The Ninety Days of Genevieve Read Free

few plastic feathers round a court,' she said.
    'There's a bit more to badminton than that.' David sat down. 'And it's a damn sight quieter than squash. Are you still in the league? I didn't see your name on the lists.'
    'I don't play in the league anymore,' she said. 'I had to keep cancelling matches at the last minute. It didn't make me very popular.'
    'The problems of being a career woman.' David grinned. 'I'm glad I'm just a humble bank employee.'
    Far from humble, Genevieve thought. She had not seen David for some time and wondered why he had suddenly decided to talk to her now. She watched him finish his Pepsi, gurgling the last drops through a straw, then drop the empty can in his bag.
    'Recycling,' he explained. 'The money goes to charity.' Without a pause he added, 'I hear you're flirting with James Sinclair.'
    The question took Genevieve completely by surprise. She knew gossip travelled fast in the City and David was in the position to hear it, but for a horrified moment she thought Sinclair's sexual suggestions were now public knowledge.
    'Or rather Barringtons are,' David corrected. 'Don't you think your ambitious little agency might be getting out of its depth?'
    She shrugged, composed now. 'We can swim,' she said. 'And every bit as fast as Mr Sinclair.'
    'I wonder?' David stared at her levelly. 'Sinclair's one of those men who would never be content with his first million. In fact he obviously hasn't been content with it. He always wants more. Frankly I can't understand why he's even bothered with Barringtons. There are plenty of top-line agencies who would kiss his - er - feet for the chance of handling his account.'
    'Perhaps he heard how irresistible I am?' Genevieve said sweetly.
    David laughed. 'Well, you're gorgeous, of course,' he said diplomatically. 'But actually I'm not sure you're Sinclair's type.'
    'Really?' She was interested. 'And what exactly is his type?'
    'Models/ David guessed. 'Leggy blondes with silicone implants. Or society types. You know the kind of thing.'
    'He likes variety, you mean?'
    'He likes women as accessories/ David said. 'Status symbols. I can't really see him going for anyone with brains. Too much competition. They might answer back.'
    'He didn't strike me as that kind of man/ Genevieve said.
    'Thafs because you don't know him.' David leaned forward. 'I expect he's played the perfect gentleman with you, but I'll tell you for nothing Sinclair's known to be a bit of a bastard with women. There was this daughter of a politician..he broke off. 'No, I shouldn't spread gossip. It was all hearsay. Probably a load of lies.'
    'Oh, stop acting like a schoolgirl, David/ Genevieve said crossly. 'You know you're going to tell me anyway.'
    'Well/ David settled into his chair. 'She was very stuck on him until he started asking her to do some very peculiar things.'
    'Like what?'
    'How should I know? Kinky stuff. Anyway, she refused.'
    'Very moral of her/ Genevieve said dryly. 'I don't believe a word of it.'
    'She threatened to sell her story to the newspapers.'
    'Don't they all? I still don't believe it. Whafs the punchline?'
    'Rumour has it that Sinclair paid her more than the papers.'
    'And you believe that?'
    David shrugged. 'He's got the money to do it.' He paused, then grinned. 'Personally, I think it's far more likely that he told her to publish and be damned. And since her daddy was a politician she thought better of it. But that isn't to say I didn't believe the stories of what they got up to. Sinclair likes playing power games. With women especially. Just thought I'd warn you.'
    'Where business is concerned I'm not a woman, just a negotiator.'
    'For your sake,' David said, 'I hope James Sinclair thinks the same way.'
    Genevieve thought about David's words for the rest of the week. Was Sinclair courting Barringtons for reasons of his own? And if he was, what were they? The more she thought about it, the harder she found it to come up with any. And what was his real interest in her? If