按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
e exercise； too much to drink … and that bitch； Lola； of course。 Attractive； just having passed her fortieth birthday； Marion resented a younger woman having designs on her husband。 Oh sure； all executives had their fancy women and Darren had had them before。 But now things were building up to a climax and when the whole thing exploded she was going to make sure that the little hussy got the full force of the blast。 This is the place；' Darren Hurst swung the wheel over； eased the car down a cinder track that was just wide enough to take it。 A hundred yards or so further on the line of fir trees ended and gave way to an expanse of field； rough tussocks of grass that had not been grazed recently； a general look of abandonment about it。 On their left； partly shielded by a line of yew trees and a massive oak； they saw an overgrown cemetery and a church； the roof of which was sagging dangerously； a number of slates missing。
'Beautiful' Marion Hurst muttered。 'What a crime that it is going to be turned into a housing estate。'
'Don't put it that way；' her husband's voice was soft； cultured to the point of suaveness； 'Executive…style residences； my dear。 Houses which will enhance the locality； hide all this dereliction。'
'Crap！' her eyes blazed。 'It's all one big fiddle； Darren； and you know it。 If the truth es out then you and Stone； and that toad of a bishop will all go down for years。 It'd make the headlines of every newspaper in the country。'
'And you would be joining us in prison；' Darren Hurst's eyes narrowed。 'Don't forget； you're part of it； Marion。 You were responsible for swaying Stone。 I couldn't have done it alone。 My five grand wouldn't've meant a thing to a guy on twenty a year。 He wouldn't take the risk。 But when I just happened to e home and caught the pair of you upstairs； his trousers and your knickers hanging on the bedside chair。 。 。 。 '
'Shut up' her fists clenched and for a moment he thought she was going to strike him。 'My God； what a fool I was to go along with your ideas。 I must've been blind and mad！'
'But he shagged you and came out five thousand quid the better for it；' he laughed。 'Most guys would've ended up with nothing except a broken nose and a black eye。 But that's all over and done with。'
'Is it？ It's blackmail！'
'Don't be so hasty； my dear。 Nobody was ever threatened。 I just happened to mention an idea and a sum of money to Stone and he willingly went along with it。 Nobody made any threats about what might happen if he refused。 Now； did they？1
'It was blackmail； all the same；' she turned her head； stared out of the window。 'You tricked me just like you tricked Stone。'
'I did？ I never suggested that you let him knock you off。 All I said was we need to get on the right side of the planning officer and an attractive woman stood more chance of doing that than a man。 In fact； darling； I was quite hurt to find out that you could be unfaithful to me！'
'You bloody hypocrite！' she whirled on him； a stinging slap that caught him across the face and banged his head back on the headrest。 'Like I said； I was a bloody fool。 But you've been screwing other women for years。 Away for days at a time 〃on business〃； and you've had dirty little whores in your bed。 Now this Lola。 She's nothing but a slut tarted up by you in an attempt to make her look presentable。 But her pedigree is all too clear beneath those layers of make…up。 What's she getting out of this deal？'
'She happens to be my private secretary；' Hurst wiped his lips with a tissue； dabbed at a trickle of blood。 'She has her salary； nothing else。'
'A hooker's wages！' Marion was on the verge of hysteria。 'I wish you'd set her up for Stone。 That way I could've walked out and left you to your hussies。 Don't you ever touch me again； Darren。 I don't want a dose！'
'You're being ridiculous；' he eased the car door open。 'Let's take a waik and survey our new kingdom。 Within two months the diggers will be here getting the footings out for the first few houses。'
'You hope！' she got out； slammed the door shut behind her。 'There'll be an appeal。 I've heard that nearly everybody in the village has signed a petition。'
'A mere formality and a waste of everybody's time。 Our planning permission will stand。 Enjoy what you see； my dear； for you were instrumental in bringing this about。 Without your help it would probably have remained in trust to the church forever because nobody else would have dared to even think of building on it。 What a waste that would have been。'
