Chapter 2

I woke up the next morning feeling more relaxed than I’d ever remember feeling before. And that despite the fact that I’d spent the night sleeping on a sofa. It was the sun streaming through the windows and striking my closed eyelids that dragged me back to consciousness. And the first thing I heard was the noise of the birds singing in the trees outside.
It took me a moment to remember where I was. Then the events of the previous night came flooding back to me. I looked around in sudden embarrassment. And even though I was alone in the room I pulled the blanked that was half draped over me tightly around my waist.
A door opened behind me and I turned to see the blond woman, who’s name I remembered as Rachel, come into the room.
“Oh, you’re awake then,” she smiled at me.
“Yes,” I smiled sheepishly back.
“Good,” she walked over and laid a bundle on the sofa beside me. “I brought you your clothes.” Her smile widened, “I thought you might need them.”
“Thank you,” I laughed softly.
She paused a moment, her eyes scanning up and down me, noting the way I pulled the blanked around myself. “We’re having brunch in the kitchen, why don’t you come and join us after you have washed and dressed.”
“O.K.” I said, but made no move to start dressing.
She nodded and turned to go. “It’s through this door and straight down the corridor,” she turned to face me as she opened the door. “You can’t get lost.”
“Thank you,” I said relaxing a little at her friendly manor.
“Don’t take too long,” she smiled again. “Or there’ll be no orange juice left.” She stepped through the door, then turned to add “Oh, the bathroom is the third door on the right”. And she closed the door quietly behind her.
I sighed and slumped in the sofa for a moment. Then I sat up and checked my clothes. Everything was there, including my wallet with my meagre supply of cash intact. Well, I mused looking around at the fine furnishings, I don’t suppose she needs to pick my pocket. My bag was nowhere to be seen. I guessed I’d have to ask her about it over breakfast.
As soon as I had dressed I walked over to the door and opened it to look down a narrow corridor. The door at the other end looked a lot less ornate than the one at this end and I guessed that this corridor was to allow the servants to bring the food up from the kitchen.
I was exceedingly nervous about going and meeting the people I had been with last night. It was one thing to be carried away in the heat of the moment, especially when every body else was doing it. But to face some, if not all, of them in the cold light of day, well that was something I didn’t know I could handle. But then the only alternative was to slink off and not even thank my host and that was totally out of the question, even if I’d had some place to slink off to.
My heart fell. It suddenly occurred to me that I really had no place to go to. I’d come down expecting to meet Derek and to get a job and at least temporary accommodation from him, but now I didn’t know where I was. I’d walked in on a bunch of strangers having an orgy and stayed for breakfast, but they wouldn’t want me staying for much longer. They can’t have an orgy every day. And even if they did I don’t think I’d have been able to keep up with them.
But still I’d been invited to breakfast. I might as well go and enjoy it and then see what would happen next. I started to walk down the corridor. After all, I smiled to myself, it might be the last good meal I would have for a while.
I walked by an open door on the right and looked in to see a bathroom. Then I noticed my holdall on the floor beside the hand basin. It was open and as I stepped closer I saw that my razor and toothbrush had been laid out on the shelve above. I looked at myself in the mirror, ran my hand over my chin and decided that I really should wash and shave before presenting myself at breakfast.
I used the toilet and turned to the hand basin. The hot tap produced plenty of hot water and there was soap, shaving cream and toothpaste laid out, so I wasted no time in freshening myself up. After I was finished I looked at myself in the mirror and smiled. I not only looked better, I felt better too.
I packed my stuff back into my holdall, slung it over my shoulder and continued down the corridor to the kitchen. I stopped at the closed door and taking a deep breath, I composed myself before putting my hand on the door handle and pushed it open.