Lavender Is a Harsh Mistress Read online

  “How does he do it? If Barbara was here a few of them would have fainted by now.” Most of the models would leave Marcus their port-folios showing pictures of clothing that they had posed in. Marcus would look thru the pictures of the women that he selected and pick out a few of their photos. Then he would put them aside for Amanda to make the final selection. Now that he was finished she was taking them home to see which ones she liked. She also wanted to get an idea as to what kind of woman that he found attractive. She had the company messenger carry the pictures downstairs to her car. Before she left the building there was something that she had to address 40

  Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress with Raz. Amanda walked into Raz’s office and sat down without being asked. Raz was tidying up her office and getting ready to leave.

  “Raz, there is something that I have been meaning to talk to you about.” Raz sat down and gave Amanda her full attention.

  “I want to know if it is necessary for you to spend so much time in Mr. Peterson’s office? He is just getting his feet under him and I want him to get up to speed as quick as possible. Since you walk past my desk on your way to his each time. You can just as easily ask me whatever you need to know.” Raz cocked her head to the side and tried to process what Amanda was saying.

  “I am not sure that I know what you mean Mandy.”

  “I mean instead of bothering him you just ask me.”

  “But Mandy I just thought that since he was taking over for Barbara I should involve him in anything that I used to involve her in, he has caught on really fast. But if you want me to check with you first I will.”

  “I would appreciate that very much. I am sure that within a few more weeks I will be seeking his advice on how to do things. But for now let’s take it easy on him”

  “Sure Mandy, no problem, will do.” Without further comment Amanda stood up and was gone. Raz cocked her head to the other side and stared down at her desk and asked herself.

  “Can somebody tell me what the hell that was all about? Why would Amanda be so concerned about how many times I went into Marcus’

  office to discuss things?” Raz walked over to her small refrigerator and pulled out a half finished cocktail. She put it to her lips and thought about what had really happened between she and Marcus.

  After the night of the after party (When Marcus dropped the girls off) she convinced herself she needed to be more forward.

  A few days later she waited for him in the lobby where they worked.

  As he walked past her she stuffed a pair of red sexy panties into his jacket pocket. Attached to the panties was a piece of paper with her phone number and address on it. A week went by and he still had not called or came by her apartment. But she was not the kind of woman who gave up so easily when she was after a man. In an earlier time when she walked the modeling cat walks of every fashion capital. She could have the pick of the litter as far as men were con-41

  Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress cerned. It was well known that at that time she would wake up with one man for breakfast, see another one at lunch, then go to bed with a different one after dinner. Now that she was almost fifty those days were gone. But she still looked good enough to turn many a mans head. Since the panties hadn’t worked she tried something else. She waited outside his building one day after work and followed him upstairs. She rang his doorbell and waited for him to answer it.

  “Yes who is it.”

  “It’s me Marcus, Raz.” Marcus was still in his work clothes when he opened the door.

  “Raz how did you know....is anything wrong?” Her eyes wondered down to his crotch and then back to his face. She was dressed in a long black cling fitting gown that featured a very low plunging neckline.

  “I was just wondering if you would happen to know where a pair of my red panties were? A little bird told me that you might know.”

  “Yes Miss. Warren, I have them right here.” Marcus reached into a umbrella stand by the door and pulled the panties out. “Are these the panties that you are talking about?”

  “Yes Marcus, they are.”

  “Well Miss. Warren you can have them back. They are not my size and they are definitely not my color.” He quickly stuffed the panties into her plunging neckline between her breasts and shut his door.

  The look on his face was one that she had never seen from a man before and it puzzled her. With her tail between her legs and her panties between her cleavage Raz drove home. By the time that she had arrived home she figured out what that look on his face was.

  “He hadn’t given me the right to intrude into his life. It didn’t matter that I am almost fifty. I could have been twenty and he would have reacted the same way. He is the kind of man who decides when, where, and how he wants a woman. He sure is not the man for me!

  He is a dangerous man when it comes to women. The kind of man who few women could handle because he is a man of principle.”

  As Raz packed up to leave she now understood what that heart to heart that she just had with Amanda was all about.

  “She’s interested in him! She can have him! But she is not the woman for him. She will never be able to handle a man like him. When 42

  Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress it comes to men, Amanda is just too fragile.”

  When she got to work the next day Raz was proven right about Marcus being a man of principle. He treated her with complete professionalism and courtesy. She knew that he would never mention anything about the panties to anyone, and she was right. After five months Amanda Fashions was running as smooth as a top. There were days when she wondered if she had to come into work at all.

  She had gotten a report from her accounting firm of York and Associates, and was on her way to make eight million dollars this year.

  After paying all her bills she would realize a net of almost three million. On top of that Marcus had proven to be worth his weight in gold. There was nothing about her company that he didn’t seem to be able to master. He’d even gotten Joy, and Willis to work together as a team. Amanda decided to give him a raise whether he needed it or not. What he did with it was his business. As soon as she sat down at her desk the phone rang. It was Mrs. Silver.

