‘This reminds me of the French chateaus back home,’ Pierre chipped in.

  ‘Did you live in a place like this?’ Ann asked, taking a small sip of her drink.

  ‘My family never had any chance of owning a place as grand as this. My father worked as a gardener for the Earl of Borde for over thirty years, and my mother was their cleaner. During the school holidays my brothers and I were always welcome. The cook used to bake us fresh bread and give us homemade lemonade. We spent our time running loose around the splendid gardens, building dens and playing games in the streams.

  ‘Sounds idyllic,’ I said.

  ‘It was,’ Pierre replied, smiling.

  ‘The rest of the coaches must have arrived.’ Marcus nodded towards the door as a wave of party dresses and men in tuxedos flooded through the double doors, high on festivities and clutching glasses of champagne.

  Ann dug her hand into my back, raised her eyebrows and nodded towards the door. I followed her gaze and immediately recognised the snooty shop assistant from our dress-shopping escapade. She was sporting the big fat gypsy wedding dress and I chuckled.

  ‘There’s no accounting for taste,’ Ann whispered, taking a canapé from a passing tray.

  ‘I’m going to have to disappear for a few moments,’ Marcus said, touching my arm. ‘Do you mind?’

  ‘No, go for it,’ I said.

  ‘I just need to show my face. I’ll be as quick as I can.’ He smiled warmly at me then strode off towards the jovial crowd of partygoers.

  For a moment, my eyes followed Marcus across the room and I watched him as he laughed with both the staff and the guests. There was a certain charisma about the man; he knew how to work a room perfectly.

  ‘Shall we grab a table?’ Pierre suggested.

  ‘Good plan. Then we’ll have a base for the night,’ Ann replied, scanning the room.

  ‘How about over there?’ I nodded towards the far end of the room to a table that overlooked the grounds. ‘That view is fantastic.’

  ‘The snow is falling again,’ Ann said, staring out of the window.

  ‘There’s something mesmerising about watching snow fall,’ I said, pulling out a chair and placing my handbag and drink on the table as Pierre and Ann sat down.

  ‘Did you drive here?’ Ann asked Pierre and took a delicate sip of her drink.

  ‘Yes, but I’m staying over at the hotel. Marcus has to go back home for Frank though.’

  ‘That reminds me – we’ll need to book a cab home,’ I said to Ann.

  ‘Yes, I’ll nip out to reception in a bit and ask them to arrange one.’

  ‘Perfect,’ I replied as my eyes darted around the room, looking for Marcus. I spotted him shaking the hand of a very tall man, who slapped him on the back before they both threw their heads back and laughed. After a nod and a polite exchange of words the man walked away and Marcus started looking around the room. When he spotted us, he began to make his way over but another man bellowed his name just before he reached our table.

  Marcus spun around and I noticed the smile instantly slide from his face. He looked flustered as he thrust his hand towards a portly man who held his arm and elbow in a vice-like grip and shook his hand vigorously. The man was red-faced and every time he spoke, spit accumulated in the corner of his mouth. By the way he was swaying, I guessed he had already taken ample advantage of the free bar.

  Marcus shuffled from foot to foot and kept glancing over his shoulder at me. He looked like a man who was eager to get away, and though I strained to hear the conversation, I couldn’t hear a thing once the live band began to play. Whatever they were talking about, though, it didn’t look pleasant.

  There was a sudden scraping of chairs and within seconds the majority of partygoers were strutting their stuff on the dance floor. I saw Marcus tap his watch and again he glanced over towards me. He edged backwards from the man, and this time he managed to escape.

  Pulling out the chair next to me, he smiled and sat down. ‘I’m sorry about that. I was a little longer than expected. Have I missed anything?’

  He seemed a little on edge to me.

  ‘We were watching the snow fall,’ I replied. ‘It’s beautiful.’

  Marcus glanced out of the window then gave my hand a quick squeeze, but his eyes kept flicking back towards the man he’d just escaped from.

  ‘Are you OK?’ I asked.

  ‘Yes, but I seem to have misplaced my drink. Would anyone like another one?’

  ‘Yes, please,’ Ann chirped. She’d always been partial to a drop of fizz, and it didn’t matter how much she drank – she’d always be fresh as a daisy the following morning. I really didn’t know how she did it. The older I got, the longer my recovery time seemed to be.

  ‘What about you, Pierre? Would you like another drink?’

  ‘I’m OK for a minute, thanks,’ Pierre replied as the song finished. The people on the dance floor filled the room with rapturous applause and waited patiently for the next song to begin.

  ‘Would you like to dance?’ Ann asked Pierre, suddenly standing up.

  ‘Dance?’ replied Pierre.

