They put the hamper back in the car and cycled out of the park, out of Dulwich and up the hill towards Crystal Palace. Puffing and grinning, they finally made it to one of the highest points in London and looked down at the sprawling capital spread out like their picnic blanket. Erin could see Canary Wharf and the Swiss Re gherkin, thinking with a sense of pride that two more landmark buildings, currently being built by the Midas Corporation, would soon be rising out of the city’s skyline.
‘Bloody hell, Erin, what have we come all the way up here for?’ asked Julian, braking to take a breather.
‘Come on lazy,’ she laughed, ‘I want to see what you think of a building. A professional opinion, if you like.’
They wheeled the bikes along the pavement for a few minutes, then Erin turned into a leafy side street and stopped at an old white Georgian building set back from the road.
‘This old thing? What about it?’ asked Julian, shielding his eyes from the sun as he gazed up at it.
‘It’s mine,’ said Erin softly. ‘I just bought it.’
Julian looked at Erin, then back at the house. ‘You’re kidding.’
Erin shook her head. ‘It’s one residence now, but I want to convert it into apartments,’ she said eagerly. ‘I’m on a very tight budget, but I think there’s a real opportunity here. The building is pretty, the area is up and coming. The smart estate agents and the gastro-pubs are moving in, prices are rising.’ She spread her arms. ‘It’s all here.’
‘Wow. Get you; you’re a real little Adam Gold prodigy, aren’t you?’
Julian leant his bike up against the wall and walked up to the house, running his hands over the brickwork like a sculptor feeling clay.
‘I realize it’s a bit shabby now, but I just know I can make this work,’ said Erin, trying to sound more confident than she
felt. Ever since she had completed on the property purchase she’d been wondering whether she’d been too rash. ‘But I have a massive mortgage, so I need to get planning permission straight away. I can’t afford for it to be unoccupied for too long. And I have to get an architect to draw up plans before I can apply for planning permission.’
‘Well, if it’s an architect you need,’ he said, standing back and peering up at the roof, ‘I know a pretty good one.’
‘So do I,’ laughed Erin,’ but I bet he’s expensive.’
‘Oh, I’m sure we can come to some agreement,’ he replied.
He moved closer towards her and put his hands on hers, moving his face in close. ‘Shall we start talking terms and conditions?’ he whispered as sunlight poured through the trees around the house and dappled them with light.
‘Well, I think this is a very good start,’ she smiled, as he moved his lips towards her for the sweetest, most sensual kiss.
Erin pulled away, her head feeling light and dizzy. She looked at the house, then at Julian. ‘Consider yourself hired,’ she said.
31
Molly had just grabbed her jacket from the back of her office chair and was dashing for the lift when her phone rang. It was Adam. ‘Molly, can I just have a word with you upstairs for a minute?’ he asked.
‘Oh Adam,’ she breathed, ‘I have a meeting Mayfair in half an hour, is there any chance it can wait until tomorrow?’ She was due to meet Alex for their fortnightly rendezvous and she knew Lord Delemere well enough by now to know he hated her being late.
‘Now, Molly,’ replied Adam, and the phone clicked dead.
Cursing, Molly slicked some gloss over her lips, undid a button on her blouse and went upstairs. She entered Adam’s office and sat down in the black leather swivel chair opposite him, crossing her legs and giving him a lazy smile.
‘I won’t keep you long,’ said Adam flatly. His stiff back and sober expression immediately put her on her guard.
‘Well, the Christmas party is already looking fantastic,’ said Molly, trying to fill the silence. ‘I’ve had a great quote from a company who want to do something really special. I’m thinking a Bollywood banquet; snake charmers, real elephants, a whole sensuous bazaar feel. We’re just getting some spread sheets and visuals together and, if you approve them, then we can get the ball rolling.’
‘Fine. But that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about,’ said Adam abruptly.
Molly raised her eyebrows quizzically. Adam looked down at his desk.
‘Molly, something has come to my attention that could be incredibly awkward for a number of people, not least myself.’
Molly shifted in her chair. She had a feeling that the late-night cognac and indecent proposal she had envisioned weren’t on the cards tonight.
‘Something happened in the office on Friday night which was – is – quite frankly unacceptable.’