‘Yes, take a good long look,’ he taunted, still aiming the picture at Deano. ‘That’s your wife. Stark naked, covered in sweat and spunk, after a hard shagging from that council estate ne’er-do-well. There’ll be more of those, I daresay. We’ll get to see her on all fours, sucking his cock, taking it up the arse …’
‘Shut up!’ shouted Deano, now up on unsteady feet.
‘She’ll have a worse reputation than Kayley there, by the time he’s finished with her. She won’t be a famous talent spotter any more – just a famous slut. Oh, do sit down. You look as if you’re going to keel over.’
Kayley leapt up to Deano’s aid. He did look extremely pale and sweat was beading on his brow.
‘Deano, chill,’ she said urgently. ‘Come on. Sit down now.’
She put an arm around his waist, helping him back down to the bed, then turned to Harville.
‘Why are you doing this? I don’t get it. Just let us go.’
Harville replied with a cold stare, before casually enquiring of Deano, ‘Has she opened her legs for you yet?’
‘Fuck off, Harville.’
‘Oh dear. Well, you know, all you have to do is ask her. Kayley is extremely obliging. Aren’t you, Kayley? I’ve got some photographs of her you might like to look at, Deano. Specialist, if you know what I mean.’
‘I don’t want anything from you,’ muttered Deano. ‘I just want out of here. For Christ’s sake, do you really think I won’t be missed? Save yourself a shitload of trouble, Harville, and just let us go.’
‘I’m going to,’ said Harville. ‘I wasn’t planning on having permanent house guests anyway. But first, that assurance I was asking for – that nothing will be said about what has happened here.’
‘F
ine,’ said Deano. ‘Let us go and we’ll forget it ever happened.’
‘Thank you.’ Harville’s smile was bright, but his eyes had a fevered brilliance that took it beyond urbanity. ‘And secondly …’
‘Don’t push your luck,’ snapped Deano.
‘Please, hear me out. Secondly, I want you to help me with a little project.’
‘The fucking talent show’s off, if that’s what you mean. I’m not working with you.’
‘Oh, shame,’ said Kayley. ‘That was mine and Jenna’s idea to begin with, though. We can do it ourselves.’
Deano nodded briefly, smiling at her.
‘I don’t mean your precious talent show,’ said Harville. ‘I want my family home back.’
‘The Hall?’
Lawrence nodded.
‘Well, what the bloody hell did you sell it for, then?’
‘At the time, I needed the money. But a certain ship’s come in since then, and I can afford to buy it back. The chances of your wife selling to me, though, are vanishingly slim.’
‘Not very surprising, from what I’ve heard,’ said Deano.
‘No, but think about it, Deano. You don’t want her to stay there, do you? It would be good for you if she sold up.’
‘She won’t, though.’
‘Why don’t you buy it off her? Tell her you’re going to turn it into a, I don’t know, a school for talented underprivileged youngsters or something. And you’ll name it after Jason Watson. Her heart will bleed. She won’t be able to say no.’
‘But it’s not true. I’m not about to do anything like that. I can’t go around opening schools.’ Deano frowned.