Vortex Rising

Contents

AUTHOR’S NOTE

A Statement of Universal Values

THE CAST OF CHARACTERS

COMPANIES and ORGANISATIONS

FOREWORD

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER 24

CHAPTER 25

CHAPTER 26

CHAPTER 27

CHAPTER 28

CHAPTER 29

CHAPTER 30

CHAPTER 31

CHAPTER 32

CHAPTER 33

CHAPTER 34

CHAPTER 35

CHAPTER 36

CHAPTER 37

CHAPTER 38

CHAPTER 39

CHAPTER 40

CHAPTER 41

CHAPTER 42

CHAPTER 43

CHAPTER 44

CHAPTER 45

CHAPTER 46

CHAPTER 47

CHAPTER 48

CHAPTER 49

CHAPTER 50

CHAPTER 51

CHAPTER 52

CHAPTER 53

CHAPTER 54

CHAPTER 55

References during story:—

AMBITIONS END©

WINNERS NEVER LOSE©

ARROW OF TRUTH©

THE BOSS©

A TWIST IN THE TALE©

FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW©

Vortex Rising is dedicated to many people.

o To my wife Brenda, my daughters Catherine and Victoria and my granddaughter Holly.

o Again to Sarah my former pa and secretary, as a tribute to her on-going patient help and guidance but especially for her irreverent and constantly amusing approach to life.

o And of course to all the team at AuthorHouse for their help, guidance and support in turning this novel from just a manuscript into the finished book.

o To my friends who continue to encourage me go on writing and for the nice things that they say about my books.

o But lastly and most importantly to my readers as I do hope you enjoy this third book about Mark Watson.

MIKE UPTON

A Statement of Universal Values

In Germany, the Nazis first came for the Communists and I did not speak up because I was not a Communist.

Then they came for the Jews and I did not speak up because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak up because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Catholics and I did not speak up because I was not a Catholic.

Then they came for me . . . . and by that time there was no-one to speak up for anyone.

Pastor Martin Niemoeller.

THE CAST OF CHARACTERS

NOTE : CEO = Chief Executive Officer

CFO = Chief Financial Officer

VP = Vice President

MD = Managing Director

COMPANIES and ORGANISATIONS

(and Mark’s Positions within them)

ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH BUSINESS (Director General)

Spokes-organisation for business

ZGD GROUP (Chairman)

Retail conglomerate comprising 5 store chains :—

REAL GIRL—fashion chain for younger women

ITS HERE—fashion chain for older women

MAN SHOP—chain of male clothing stores

SPARKS and VISION—chain of TV, Audio and Electrical stores

COMPUTERS ALL—chain of Computer stores

NEW ELECTRICAL SOLUTIONS (Chairman)

A new company formed from the merger of END and EEI.

ELECTRICAL NEW DEVELOPMENTS (END) (Chairman)

Specialist company developing high tech computer solutions for factory manufacturing operations.

EIRE ELECTRICAL INNOVATION (EEI)

Irish company—similar product range to END.

STYLE BY DESIGN (Chairman)

Furniture manufacturer

WATERS plc (Chairman)

Food manufacturer of cakes, biscuits, desserts

FIRST CHARITY (Non-Executive Director)

Helping young people addicted to drugs and drink

SECOND CHARITY (Non-Executive Director).

Helping homeless youngsters.

VORTEX RISING

In the Oxford English Dictionary there are several definitions

of a Vortex. In addition to those that might be

expected to be there such as Whirlpool,

Whirlwind, Whirling motion or

Mass—there is another

which in my view

is relevant to

this story.

A system that swallows up those that approach it

FOREWORD

All that is needed for evil to succeed is

that decent human beings do nothing.

Edward Burke.

The scenario for this novel which is set in the year 2015 is that the coalition Government of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat alliance that was formed after the 2010 British General Election lasted until December 2012.

At that time it collapsed as a result of ever more bitter in-fighting over increasing areas of fundamental disagreement between the Conservatives and the Lib Dems, who following the overwhelming public vote against an Alternative Voting system in 2011 not only blamed the Conservatives for destroying their opportunity to reform the voting system but subsequently became much less cooperative in forcing through much needed change for the country.

The final straw was the attempt by the Conservatives, exasperated by their political partner’s continued vacillation and increasingly left wing moves, to impose certain policies on their Lib Dem partners in Government. Following this the two parties jointly sharing power resorted to frequent public slanging matches backed up by private in-fighting eventually leading to the Lib Dems refusing to support or work with the Tories resulting in the need for another General Election.

This took place in March 2013 and the Conservative Party much to everyone’s surprise won a narrow outright majority and formed a Government. The Liberal Democrats share of the vote significantly collapsed as many voters now thoroughly disillusioned with them mainly switched back to Labour, however a small number returned to the Conservatives. Labour although delighted to regain many former members was still busily trying to reform itself into a credible party again.

Unfortunately in late 2013 and then again in early 2014 a series of sex, financial and fraud scandals hit the Tory Government resulting in them losing a great deal of public confidence and credibility, which manifested itself when they lost three by-elections in quick succession. They struggled on through 2014 losing yet another by-election and now had only a wafer thin majority.

However in an unexpected surprise move in January 2015 the Lib Dems suddenly sided with a re-energised Labour party under their new leader Desmond Harding, an anti Monarchist tough Scot and a past militant trade unionist who’d been brought up by a single mother in a deprived area of Glasgow. Together Labour and the Lib Dems forced through a vote of no confidence in the now desperately weak Tory Government and so yet again the country faced a General Election.

