Goldbergs did not have a direct London presence as such, but with a little ingenuity and the flexibility of the global telephone system, the Bowen's suite in the Carlton Tower hotel effectively became another office at Milk Street. They had a telephone and a fax, together with all the computation expected of a modern attorney.

'You still look stunning!' Chris hugged Lucinda as she entered the makeshift office at about ten on the twenty-fifth of July, the day they were expecting the final confirmation. 'We've not had any messages yet!'

'Let's suspect, she thinks we're in America.' Lucinda sat down in a chair and poured herself a coffee. 'I reckon she will send it about eleven, after she's got up, done her chores and before she thinks we get to work!'

'On a last minute basis, I would go for about one.'

George who had been half-listening to the conversation, whilst trying to get tickets for the National Theatre on the phone, finished his agitated conversation, blew Lucinda a greeting and broke in. 'If she's going to fax, it will be about eleven-thirty to twelve, as Lucinda's logic is impeccable, but she'll be excited and nervous, so she'll probably waste almost an hour in the bath, doing her make-up or getting dressed.'

'George, you always have this thing about my being late.' Chris was showing a lot of mock anger. 'Why should you think, she is going to be, like you think I am?'

He ignored the comment. 'And if she's going to phone, it will be after one, as she's not so stupid as to phone Boston before the office opens!'

Lucinda opened her handbag and threw a twenty pound note on the table. 'Nearest gets the money and buys lunch!' George added his and his wife's bets to the pile.

***

'Now girls! Who wins if she doesn't make contact?'

'I do!' Chris looked up from a rather turgid and depressing brief on the finances of the Channel Tunnel. 'As I've got the latest time!'

'No!' Lucinda was now stretched on a sofa reading a magazine, propped on her stomach. 'All bets must be off, as there is no time! But she will make contact, I know that!'

'You what!' Chris was a lot more than just curious.

'I asked mother to join the same fitness club.' It had been a struggle to persuade her, until she had seen the proprietor. 'Mother kept a good watch on her progress. She's fit, well-groomed and she's got rings in her nipples!'

'Yuck!' Chris shivered at the last part of the statement. 'So she's not taken the money and run!'

Lucinda continued. 'Anyway, in five minutes I've lost, so you might as well have my twenty quid and buy a decent bottle with it!'

'That reminds me, Lucinda!' Chris was being the correct American again. 'Are you still drinking?'

'I haven't touched any alcohol since Boston!'

'Good!'

'I saw what drink does to elderly lawyers!'

***

At precisely nineteen minutes to twelve a single page of neat feminine handwriting arrived on the fax. George picked it up and started to read.

'Come on, George!' Lucinda was impatient. 'What does she say?'

'Yes! But...' George was looking at the fax in horror. 'Apparently, she sent a complete set of nude photographs to the Boston office by DHL on Monday. I hope that prim secretary of yours is still working for you!'

***

'What the hell am I going to say?' Chris was rather flustered, as she needed to send a reply and she wouldn't have any idea about the photos as they were probably sitting quietly and innocently on her desk in Boston. 'Have you got the office yet, George?'

George had phoned three times before and it was only on the fourth time, that he got a sensible answer. 'Apparently, the parcel has been sent on here, as it was marked very urgent, private and confidential for you. We should get it some time tomorrow.'

'Well, that's no good to me! The poor girl will want a reply at least by three!'

'How does this sound?' Lucinda was still laying calmly on the sofa, and was reading from a few notes she had scribbled. 'Start with a few platitudes thanking her for the final commitment. Then ask if she would be good enough to send a few extra details, such as expenses and body measurements in the next day or two, just to make sure that we've covered everything. I actually printed that list out earlier.'

'Can I see what you've written?' Lucinda gave Chris a couple of laser-printed sheets. 'Why do you want all these measurements? It's all very personal!'

'First, there's some very sexy clothing being made.' Lucinda thought for a moment. 'And then there's the wrist, ankle and thumb cuffs, spreader bars, collars and all sorts of restraints.'

Chris was shocked. 'Her contract says that no-one will touch her sexually.'

'But I know from personal experience, he likes all that sort of thing!' She smiled at the wicked memories of the night of the Marquis. 'Their relationship must be properly tested and they should have every chance to give themselves to each other.'

'You're a strange one, Lucinda. If he was worth it, I'd want to grab the father for myself.'

Lucinda ignored the comment and returned to the letter. 'Just finish with a nice ending. Why not ask her to lunch next time, she's in Boston?'

'That's fine but I ought to say something about the photos. She'll be worried that I haven't got them?'

Lucinda thought for perhaps a minute, wrote a couple of sentences and then read them back. 'Thank you for the photos, which were very professional and extremely interesting. I sometimes wish that I could be as composed, beautiful and attractive as you obviously are. I can confirm that they are some of the most interesting pictures, that I have ever seen and that I alone will see their full content. I will keep them confidentially and if necessary, they will be returned or destroyed at the end of the assignment.'

'Does that mean I don't get to run a lawyer's eye over them?' The two women nodded, smiled and winked in unison.

***

They returned from lunch to find a fax that had bounced itself from Kent to Boston and back to London. George as ever was first to the machine and handed several pages to his wife.

'This is interesting.' Chris was reading and commenting. 'I thought she'd do this. She needs some more information. Who's involved? What company? What's their business? Her role? What else should she do? Clothes? That sort of thing.' She pointed out the last sentence for Lucinda, who was now reading it with her. 'Oh! And I can understand this one. She's very worried about payment!'

'We'll pay most in advance!' Lucinda was decisive and she already had the monies arranged. 'All the other stuff is as expected. Look at this.' Lucinda showed the photocopy of the waist measurement to the others. 'I thought it was only naughty office juniors, who practised photocopier art!'

'George!' Chris waved her husband away. 'Send a quick acknowledgement. That'll give us time to frame a proper reply!'

***

The real reply, which they sent an hour later was surprisingly short.

Chris did not tell anything about the company or their area of business. She emphasised the secrecy and discretion required and how her role would be one of a totally trustworthy and impartial, elegant and sexy individual, to do all of those little jobs that arise in negotiations.

The lawyer again complimented her on the preparations and asked her to continue as before. She also noted, that she had severely underspent and she suggested that clothes for all possible occasions and uses should be bought. Lucinda decided that another three thousand pounds would help towards a successful conclusion of everything.

Chris said she understood her position about payment perfectly and on Lucinda's agreement she said that all monies would be paid at the start of the assignment. She added some extra details on checks and on George's suggestion, she said she would phone every day.

'I like that!' George was checking the final copy he'd just printed. 'I think we've set her mind at rest, by calming all her basic fears about security and money.'

'I like it too!' Lucinda was agreeing. 'I'll arrange for the money to be sent today.'

'But you know what's the best thing about this letter?' George waited for an answer, but none came. 'It satisfies the basic female desire to go shopping. And preferably with someone else's money.'

Copyright 1999 by Ewart Higgins