CHAPTER 9 (Back to Sam's again)

In the night she thought she awoke to find herself on the hill where she had first stood with Sam and looked down over the countryside to the sea below. Besides her was the hobby horse, gazing quietly out at the view. It all seemed very natural. She didn't feel at all afraid.

She awoke the next day with a feeling of resolve. Deciding to catch a brunch on the motorway, she made an early start. Eventually, the rolling hills of Somerset gave way to the flat plains of Salisbury and finally the car-clogged streets of London.

She parked the car near to Sam's and then went back to Oxford Street to shop for something clean to wear and dropped into a hairdressers for an auburn rinse. With one delay and another it was early evening before she was able to catch the tube train to keep her date with Sam.

London seemed very grimy and grubby after the clean fields and valleys of the West Country. She felt alienated by it's coldness and it's hard concrete structures.

She wondered how Sam could spend all his time in its midst but then decided that if his whole life could be encapsulated in the workings of a silicon chip he would have no need for the green humanity of the fields.

It didn't seem appropriate to turn up with suitcase in hand so she left her luggage in a locker in nearby Euston Station.

Sam opened the door to her, kissed her on the lips with obvious pleasure and showed her up to his flat. She could see him glancing appraisingly at her leggings and floppy shirt. Quite a different lady to the one he had originally met at the convention. The expression on his face showed he clearly liked what he saw and had not lost any of his desire for possession.

Scruffy jeans with pale skin peeping through at the knee seemed to mock his age. A poorly chosen tee shirt did nothing to hide his middle age spread.

In a word 'unappetising' Sarah thought apprehensively. "So", he said, "how has my little lawyer been getting on with her computer studies?"

"Not very well I'm afraid", Sarah confessed. "Too many other things have been taking up my attention. In particular an errant husband."

She outlined her husband's experience with the JennySlut in the spare bedroom.

Sam disapproved obligingly, ignoring completely that he had enjoyed similar treatment from Sarah at their last meeting.

"So perhaps my little legal lady is thinking of getting her own back", he enquired with a smile that showed he relished the prospect.