This time the result was a landslide victory for the Labour party. But to their dismay the Liberal Democrats share of vote collapsed even further while the Tories secured their lowest number of seats ever.

Desmond Harding was now the jubilant leader of the restored Labour Party and drove to Buckingham Palace to gain the formal agreement of the young King to him forming the next Government.

Although with much reluctance the King had no option but to accept, and in spite of his profound misgivings he duly appointed him Prime Minister but then watched with increasing dismay the way in which Desmond Harding’s government increasingly introduced legislation with which he fundamentally disagreed.

*     *     *

Now the custom that the reigning Monarch does not publically interfere in political matters is a convention that goes back hundreds of years and in this way the Sovereign and the elected Parliament are able to live and work together in harmony, each concentrating on their own particular responsibilities and duties of running this country.

Nevertheless of course nothing prevents the King or Queen from privately expressing their view of a particular matter or matters to the Prime Minister, Government Ministers or other Members of Parliament.

This can manifest itself in print or the spoken word, but always discretely, without public knowledge that it is being done and importantly having due regard to the formal and informal protocols which counterbalance the accountability of the role of Parliament whose members have been elected by the public, with the beliefs views and personal stance of the unelected Sovereign.

Also occasionally other senior members of the Royal Household, especially Princes in their role as King in waiting, have been known to be quite vociferous in their dismay or disagreement with Government policy, but again generally this has been done carefully and quietly in a manner fitting their unique position in society.

Thus for hundreds of years Monarch and Parliament have managed to exist side by side in a harmonious co-existence and any disputes or disagreements have largely been kept isolated and away from the gaze and knowledge of the general public.

From time to time though where disagreements have developed, then sometimes leaks about these have occurred through the media, usually the press rather than tv or radio, in which it has been stated that the Monarch has been known to express disapproval over a particular matter but this is never confirmed or denied by Buckingham Palace and generally it is taken as a brief interlude of dissatisfaction which soon passes.

However?

Just suppose that for once the convention was not followed and that the reigning Monarch did not adhere to the established convention of not publically speaking out to express disapproval with the Government’s actions.

If such a thing happened, then the consequences might be extremely dramatic. Indeed they could result in a Vortex Rising.

CHAPTER 1

Catastrophe is created when coincidences collide.

Abi had gone up to London to meet a friend for a natter, catch-up and lunch. She’d taken the train as she didn’t enjoy driving in the capital city, never knew where to park, always got very het up and bothered by the rushing unforgiving traffic and the added benefit by not driving was that she could have a couple of glasses of wine.

Tamsin was a very old friend from school days and they’d kept in touch over the years. They exchanged e-mails every month or so and met a couple of times a year usually for lunch. Today they had originally planned to meet in Brighton where there were some really smart restaurants and as they both lived in Sussex it was a convenient place to get together but Tamsin had rung Abi early that morning to ask if they could meet in London instead as she was meeting her latest man in the late afternoon at his office in the City.

Glad of an excuse to go to London, Abi happily agreed and sent Mark a text to tell him of her change of plan.

However she wasn’t to know that at that time engineers were working furiously at two of the major mobile phone networks to try and correct the fault that was preventing messages getting switched through from one network to another and so her text never got through.

The two women always enjoyed their catch-ups as they gossiped and chuckled over mutual friends. Tamsin like Abi had been married twice. However unlike Abi whose first husband had died young from a massive heart attack and then some after some years without a man she’d met, fallen in love with and married Mark to whom she was still happily married; in Tamsin’s case the first marriage had failed due to her husband’s infidelity and her second marriage had ended when her new husband found out about the passionate affair she was having with her tennis coach. After the divorce she embarked on a number of affairs as although she was in no hurry to get married again she had no intention of living a celibate life.

After lunch and promising to meet up again in a few months they parted to go their separate ways.

Abi wanted to get some new nightdresses as she’d noticed that a couple of hers were looking rather tatty so popping into one of the big stores in the West End she soon found what she wanted and pleased with her purchases was standing on the escalator making her way down towards the ground floor when she checked her watch.

Seeing it was ten minutes to three she decided that she might be able to catch the earlier train at three thirty rather than the four thirty if she hurried back to Victoria Station, but somehow rushing off the escalator and turning to the right she twisted her foot, lost her balance and crashed to the ground with a shooting pain in the ankle.

Several people stopped to look. An elderly couple knelt down to see if they could assist but one other person pushed her way to the front and asked if she could help.

‘I’ve twisted my ankle’ Abi grimaced.

‘Here let me see. I’m a nurse’ and gently she felt Abi’s ankle and leg.

‘Well I don’t think you’ve broken it and yes you’re probably right, just a twist or sprain. Painful though’.

‘Yes very’ winced Abi as she rubbed the offending foot.

At that moment the floor manager appeared with a chair and he and the nurse helped Abi to sit down.

‘So silly of me’ muttered Abi conscious of just how painful a severe sprain was.

Although a store first aider arrived, the floor manager stopped her doing anything to help. He apologised but said that they couldn’t treat Abi because of the store’s health and safety rules and the possibility of complications setting in as a result of anything that they might do in treating the injury which could lead to the store being sued.

‘How bloody stupid’ snapped the nurse. ‘Look do you sell crepe bandages in this store?’

‘Of course’.

