Hotel Whore

"I will have my daughter Dawn with me tomorrow."

"OK. Would Helen and Dawn like to go out tomorrow, the three of us? Presumably somewhere both Dawn and you would like to go."

"You'd take Dawn as well?"

"Why not? She's part of your family."

"But I never involve Dawn with my professional life, Robert."

"And I'm not part of your professional life, Helen. If I was, I wouldn't be calling you Helen, would I? I'm just a friend, an ancient friend, and that's all."

"But we only met because of my professional life, Robert."

"Dawn doesn't need to know that. I met a casual chambermaid."

"Barefoot in her bra and slip!"

"Dawn doesn't need to be told that. Where do you think she'd want to go?"

"You're sure?"

"Yes."

"She likes wildlife or zoos."

"How about the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust at Arundel?"

"That sounds ideal, Robert."

"OK. Ask her. I'll be here at ten o'clock tomorrow morning to collect both of you, Helen."

She kissed me again before I drove back to the hotel. I had no difficulty extending my stay for another night. The manager regretted that he had to charge a full room rate instead of the reduced rate I had paid in advance. Even at the full rate I thought it was stupidly cheap. I also booked, at the reduced rate, for next Friday and Saturday nights. I'd tell Helen tomorrow. If necessary I could drive the Bentley to collect her at ten am on Friday morning. It was only about eighty-five miles from my house and in the opposite direction to commuter traffic.

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I was on Helen's doorstep at ten am. I had retrieved a child seat, sometimes used for my youngest grandchild, from the boot of the Bentley. I thought it should fit Dawn if she was small like her mother.

She was. She was overjoyed to be in my Bentley, positioned so she could look out. Helen was nearly as happy as Dawn as we drove down to Arundel and the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust. Dawn was chatting all the way, commenting on the scenery.

The birds at the site excited both of them. I had to get them to calm down because they were frightening some of the birds. We went on the boat trip but the walk through the reed beds was the highlight. We watched a water vole for about ten minutes who seemed unconcerned by our presence. Dawn was talking about the water vole over the lunch as we sat looking over the lake.

After lunch, Dawn was tired. She hadn't walked so far for months. I decided we should move on to somewhere else but I was mean. I didn't tell them where we were going.

Dawn squealed with excitement as we turned into the Butlins centre at Bognor Regis. I bought day tickets and watched Helen and Dawn on all the rides. I wasn't sure which of the two enjoyed it most. I wasn't sure whether Helen was happy because Dawn was enjoying herself, or whether Helen was just enjoying letting her hair down. It didn't matter. The two of them were very excited and it was great to watch from the side-lines.

We had a light meal at a roadside restaurant and I delivered them back at Helen's parents' house about seven o'clock. Dawn was too excited to go to bed. Helen's parents made me a cup of tea as Dawn told them all about her day starting with a ride in a marvellous Bentley. It took until eight o'clock before Helen could put Dawn to bed. Helen's parents knew all about my encounter with drug dealers last night. They were slightly surprised that I had been so effective because I am a few years older than them. When Helen explained that I had been a Commando they were less surprised.

When Helen was upstairs her mother told me that she hadn't seen Helen, and Dawn, so happy for years and they hoped I would see more of Helen. I agreed that I wanted to see more of Helen too.

I did. I was back next weekend for a day out with Helen on Friday and a day out with Helen and Dawn on the Saturday.

Helen might be the hotel whore, but she is a woman I want to see more of, and perhaps, in a few months' time I might be able to persuade her to retire and be with me. Until then, that budget hotel is almost my second home on Fridays and Saturdays and Helen doesn't work those nights.

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Author's Note: Mary Ann Bullock, dairymaid, later Lady Fetherstonehaugh of Uppark, actually existed.