Deceit of Angels (32 page)

“But
by this morning, I knew that I needed help,” she sighed.

Nigel
took her hand.  “Listen, Anna.  Do you trust me?” She nodded.  “First of all,
we must get you examined by a doctor.”  She made to protest but he patted her
arm to calm her.  “I know someone who will go with you and also counsel you. 
She’s very good and very understanding.

“Who
is she?”

“My
wife Sophia.”

“Sophia?”

“She’s
a rape counsellor and she’ll help you through this.  At the same time I’ll
start divorce proceedings on your behalf.”

“Will
I get a divorce on the grounds that Dave…That he…”

“Absolutely! 
No judge in the country would turn down your application.  Now, I want you to
go home and get some rest.  I’ll get Sophia to phone you as soon as possible
and she’ll make a doctor’s appointment for you at the clinic.”

“You
won’t tell the police will you?”

“Anna,
everything you’ve told me and what you tell Sophia will be in complete
confidence.  We won’t do anything you don’t want us to do.”

Anna
drove home with her mind a little easier.  Sophia did indeed ring that evening
after making an appointment for her to attend the clinic the following day. 
After exchanging some gentle and comforting words, she reassured Anna that she
would be with her and that she mustn’t worry.  For the first time Anna slept
better, although still not soundly.  At least she had shared her burden with
others and the very fact that she didn’t feel alone any more, gave her some
peace of mind.

Sophia
met her at the clinic and taking her arm, accompanied her inside.  The doctor
examining her was kind and sympathetic, only passing a concerned comment that
perhaps it would have been better if she had consulted her sooner.   

Sophia
took her back to her office and there, Anna was able to tell her everything
that happened that dreadful Friday evening.  It was only when she reached the
conclusion that she became distraught.  Up to that point, she had remained
calm, telling the details as they happened without any emotion.

She
held her head in her hands.  “I tried to fight him off, Sophia, I really did. 
But he was too strong for me.”

Sophia
put her arms round her.  “A woman can’t possibly match a man’s strength.  You
mustn’t blame yourself.”

“But
why did he do it?

Sophia
gave a sad smile.  “He was treating you as property.  To be used as he saw
fit.”

“He
seemed so jealous of Jason, even though I left him long before we fell in
love.”  Her face crumpled into tears.  “He sent me a letter ages ago and he
threatened to hurt Jason…well, not Jason exactly, but any man that he thought I
had left him for.”

Sophia
frowned.  “Anna, your husband is a dangerous man, are you sure you don’t want
the police informed?”

Anna opened
her eyes wide in fright.  “Oh, no, please don’t even suggest it.  I just want
to put this behind me.  I get the feeling that it’s over now, my husband has
done all he can to hurt me, although why he wants to hurt me, I can’t imagine. 
I’ve never done him any harm.”

“He’s
not thinking of you.  As far as he’s concerned you had a good chance of going
back to him until another man came on the scene.”

 “I
never would have!  I was deluding myself all those years, trying to make my
marriage work.” 

Sophia
grimaced.  “You were very brave to leave him, but unfortunately rape is an act
of violence not of love.  It’s used as a means of power and control.”

 “I
went willingly into that hotel room with him,” Anna whispered in horror.

“You
were a victim,” said Sophia.  “He tricked you.  It wasn’t your fault.”

Anna
left feeling more confident and with a further appointment in her diary for the
New Year, she drove home more relaxed.  The following day Jason would be
returning from Singapore and his very presence would cast some light into the
dark place that was her life at the moment.  But when she arrived home, she
discovered she had missed his phone call once more.  The one he had made just
before boarding his flight.

CHAPTER
FOURTEEN

J
ason
arrived home the following afternoon, tired and jet lagged.  He hugged everyone
but left Anna until last, enclosing her in a tight embrace and smothering her
with soft, warm kisses.  It was wonderful to have him home again and she clung
onto him for a long time.  He seemed to fill the place with his presence as he
told her that the trip had gone very well and after some difficult
negotiations, he had completed a deal worth millions.  He made a joke that he
could retire at fifty, but Anna knew it was all nonsense, Jason thrived on the
cut and thrust of the business world and couldn’t live without it.

Hollie
went to bed at her usual time and Jason spent thirty minutes with her, telling
her a story and tucking her in.  Although he had slept on the plane, his body
was still set at Singapore time and it was the early hours of the morning for
him.  He decided to go to bed early.

“Would
you like me to sleep in my old room?” Anna asked, as he started up the stairs.

“What
on earth for?”  He had just put his foot on the first step and stopped in
surprise.

“I
thought you’d like to have the bed to yourself, so you’ll get a good night’s
sleep,” she said quietly.

He
reached out for her and drew her close.  “Certainly not!  Sweetheart, I’ve
slept alone for the last week and I’ve missed the comfort of feeling you next
to me.  But you come to bed when you’re ready.”

It
was gone eleven when she finally slipped in beside him, but he didn’t stir. 
She watched him for a few minutes and then bent to kiss his lips.  It was
strange to be sharing a bed with him again.  He had been away only seven days
but it might as well have been seven years.  She had missed him and yet she
felt uncomfortable being so close to him.  It had never been like that in the
past.

Anna
awoke early with Jason still sleeping peacefully.  She carefully removed
herself and dressed.  By eight o’clock she was in the office working. 

Mrs
Wilby appeared at the door ten minutes later.  “Are you coming for your
breakfast, or are you giving it a miss again?”

Anna
detected a note of disapproval and smiled.  “No, I’ll be there in a few
minutes.”

“Thank
goodness for that.  I thought you were on a diet or something.”  

As
she turned to go she collided with Jason.  “Who’s on a diet?” he smiled
mischievously.

