Rosalie decided to have a long hot soak in the tub with some wildly expensive bath oil she’d had for Christmas, and pamper herself a little. She took the remainder of her glass of wine through with her, lighting a couple of perfumed candles and turning off the main light so she could relax in the flickering candlelight. She had long since stopped feeling slightly ridiculous due to having to wedge the plastered foot on the chrome bath rack that fitted across the bath, and now as she lay carefully back in the silky water she shut her eyes, sighing softly and contentedly. The sensuous warmth and evocative perfume emptied her mind of everything but the moment, and she felt the tension flowing out of her in a relaxing wave. And then the telephone rang. And rang. And rang. When she couldn’t ignore it a moment longer she hoisted herself out of the water, grumbling profusely, and warning of dire consequences should it stop the second before she reached it. Grabbing a bath towel, she shuffled out into the vibrating hall. ‘Hello?’ She had barked into the receiver, which wasn’t her normal telephone manner at all.
There was a moment of startled silence, and then, ‘Rosie? Is that you?’ a deep, unmistakable voice said with some surprise. [After the phone call] Once Rosalie was back in the bath she found all thoughts of peaceful contemplation had been blown out of the water by Kingsley’s voice. Just hearing the smoky tones had evoked all sorts of emotions, and not one of them sensible or sane. She levered herself out of the bath, staring at her reflection in the misted mirror fo