Chapter 5

Miranda saw Marcus long before Amanda came rushing across to her.

"Miranda!" she exclaimed happily as she hugged her enthusiastically. "I'm so glad that you've come here tonight, we really do need to have a good long chat – you and I!"

"It's good to see you again too Amanda," Miranda smiled in surprise at the other girl's enthusiastic greeting.

"Come along and sit down with me ... Peter you can go and chat with Marcus for a little bit ... see if you can get him to cheer up ... he's being such a stuffy old bear again!"

She was leading Miranda to a table at the far side of the room, and all the time they were moving she was throwing instructions over her shoulder to Peter.

They sat in the far corner, and Marcus could see that Amanda was talking animatedly to Miranda, who smiled in bemusement as she listened to her.

"Can I get you anything to drink Marcus?" Peter asked as he joined him at the bar.

"No thanks Peter, I'm driving tonight, so I'll just stick with this one I think." Marcus smiled as he held up his half full glass of soda.

"What is Amanda drinking?"

"Oh, she's usually happy with whatever the cocktail of the night is." Marcus shrugged his shoulders carelessly.

"Great, Miranda can have the same!"

Peter ordered their drinks, and while he was waiting he chatted lightly with Marcus, although his gaze kept drifting across the room to the girls.

Peter paid the bar man and collected the drinks.

"Shall we join the girls?" he asked lightly.

Marcus picked up his own glass again and stood up with a little sigh of resignation.

He really had wanted to keep his distance from Miranda, but it seemed like that wasn't going to be allowed – not without looking like a miserable old guy ... or causing offense to her.

They joined the girls, and the evening drifted along; with Amanda carrying most of the conversation – with Peter's enthusiastic input on occasion.

Marcus sat across from Miranda, with their knees almost touching under the table, and he could see her shiver and tremble once in a while.

It wasn't cold in here, and she looked warm enough; her eyes though, whenever she happened to look at him – her eyes were bright and as always incredibly beautiful...

"You really will have to show me Peter!"

Marcus had been daydreaming, he blinked as his sister's excited exclamation, penetrated his brooding.

"Of course Amanda!" Peter grinned. "When would you like to go?"

"Well ... what about now? It's only about ten minutes' walk from here – isn't it?"

Peter looked across at the other two. "I was just telling Amanda about that new nightclub on Board Street ... we were going to go and take a look ... would you two like to join us?"

Miranda shook her head immediately. "Thanks Peter; but I really am beat, I thought I would just call it a night."

"And I only came along to keep you company Amanda ... I'll drop Miranda off on my way home."

Peter looked both pleased and relieved that everyone seemed to be so obliging tonight.

"Great!" he stood up and held out his hand to Amanda who slid out from beside Miranda with a happy smile.

"It was good to have a chance to talk to you Miranda ... we really shall have to do it again soon!"

"Bye ... you two have a good time!" Miranda grinned and waved to them, and then looked across at Marcus bravely. "So are you ready to leave as well?" she asked lightly.

Marcus drained the contents of his glass, which was now tepid and flat. "Absolutely," he nodded standing up.

There were several other people still there, and though Miranda had spoken to some of them when she had first arrived, being with Amanda had made it difficult to talk to anyone for any length of time.

No one seemed to mind though, as they called out a cheerful goodnight – and see you tomorrow – and that sort of thing.

They stepped out into the coolness of the night, and Miranda shivered lightly, as she tried to juggle her bag and her coat.

"Here, let me give you a hand." Marcus held her coat so that she could slip her arms into the sleeves.

"Thank you."

He was standing behind her ... very close, and as she shrugged the coat onto her shoulders, he drew it together in front of her ... his arms closed around her waist, and for a moment he pulled her back against him; so that he could breathe in her scent with a sigh of pleasure.

"Beautiful!" he murmured again huskily.

Miranda stood on that darkened, deserted street with Marcus wrapped around her and her heart hammering in her chest.

It would be so easy to just ... turn around and surrender to the feelings he provoked in her.

She closed her eyes for a moment and then moved to do just that.

She looked up into his silver grey eyes and her lips parted on a sigh.

Marcus had never been so tempted in his life...

The door to the cocktail bar opened and several people piled out.

"Come on ... I'm parked just around the corner!" Marcus growled out savagely, as the moment passed them by and they parted again.

Peter answered the telephone with an absent minded; "Marcus Phillips' office - Peter Redmond speaking."

"Peter my dear boy; it's good to hear your voice again!"

Peter frowned as he tried to place the familiar voice on the other end of the line.

"It's John Harding here!"

"Mr. Harding ... how are you sir?" Peter asked with genuine warmth for his sister's ex boss.

"Oh I'm enjoying my retirement ... and very busy planning this party for the weekend! I'm ringing because I was hoping to have a quick word with Marcus ... is he around by any chance?"

"Yes sir ... I'll put you through to his personal line."

Marcus had his desk just across the room from where Peter sat, and so he picked up the phone on the second ring, with a quick smile of thanks to Peter.

"Mr. Harding, it's a pleasure to talk to you ... it's really been too long!"

They talked casually for a little while, catching up with common business interests and so forth.

"And thank you so much for giving Miranda a job; I was so concerned for her!" John suddenly said seriously.

"It was to our benefit Mr Harding ... Miranda is a wonderful asset to our team!" Marcus told him warmly. "I'm only sorry that she came to us due to the closure of your company."

"Well ... these things happen in business sometimes, and I at least closed it down before going insolvent, so everyone got paid what was owed to them; and I received a nice nest egg to put towards my retirement." Mr Harding was nothing but philosophical about the whole thing, and genuine in his views, so Marcus breathed a little sigh of relief that that particular venture had turned out for the best – for everyone concerned.

"Any way," Mr Harding suddenly declared, "the reason I rang ... was to invite you to my Halloween party on Saturday ... bring a guest ... that sister of yours! If I remember rightly she always liked the opportunity to dress up a bit!"

"So it's to be a costume party then?" Marcus winced, as he prepared to refuse apologetically.

"Yes ... I've already invited Miranda and young Peter along, and so you and Amanda can make it a nice little group for you all."

"Well ... I'll ask Amanda, but it's a bit late in the day, so I'm almost certain that she's already made arrangements ... she'll be popping in a little later ... I'll ask her then and get back to you."

Unfortunately, about half an hour before Amanda usually paid her weekly visit, Marcus was called away.

"Can you tell Amanda about this party on Saturday and find out if she wants to go?" he asked Peter, "and then let Mr Harding know ... and if you can leave a message for me as well ... So that I know where I'm supposed to be on Saturday..." Marcus asked wryly.

Peter chuckled. "No worries Marcus ... I'll sort it all out and send you an email later..."

When Marcus received Peter's email, he decided to be the good brother and considerate boss...

'Thanks Peter...

I'll be the driver on Saturday night, so we'll pick you and Miranda up at about six thirty!

Marcus.

Marcus knocked at the door not quite sure what to expect. He'd gone for a dark cape and fangs and made a very sexy Dracula. The door was pulled open suddenly and there stood a dirty dusty ghoul; grinning manically in a suitably ghoulish fashion.

"Peter." Marcus nodded with his own grin. "Amanda is running late for whatever reason and said she would meet us there!"

"Good evening Count." Peter stepped back to allow Marcus to enter, but didn't close the door as Marcus had expected him to do. "You don't mind giving Miranda a lift do you? I've spoken to Amanda, and I told her that I would go and pick her up." He didn't even bother waiting for a response, just walked past Marcus; on the threshold though he turned back suddenly to yell; "see you at the party sis!" And with a wink and another grin at Marcus he left pulling the door too behind him.