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e　exercise；　too　much　to　drink　…　and　that　bitch；　Lola；　of　course。　Attractive；　just　having　passed　her　fortieth　birthday；　Marion　resented　a　younger　woman　having　designs　on　her　husband。　Oh　sure；　all　executives　had　their　fancy　women　and　Darren　had　had　them　before。　But　now　things　were　building　up　to　a　climax　and　when　the　whole　thing　exploded　she　was　going　to　make　sure　that　the　little　hussy　got　the　full　force　of　the　blast。　This　is　the　place；'　Darren　Hurst　swung　the　wheel　over；　eased　the　car　down　a　cinder　track　that　was　just　wide　enough　to　take　it。　A　hundred　yards　or　so　further　on　the　line　of　fir　trees　ended　and　gave　way　to　an　expanse　of　field；　rough　tussocks　of　grass　that　had　not　been　grazed　recently；　a　general　look　of　abandonment　about　it。　On　their　left；　partly　shielded　by　a　line　of　yew　trees　and　a　massive　oak；　they　saw　an　overgrown　cemetery　and　a　church；　the　roof　of　which　was　sagging　dangerously；　a　number　of　slates　missing。
　　
　　'Beautiful'　Marion　Hurst　muttered。　'What　a　crime　that　it　is　going　to　be　turned　into　a　housing　estate。'
　　
　　'Don't　put　it　that　way；'　her　husband's　voice　was　soft；　cultured　to　the　point　of　suaveness；　'Executive…style　residences；　my　dear。　Houses　which　will　enhance　the　locality；　hide　all　this　dereliction。'
　　
　　'Crap！'　her　eyes　blazed。　'It's　all　one　big　fiddle；　Darren；　and　you　know　it。　If　the　truth　es　out　then　you　and　Stone；　and　that　toad　of　a　bishop　will　all　go　down　for　years。　It'd　make　the　headlines　of　every　newspaper　in　the　country。'
　　
　　'And　you　would　be　joining　us　in　prison；'　Darren　Hurst's　eyes　narrowed。　'Don't　forget；　you're　part　of　it；　Marion。　You　were　responsible　for　swaying　Stone。　I　couldn't　have　done　it　alone。　My　five　grand　wouldn't've　meant　a　thing　to　a　guy　on　twenty　a　year。　He　wouldn't　take　the　risk。　But　when　I　just　happened　to　e　home　and　caught　the　pair　of　you　upstairs；　his　trousers　and　your　knickers　hanging　on　the　bedside　chair。　。　。　。　'
　　
　　'Shut　up'　her　fists　clenched　and　for　a　moment　he　thought　she　was　going　to　strike　him。　'My　God；　what　a　fool　I　was　to　go　along　with　your　ideas。　I　must've　been　blind　and　mad！'
　　
　　'But　he　shagged　you　and　came　out　five　thousand　quid　the　better　for　it；'　he　laughed。　'Most　guys　would've　ended　up　with　nothing　except　a　broken　nose　and　a　black　eye。　But　that's　all　over　and　done　with。'
　　
　　'Is　it？　It's　blackmail！'
　　
　　'Don't　be　so　hasty；　my　dear。　Nobody　was　ever　threatened。　I　just　happened　to　mention　an　idea　and　a　sum　of　money　to　Stone　and　he　willingly　went　along　with　it。　Nobody　made　any　threats　about　what　might　happen　if　he　refused。　Now；　did　they？1
　　
　　'It　was　blackmail；　all　the　same；'　she　turned　her　head；　stared　out　of　the　window。　'You　tricked　me　just　like　you　tricked　Stone。'
　　
　　'I　did？　I　never　suggested　that　you　let　him　knock　you　off。　All　I　said　was　we　need　to　get　on　the　right　side　of　the　planning　officer　and　an　attractive　woman　stood　more　chance　of　doing　that　than　a　man。　In　fact；　darling；　I　was　quite　hurt　to　find　out　that　you　could　be　unfaithful　to　me！'
　　
