Samantha Lee Howe - The Stranger in Our Bed

‘Of course, you can, Charlotte dear,’ said Isadora. Then she patted my hand in a placating, but patronizing way.

After lunch, I went to the florist and picked out some centre pieces.

‘This is the display that Mrs Carlisle said to show you,’ said the girl at the florists.

It was pale pink and white roses.

I stood still and stared at the display. I frowned to show my absolute displeasure, taking on the same unhappy expression Isadora had worn earlier.

‘I’ve decided to change the colour scheme.’

‘But—’

‘I’m organizing the event, not Mrs Carlisle,’ I said.

I chose purple satin ribbons and purple and white freesias: I don’t know why. Perhaps it was because the brief for the centre pieces that Isadora had given wasn’t to my personal taste and I’ve always thought pale pink to be very wishy-washy.

As I left the florist my heart was pounding. I realized I’d have to tinker with the brief for the room decor now too. It was a minor rebellion, but it was huge in my mind. I wanted some control in my life, even if I had to claw it from my mother-in-law’s clutches.

I paused in front of the shop, thinking about the enormity of what I’d done. Then I saw a man loitering nearby. He met my eyes briefly then hurriedly looked away. I try not to be a snob, but he wasn’t the sort to buy in this exclusive street and I wondered if he was up to no good. I was just about to return to the shop, to point him out to the assistant, when a car pulled up beside me.

It was Stefan, Tom’s chauffeur. He got out and came around to open the back door for me.

‘Mrs Carlisle,’ he said. ‘Mr Carlisle sent me to fetch you …’

‘Oh, that was kind of him!’ I said and my voice sounded strange to my ears. Tom never sent the car to fetch me, unless we’d prearranged it.

‘The other Mrs Carlisle wanted to know if everything went okay in the florists?’

‘Yes, Stefan. It did.’

I got into the back seat of the car and then remembered the man I’d seen earlier. I started to look for him again, but he was gone. Who was he? What had he been doing near the shop? I found myself staring into the florist and saw the girl who’d helped me standing by the window looking out at me. She was talking rapidly into a mobile phone pressed to her ear. I swallowed, and my throat felt suddenly dry.

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