‘Right well get me one and I’ll bandage this lady’s foot and ankle for her’ she smiled at Abi who nodded her thanks and a few minutes later she was duly bandaged. ‘See how it is when you get home and if it’s still bad in the morning go to your doctor’.

‘I will thanks’.

‘Now will you be able to get home? Do you live in London?’

‘No Sussex but we have an apartment here in town so I think I’ll go there rather than back home. Put my foot up and see how I feel’.

‘Good idea’.

The floor manager ordered her a taxi and while Abi was waiting she rang Mark’s mobile but the call clicked straight into voicemail so she left a message saying that she’d hurt her foot and was going to the apartment instead of back to Sussex and could he ring her as soon as possible.

When the taxi arrived she leant heavily on the arm of the nurse as she hobbled her way slowly through the store to the street. The floor manager accompanied her then told the cab driver to charge the fare up to the store and wished Abi the best of luck whilst fervently assuring her that there was nothing slippery or uneven on the floor which could have caused her to slip or trip.

In the taxi she again tried to ring Mark but once more the call went straight to voicemail so she didn’t leave a message but sent him another text. Arriving at the apartment in Chelsea she struggled across the foyer to the lift and as it rose slowly to their floor, leant against the wall with her injured foot off the ground, then painfully made her way hobbling slowly down the corridor, put the key in the lock of their door, pushed it open then shoved it closed, causing it to slam shut with a bang.

‘Oh hi Mark you’re nice and early honey. I’m right here in bed all ready and waiting and boy am I hot for you’ called an American sounding voice.

Limping slowly across the hallway and thrusting open the bedroom door Abi stopped absolutely horrified as there on the bed was a strange young woman, naked, lying on her tummy tapping away at a laptop. As she looked up her smile disappeared and she exclaimed ‘Hey who are you?’

‘I am Lady Watson, Mark’s wife but more to the point who the hell are you?’

‘Oh Christ!’ and swivelling round she grabbed a sheet and held it up in front of her. ‘I’m Karen’.

‘Well Karen put your clothes on and get the hell out of here right now!’ then turning she part hopped, part hobbled down the hallway into the sitting room and plumped down onto one of the large and very comfortable sofas. Staring into space she was stunned and almost unable to comprehend what had happened. After a few minutes a now fully dressed Karen peered round the doorway at Abi.

‘Look gee I’m sorry I thought… .’

‘I’m not in the slightest bit interested in what you thought. Just get out’ snapped Abi not looking at the other woman.

‘Ok sure but look… . oh hell’ then realising that any attempt at conversation would be useless she left shutting the street door quietly behind her.

It was at that point that Abi burst into tears and she cried deeply and for a long time. She cried because her foot hurt. She cried because some strange woman was obviously waiting in bed to have sex with her husband. She cried because once again Mark had betrayed her. Maybe he always betrayed her. Perhaps he’d never stopped betraying her.

She would have liked to go and lie down on the bed and properly rest her foot which was throbbing continuously and very painfully, but she wasn’t going to stretch out where that woman had been lying. Mark’s woman. Well who and what was Karen she wondered? His girlfriend? A one off? Some opportunistic floozy? A mistress? A long term secret lover?

Mind you she could see why Karen would appeal to Mark. Probably in her late thirties, unlike me now fifty five she thought and although often told that she was attractive for her age she couldn’t deny that her waist, hips and bum had spread a little, that her largish breasts without proper support were definitely droopy and she also had some crease marks on her neck and cleavage as well as a few lines on her face.

Karen though was undoubtedly pretty, tall, shoulder length blonde hair, slim, nice figure with large firm breasts and young. Just Mark’s type!

Abi had no idea who she was and had never heard Mark talk about anyone called Karen but whoever she was, she shouldn’t have been there naked on their bed and Mark definitely shouldn’t have been involved with her!

Tears started again as she hopped into the kitchen and found some aspirins. Swallowing a couple with a glass of water she hobbled back to the sitting room and dropped down gratefully on the settee. Easing herself backwards she stretched out with her foot up which seemed to ease the pain a little and then rummaged in her bag for her mobile. She dialled for Mark but again it went to voicemail.

It was maybe an hour or so later when she heard the key in the door and Mark’s cheery voice call out ‘Hi there I’m back’ and striding into the sitting room he stopped dead as he looked aghast at Abi sitting there.

‘Abi?’

‘Yes me. Abi. Your wife. Not your fancy woman’ she sneered then seeing him look around she added ‘Karen’s gone if you’re wondering where she is’.

He said nothing just sank down in a large armchair opposite and looked straight at her. ‘I don’t know what to say. Sorry, I suppose’.

‘I think I’d rather you didn’t say anything. I don’t really feel like talking to you’.

He nodded. ‘I didn’t know you were going to be here’ he said quietly.

‘Clearly!’

‘But why are you here?’

‘I sent you a text… .’

‘I didn’t get it’ he interrupted. ‘I thought you were meeting a girlfriend for lunch in Brighton and then going back home to Sussex’.

‘I was but Tamsin’s got a new man and she was going to meet him later this afternoon in London so we switched venues and arranged to meet in town. Then I did some shopping and that’s when I sprained my ankle in a store, rather badly as it happens so I thought I’d come here and wait until Graham could drive me home. I’ve also tried to call you but it keeps going to voicemail. When I walked in Karen was here. Naked. On the bed. On our bed in our apartment evidently waiting to have sex with you.