　　'You　bloody　hypocrite！'　she　whirled　on　him；　a　stinging　slap　that　caught　him　across　the　face　and　banged　his　head　back　on　the　headrest。　'Like　I　said；　I　was　a　bloody　fool。　But　you've　been　screwing　other　women　for　years。　Away　for　days　at　a　time　〃on　business〃；　and　you've　had　dirty　little　whores　in　your　bed。　Now　this　Lola。　She's　nothing　but　a　slut　tarted　up　by　you　in　an　attempt　to　make　her　look　presentable。　But　her　pedigree　is　all　too　clear　beneath　those　layers　of　make…up。　What's　she　getting　out　of　this　deal？'
　　
　　'She　happens　to　be　my　private　secretary；'　Hurst　wiped　his　lips　with　a　tissue；　dabbed　at　a　trickle　of　blood。　'She　has　her　salary；　nothing　else。'
　　
　　'A　hooker's　wages！'　Marion　was　on　the　verge　of　hysteria。　'I　wish　you'd　set　her　up　for　Stone。　That　way　I　could've　walked　out　and　left　you　to　your　hussies。　Don't　you　ever　touch　me　again；　Darren。　I　don't　want　a　dose！'
　　
　　'You're　being　ridiculous；'　he　eased　the　car　door　open。　'Let's　take　a　waik　and　survey　our　new　kingdom。　Within　two　months　the　diggers　will　be　here　getting　the　footings　out　for　the　first　few　houses。'
　　
　　'You　hope！'　she　got　out；　slammed　the　door　shut　behind　her。　'There'll　be　an　appeal。　I've　heard　that　nearly　everybody　in　the　village　has　signed　a　petition。'
　　
　　'A　mere　formality　and　a　waste　of　everybody's　time。　Our　planning　permission　will　stand。　Enjoy　what　you　see；　my　dear；　for　you　were　instrumental　in　bringing　this　about。　Without　your　help　it　would　probably　have　remained　in　trust　to　the　church　forever　because　nobody　else　would　have　dared　to　even　think　of　building　on　it。　What　a　waste　that　would　have　been。'
　　
　　Marion　Hurst's　torment　of　guilt　had　escalated　these　last　few　hours。　Ever　since　they　had　left　St　Monica's　church　she　had　been　unable　to　get　the　whole　thing　out　of　her　mind。　Oh　God；　she　wished　she　had　never　gone　there；　set　foot　on　that　tract　of　land　which　up　until　today　had　meant　no　more　to　her　than　an　area　shaded　in　on　an　Ordnance　Survey　map　and　a　few　lines　on　a　sheet　of　planning　permission。　It　was　akin　to　a　surgeon　entering　the　theatre　to　carry　out　an　operation　and　discovering　that　the　patient　was　a　close　friend　of　his；　or　a　vet　being　asked　to　put　an　animal　to　sleep　and　developing　a　relationship　with　it　while　he　prepared　his　syringe。　No　longer　was　it　impersonal。
　　
　　Darren　had　gone　out　shortly　after　they　returned　home；　she　had　not　expected　him　to　stay　in。　She　didn't　even　go　to　the　trouble　of　making　him　invent　an　excuse。　Lies　were　meaningless　now。　Far　better　had　he　said　'I'm　taking　Lola　for　a　meal　and　afterwards　I'm　going　to　screw　her　on　the　back　seat　of　the　car！'
　　
　　No；　it　wouldn't　be　on　the　back　seat　of　the　car；　nothing　so　lowly　and　basic　as　that　for　Darren　Hurst；　recently　admitted　to　the　elite　ranks　of　the　nouveau　riche。　There　were　rumours　that　he'd　taken　a　flat　somewhere　in　town。　Lola　probably　lived　there；　his　own　private　whore…house！
　　
