Bates

Her voice was louder -- obviously closer.

'Let me guess. You would find it easier to put forward your proposition, while sitting somewhere more comfortable? Like a double bed perhaps?'

'Perfect! How about we leave right now?

'Sounds like fun -- let's go.' he replied.

There followed a short movie clip of Barry holding the woman's hand, and leading her through the tables, towards the exit.

('Sounds like fun is what I said to Marcus.' thought Natalie. 'And I can say it again. Perhaps he'd like to proposition me in his bed!')

"Problem?" asked Marcus.

She took a breath and looked him in the eye. It was now or never.

"My husband has just made it very clear that he does not want me to go home tonight. It would appear he's going to be using our marital bed for adulterous purposes. So it seems I do need a room here after all. How do you feel about showing me yours? I've never stayed in this hotel and I'd like to see how comfortable the beds are."

"I'd be delighted." said Marcus.

"Does your room have a mini bar?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

"Then will your expenses run to another bottle of wine? We could take it up with us."

"I'll get one now. Maybe they can provide a bucket of ice."

"Great. I'll bring the glasses. We don't want to spill anything on the bed ... well, not wine anyway!"

While Marcus was at the bar, Natalie sent a message to her mother. Don't forget, she had stayed in Guildford last night.

Chapter Four

Natalie got home mid-morning. The hotel breakfast had been excellent. And for some reason she'd been starving.

"Good time with Aunty Alice?" asked Barry.

"Great thanks."

"Your car approached from the wrong direction. You usually come in from the west when you've been to Guildford."

"I swung by the newsagent's."

She dropped a morning paper on the coffee table.

"What -- the paper shop just round the corner?"

"Yes. How about you? Good night at Docklands?"

"Unusual." he replied. "Is that a new dress? I've never seen you in red before."

"Yes, I wanted to look nice for Aunty Alice."

"I like the little black buttons all down the front. It would look even sexier if you left a couple more undone."

"Thanks. So why was your night out so unusual?"

"I got chatted up by some woman. When I told her I was not staying at the hotel, she asked where I lived, and wanted to come back here and proposition me. And she insisted on doing it, sitting on our bed."

Natalie froze. He was so blatant about it! She wasn't sure how to respond.

"You look a bit shocked Nat. Go and pour yourself a coffee and I'll tell you all about it."

When she returned, Barry was holding his phone.

"Tell me about your night first." he said. "My story's really boring."

"I doubt that very much. Three ladies reminscing over a couple of bottles of wine can't be more exciting than you bringing some floozie to our bed! Your Friday night sounds like divorce material!"

He nodded.

"Very well, I'll go first. You're quite right; she was a floozie and has probably provided divorce material in the past. We got a taxi back here, went up to the bedroom and she sat on the bed, as I said. Then she said she wanted to have sex with me. I told her that wasn't possible, as I'm a married man and don't do that sort of thing. Naturally she was disappointed, and left five minutes later. I watched the late night horror movie on tv, and went to bed. Alone."

"I don't believe a word of it."

"Of course you don't -- because it's me that's telling you! You only believe what your old dragon of a mother tells you. If she told her little princess the moon was made of cheese, you'd believe her!"

Natalie heard a message arrive on her phone but ignored it.

"Where's all this coming from? What's my mother got to do with anything?"

"Everything! That woman, who was so keen to come home with me last night, was a honeytrap; and your mother booked her to seduce me."

"She did not!"

"I'll bet there are photos or movies all over your phone. Do you really think I didn't notice what my escort was doing, fiddling with hers?"

"Don't be ridiculous."

"Then I dare you to show me yours. You're lying, so I guarantee you won't part with it."

Natalie knew she'd forwarded all the evidence to her mother, and then deleted it. She pulled her phone out of her handbag, and saw this morning's message. It was from the escort and began: 'Final report:'. She put it back in her bag.

"I refuse to show you my phone!"

"Guilty as charged."

Natalie remained silent.

"OK, tell me about your night in Guildford. Did your mum and Aunty Alice bore you with you with their reminiscing? Or did you have a good time?"

"I need a pee." she replied and left.

She locked the door and sat on the toilet.