Why Mark? All those years ago and your affair with Samantha? You told me it was over and that you wouldn’t cheat on me again but you have. I imagine it isn’t the first time since Sam? Well is it?’

He looked at her for a long time then replied softly ‘No’.

She took a deep breath. ‘At least you’re being honest for once. Thank you for that. I think we’re finished Mark. I told you after I found out about Sam so long ago now that I’d never give you a second chance. Never and I won’t’. She paused then continued ‘Can you get Graham to drive me home. I don’t think I can walk and I certainly don’t want to stay here’.

‘I understand. Do you want to go now?’

‘Yes’.

He picked up the phone on a side table, pressed a speed-dial key and after a moment spoke to his faithful and trusty chauffeur.

‘Graham look chum are you back at the office yet? No? Good. Abi’s had a bit of an accident up here in London. No, no she’s fine. Well she isn’t fine at all because she’s sprained her ankle rather badly. Can you come to the apartment now and then drive her back home to Sussex. Ok see you in a few minutes. Thanks’.

He smiled. ‘He won’t be long. Is there anything I can do to help?’ and he walked across to her.

‘You ask if there’s anything you can do to help?’ Abi snorted with derision. ‘Yes there is. I’ll tell you what you can do. Leave me. Don’t touch me and don’t come near me and definitely don’t come home to Sussex tonight. Or any night! Stay here with your latest girlfriend!’

As the tears started again she sniffed and fumbling in her handbag for a handkerchief couldn’t find one, but saw that he was holding one out to her. ‘No I’ll use my own when I find it. I don’t want anything from you. Get away from me’.

‘Look Abi let’s talk about this tonight’.

‘NO’ she yelled. ‘I don’t want to see you again, well not until we get to the divorce court’.

He studied her, his eyes hard and fixed as he saw the distress that he’d caused her.

‘Can I at least get you some tea or coffee? A drink maybe?’

‘No’.

They sat in silence each busy with their own thoughts until the bell rang. Getting up he went to the door whereupon she heard Graham’s cheery voice as he walked in.

‘I’m really sorry to hear you’ve hurt yourself’ said Mark’s driver as he came in holding a walking stick. ‘I stopped at a shop and bought this as Mark said you’d hurt your ankle. I thought it might help you walk’.

‘Oh Graham how very kind’ she smiled. ‘I’m sure it’ll be very helpful’.

‘Right let me give you a hand’ suggested Mark leaning towards her.

‘NO… . no thank you. Leave me alone. I’ll do it myself’ and wincing she levered herself upright. ‘Graham will you give me your arm please and then hold onto me?’ and with the driver’s arm around her waist and she holding onto him she hopped and hobbled to the door.

Mark followed and said ‘Take care darling. I’ll call you’.

She nodded but said nothing nor did she look at him as still holding onto Graham they walked out into the hallway, slowly down the corridor and into the lift.

Downstairs Graham carefully helped her into the back seat of the car and then getting behind the wheel pulled out into the traffic and set off for Mark and Abi’s big country house home in Sussex.

He’d been Mark’s driver for over twenty years and he knew all about his boss. His moods, his astonishing work rate, his constant demands for improved and better performance from his team, his fearful temper although he’d only ever used it once on Graham when he got lost and made Mark late for an appointment

He knew Abi too although not as well as Mark and she was not looking at all happy. In fact he thought it looked as though she’d been crying. There had definitely been an atmosphere between her and Mark when he walked in and it was odd the way she didn’t want her husband to help her stand or walk but had asked him to assist. They’d obviously had a row he told himself.

His attempts at small talk with her failed so he resigned himself to driving in silence and nearly two hours later he drove up the long curving driveway of their home.

‘Can I help you inside?’

‘Yes if you would. Thank you’ and again clutching onto him she made her way slowly and painfully indoors to the large sitting room where she smiled and asked ‘Could you make me a cup of tea please before you go do you think?’

Graham clattered around in the kitchen and soon appeared with a mug of hot tea in one hand and a sugar bowl in the other. ‘I don’t know whether you take sugar or not but my missus says that after an accident a cup of hot sweet tea is just the job, and she knows about these things you know’.

‘I’m sure she’s right’ smiled Abi who detested sweet tea but touched by Graham’s concern put in one spoonful and then took a sip. ‘Lovely thanks’.

‘Right if there’s nothing else I’ll be going if that’s alright’. He never quite knew when speaking to her whether to call her My Lady, Mrs Watson, madam or just Abi so he often didn’t use any prefix.

‘‘Yes that’s fine and thanks again for bringing me home and for the sweet tea. I can feel it doing me a power of good already’.

His face creased into a smile. ‘Yes well my missus knows a thing or two about old fashioned remedies. I rang her when Mark said you’d sprained your ankle and she said you need a cup of hot sweet tea, take some aspirins, have a hot bath, and after that bathe your ankle in cold water, then put on some arnica or witch-hazel. She says that’s what sprains need’.

‘Right. Hot bath, cold water ankle bathe, aspirins, and arnica. Thanks’.

‘Hope you get better soon’ he said slightly awkwardly then he saw himself out and she soon heard the Jaguar driving off leaving her alone both physically hurt and mentally very sad.

Although she really wasn’t enjoying it she did finish Graham’s sweet tea in silent deference to his shy kindness and the remedy of his missus and deciding that she might as well follow the rest of the instructions she hopped to the stairs then sitting and painfully going up on her bottom she made it to their bedroom, undressed, hopped to the bathroom, ran a deep hot bath and lowered herself carefully into it feeling the warmth pulse through the painfully throbbing injured ankle.

