Read Online The Contract by Sarah Fisher - Free Book Online Page A

here?" she said incredulously.
    Kai snorted. "It offered a better life than the one in my village. Another year, maybe two, and I'll leave. Most girls stay five or six years. When we decide to leave, Leonora arranges for us to have suitable papers, money -" she paused. "And freedom to do what we like. Some of the girls choose to go with their masters, but it isn't compulsory. You should have read the contract."
    Emily shivered. "But the way they treat you? That guard? It was awful."
    Kai laughed. "The clients who come to Deuvar are connoisseurs; they understand the electric combination of pleasure and pain."
    "And the guards?"
    Kai tugged her lead so that Emily followed her around a corner. "It's in your best interests to keep them sweet. They have the power to control who goes where, who can get in to see us and who can't. Don't ever underestimate the advantages of doing what they want."
     
    A porter pushed Peter Howard to the front foyer of the hospital. Outside, beyond the plate glass doors, the new morning was grey and unpromising. It reflected the way he felt almost perfectly. A male staff nurse had managed to find him a bizarre assortment of second-hand clothes from the charity box – but no socks.
    The staff had barely commented on his request to discharge himself, too exhausted from the night shift to have much fight left in them. Sister Ruskin and an overworked young houseman from Accident and Emergency had signed his discharge forms in the office with hardly a second glance – and so now Peter was waiting alone in reception for a fictitious taxi that had been booked to take him for two weeks of rest and recuperation.
    On his lap, Peter cradled Magenta, carefully re-wrapped in polythene in his hold-all and the thick white envelope that some-how had managed to offer him a way out of his predicament. He grinned, wondering what Johnson would say if he knew that it had been Deuvar that had been Peter's ticket out of oblivion.
    Staff meandered around the foyer waiting for the change of shift. Finally, Angela appeared through the noisy throng, pale and heavy eyed, swathed in a full length navy cape. She lifted a hand in greeting. "Well, don't you look quite the bon viveur?" she snorted, glancing down at his charity shop outfit.
    He lifted an eyebrow and waved the white envelope in her direction. "Appearances can be very deceptive," he said with good humour. "Can we get out of this bloody place now?"
    Angela nodded and took hold of the wheelchair. "No problem. I've got my car parked just outside. Another half an hour and we'll be sipping tea in front of a roaring fire."
    Peter grinned. "I'd prefer you naked for that," he said.
    Angela poked him playfully. "If I don't get home soon I'll be asleep before we get to that part. Come on -"
     
    Outside, the change in temperature hit Peter like a body blow. He winced as the wind cut through his charity-box coat and made a bee-line for his aching ribs. He hunched miserably and let Angela guide him toward her large, if somewhat ancient, estate car.
    "Nice car," he gasped, as she manhandled him into the front seat. He was stunned that his legs refused to bear his weight or obey his commands. By the time he fastened his safety belt he was shaking from the effort and bathed in sweat.
    Angela let herself into the other side after stowing the wheelchair in the boot. "It was my father's. He died a couple of years ago, it was his absolute pride and joy. He'd be horrified that I don't polish it lovingly after every trip."
    Peter watched the countryside unravel as they made their way out from a small town through into rolling wooded hills. It struck him that he didn't actually know where he was.
    Angela caught his eye. "Are you enjoying the scenery?" she purred.
    He nodded dumbly. "Yes. Where are we?"
    Angela snorted. "Kent."
    When he glanced down he saw that she had pulled her skirt back over her thighs. The scenery was indeed quite scintillating. He regretted missing her clue. He could