To Seek a Master Read Free Page B

and that goes for the girls, too.’
    Mr Henderson responded with another favourite line.
    ‘I’ve never turned down a bet yet.’
    ‘That’s what I like to hear. We’ll get changed then, and meet up at the first tee. I take it you brought something casual?’
    ‘Never without it.’
    Laura reached a decision. It was better to be ticked off by the boss immediately than make a complete fool of herself, lose him several hundred pounds and then get ticked off.
    ‘I’m afraid I haven’t. I didn’t know we’d be playing.’
    ‘Be prepared for the unexpected, Laura.’
    Miss Manston-Jones had stood up.
    ‘Don’t worry, I expect I can find you something.’
    As she spoke her eyes had flicked up and down Laura’s body, a survey she seemed to find amusing, to judge by her faint smile. Laura soon found out why. She’d been telling herself that their figures were similar, but the white slacks she was given proved at least a size too small, making it difficult to wriggle her bottom into them and leaving her deeply conscious of her rear view as they walked out onto the links. Mr Henderson made one of his mildly ambiguous remarks.
    ‘Glad to see you found something, Laura. You’ll do very nicely like that, I’m sure.’
    He had held out a club to her as he spoke, leaving it open as to whether he meant she’d do nicely at golf or for their visual entertainment in between strokes, and as usual Laura was left wondering if it wasn’t just her imagination. Even if it was, she couldn’t agree with him, as she was certain she wasn’t going to do well no matter how she was dressed.
    Both men had bags of clubs, and Laura felt her heart sink further as Miss Manston-Jones made a confident selection. She’d obviously played before, and when she hit her ball it flew arrow straight and over halfway down the fairway. Doing her best to feign confidence, Laura went through the same ritual, selecting a ball, noting the number on her score card, and balancing it on a tee, where it stayed after her third attempt. Standing back, she gave the club an experimental swing, which felt surprisingly good. Sure that she could hit the ball a reasonable distance and in more or less the right direction, she stepped forwards a little, braced herself and swung the club down as hard as she could, sending the ball backwards about three feet. Miss Manston-Jones was trying not to snigger as she spoke.
    ‘Let me show you how to stand.’
    Laura stood aside, feeling helpless as the other woman quickly teed the ball up a second time, then demonstrated the correct stance.
    ‘You need to place your feet about shoulder width apart, with your knees bent slightly so that your weight is evenly distributed between your heels and the balls of your feet, and far enough back so that you’re comfortable with the clubface positioned directly behind the ball. Try it.’
    Laura nodded doubtfully and attempted the stance, immediately failing to meet Miss Manston-Jones’ approval.
    ‘No, no. The ball should be midway between your feet.’
    Laura tried again, painfully conscious that both men were looking on with obvious amusement. Again Miss Manston-Jones was unsatisfied.
    ‘No. Let me show you.’
    Miss Manston-Jones stepped close behind Laura, pressed against her as she demonstrated how best to hold and swing the club. Laura did her best to concentrate on what she was being told and not on the fact that had either man been in the same position as Miss Manston-Jones it would have left what was between his legs pressed firmly against the over tight seat of her slacks. At last the other woman seemed satisfied and stepped back.
    ‘Now try.’
    Laura swung again, doing her best to follow instructions. This time her club hit the ball, sending it high in the air to fall at the edge of the fairway slightly less than half as far down as the others. Miss Manston-Jones gave a firm nod.
    ‘Not bad at all, for a beginner.’
    A grateful smile forced itself onto Laura’s face