She lay back horrified at how her life had suddenly fallen apart again. God only two nights ago she and Mark had made love right here in this bath slopping the water over the sides in the passion.

Now she’d caught him once again cheating and being unfaithful to her and he’d admitted that this Karen wasn’t the only one since all those years ago she’d discovered his long term affair with his secretary and the illegitimate child that he’d fathered which sadly only lived a few days. Sam had emigrated after that and Abi had always hoped, indeed wanted to believe that since then he had been entirely faithful to her but deep down she’d suspected that he wasn’t, however she’d ignored any such doubts.

Pulling out the plug she sat on the edge of the bath and turning on the cold tap held her foot under it for a while until she thought that any good that the cold would do would have been done, so hopping round the bathroom on her good leg she located some aspirins, but they didn’t have any arnica or witch-hazel so she hopped to bed, found a nightie as she didn’t want to try and push her foot into pyjamas and slid gratefully under the duvet where she lay quietly crying both from the constant throbbing pain from her foot but also from the hurt that Mark had visited upon her today.

CHAPTER 2

Having watched Abi hobble out of the apartment on Graham’s arm Mark sighed, picked up the phone and dialled. It was answered on the first ring.

‘Karen hi. That must have been awful. Sorry but I had no idea Abi was in London. Well she wasn’t going to be originally but she changed her plans and then hurt her ankle so she decided to come to the apartment. Where are you now by the way?’

‘Drinking a large scotch on the rocks in some bar not far from your apartment’.

‘Look do you want to come back here? Abi’s gone now. Back to Sussex. My driver has taken her so it’ll be fine for you to return’.

‘Alrighty. I won’t be long’. She wasn’t and it was only about five minutes before he heard her key in the lock.

‘Whoa that was some meeting’ said Karen as she walked over to Mark, who was sitting in an armchair, leant down and dropped a kiss on his forehead. ‘What a dignified lady. I’m sure if it had been me I’d have yelled and screamed the place down. I mean imagine walking in to your own apartment and finding some strange woman naked on the bed waiting for your husband. Gee that’s real tough’ she finished as she plumped down onto the settee.

‘A well brought up English lady is my Abi’ he replied ruefully.

‘What are you going to do?’

‘Don’t know? See her soon and talk things through but I fear it will be the end of my marriage. You see it isn’t the first time. She found out once before about an affair that I was having’.

‘I’m not surprised. Who was that?’

‘My secretary Samantha, err Sam’.

‘Oh Mark that’s so predictable. Boss screws secretary’ she laughed.

‘No it wasn’t like that’.

‘I bet’ Karen grinned raising an eyebrow.

‘No really it wasn’t. I’d started a relationship with Sam before I met Abi but I couldn’t give her up so we continued the affair after Abi and I got married. It went on for years and it was something really special not just a quick sordid illicit bonk. We had a child. A little boy. Guy’.

‘Oh gee! So does he live with Sam?’

‘No he died. Only a few days old. Heart and breathing problems. Sam left me, England, everything. She emigrated to Australia, eventually met someone else, got married and they have twins. They’re teenagers now’.

‘And Abi found out about Sam and the baby?’

‘Yes she did and she walked out on me then but came back after a few days and we’ve been together ever since. Happily together until now’.

‘But I’m not the only one you’ve had an affair with since Sam am I surely?’

‘No. There have been others but Abi didn’t know about them or if she guessed she kept it to herself but I imagine that having discovered you in the rather gorgeous naked flesh, well I suppose it was just too much for her. Can’t say I blame her’.

‘What do you want to do now?’

He grinned. ‘Didn’t you say that when Abi found you, you were lying on the bed naked? Well does that give you a clue?’

‘I didn’t mean that! God you are incredible Mark. Here tonight your wife found me in your apartment. Your marriage will probably fall apart. Now you’re suggesting that I strip off presumably so you can have your wicked way with your fancy woman from Canada!’ she laughed.

‘Yep exactly! Now can we stop talking about my wife and start making love? Having you here tonight is a bonus as I’d expected you to be thirty five thousand feet above the Atlantic by now. My philosophy is that when a bonus opportunity drops into my lap I seize it with both hands if you’ll excuse the mixed metaphors’ he grinned.

‘Yes sir’ she smiled giving a little salute and crossing the room sat down on his lap. ‘Here is your bonus opportunity already in your lap’ and grinning gave him a soft kiss that promised much more to come.

‘Right this way’ he grinned easing her off his lap to lead her into the bedroom.

They undressed quickly and got onto the large double bed but as he started to roll onto her she put a hand on his chest to stop him.

‘Mark what are you going to do about Abi?’

‘I told you. In a day or so I’ll go and talk with her. See if there’s a future for us? Now stop talking and kiss me’ and swinging himself on top of her, they made love slowly, passionately and for a prolonged time.

Karen, like Sam had been, was noisy when climaxing and he enjoyed hearing her load groans as she reached orgasm.

After they’d both climaxed and he was lying with her cuddled into his chest he traced his finger around her nipples in a somewhat absent minded way as he wondered about his life with Abi and whether there would be a future together for them. They’d been married for a long time and he loved her. He always had ever since he’d met her at that dinner party and they’d been the only singles and Maggie an old friend of Abi’s had seated them next to each other.