'Final report:

I returned with Barry Greene to his house: 27 Farnham Road. I asked why he'd brought me to his home, and he said because I had a proposition for him and I'd said I wanted to explain it privately. We went to the bedroom where he informed me he would not have sex with me because he was married. I tried to persuade him, but to no avail.'

Natalie realised this confirmed he was telling the truth. All she could do now was keep up the pretense she had been in Guildford last night. She returned to the living room.

"We just ..." she began.

"Stop there. It's embarrassing listening to your lies. You really aren't any good at it. We both know you were receiving info from a honeytrap escort, because your poisoned dwarf of a mother convinced you I was ripe for straying. Admit it."

She hung her head. Clearly he knew.

"I was." she admitted. "She did book that girl because she'd been told you were dancing and flirting with a woman at Docklands."

"It was a lie."

"I tend to believe you now. I'm sorry. My mother must have been misinformed."

"Aunty Alice?"

"We made her up as an excuse to get me away overnight."

"So, it was just you and your mum; hovering over your mobile phone? Gloating at the little messages this escort was sending you?"

"Yes, if you like."

"When did you buy the new dress?"

"What?"

"Tell me when."

"Yesterday lunchtime."

"Interesting." said Barry.

"Is it? Why?"

Barry dialled a number and put the phone on speaker.

"Felicity. Good night with Aunty Alice last night?"

"Oh it's you Barry. You don't usually call me. Ask Natalie; she should be home by now. She is all right, isn't she?"

"She's fine. Say hello Nat."

He knew his mother-in-law hated him calling her Nat. He held the phone out.

"Hi mum. I'm home."

"Just a quick question Felicity. Natalie wants to know if you liked her little black dress. She bought it Friday and was a bit disappointed neither you nor Alice commented on it. Personally, I think it's too revealing."

A pause.

"It's very nice."

"But it's completely backless; she can't wear a bra with it. I can see her nipples!"

Instinctively Natalie looked down. Her nipples could not be visible of course; she was wearing a bra. Barry was fishing and had caught her out again. Her mother had never seen this button-through dress. So he knew she hadn't been in Guildford. She tried to get her thoughts in order to explain where she'd spent the night. Barry hung up on her mother.

"Very clever. All right, I spent the night with Samantha; Daphne's daughter. She's the one who said she'd seen you flirting at the hotel."

"You didn't go to the hotel yourself? Just to keep an eye on me?"

"Of course not."

"Oh what tangled webs we weave. Have a look at this; it's one of a longer set of movie clips."

He pressed Play, passed her his phone, and went upstairs.

'I'll just put this on charge.'

A blurred image revealed Marcus walking away from his phone to go and stand behind Natalie. He started undoing the little black buttons. She realised this was when they'd just arrived in his room and were facing the dressing table mirror.

'Beautiful dress.' he said, as her black bra slowly came into view. 'Is it new?'

'Yes. My husband has never seen it.'

'Better hang it up then.'

'Good idea. I think I'd be more comfortable if you took all my underwear off.'

He removed her bra, and tossed it onto a chair. Then sat on the bed and his face disappeared behind her buttocks. Natalie bent forward and stepped out of her panties. She stayed in that position, reached back around her hips, and pulled.

'My husband likes both those little places.' she said. 'You can do whatever you like to each of them -- as many times as you want. There's only one rule.'

'What's the rule?' asked a muffled voice from between her buttocks.

'You must do it very hard. Make me scream.'

"And scream you did Nat!" said Barry, entering the room with two suitcases. "It was all most entertaining. I'll send a copy to your mother. When you get to Guildford, you can ask her if she enjoyed it."

Tears streamed down Natalie's cheeks.

"Your silence is the best response." he continued. "Feel free to say 'It's not what it looks like' or 'I can explain' - but only if you want your face slapped."

He hauled her to her feet and led her to her car. She unlocked it in a daze, and he put the bags on the back seat.

"There's enough stuff there to keep you going while I see a solicitor. When he or she tells you -- you can come back and get some more."

He ushered into the car.

"Don't forget your paper." he said.

He dropped it on her lap, with the back page towards her. Above the football results was a red stamp: 'Complimentary -- Docklands Hotel'