“Not
me,” she said.  “My husband always liked the fuller figure in a woman.  Not
string beans that you can’t see sideways on!”  She stomped off to the kitchen.

Jason
came into the office and made his way to Anna who was sending a fax.

“Did
you sleep in your old room?”

“Now,
what makes you think that?”

“You
weren’t there this morning and I just wondered.”

“I
slept with you all night,” she said warmly.  “But I doubt you noticed since you
were so tired.”

He
gave a grin and caressed her cheek.  “I’ll notice tonight, though,” he
murmured.

Anna
answered with a half-smile.

After lunch,
Jason drove to a meeting at the main office to discuss his trip to Singapore
with Graham.  The meeting lasted most of the afternoon and it was only at its
conclusion that Graham mentioned Anna’s car.

“Poor
girl, she must have been so embarrassed to run out of petrol.”

Jason
chuckled.  “She doesn’t like to be a bother to folk, which is probably why she
hasn’t told me about it.”

“It
was sorted in no time.  To be honest, by the time I got to my office and looked
out of the window, they were leaving.  Mind you, gave me a right shock to see
it still parked there when I arrived Saturday morning.  I thought something had
happened to Anna.”

“What
time did she leave it?”

Graham
thought for a moment.  “It must have been about three.  Obviously she got a
taxi home when she realised she couldn’t get to a petrol station.”

Ben
was in the garage with Hollie, when Jason arrived home.  The Wendy house was
now finished, complete with striped curtains, a small piece of carpet and
dainty little furniture.

“Do
you like it Daddy?” she asked, her eyes aglow with enthusiasm.

“It’s
lovely, sweetie.  But where’s it going?”

Ben
gave a chuckle.  “She hasn’t decided yet and I’m not moving it until she does. 
My days of moving stuff about on the whims of a female are long past!”

“I
can hide in it when you’re cross,” she said.  She went through the small door
and looked out of the window.

“So,
Anna ran out of petrol?” said Jason to Ben, his lips twitching.

“Ah,
I see there’s been a bit of gossip from Graham.  Well, yes, but at least it
wasn’t stolen like I thought it had been.”

Jason
nodded.  But he would have to mention it to Anna, he couldn’t let her get away
with so obvious a chink in her efficiency.

Anna
was in the office and just finishing off for the day. 

“How
did the meeting go?” she asked, as Jason threw his briefcase on the desk and
sank into his chair.

“Very
well.  At least the folk at Harrington Rhodes will have employment for the next
few years.”  He stared at her for a few seconds.  She seemed very engrossed in
her work.  “Why didn’t you tell me your car ran out of petrol?” he smiled.

Anna
spun round and moistened her lips.  “It wasn’t a problem.  Please don’t laugh
at me, it’ll not happen again.”

“That
I’m sure about.  So, you had to get a taxi home?”

“Had
no choice.”

“That
must have been difficult at this time of the year.”  He wasn’t asking a
question, more speaking his thoughts out aloud.

“I
waited ages, but finally got one.” 

“You
were very lucky.”  She didn’t answer and walked over to the cabinet, replaced a
file and slammed the drawer shut.  Jason tried not to ask the next question,
but failed.  “You were shopping quite late?”

“That’s
how it is at Christmas,” she smiled.

“Didn’t
realise the shops were open that time of night.”

She
clicked her tongue in despair.  “Well, that doesn’t surprise me.  Shopping
isn’t exactly your favourite pastime.  Why all these questions?”

He
caught his breath.  Was he interrogating her?  If he was then he must stop
immediately and yet his thoughts were troubled.  What was wrong with him?  It
was perfectly acceptable for Anna to stay out on an evening, she was a grown
woman and if she needed to shop late, that was absolutely normal at Christmas. 
He mustn’t grow too possessive of her or he’ll ruin everything he had.

He
changed the subject.  “Oh, I’ve got some good news and some bad news.”  She
walked across to him.  “Remember the Harrington Rhodes Christmas dinner
dance?”  She nodded.  “I’m afraid the hotel has double booked and can’t take
us.”

Her
mouth dropped open in surprise.  “But Jason, it’s on Saturday night!”

“I
know and they’ve given us a full refund.”

“So,
it’s cancelled.  Oh dear, I was looking forward to it.  I was going to wear the
dress I wore for your mum’s party.”

“Were
you!  Wow!  Well, the good news is that Graham has pulled a few strings and
he’s got us another venue.  The Marriott Hotel.”  He saw Anna tense and her
face become pale.

“We’re
going there?” she whispered.

He
reached out for her, but she moved away.  “It’s a beautiful hotel.  You’ll have
a lovely time,” he said softly.

The
phone ringing on her desk allowed her a means of escape. 

Anna spent the
evening feeling very subdued.  She dreaded the idea of going back to the
Marriott, back to the place where she had been imprisoned and assaulted.  She
wondered if she could make an excuse?  Perhaps she could say she didn’t feel
well.  But then she realised that Jason might decide to keep her company and as
the Managing Director he would be expected to attend a company function.

Later
on, Anna went to soak in the bath.  She took a long time over it, so long in
fact, that Jason was forced to take a shower in one of the spare bathrooms and
was in bed while Anna was still bathing.

“Have
you fallen asleep in there,” called Jason in amusement.  “Because if you have,
you’ll get all wrinkly.”

Anna
had finally pulled herself from the soothing water and had dried and dressed
herself in a pair of royal blue satin pyjamas.  She stared at herself in the
mirror.  She still had a bruise on her neck where Dave had cruelly bitten her,
but for the last six days she had worn a polo-neck jumper or a shirt with a
pretty scarf.  The previous night, Jason had been too tired to notice anything,
but would tonight be different?  She took her powder compact and tried to hide
the blue and black blemish.