　　Bitterness　welled　up　inside　Marion　Hurst。　She　was　a　whore；　too！　Oh　yes；　she'd　gone　only　too　willingly　with　Walter　Stone　that　time。　Seduced　him。　He　had　tried　to　back　down　at　the　start　but　Marion　had　ways　of　getting　men　to　do　what　she　wanted　even　if　she　was　past　forty。　Surprisingly；　the　guy　had　been　quite　good　and　she'd　enjoyed　it。　They　had　just　been　wiping　themselves　off　with　tissues　when　Darren　had　walked　into　the　bedroom　…　as　she　knew　he　would；　of　course。　Damn　it；　that　had　spoiled　it　all　for　her。　She　wished　she'd　seduced　Stone　some　place　where　Darren　didn't　have　to　show　up；　didn't　even　have　to　know　about　it。　Then　it　would've　been　her　own　little　secret　and　nobody　would've　got　hurt。　As　it　was；　hundreds　of　villagers　were　going　to　have　their　locality　desecrated　and　Stone　and　Darren　might　end　up　going　to　gaol　。　。　。　herself　with　them！
　　
　　God；　she　hated　that　bastard　of　a　husband　of　hers！　She　meant　what　she'd　said　earlier；　he　wasn't　going　to　have　her　again。　Every　time　he　lay　on　top　of　her；　or　did　whatever　took　his　fancy；　he　degraded　her。　Now　she　was　his　pawn；　just　like　the　others。　If　you　looked　at　it　logically；　she　was　the　focal　point　of　all　this　corruption。　Without　her　opening　her　legs　for　Walter　Stone　none　of　this　could　have　e　about。
　　
　　She　helped　herself　to　another　malt　whisky；　her　third。　Darren　was　going　to　bloody　well　pay　for　all　this。　She'd　shop　him　to　the　police！　No；　that　would　involve　herself；　not　only　that；　there　was　some　legal　point　about　a　wife　not　being　able　to　give　evidence　against　her　husband；　she'd　read　about　it　somewhere　a　long　time　ago。　Anyway；　what　evidence？　She　didn't　have　any　proof。　Doubtless　the　others　had　covered　their　tracks　well　enough。　And　in　the　end　she　would　be　made　to　look　a　fool　and　a　liar；　a　woman　scorned；　trying　to　gain　revenge　on　her　husband　and　his　mistress。
　　
　　She'd　leave　the　bugger　then！　No；　that　would　be　just　what　he'd　want；　conveniently　get　her　out　of　the　way　so　that　Lola　could　move　in。　Oh；　Jesus　Christ　she　was　trapped　as　surely　as　a　fly　caught　in　a　spider's　web！
　　
　　Anger　and　guilt　mingled　with　alcohol。　She　contemplated　killing　Darren；　she　could　poison　him　or　even　stick　a　knife　in　his　guts　whilst　he　slept。　Temporary　revenge　because　before　long　they'd　put　her　away　and　she'd　suffer　a　lot　longer　than　he　had。　And　the　deal　with　the　bishop　would　still　go　through；　it　just　meant　that　without　Darren　Hurst　the　others　would　get　a　bigger　share。　And　the　loser　would　be　Marion　Hurst。
　　
　　She　felt　slightly　dizzy；　swayed；　and　had　to　hold　on　to　the　cocktail　cabinet　as　she　poured　herself　a　fourth　drink。　It　was　the　folk　in　the　village　who　would　be　the　real　losers。　Her　eyes　misted　up　and　she　pictured　them　going　into　the　church；　devout　honest　people　who　believed　in　God。　And　she　had　betrayed　them！
　　
　　Somehow　she　had　to　cleanse　her　conscience。　Funny　how　things　dropped　into　perspective　when　you　really　thought　about　them；　how　little　things　like　people's　feelings　were　overlooked　where　money　was　concerned。　Not　just　the　villagers　…　God！　She　was　a　female　Judas。　She　had　sold　her　Maker；　mitted　adultery　to　bring　about　her　crime。
　　
　　Marion　Hurst　could　not　hold　back　her　tears；　sobs　which　shook　her；　had　her　lying　on　the　Chesterfield　begging　for　forgiveness；　not　bothering　to　put　on　the　light　when　dusk　turned　to　deep　darkness。
　　
　　S