The Clerembeax Palace Hotel and Spa – Reprieved

 

The beautiful Downshire village of Clerembeax St Giles was situated to the west of Abbeyvale located between Grace Hill and Bushy Down and on the outskirts was the Clerembeax Palace Hotel and Spa and it was the location of The Funeral Directors of Downshire Awards and William Hemmings and Sons of Abbottsford were represented by Sister and Brother, Melanie and Will Hemmings, Alexandra Norris and Elise Szczypek. 

Melanie and Alexandra were an item and all the time they had been together, in fact ever since the latter set her cap at Mel when she first joined the firm, Alex had Mel heart and soul exclusively, but not so her body.

Melanie liked to play the field, and she played it well, but Alex was true and faithful, but she was growing tired of waiting for Mel to grow up, so while they were at the Hotel she Gave Mel an ultimatum as they lay in bed.

“We’ve been together for a year now and I’ve tried to not care about you seeing other women, but I really do care” Alex said

“And I know you are so don’t bother trying to deny it”

Mel began to speak but she stopped her

“I don’t know who, though I have my suspicions”, she said flatly

“And I don’t think I want to know but I know you’re sleeping with other women”

Again, Mel began to speak but again Alex stopped her

“And there will come a time in the not too distant future when I walk away from us, I love you and I’m certain sure of that, and I know you say you love me but I’m not so sure of that”

“But I do love you” Mel said taking her hand

“But you don’t love me as completely as I love you” Alex retorted taking her hand away “you are enough for me, but clearly I’m not enough for you”

Mel tried to speak once more but again she was stopped.

“So, you have three months to sow your wild oats or to curb your appetites or whatever it is you do” she continued

“But at that point I need to feel your commitment, and you need to want me and me alone, and that’s all I have to say”

Melanie was cleared to speak at that point but didn’t know what to say she wanted to say don’t be silly you’re the only one for me, but she knew she was right on the money, she knew she was getting plenty, and she was liking that, but if she wanted to keep the girl she loved it was obvious she would have to change.

Melanie was shocked, firstly because it never occurred to her for a moment that she couldn’t have her cake and eat it, and secondly although Mel knew she loved Alex more than she had ever loved anyone she didn’t realise quite how much that was until that moment when she realised she could lose her.

The prospect of losing her stunned her and she knew she had to make changes in her life.

“Don’t look so glum” Alex said kissing Mel’s lips “I’m not giving up on you yet”

 

In the weeks that followed their relationship went on unchanged, they made love as often and with the same intensity as they always had but Mel felt uneasy during the periods in the afterglow when feelings and emotions were expressed, souls are bared, and hearts unburdened.

These were not the times she looked forward to because there was the thorny question of Alex’s mistrust of her and what she would say, what she would ask and how many lies Mel would have to tell her.

Her biggest fear was however that each time they talked was another step towards the deadline, another day closer to that dreaded moment when it ended.

How much time would elapse before she finally lost patience with her and her philandering and found someone worthier of her love.

But the dreaded questions never came, all the talk was of the future, the distant future, the future beyond the end of the three months.

But then right out of the blue just as the deadline neared, with Mel just as permissive as always, Alex had to return to Manchester as her father was near death, so Mel drove her to Abbottsford Station and saw her onto the train.

 

After seeing Alex off at the station Mel had plenty of time to think about the time they spent together and more importantly the implications of her absence.

The fact that Alex wouldn’t be home for several weeks altered things tremendously because it meant no lies and no broken promises.

Since Alex had delivered her ultimatum, the threat of losing her love had been hanging over her head like the sword of Damocles.

Now she couldn’t believe it, she was off the hook; she no longer had to curb her appetites, as there was no apparent consequence to her actions.

So, could she relax? Did she have to change at all? And if she didn’t have to change, could she change.

Well the lack of apparent consequences resulted in her treating herself to some prolonged over indulgence.

 

But after having completed a series of spectacular one night stands she felt guiltier with the ultimatum suspended and not being under scrutiny, than she did when she was under threat.

Of course, Mel always felt guilty after such lustful interactions, and this occasion was no different, and she always swore to herself not to do it again, again this time was no different.

But at the time, she performs her philandering betrayals without a second thought for the woman she loved and love her she most certainly did.

But with every pleasure there is a pain, Mel just hadn’t felt it yet.

So, after mulling over everything for the umpteenth time she had decided that she would treat the temporary separation as an amnesty.

She could spend the next two weeks shagging everything with a pulse and she wouldn’t have to worry.

She wouldn’t be seeing Alex, so he wouldn’t have to lie to her, so she could do what she wanted to who she wanted, but she decided that she would not go looking for strumpets, she would not frequent pick up places, she would not hunt for wenches, but if some suitable choice titbits fell across her path who were in playful mood they would be considered fare game and sin free.

Mel made this decision knowing full well that the chance of her not disgracing herself with some filly or other in a two-week period were remote at best.

There were always opportunities of snagging some piece of available skirt, so she knew there were always plenty of chances to seduce or be seduced.

But she made it more challenging by not going out on the pull, but in the funeral business there were any number of grieving widows or tearful kin that came through the doors of William Hemmings and Sons of Abbottsford, so she picked her conquests from them, and she always thought there was something quite exquisite when she seduced a woman in her widow’s weeds.