Miranda's Big Mistake - Jill Mansell [60]
`Well, we're finally being allowed to meet him.'
His chins wobbled with disapproval, his chest was puffed out like a penguin's. Time to get down to Argos and pick up one of their is-it-or-isn't-it? diamond rings, thought Chloe.
Aloud, she said, `Meet who?'
`The gigolo, who else? On Friday.'
`You mean Orlando?' Her eyes lit up with pleasure. `Oh, you'll like him, he's great!'
Bruce swivelled round en route to his office, his mouth clamped in a tight line.
`You what? You mean you've met him already?' `He was there on Sunday.'
`You didn't tell me any of this.' Bruce shook his head in disbelief.
`You didn't ask.' Chloe put on a bewildered look. `I'm sorry, was I supposed to tell you?'
`For crying out loud, he's a con man,' Bruce bellowed.`As soon as he's finished bleeding my mother dry - of my inheritance - he'll move on to the next wealthy widow… of course I want you to tell me about him!'
`Well, I thought he was really nice,' said Chloe. 'Charming, friendly… and he and Florence get on tremendously well together.'
`Hah, I'll bet they do.'
`He does seem to be very fond of her.'
Bruce shot Chloe a dark look.
`He's a gigolo, for Christ's sake. It's his job to seem fond of her.'
`But the thing is,' Chloe protested, `he was lovely to me too. And it's not as if I've got money coming out of my ears, is it? I'm hardly likely to buy him a Porsche-' She broke off in mid-sentence and looked away.
`A Porsche,' Bruce exploded, `a bloody Porsche, is that what my stupid senile mother has gone and bought him?'
`Not yet.' Chloe flapped her hands apologetically. `She's only thinking about it.'
`Right. I'll have a few words with her about that.'
`But you might be mistaken about him. Like I said just now, he seems to really like Florence, and he was so nice to me.'
`He probably fancied you.' Bruce sounded irritated. `My mother's business, you were pleasure.' Abruptly a thought struck him. `Hey now, there's an idea! This could be just what we need. You can lure him away from Florence-'
`Me! Oh, fine, easy, no problem,' Chloe spluttered. `I'll just be upfront about it, shall I? Ask him why he's wasting his time jetting around the world with some millionairess when he could be buggering off to Bognor instead with
a penniless shop assistant who can't even spell Porsche and who, by the way, just happens to be three months pregnant.'
`I'm not saying you have to run off with him into the sunset.' Bruce dismissed this suggestion with the scorn it deserved. `Up to the bedroom will do the trick. We just need to catch him out,' he went on, warming to his theme. `Show my mother what he's really like. And you could do that, no problem. You're moving in next weekend, he's already showing a bit of interest… what could be simpler? That'll bring Florence to her senses in no time. She might be stupid but she still has her pride. As soon as she finds out he's been cheating on her, she'll kick him out,' Bruce concluded triumphantly. `End of problem. Fantastic.'
Chloe inwardly marvelled at his smugness.
`I couldn't do that to Florence, I just couldn't.'
`Cruel to be kind,' said Bruce, rubbing his hands.
`But I'm pregnant. Don't you think that might… um, bother him?'
`For pity's sake, the man's a gigolo! He wouldn't know a scruple if it jumped up and head-butted him! You're a pretty girl, Chloe. That's all men like him care about.'
`Florence might blame me. She might kick me out,' Chloe protested.
Bruce considered this. Finally he spoke.
`Look, if you manage to get rid of this… this Orlando,' his lip curled as he pronounced the ludicrous name, `I'll give you two thousand pounds.'
`What?'
`All right, three.'`Hang on a second,' began Chloe.
`Okay, okay, five thousand.'
Bruce heaved a sigh. It was a lot of money, but what the hell, it would be worth it. And five grand was a small price to pay if it meant saving his inheritance.
`I'm not sleeping