But however much he loved her he simply couldn’t stop himself being serially unfaithfully with a succession of attractive woman. There had been many over the years, occasionally one night stands but usually longer term affairs until either he or they had got bored or wanted to move on. But Sam had been the only other woman apart from Abi that he’d ever properly loved.

‘Penny for your thoughts?’ enquired Karen looking up at him.

‘Oh just thinking how good you are at lovemaking’ he lied easily, pleased when he saw her satisfied smile.

‘Pretty good yourself’ she replied quietly running her hand down to his now flaccid prick and giving it a gentle almost possessive squeeze.

‘So what happened exactly at the airport then?’ he asked.

‘Oh we’d all got on the plane and the doors had been closed but we sat there for a long time not moving. Then the captain came on and said that they couldn’t get one of the engines started and we’d have to go back into the terminal. So we all trooped off and sat around for ages before they said that they were taking that plane out of service and switching us to other flights.

The trouble was that their other flight today was pretty full and the only seats they had left were in economy but they had business class seats available tomorrow. So as I hate being cramped up in economy I elected to stay over and fly business class tomorrow.

I must admit though that the thought of having another night with you was a benefit and weighed pretty heavily on my decision’ she laughed.

‘Why didn’t you call me?’

‘I did but it went to straight to voicemail’.

‘Shit!’

‘What?’

‘I don’t remember turning my phone back on after that meeting this afternoon. Abi said that she tried to call me as well and got voicemail. Damn. The trouble was I was so bloody angry when I came out from that meeting’. Getting out of bed he walked naked into the sitting room then returned staring at his mobile.

‘No sod it I didn’t. Hang on while I check my messages’ and he held the phone to his ear, grunted from time to time, pressed the delete or save key after listening to each message and finally put it down on the dressing table. ‘Six voice messages, one of which was from you saying that there was a problem with the flight and you were returning and one from Abi as well saying she had hurt her ankle and was coming here.

Abi said that she also sent me a text but that hasn’t come through. Damn. If it had I could have contacted you and said don’t come here but go to an hotel. Oh well what’s happened has happened. What time’s your flight tomorrow then?’

‘Ten. Check in from eight’.

‘Ah good so you don’t have to leave too early in the morning then?’

‘No. Why do you have something in mind that we could spend time doing?’

‘Oh I expect I’ll think of something’ he grinned pulling her closer to himself.

‘Sounds good!’

They lay side by side quietly kissing, stroking and touching each other’s bodies happy with their company together until after a while he looked at her and grinned. ‘Now I don’t know about you but I’m getting hungry. Come on get dressed and I’ll take you out to dinner’.

‘Oh boy. End of romantic interlude as now it is food the man wants? Right but I need a shower or bath first honey’ and swinging her long legs out of bed she disappeared out of the room.

Hearing the bath running he waited in bed for a while until he heard the water stop and the unmistakable sounds of her splashing about so walking in he leant down, kissed her on the top of her head and went into the shower cubicle.

He took her to Louigi’s which was his favourite restaurant in London where as usual the old proprietor bowing low and kissing Karen’s hand made a fuss of him and his so a-beautiful lady.

The meal was good and afterwards they made their way back to the apartment where she said that as their time together was getting short did he feel up to making love again?

He did!

Later they drifted off to sleep. Well at least Karen did but Mark, unusually for him, laid awake thinking about Abi. He wondered whether in the cold light of day and after a little reflection she’d forgive him. If only he hadn’t given Karen a key to the apartment. The only other woman he’d ever done that with was Sam.

His mind flicked back over the two years that he and Karen had been together since he’d first met her at a drinks party in the Canadian Embassy in London. It had been a classic case of eyes meeting across a crowded room and at the end of the evening he’d asked to meet her again. She’d said yes and they met up the following evening and enjoyed each other’s company and conversation before going back to her hotel where they had a nightcap in the bar, then went to her room and spent the rest of the night in bed.

She’d flown back to Canada the next day but had returned the following week and rang him to ask if he wanted to meet up again. He said yes and from that moment on they’d become a secret couple.

Single, unattached and a career lawyer specialising in corporate work she was attractive, fun, interesting and importantly very good in bed.

She knew he was married to Abi and also guessed that he slept with other women apart from his wife and her although she closed her mind to it.

He still had an active sex life with Abi but he knew that when they met up to discuss what had happened tonight and their future whatever that might be, if she asked him to promise to be faithful he wouldn’t be able to do that. It wasn’t that he wanted to hurt her. He didn’t. It was simply that he wouldn’t be able to vow not to sleep with other attractive women.

He tossed and turned for a long time until sighing and stretching his arms and legs he tried to finally relax and eventually closing his eyes fell asleep.

*     *     *

Next morning he stroked Karen awake. They made love, showered, got dressed and left, he for his office while she took a taxi to the airport.

He went straight into a difficult meeting which was a continuation from yesterday’s discussions with a competitor at which several times he’d got very angry at the constant changing of negotiating position of the other company leading to him being so het up and angry when the meeting broke up without a deal that he’d forgotten to switch his phone back on.

Karen though was now completely eliminated from his mind as he concentrated on this morning discussions. They were slowly inching towards a deal to combine the two businesses and although experienced and having conducted many mergers, takeovers and disposals over the years this was turning out to be a complex, time consuming and difficult deal to finalise.

Mark was Chairman of this particular company ELECTRICAL NEW DEVELOPMENTS. It wasn’t a full time job and he now held several Chairman roles with different companies whereby he spent on average one day a week although sometimes more in each of them.