Marion Hurst's torment of guilt had escalated these last few hours。 Ever since they had left St Monica's church she had been unable to get the whole thing out of her mind。 Oh God； she wished she had never gone there； set foot on that tract of land which up until today had meant no more to her than an area shaded in on an Ordnance Survey map and a few lines on a sheet of planning permission。 It was akin to a surgeon entering the theatre to carry out an operation and discovering that the patient was a close friend of his； or a vet being asked to put an animal to sleep and developing a relationship with it while he prepared his syringe。 No longer was it impersonal。
Darren had gone out shortly after they returned home； she had not expected him to stay in。 She didn't even go to the trouble of making him invent an excuse。 Lies were meaningless now。 Far better had he said 'I'm taking Lola for a meal and afterwards I'm going to screw her on the back seat of the car！'
No； it wouldn't be on the back seat of the car； nothing so lowly and basic as that for Darren Hurst； recently admitted to the elite ranks of the nouveau riche。 There were rumours that he'd taken a flat somewhere in town。 Lola probably lived there； his own private whore…house！
Bitterness welled up inside Marion Hurst。 She was a whore； too！ Oh yes； she'd gone only too willingly with Walter Stone that time。 Seduced him。 He had tried to back down at the start but Marion had ways of getting men to do what she wanted even if she was past forty。 Surprisingly； the guy had been quite good and she'd enjoyed it。 They had just been wiping themselves off with tissues when Darren had walked into the bedroom … as she knew he would； of course。 Damn it； that had spoiled it all for her。 She wished she'd seduced Stone some place where Darren didn't have to show up； didn't even have to know about it。 Then it would've been her own little secret and nobody would've got hurt。 As it was； hundreds of villagers were going to have their locality desecrated and Stone and Darren might end up going to gaol 。 。 。 herself with them！
God； she hated that bastard of a husband of hers！ She meant what she'd said earlier； he wasn't going to have her again。 Every time he lay on top of her； or did whatever took his fancy； he degraded her。 Now she was his pawn； just like the others。 If you looked at it logically； she was the focal point of all this corruption。 Without her opening her legs for Walter Stone none of this could have e about。
She helped herself to another malt whisky； her third。 Darren was going to bloody well pay for all this。 She'd shop him to the police！ No； that would involve herself； not only that； there was some legal point about a wife not being able to give evidence against her husband； she'd read about it somewhere a long time ago。 Anyway； what evidence？ She didn't have any proof。 Doubtless the others had covered their tracks well enough。 And in the end she would be made to look a fool and a liar； a woman scorned； trying to gain revenge on her husband and his mistress。
She'd leave the bugger then！ No； that would be just what he'd want； conveniently get her out of the way so that Lola could move in。 Oh； Jesus Christ she was trapped as surely as a fly caught in a spider's web！
Anger and guilt mingled with alcohol。 She contemplated killing Darren； she could poison him or even stick a knife in his guts whilst he slept。 Temporary revenge because before long they'd put her away and she'd suffer a lot longer than he had。 And the deal with the bishop would still go through； it just meant that without Darren Hurst the others would get a bigger share。 And the loser would be Marion Hurst。
She felt slightly dizzy； swayed； and had to hold on to the cocktail cabinet as she poured herself a fourth drink。 It was the folk in the village who would be the real losers。 Her eyes misted up and she pictured them going into the church； devout honest people who believed in God。 And she had betrayed them！
Somehow she had to cleanse her conscience。 Funny how things dropped into perspective when you really thought about them； how little things like people's feelings were overlooked where money was concerned。 Not just the villagers … God！ She was a female Judas。 She had sold her Maker； mitted adultery to bring about her crime。
Marion Hurst could not hold back her tears； sobs which shook her； had her lying on the Chesterfield begging for forgiveness； not bothering to put on the light when dusk turned to deep darkness。
S