  Marcus and I laughed as we watched Ann haul a surprised Pierre to his feet.

  ‘Come on, I love this song!’

  ‘OK! If I must,’ he replied, though it seemed he had no choice in the matter.

  ‘Are you pair coming?’ Ann asked, looking over her shoulder and smiling at us.

  ‘Maybe in a minute,’ Marcus replied, discreetly squeezing my knee under the table.

  Once Ann and Pierre were safely on the dance floor I turned towards Marcus. ‘Are you sure you’re OK?’ I asked while he sipped his drink. ‘You seemed a little tense when you were speaking to that man just now.’

  ‘Did I? No, I’m fine.’

  ‘Who is he?’

  ‘His name is Larry Braithwaite. He’s the MD.’

  I raised my eyebrows at Marcus. ‘It didn’t look like you liked him much.’

  Marcus didn’t answer.

  My eyes followed Larry Braithwaite to the dance floor. He was punching his arm in the air and whooping loudly. He began to throw every inch of his drunken body around as he tried to grab the hands of anyone who felt sorry enough to dance with him. His face was flushed, his tie askew and his suit jacket abandoned, the sweat marks under his arms rapidly spreading down the sides of his shirt.

  ‘Is there a wife?’ I queried.

  ‘He’s married to Melissa; she’s sitting over there.’ Marcus nodded towards a table beside the ice sculpture.

  ‘I wouldn’t have put those two together. She’s very attractive,’ I said, scrutinising her. ‘She looks a lot younger than him.’

  Melissa was closely observing the antics of her husband. Her eyes narrowed as she watched him gallop across the dance floor and try to pull the snotty shop assistant to her feet.

  ‘She doesn’t look very happy,’ I commented, my eyes still firmly fixed on her.

  ‘It’s a known fact that Larry has an eye for the ladies,’ Marcus said.

  ‘Really? He’s one of them?’ I pulled a sympathetic face.

  We watched with amusement as Larry attempted to haul Snooty to her feet for the second time. He managed to heave her up by grabbing both her hands and I wasn’t sure which weighed more, her or the dress. With one final tug towards the dance floor he lost his balance, wobbled backwards then staggered forward. Snooty let go of his hands and somehow he managed to get his foot tangled up in the vast material of her dress. I felt like it was all happening in slow motion as he swayed then tried to regain his balance by grabbing on to the band’s speaker.

  With an almighty crash the speaker came toppling to the floor, rapidly followed by Larry. I did my best to keep a straight face but it was difficult; Larry was sprawled face down on the floor doing an excellent impression of a starfish.

  ‘Do you think he’s hurt?’ I asked Marcus before taking a quick peek in Melissa’s direction. She was clearly not amused; she just shook her head and grabbed another glass of champagne from a passing waiter, which I thought was very strange.

  The band stopped playing and everyone stared at Larry. He wasn’t moving and his head was at a strange angle.

  ‘We need medical assistance,’ a voice shouted.

  There was a huge gasp around the room.

  A crowd started gathering around him and still Melissa didn’t move from her seat.

  ‘Give him some air, please move back,’ hollered a waiter, who was now ushering the assembled mass out of the way.

  ‘I’m OK, I’m OK, just my head hurts…’ Larry’s voice was muffled.

  Two strong doormen hoisted him to his feet and guided him to the nearest chair.

  ‘As much as it’s great to have a drink and socialise with the staff once in a while, I’m already fed up of this pantomime,’ Marcus said. ‘I wish we could just slip away while no one was watching.’

  ‘Really?’ I asked, feeling myself go all fluttery. I swallowed anxiously, knowing I wanted the same thing.

  ‘Yes, really. What do you suggest we do about that?’ His eyes held mine for longer than was sensible.

  Feeling a warm tingling sensation in my stomach, I bit down on my bottom lip and tried not to let the smile spread across my face. ‘I’ll have a little think about that, Mr Bowman,’ I replied, noticing my hand was shaking as I sipped my drink.

  Most people were now making their way over to where the buffet was being served.

  ‘Are you hungry?’ Do you want to grab some food?’ Marcus asked.

  I shook my head, ‘Maybe later. I’m OK for now,’ I replied, knowing I was too nervous to eat in front of him. It would just be my luck I’d end up with something green wedged between my teeth or, worse still, I’d spill something down the front of my dress.

  ‘Come on.’ Marcus grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet.

  My entire body began to tingle.

  ‘Where are we going?’ I asked, stealing a quick look at Ann and Pierre, who were still dancing.

  ‘You’ll see.’

  I pressed my lips together with a secret smile.

  It wasn’t just about sex. There was a gentlemanly confidence about Marcus, and he knew how to make a girl feel special.