He was also a Non-Executive Director on the Board of a couple of charities one focussed on helping young people with drug or alcohol problems and the other devoting its energies to trying to help homeless youngsters. His boundless energy and drive soon changed their approach to fund raising and they rapidly found their financial situation became stronger and more robust than they were used to seeing it.

Furthermore he was Director General of The Association of British Business known by everyone as ABB—which was an alternative to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). When he’d joined ABB it had been a moribund organisation nominally there to support industry but it had over the years declined in importance and was largely ignored by most companies. At least it had been until four years ago when Mark had been approached to become the new Director General and after some considerable thought and discussion with various Industry leaders he’d identified that there might be a place for the organisation if it could be seen to provide something of value to Industry that didn’t exist or wasn’t available through other organisations.

So slowly but with increasing momentum under Mark’s leadership it changed from a comfortable lunch or dinner club and general ineffective talk-shop to a dynamic challenging organisation that started to fight against constant Government interference in business both large and small and in so doing started to become recognised as a potentially useful ally of Industry.

Disinterested in politics or being seen to kow-tow to Government, ABB soon found Industry turning to it for help, advice, support or lobbying for change and Mark being the sort of man that he was, generally didn’t go in for the more subtle approach but attacked head on, often in public as he fought for Industry.

Frequently quoted in newspapers of all political colours and increasingly seen on television when asked for industry’s opinion or perception of a particular political issue he surprisingly quickly became well known not only in Industry itself but also increasingly to the general public.

Now fifty seven but looking many years younger he was tall at an impressive six foot one, fit, attractive, had very pale blue eyes that often seemed to stare right into or through people and he operated a work rate that would destroy many others.

With only a small staff at ABB he deliberately kept the overheads of the organisation low as he knew that not only would that strongly appeal to industry who would hate to see their not insignificant subscriptions wasted on head office costs, but there was no need for a large staff.

He had a secretary called Pam who was single, in her fifties, efficient, used her initiative, a veritable dragon and secretly, if she was honest and admitted it to herself really rather in love with Mark, although she’d never say so to anyone especially not to him.

In addition there were just five others in the organisation. Two bright university graduates; two upcoming thrusting managers from industry all supported by a young intern for the many odd-jobs that cropped up from time to time. That was all.

When he’d taken over there’d been a staff of fourteen mostly time serving incompetent individuals who seemed to contribute nothing, cost money and generate mountains of useless paper that no one wanted.

Mark had fired all of them, except Pam in whom he recognised a potential talent if properly motivated and directed and she responded magnificently to working for him. He’d installed new computer systems and by temporarily detaching some IT experts from one of his businesses to work at ABB for two months he’d soon created the sort of data base that he saw the organisation needed.

It was not long after he’d started there that he’d been knighted for his services to Industry over the past years, although recently a Government Minister had said quietly to him after being savaged by Mark in a short political discussion on the radio, that it was a good job he’d got his knighthood in the past as he’d never have got one now in view of the pressure and frequent challenges to Government that he constantly mounted.

Overall a punishing work load suited him perfectly as it enabled him to use his considerable talents to ensure that the management teams of the companies of which he was Chairman were operating to maximum efficiency; kept him in touch with the leaders of Industry through his work at ABB; as well as satisfying his personal feeling that he ought to contribute something for the common good as a result of his working with the Charities.

After many years of being Chief Executive of single companies some four years ago he’d branched out into this multiple role. He loved the variety of working simultaneously in different companies; in different industries; being with different teams of people; solving multiple sets of problems and moving smoothly from one to another as the needs of the various businesses dictated.

This particular manufacturing company ELECTRICAL NEW DEVELOPMENTS known in the industry as END where this morning he was negotiating the merger, had made fast progress in the highly competitive electronics market but had now reached a point where to expand further would require a very heavy cash investment and although profitable and probably able to obtain such funds from their bank or venture capital groups Mark had persuaded the Board that they’d be much better to arrange a merger with their closest competitor, an Irish company called EIRE ELECTRIC INNOVATION (known in the industry as EEI (pronounced ee-i) on the basis that two fast growing and profitable companies with complimentary product ranges and little overlap when put together would yield greater benefits than simply doubling their profitability.

The two businesses were a good strategic fit because with its innovative product range END was strong in Europe and the Middle East but had little or no presence elsewhere in the world. Conversely EEI were weak in Europe, had a small operation in the Middle East but were very strong in America, Canada the Far East and Japan but with a product range that was tired and in need of new developments.

The previous day the discussions had not gone well and it was as a result of the breakdown in the merger talks that Mark had been so angry and forgotten to switch on his phone again as he came out of the meeting that had caused the problem to arise with Abi so unfortunately meeting Karen in the London apartment.

However the Irish EEI team had gone away and overnight had reconsidered their position. This morning they had rung to say that they thought after all there might be an opportunity to get a deal done and could the meeting be reconvened as soon as possible.

By lunch time the details of a merger were agreed in principle, subject to approval by each company’s shareholders, but having taken careful and discrete soundings with the major City Institutions in London and on Wall Street, in spite of the present financial difficulties that were affecting the world of finance, Mark was convinced that the majority of them would back the proposed merger and with the help of his PR firm he had been running a subtle press campaign with targeted leaks and hints about the benefits of such a merger.

So smiling and shaking hands with the executives of the opposing team he thought that now after weeks of discussions and negotiations there was a good deal for both companies if it all went through.

