Sunday 28 May 2017

Those Memories Made on Teardrop Lake – (67) A Solicitor’s Deposition

(Part 01)

Pangbourne, Parker and Knowles were a firm of Shallowfield Solicitors with a very good reputation and a varied clientele and they handled a wide variety of legal work and kept a healthy number of Solicitors and large number of staff gainfully employed.
One of whom was 48 year old Divorcee Kayleigh Mascia who had been a Solicitor with the firm all of her professional life.
And during that long career she had given everything to the firm which had ultimately cost her her marriage and she never once questioned her commitment, but shortly after her 48th birthday she met Steve May.

Steve was the brother of one of her clients and she met him when he accompanied his sister to the office and they hit it off and on one visit an invitation was extended for him to join her for a coffee and he accepted, which she was delighted with, much more so than she would have expected.
He was an attractive man, tall and slim in his early fifties who always wore a tailored Italian suit, but it wasn’t his physique or taste in clothes that turned her head, it was his soulful eyes and when Steve cast those soulful eyes in her direction he was instantly struck by cupid’s arrow and when she spoke in her soft Downshire accent he was spellbound.

Kayleigh was petite and dainty with a pretty fine featured face framed by an abundance of red curly hair.
They were both divorcees and wary of going down the marriage path again and they rather liked the casual nature of their relationship which was similarly very discrete.
His visits to the office followed by coffee at Addison’s Cafe became a regular thing, and this later led to dinner a couple of nights a week at least.

But when his sister’s divorce was finalized he had no other reason to go to the offices other than to see her and if they continued they would doubtless have raised a few eyebrows, and they weren’t ready for that.
So they sought out other venues, where they could go to avoid prying eyes, they couldn’t go to her place because she had very nosy neighbours and they couldn’t go to his because he was house sharing with his sister since her divorce.
They could have gone farther afield and stayed at a Hotel, that was certainly an option, but twice a week, every week was not financially sustainable, and their relationship had, at that time not reached the level of intimacy where they could share a room, and they thought it would have made it all a bit seedy anyway and they didn’t want that, they just wanted to enjoy each other’s company.
Which was why they had to start thinking outside the box.

Some of Kayleigh’s clients didn’t like meeting at Pangbourne, Parker and Knowles or their own homes or premises for that matter so it was sometimes necessary to hold meetings in Hotel conference rooms or suites.
One of her favourite Hotels for such meetings was the Clayton Manor who had a reputation for discretion.
But conference rooms and suites were not hired by the hour, not at the Clayton anyway and such meeting never lasted all day so they had a venue where they could meet, and as the room hire was charged to the client’s account there was no cost involved to them.

(Part 02)

Some of Kayleigh’s clients didn’t like meeting at Pangbourne, Parker and Knowles or their own homes or premises for that matter so it was sometimes necessary to hold meetings in Hotel conference rooms or suites.
One of her favourite Hotels for such meetings was the Clayton Manor who had a reputation for discretion.
But conference rooms and suites were not hired by the hour, not at the Clayton anyway and such meeting never lasted all day so they had a venue where they could meet, and as the room hire was charged to the client’s account there was no cost involved to them.

In addition Gary Playford, the Hotel manager, was very accommodating, and once her client had departed, he would have the room set up for intimate dining, and would ensure once her dinner guest had arrived that they were not disturbed.

Steve arrived at the Clayton Manor Hotel shortly before lunch and, not for the first time, made himself known to the receptionist who had been told to expect him.
“Steve May” he said “I’m here to give a deposition”
But although they had met at the Clayton several times before this occasion was not going to be like his previous visits.

He was suited and booted in his hand made suit and Italia kid leather shoes and was directed to the second floor.
“The second floor?” he queried “I didn’t know you had meeting rooms on the second floor”
“You will be met at the elevator” the receptionist responded

He entered the lift and pressed 2 and when the doors opened he was greeted formally by Kayleigh in her Solicitorial way
“Hello Mr May” she said and shook his hand “Would you like to follow me, we’re in room 207”
So he followed her down the corridor until they arrived at their destination, Suite 207, very plush, and hanging on the door handle was a sign which read “Legal Deposition being taken DO NOT ENTER”

Just inside the door there was table bearing a briefcase and a pile of legal papers, just as you would be expected to find if it really was an official Deposition.
But Kayleigh led him beyond the vestibule and into the sitting room of the suite which had a dining table and two chairs in the centre of the room which was laid ready for an intimate dinner for two and the room was sympathetically lit for the occasion.
“Do you like it?” she asked as she walked toward him, she wanted everything to be just right because she had decided that that was the day that they took their relationship to the next level.
“Very nice” he said and stepped forward to meet her and then they kissed.
The kiss was of such intensity that Kayleigh was left in no doubt that Steve acquiesced with her plans.
So they shared a wonderful meal in their suite, all washed down with French Champagne, after which she had him for desert.

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