  “Amanda I will be meeting with the Harrison Club at one today. We are staying at the Plaza Hotel, in suite 329. I will expect to see you there and bring your catalog.” The phone went dead and Amanda went into a panic.

  “What am I going to do? Not going is out of the question. But I am not prepared and there is not enough time because it’s already a little past twelve. Her eyes immediately went to the door to Marcus’ office, and her body was right behind. She knocked on the door, opened it and walked in.

  “Are you busy this afternoon?”

  “No I am not.”

  “I need you to come to a meeting with me right now. We have to bring this year’s catalog.” Marcus grabbed his catalog and followed her out of the building. Amanda turned around in a fright.

  “Oh my God, I forgot to call Manny.”

  “Don’t worry, I am parked around the corner and I will drive us there. He walked around the corner and pulled up in front of the building in minutes. He got out to let Amanda in and within seconds they were off.

  “Where are we going and who are we meeting with?”

  “We are meeting with Mrs. Silver, you know the Queen of Aspen, 43

  Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress she is the president of the Harrison Club. They are a group of wealthy widows that don’t ask but demand. I refer to them as the “Blue Hen Posse” because once they all decided to dye their hair blue. You know like a group of seventh grade girls that all decided to wear the same thing to school. We are meeting them at the Plaza Hotel, do you know where that is?”

  “Sure, we will be there in no time.” Amanda always got nervous when she met with the “Blue Hen Posse.” Besides it turning into a full days work, they had to be cajoled, pampered and lied to. Everything that they thought about buying from her she felt compelled to comment on by saying things
like.

  “That will look great on you. What mans eye are you trying to catch?

  That outfit will surly catch on fire when you put it on.” In all candor they were all good grandmothers, involved in their churches and loyal Americans. But on the days that Amanda had to babysit them they were all royal pains in the butt!”

  Marcus kept his mind on getting to the hotel on time and didn’t say a word. Amanda noticed how effortlessly he moved in and out of traffic. As he drove she started talking to him about what the

  “Blue Hen Posse” might like. Suddenly she realized that she had been talking ever since they had started driving. She quickly stopped and turned her face to look out of the passenger window and admonished herself. “Shut the hell up! You are starting to sound like a vocal machine gun!” Marcus sensed that she was a little nervous.

  “Don’t worry Miss. Wilcox, we’ll get there on time and everything will go perfect.”In twenty minutes they were pulling up in front of the hotel with ten minutes to spare. At exactly one o’clock they were ushered into Mrs. Silver’s suite. As soon as they stepped in they saw a spread that would make a king, smile. There was a buffet table that had enough food to feed an army. A servant came up to them and thrust a long stemmed glass of champagne into their hands. Right behind him came Mrs. Silver.

  “Splendid Amanda, just splendid and right on time.” Mrs. Silver took a glancing look at Marcus.

  “Is this the impertinent young man who refused to get my ski outfit?” Amanda quickly jumped to Marcus’ defense.

  “No Mrs. Silver. This is the very nice young man who had your outfit 44

  Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress put into special production. You did get it didn’t you?”

  “Yes I did, but I shouldn’t have to grovel. Now come with me the ladies are waiting.” She led them into an even bigger room that had an even bigger buffet and a roving bar. Mrs. Silver escorted them over to a table in the center of the room where the other members sat. As she introduced Marcus and Amanda he looked at their fingers that were covered with diamond rings and precious stones and thought to himself.

  “I wonder where they find the strength to lift their hands.”

  Mrs. Silver turned to Amanda.

  “Did you bring the catalog?”

  “Yes I did Mrs. Silver.” Mrs. Silver saw Marcus holding the catalog and grabbed him by the hand.

  “Come along Mr. Peterson.” She positioned him directly in front of the table and took a seat up front.

  “We are ready Mr. Peterson, you can start.” It had been Amanda’s intention to deliver the presentation herself but it was too late for that now. Marcus pulled up a chair, sat down and crossed his legs and opened up the catalog and started. Amanda finally noticed that he was wearing a tan camel haired jacket, a light blue powered shirt, a silk blue and tan tie, dark blue pants and brown shoes. He went from page to page with meticulous precision and explained everything down to the last detail. The Harrison Club, remained still and quiet and gave him their complete attention. Like they were college students being lectured by their professor. It was hard for Amanda to believe that they could be so enthralled, captivated, attentive and most of all....silent. When they inquired about an outfit that they might want to buy. All Marcus had to do was emit the slightest bit of approval and they bought it. There was no rolling or batting of their eyes, or arched eyebrows, or haughty faces. Things that Amanda had been dealing with for years. It seemed to her that the women were going out of their way to prove to Marcus that everything that Amanda had told him about them was not to be believed. She had made it all up.

