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Porter Island chapter five (standard:action, 2784 words) | |||
Author: Brian Cross | Added: Jul 08 2024 | Views/Reads: 145/86 | Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes) |
Agent Betty McCloud faces her biggest challenge yet, and she's not getting any younger. | |||
Chapter Five Betty checked her phone, slipped it into the tiny inside pocket of her dress, and checked her appearance. Glossy, vibrant black hair swept back over one wide shoulder, leaving the other exposed, revealing the power there. Short black dress clinging to her firm body, emphasizing but not wholly exposing her well-developed breasts, enhanced by the precise adjustment of the shoulder straps. The sleeveless arms invited attention to her powerful muscles, while her dress, culminating a few inches above the knees, left no doubt of the shapeliness and strength of her thighs. Betty McCloud wasn't particularly vain, though she knew perfectly well that her dual attributes of natural beauty and sheer power would blow all other female attendees aside, including, of course, Shonda Stapleton. And despite her colleague's indiscretions, it was time to mingle with the island's cordial and not-so-cordial figures and, more importantly, determine which was which. *** Knowing she would be expected to greet the attendees alongside Stapleton, Betty descended the grand staircase thirty minutes before the start time. Joining Stapleton in the foyer, she saw the host's mouth form a perfect ‘O'. “And you lecture me about overstating oneself.” Stapleton, wearing a full-length cream satin dress together with copious jewelry, sneered in obvious disapproval, which Betty shook off. “It's simply a plain, black dress.” “You know what I mean.” Ignoring the remark, Betty swept her gaze off to the side, where two members of the hospitality team stood ready with a collection of champagne flutes on a tray. Smiling, she ran her eyes over them from head to toe. Dressed in black waistcoats and matching trousers with button-down white shirts and ties, both men were slim, but Betty made a mental note of the taller blond male with a small scar beneath his left eye. Something registered with her, but she couldn't say what, and from his returning glance, she detected he'd picked it up, too. Unlike the old colonial mansion staff, the hospitality agency crew had not been vetted, Mike Anthony being concerned that too much vetting would arouse suspicions. Betty stood off to the side as the first guests began to filter in, aware of Stapleton's desire to take center stage but also aware that her looks and appearance would steal attention her way. The early arrivals she deemed were likely to be the island's less influential figures, with the more prestigious guests arriving as the evening progressed. Mayor Milton Carson arrived sometime after the ball had commenced, entering the spacious rectangular ballroom dressed in a pristine white suit and trilby, which he promptly removed while acknowledging the two women. Introducing himself and his wife, Francesca, a prematurely grey-haired woman considerably smaller than himself, he ran his eyes fleetingly over Stapleton to Betty, where they locked with hers. “Mayor Milton Carson,” he drawled, “a pleasure to meet you and welcome you to Porter Island.” Shrewd eyes with more than a hint of challenge in them, she thought, a challenge Betty knew she was returning as he finally broke eye contact and turned to Stapleton. “And this is my wife, Francesca.” “Charmed, I'm sure.” Stapleton produced her fake smile. “Shonda Stapleton, party hostess. Welcome to The Hurst, my honorable guests; you are most welcome,” she replied in her over-polished accent. “And thank you for attending our little gathering. My companion, Miss Thornton, and I are honored by your attendance.” “Not at all; it is always a pleasure to greet newcomers to our island.” Carson glanced around. “The place seems to be filling up nicely. Congratulations on your purchase. Oh, forgive me for the assumption. I'm obviously assuming you purchased it. The sale of The Hurst caught us somewhat unawares, you see—we had no idea the grand old place had been reoccupied.” “We?” Betty cut in. Click here to read the rest of this story (265 more lines)
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Brian Cross has 32 active stories on this site. Profile for Brian Cross, incl. all stories Email: briancroff@yahoo.co.uk |