In Chains Read Online Free PDF Page B

“Personally, I can’t stand all that rabbit food.”
    By the time our meals arrive I’ve got to know Ben well because his favourite topic of conversation is himself. He was quick to tell me that he’s divorced; he was blameless in that of course. I know he works with Simon in finance, how long he’s worked there, what he does for fun, where he lives. On the few occasions he has asked me about myself he’s interrupted me with a related anecdote about his life. At least he doesn’t look down on me like Christina does. His hand has snaked around the back of my seat and he’s leaning in so close I can smell the beer on his breath along with his over-powering aftershave. I move my seat along to put some distance between us. I should attempt to make more conversation with Christina; we haven’t spoken much to each other so far. “Do you own a slave Christina?”
    “Oh heavens no,” she says. “I live in a town house, where would I put it? I rent one to do my daily cleaning.”
    “I’d buy one if they weren’t so expensive,” says Ben. “My ex-wife got half my money so I’m trying to economise.”
    “My sister’s obsessed with slaves, aren’t you Savannah?” Simon smiles across the table at me. “She’s convinced mine has a name and a nervous problem.” They all laugh at this apparently amusing piece of information. I glare at Simon but he’s talking to Christina again and doesn’t notice.
    The barman calls last orders, Simon gets us all one last drink. I hear him asking Christina if she’s going to stay at his place tonight. I’m sure they’re well-suited for each other and they seem to get along, but I’m not gelling with her. I think I’ll go to bed when I get back and leave them alone with each other. As Ben gets up to go to the toilet, Simon leans over towards me. “You and Ben seem to be getting along well.”
    “He’s okay.”
    “Christina and I were thinking, maybe you’d like him to stay over tonight?” He and Christina were thinking. What’s my love life got to do with them?
    “We’re just friends.”
    He gets up and puts on his jacket. “Well, if it’s okay with you I’m going to invite him back anyway. He parked his car at my place and he’s had too much to drink to be able to drive home.”
    I’m dreading walking back in the dark. Simon and Christina are walking ahead and they have the torch. I can’t see a thing, I almost trip over. There’s rustling coming from the hedgerows again. I can hear insects too, are they crickets? I jump and cry out as I feel something touch my head. Someone puts their arm around me. “Hold onto me, I’ll look after you.” It’s Ben. I don’t want to hold onto him, nor do I want him holding me but I hate the thought of walking alone in the dark much more. He tugs me closer to him and I put my arms around his waist. “Scared of the dark are you?” he asks.
    “This kind of dark, yes. Something touched my head.”
    “It was probably a bat, or a flying beetle. It may have been a spider.”
    I let go of him and rub my hands frantically through my hair. “Is there a spider in my hair? Can you see if there’s a spider in my hair?”
    I can hear him laugh as he grabs me and pulls me back towards him. “I’m sure you’ve scared it off.”
    It seems to take forever to get back to the house. Simon has turned on the light outside the front door. I shiver again as I see a spider has spun a web over it. Ben still has his arm around my shoulders but I’m no longer holding onto him. We all troop inside. Ben sits down on the sofa and taps the space beside him, looking at me. Simon is uncorking a bottle of wine and Christina is getting some glasses. It seems everyone intends to continue the evening but I feel tired. Simon said we’d talk about Kayden but I don’t think now is the right time, I’d rather talk to him alone, so it will have to wait till the morning. “Thank you all for a lovely evening. I’m tired so I’m going up to