Neil Etherington was
an average man approaching his thirtieth birthday not that he was a bad looking
man, he wasn’t, but he wasn’t stunning, sexy or buff, he was strictly middling
but his girlfriend
Samantha Barraclough was
anything but, she was an absolute beauty three years younger, elegant, daintily
petite, intelligent, funny, sexy and with a perfectly beautiful angelic voice,
pure Carrington Chase educated perfection, Carrington Chase being Downshire’s
version of Roedean, although those in Downshire thought it was the other way
around, and it was a voice that made Charlotte Green sound common.
He pinched himself at
the start of everyday, especially the ones on which he woke up beside her, just
to check he wasn’t dreaming.
Because the good
fortune that brought Samantha into his life was the type of thing that didn’t
happen to him, and everyone who witnessed them together unanimously agreed that
he was punching well above his weight.
They first encountered
each other at a business meeting at the Abbottsford Regents Hotel, where she
was a potential new client and he was trying to win a new account, but the
meeting was unresolved as it was love at first sight.
Neil worked for a firm
of architects called New Horizons whose head office was in Sharpington by Sea
while Samantha Barraclough was approaching her 28th birthday and was a project
consultant for the family business, Barraclough Ventures and the project that
Samantha’s company was heading up was the regeneration of the former Industrial
Power House of the county, Northchapel.
The love that bloomed
between Samantha Barraclough and Neil Etherington in Abbottsford in June went from
strength to strength
However things had not
been all plain sailing since they had met, though not between the two of them
they were completely simpatico.
The problems stemmed
from a different quarter entirely and from those who should have been the most
delighted for them, their close friends and family.
Neil and Samantha were
the victims of snobbery, inverted and otherwise.
Her family thought she
had set her sights to low while his nearest and dearest believed he had set his
too high.
Her friends thought he
was common while his thought she was a snob.
Only their closest
friends Jonathon Hardman and Isabelle Decoene stuck by them.
So as a result they
had found it difficult to fit inside each other’s worlds, but the couple
believed that love will out and Samantha drew a line under the difficulties
when she said
“If you can’t live in
my world and I can’t live in yours we shall just have to make a world of our
own”
If he hadn’t been in
love with her already he certainly would have been after that speech.
However there were
still some events that she was required to attend as a representative of the
company, such as the Lord Lieutenant’s Summer Ball which was why he was at home
alone in Brocklington on Saturday night.
He spent the day in
the garden pottering about and the evening watching TV but by ten o’clock he
was feeling a bit restless so he decided to take a shower then he would have a
nightcap and go to bed.
Although she had
suggested they create a world their own there were still some events that she was
required to attend as a representative of the company, such as the Lord
Lieutenant’s Summer Ball which was why he was at home alone in Brocklington on
Saturday night.
He spent the day in
the garden pottering about and the evening watching TV but by ten o’clock he
was feeling a bit restless so he decided to take a shower then he would have a
nightcap and go to bed.
It was about half an
hour later as he was coming down the stairs when the doorbell rang.
He had no idea who it
might be, he certainly wasn’t expecting anyone and when he opened the door he
was surprised to see Samantha standing on the doorstep in full evening wear and
over her shoulder he could see a taxi pulling away.
“Hello” he said with
genuine surprise
“Hello Darling” Samantha
said and kissed him,
“Can I come in then?”
“Of course” he said
fussily “come in, come in”
Once inside she
slipped off her stole and walked through to the lounge looking absolutely
gorgeous in a full-length black evening dress which was as usual perfectly
accessorized with long elbow length gloves and clutch purse, etcetera, and he
imagined her to be fully accessorized under the dress as well.
“You’re a bit overdressed
for Brocklington” he observed while mentally undressing her.
“I know” Samantha said
as she sat down “I was going to the Ball but…”
“But?” he asked
“I couldn’t face
everyone quizzing me”
“About what?” he
quizzed
“About my choice in men”
she replied
“I’m sorry,” he said
inadequately
“I’m not” Samantha
said defiantly “I would rather be here with you”
And then she kissed
him again
“So Cinders didn’t go
to the ball” she added
“I prefer you to be
here as well” he admitted
“And you’re welcome to
wine and dine here”
“Well thank you kind
sir” Sam said “Lead me to the wine”
Neil walked to the
kitchen and opened the fridge and took out an open bottle of wine and two large
wine glasses from the cupboard and filled them.
But before he returned
to the lounge Samantha walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around him.
“I love you” she said
“That’s good, I
wouldn’t want a woman to spend the night with me who didn’t love me” Neil said
“You’re being a bit
presumptive” Sam said
“Well I did see the taxi
drive away” he retorted
“I can easily call
another one” Sam added
“Oh ok then” Neil
responded “I’ll just get the phone”
“Don’t you dare” Sam
exclaimed and playfully punched his back and he turned around to face her
“Ok you can stay” Neil
said and kissed her “But only because I love you”
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