He would become Chairman of the much enlarged Group which would be re-named NEW ELECTRICAL SOLUTIONS while Patrick Murphy, the very experienced present Chief Executive Officer of EEI, would become Chief Executive for the new combined enterprise reporting to Mark. Alistair Walpole the Managing Director of END would leave the new Group as there could only be one Chief Executive and in Mark’s view Patrick was a better choice. Alistair had plenty of contacts and would have no difficulty in getting another senior role. Patrick though was a tough aggressive Irishman who’d negotiated hard during the various and often acrimonious meetings but Mark liked him and had admired the way he’d handled his side of the negotiations fighting for every advantage, being slow to concede any points, quick to exploit opportunities and clearly a highly capable senior executive.

These were qualities which Mark respected and knew that he could work with the man, even though there would probably be a good few arguments between them. But arguments if conducted properly were healthy as they often led to better decision making at the end.

After lunch he rang Abi and enquired about her ankle. Speaking coldly she told him that as it was so painful swollen and bruised almost black, that she’d gone to hospital and had it x-rayed where they’d said that it definitely wasn’t broken just very badly sprained and that time, painkillers and not putting any weight on it would eventually enable it to recover.

‘Oh well I’m glad it’s not broken but really sorry that it is so painful. Look we need to talk. When can I come and see you?’

‘Friday evening if you like or Saturday morning. The sooner the better’.

‘Ok Friday evening. I’ll ring you when I’m on the way’.

‘Right and look Mark all we’re going to do is talk. Ok? Then you can leave. I don’t want you to stay here afterwards so you can either go back to the London apartment, book into an hotel, go to a girlfriend as I expect you’ve got lots of them on tap, or if not then no doubt you can easily pick up some new blonde tart to spend the night with. I don’t really care what you do but you are not staying here with me. Is that clear?’

‘Yes quite clear. See you Friday’ and he rang off.

The rest of the week he divided between some of his other businesses where in one, a food manufacturing business called WATERS plc, he was keen to have a real strategic review undertaken of the business, its problems and opportunities, its strengths and weaknesses and its possibilities for the future in these increasingly difficult economic times.

Strategy was something at which he had a natural talent and he enjoyed the mental challenge of trying to think through strengths and weaknesses of a business’s current operations and then not only determining alternatives but seeing those new plans into effect and watching to see if his calculations, or in some cases guesses, turned out to be right.

In the overwhelming number of cases they were.

STYLE BY DESIGN was another company of which he was Chairman. It made and sold furniture and next morning as he chaired the monthly Board meeting he pronounced himself happy with the half year’s results and congratulated the Board and senior management on finding innovative ways of tackling the effects of a sudden downturn in the housing market which was having a detrimental effect on furniture making and hence sales.

But importantly the company had established a growing export trade into Russia which appeared not to be suffering from any such recession, at least not so they could determine, as their business to there was increasing and their Russian contact seemed willing to discuss importing even larger quantities of the company’s product range.

However Mark knew that doing business with Russian companies was often fraught with difficulty, painfully slow, financially risky, frequently came to nothing and therefore frustrating in the extreme. Nevertheless if they could move towards a position where they were able to significantly expand their business eastwards then it would be very helpful to the company to offset growing problems here in the UK market so he determined to watch this possible expansion opportunity carefully and had told the Board that if required he’d be quite prepared to help in the discussions and even fly to Moscow to meet with the importer if necessary.

Another business in his Chairman’s portfolio was a large retail conglomerate which had been built up during the late 1970’s and early 1980’s and had then enjoyed rapid growth from the mid 1980’s through the 1990’s and first couple of years of the 2000’s. During that time ZGD had been a darling of the stock market with its fast growth, turning in record profits and constantly delighting City shareholders, staff, suppliers and customers.

It was an unwieldy group of retailers comprising a chain of electrical stores called SPARKS and VISION competing against Currys and Dixons; a chain of computer stores which traded as COMPUTERS ALL battling against giants such as PC World; two chains of fashion stores, one called IT’S HERE aiming mainly at older women and the other trading as REAL GIRL competing against, Marks and Spencer, Next and other trendy shops for younger women’s spend.

The trouble was that although during the early years the Group’s growth had varied between good and spectacular where if one chain was finding trading difficult the others pulled it through, now every part of the group was facing problems and some of them were serious.

By 2012 the fashion chains were simply out of touch with modern consumers. The electrical stores were never quite up to date with new technical innovations in televisions, dvd players or other key home entertainment equipment and the computer stores were not only suffering from appalling out of stocks but just seemed unable to keep up with the constant and increasingly fast stream of innovative computers and computer support products constantly coming onto the market.

The difficulties were far reaching and according to some financial commentators writing in the press possibly terminal. The darling of the stock market was in difficulty and starting to be described as a basket case, and its shares were now worth only a fraction of what they were in past years.

When initially approached Mark had been reluctant to take on the role of Chairman in ZGD as in his entire business career to date his experience had been running manufacturing and marketing companies not retailers and so he’d turned down the job offer.

Twice.

However when approached for a third time and with an increased and amazingly generous remuneration package this time he’d been tempted and his natural belief in his own invincible abilities had finally persuaded him to accept the role. He launched himself into it with his customary verve, drive, enthusiasm and dynamic approach.

Now a little over three years later although not regretting having accepted the position he was certainly aware of the incredibly difficult task which he’d taken on, not helped by the City constantly demanding