  After Marcus had gotten halfway thru the catalog things got more informal. The Harrison Club began giggling and whispering into each others ears. Like teenage girls would do around a 45

  Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress cute heartthrob. Amanda realized that they had stopped asking him about anything in the catalog, they were now asking him questions about himself. She sat back and listened.

  “Were you ever a model Mr. Peterson? Are you Married? Do you ever plan to get married. Do you have a steady girlfriend? What color do you prefer on women? Do you put your own outfits together?”

  The more questions they asked him about himself the closer that they moved their chairs to his. Soon they had him completely encircled. Even Mrs. Silver got into the act.

  “Please ladies please! Give Marcus some room! After all he is my discovery.” Amanda found herself a chair in a far corner of the room and just relaxed as she sipped on more champagne out of another long stemmed glass and picked over a plate of food. She looked at the scene and was amused and intrigued at how easily he had cast a spell over them. There was nothing for her to do. She felt like a pair of old worn out brown dusty shoes in a tuxedo store....totally forgot-ten about. In her mind there was no doubt about it. “The Blue Hen Posse” was hitting on Marcus. If he wanted to he could walk out of this hotel a millionaire.”

  After about three hours Amanda stood up and gave him a nod. Marcus immediately followed her lead.

  “I am sorry ladies but we must be getting back to the office.” The women reacted like they were losing a long lost son that they might never see again. They only softened their dismay when he promised that he would meet with them in Aspen this winter. Mrs. Silver almost trapped him when she asked.

  “Why do you have to leave? Amanda can have her chauffeur take her back. We will see to it that you get home, don’t worry about that.”

  Marcus had to think quick.

  “Miss. Wilcox came with me and we must get back for a very important meeting. But I promise you Mrs. Silver that your house will be the first one that I come to visit in Aspen.” A surprised look came over Amanda’s face at his ability to think fast when he was in a tough spot.

  “Wow! He is a great escape artist also.”

  As Amanda was waiting for Marcus to bring his car around to the front of the building. She was mulling over something com-46

  Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress plementary to say to him. She was finding it hard to come up with the words to say to him for making things go so well. She was truly proud of him and how he had represented her company. But she had to admit to herself that all that he had learned about the company was due to his hard work, she had very little to do with it. But she felt that she had to do something to show him how thankful she was. “Maybe I can take him out for a drink and dinner, he really didn’t eat or drink anything upstairs. That’s what I will do, I will ask him to go to dinner.” Marcus pulled up and came around his car to let her in. She was just about to ask him out when Manny pulled up behind them and rushed over to her.

  “Hey boss, I didn’t know that you had a meeting here today. I didn’t see it on the schedule.”

  “No Manny it was something that came out of the blue.” She introduced the two men who shook hands and exchanged a friendly

  “Hello.” Marcus walked her over to her car and closed the door after she had gotten in. She rested her head against the window and could only think about one thing.

  “Sometimes efficiency sucks!”

  As soon as Amanda got home she sat on the side of her bed and checked her phone messages. Most of them were about business and they could wait until tomorrow. The next one was from Carney.

  “Finished in Russia, everything went great, on to Ireland. I will see you in a few weeks.” A joyful feeling came over Amanda’s spirit. She really missed her old college friend. Nobody made her laugh like Carney and she always came back with some of the strangest stories about the world of the super rich. If anyone knew everything about the sexual mores of millionaires around the world, it was Carney.

  Amanda saw that there were four more messages left. They were all from Patrick, and asking the same thing.

  “Can I come over tonight?” She turned the phone off and put it on top of the dresser. After she had taken a shower and got ready to go to sleep. She sat on top of the bed and looked at some of the photos of the models that Marcus had selected. She was k
een on knowing what kind of physical attributes he looked for in a women. But she didn’t find the answer by looking at the photos. He had selected all different kinds of women of different races and physical shapes.

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  Lavender Is A Harsh Mistress

  Some were big in certain areas and some were small in those areas.

  Some had long hair, some short and some hardly none at all. After she had looked at all of the photos she was back where she started from. She had no clear idea what part of a women that he preferred and found sexy. As she pulled the covers around her and rested her head on her pillow. She thought back to the meeting with the Harrison Club. Something suddenly occurred to her. “Of all the questions that those ladies asked him he answered them in a general manner.

  All of the personal questions that he answered had no specific information about him at all. He was answering like a politician using and mouthing words but, really saying nothing. Now that I think about it some of the questions he didn’t really answer at all. Other than his great looks, his knowledge about the business, his exquisite dress, his working at Blakely and Shade, and a few other things. He is a complete mystery to me.”

  Mrs. Devon Peterson looked at the clock in the airport terminal. As usual she was anxious about coming thru customs. There was nothing that she had to declare but the process could take long.