off balance too, sending her into the nearby table, causing her and it to go to the ground.
As we both lie horizontally, like a pair of turtles stuck on their backs I spot a familiar pair of tacky red shoes by my head. From this distance, I can see that one is missing a heel tip. The inevitable drawling comment comes from overhead
“Reduced to working on your backs already? Well you obviously need the money...”
Serena and I make eye contact from our prone positions then turn to look up at our tormentor. In unison and at a volume best suited to football games we yell,
“Lucinda, DON’T BE SILLY!”
Chapter Three
As I look at my retro twin-bell Snoopy alarm clock, I moan in horror as I register that it is not Saturday morning. Whether it is still Saturday afternoon is also open to debate. With difficulty, my eyes adjust to the pale light streaming in through the gaps in the blinds and I am happy to note that this is in fact my bedroom.
I love my bed more than any other object in the house. It’s an enormous alder sleigh bed with more than enough room for Sebastian to fit his six foot four frame. This week, the linens are a crisp Cadbury purple to match our papered ‘feature wall’ behind the headboard.
The rest of the room is painted pale grey to co-ordinate with the assorted scatter cushions on the bed and various chairs. It’s a true sanctuary, marred only by my inability to keep any room tidy for more than twenty-four hours. Today is a good day as I can actually see the floor; on a bad day I have to wade through a sea of dirty clothes, books, briefs and crockery that have been abandoned by me. I drive Sebastian mad with my slovenliness, but he’s learned that nagging me is wholly counterproductive.
As I rub my still mascara’d eyes, my frazzled mind attempts to recall exactly what time I got home last night and fails miserably. After leaving the bar, we ended up meeting some other members of Chambers for a late supper at DiNapoli’s, a divine Italian restaurant within walking distance from Bar-Bar. (This was a total priority given my heels and the cobbles that lie in wait outside a certain radius).
My stomach rumbles as I recall the gossipy hours spent munching on never-ending baskets of buttery garlic bread and plates full of pasta accompanied by sweet tomato and mozzarella cheese with lashings of basil pesto. All, of course, washed down with vats of Valpolichella.
Robert was there, accompanied by a runner from the firm of solicitors who had sent him a trial brief for next week. Everyone averted their eyes as the pair fed each other olives with their fingers whilst giggling and whispering what I can only image to be sweet nothings to one another.
The runner was about twenty and had only been within the firm for about three months. She told us of her aspirations to become a fully qualified solicitor on successful completion of her university course and how Robert had told her he could help her, and introduce her to some people with influence.
I was about to tell her that she’d be better off asking his wife, when Serena pinched me above my elbow and gave me a warning look.
“Mind your own business!” She’d hissed, “When it ends in tears, you don’t want to be anywhere near the fallout.”
Even in my drunken state I could see she had a point.
Also present was Bill Wallsbury, a senior member of Chambers of about twenty five years call. Camp as a row of tents and known as being the most indiscreet person this side of the equator, he kept us entertained with stories of clients he’d had the misfortune to represent over the years.
“So, I was in the cells waiting for the guards to bring him in so we could have a conference before his case was called on. Nasty little bugger, convicted of flashing at school girls. I thought at the time that it was the reason I got the brief you know, better send in an old queen like me rather than one of you pretty young fillies.”
He paused and studied his reflection in his knife.
“So, he was walked down the corridor flanked by these two enormous men, cuffed on each side. I know, I know, alarm bells should have started at this point, but silly Billy, just presumed it was a new protocol or something.