Chapter Text
Following their Boxing Day trip to the Grantleigh estate, Margo and Jerry Leadbetter were returning at the invitation of the estate owner, Richard DeVere. Jerry and Richard has recently completed a business deal with JJM supplying Cavendish with plastics for their own food line. It was a big account to land and Jerry had worked hard on securing it.
After visiting Grantleigh previously, Jerry had the impression that Richard was slightly enamored with Margo, a most peculiar scenario. Yes, he himself had fallen hard for Margo with her tall, elegant frame, blue eyes, charm, silently sexual nature and headstrong ways but Jerry knew that most men found her to be too honest for their tastes. So their return to the manor was with some slight hesitation on his part.
Margo felt slightly jittery as they drove into the city for the helicopter ride down with Richard. It was three hours by car, but only half an hour in his chopper and they would go home with him this Friday afternoon and return with him on Monday morning.
Richard DeVere was the epitome of debonair in Margo's mind. Handsome, charming and sexy, the frisson that passed between them on Boxing Day had continued to haunt and confuse her. Of course, she was completely devoted to Jerry and had been now for many years. He was ten years older than her and had quite a lot of charisma himself that Margo found irresistible. They had worked hard together and now Jerry was MD at JJM and she was the wife of an international executive.
Lost in their separate thoughts, the car ride was quiet for most of the time. As they came closer, Jerry reached over and put his land on Margo’s knee. “You alright darling?”
“Yes of course.” she replied, Jerry have broken her thoughts.
“Penny for your thoughts?”
Margo thought quickly, “I was just wondering if that Mrs fforbes-Hamilton will be there. If she is, make sure you are not staring at her.”
“Of course not darling.”
They both went back to their own thoughts. Jerry's wandering eye was a source of frustration for Margo, not that he would ever act on his attraction to other woman, but he reasoned that it didn't hurt to look and appreciate them. He would never jeopardise his relationship with Margo. She could be high maintenance but she was also a force to behold, and behold her he did. No matter how attractive he may find other woman, there was only one woman for him - his wife - and he loved her with fervor that no one else would ever come close to.
Although, Jerry had to admit that he did appreciate looking at Audrey fforbes-Hamilton, she was a very sexy lady in a covert way. She was tall like Margo and dressed far less fashionably. Her eyes were an amazing blue that could easily hold a room of admirers. Jerry was fairly certain that Audrey was being informally courted by Richard DeVere and if they ever did formalise their relationship they would be a force to be reckoned with, similar to his Margo.
Richard was excited to see his guests. He liked Jerry a lot. Jerry was an excellent businessman and outside of work he was easy going and fun to be around. He didn’t take himself too seriously and - even better - he wasn’t part of an old boy’s network. He had worked hard to reach his position in life, no doubt aided by his very attractive, determined and charming wife.
Richard liked Margo, perhaps a little too much. She intrigued him - maybe because she seemed completely oblivious of how sexy she was, despite the fashionable clothes she wore, or maybe because she knew her mind and how to get what she wanted. Richard also found it slightly endearing that she took herself so seriously and wondered how he could penetrate her self conscious nature.
Of course Audrey, his neighbor and occasional nemesis, was usually on his mind. They weren’t talking at the moment, he had upset her with some trivial decision that she took personally, but he had invited her as his guest that night for dinner with the Leadbetters and she had accepted. He suspected more to make sure that he didn’t become too interested in Margo Leadbetter. Despite his attraction to both woman, he had to admit that they had as many similarities as they did differences.
Richard greeted the Leadbetter's, shaking Jerry’s hand and kissing Margo on the cheek and holding her arms. Margo got chills from his warm hands on her and cleared her throat nervously.
“Richard, lovely to see you.” she said as their eyes connected.
“Ready for the chopper ride?” he asked Margo.
“Yes.” she smiled. And she was delighted, having told almost anyone who would listen about their helicopter ride and weekend away to the manor.
The ride was smooth and Margo’s nerves were put at ease with Richard’s concentration and piloting skills. They touched down gently and Richard held Margo’s hand to help her out, to Jerry’s irritation.
As they walked into the entrance, Richard said with excitement, “Come in! Now you’ll be in the China room this weekend, Mrs Beecham will take your cases up. Come through to the Drawing Room - lets have a drink.”
Jerry was never one to turn down a drink and happily followed Richard through the stately home with Margo by his side. Richard poured them all drink and they spoke about the plans for the weekend.
“Well have formal dinners Friday and Saturday night - personally I prefer things to be less formal, but Audrey insisted its the' right thing to do' - and then after an early breakfast we will ride. Jerry, if you don’t want to, it’s no problem, you can stay in the house or wander the estate, whatever you like. We can take you on a quick tour of Grantleigh and then on Sunday morning we will take it easy, have a ride after lunch if you feel up to it and an earlier dinner before heading back Monday morning.”
“Sounds wonderful.” Margo replied.
“Now tonight and Sunday night, it will just be us and Audrey for dinner but on Saturday night, the others that you met on Boxing Day will also be coming.”
“Thank you Richard, you have really organized a great weekend for us.” Jerry said. Personally he would prefer to be playing golf rather than horse riding but Richard was now his number one client and he would do what he wanted to keep him happy.
"I'm looking forward to it. When I bought Grantleigh I was planning on hosting a lot more here, but I've become addicted to the quiet country life I'm afraid!" Richard laughed. "I'm delighted that you are here for the weekend."
His eyes met Margo's as he said this and she looked away. She wasn't sure what it was about Richard that made her feel unsettled by him.
Margo dressed in one of her beautiful gowns for dinner and Jerry was grumbling in his tux, "Honestly, who wears a tuxedo for dinner in their own home?"
"Jerry!" Margo warned him.
"Seriously? It's ridiculous!"
"Jerry." Margo said, but a little more softly as she straightened his bowtie and kissed his cheek.
"You look beautiful though."
"Thank you darling." They kissed gently, not to disturb Margo's lipstick, and she wiped the smudge of her lipstick gently away from his lips and cheek.
They walked through the manor to the Drawing Room where Audrey had already arrived. She looked very elegant in her evening dress and it was obvious that she and Richard had just had words, but she stood up and threaded her arm through Richard's as she welcomed them.
"Audrey, you remember Margo and Jerry?" Richard introduced them. Margo and Jerry walked over to them and they both kissed Audrey on her cheek.
"Of course, welcome back to Grantleigh Mr and Mrs Leadbetter."
"Please call us Margo and Jerry." Jerry said.
"Yes," agreed Richard, "I think we can all be on first names."
"Well then, welcome Margo and Jerry." Audrey restated.
"Thank you Audrey." Jerry jumped in and despite his earlier promise to Margo, he could not help but run his eyes over her.
"Drinks?" Richard asked and organised their drinks.
"Margo, do you do much riding?" Audrey asked and the ladies began a conversation about riding while Jerry and Richard spoke about the cricket.
Richard enjoyed having the Leadbetters there and entertaining them. Audrey was being as charming as ever, even though they had just had another disagreement, and he was grateful for her help. She really was marvelous and he knew he had deep feelings for her, although he felt that they were unrequited. He was always trying to impress and prove his suitability as a partner to her, but her silly ideas about new money and old money continued to divide them.
They moved into dinner and had a pleasant night. Audrey was a charming hostess and made Margo and Jerry feel at ease, despite her personal feelings about their social standing and being part of the world of commerce. Richard enjoyed having company in the manor and hosting with Audrey and it was late into the night before they decided it was time to go to bed.