This is a long story I am on chapter 42 and not done yet by a long way. I plan to post a chapter a day.
I've written it alone but I have been aided and abetted by my brilliant editor islandgirl. Thanks once again Sue

Chapter One

As she stood gazing down at the spreading coffee stain on her blouse and holding the scalding fabric away from her breasts, Sue couldn't decide whether to cry or swear.

She had already had a lousy morning with her alarm not going off and her being out of both bread for toast and milk for coffee. She had just stopped by Starbucks on her way in to the office to satisfy at least one of her morning requirements and as she had turned from the counter to leave the shop she had been slammed into by someone in a hurry.

She decided that tears were a waste of time and gave vent to an expletive as she looked up to see who had hit her.

"Argh! Bloody fool! Look where you're fucking going. Idiot!"

The man who had knocked her just stared at her wet blouse in amazement before drawling, "Do you know who I am?"

"Don't need to know more than you are a bloody idiot and my face is up here mate!" With that she turned on her stilettos and left.

Sir Piers Pomfrey shot a look of derision at her retreating back and forgot all about his morning coffee as he stalked from the shop in her wake.

When she arrived at her desk she set the remains of her coffee down hard causing even more to spill.

Do you know who I am? He had actually asked her if she knew who he was? Yeah you are the twat who has cost me £20 in dry cleaning. She grabbed a tissue and dabbed at her desk before retrieving a clean shirt from her locker and going to the ladies to change. She silently thanked her Mother who had always taught her to be prepared.

When she was clean and calm she left to go and apologise to her boss. Oh this was going to be fun, the man was so far up his own arse and he was bound to make her feel that big. She made him a cup of the black instant coffee he favoured and carried it back to his office.

She pushed open his door, "I'm sorry I'm late Mr Durie some idiot barged in to me in Starbucks and I had to change my blouse," and she stopped dead. There on Mr Durie's desk was this morning's Financial Times and on the front cover was the idiot from Starbucks. She clocked his name and made a mental note to Google him later; maybe she would send him her dry cleaning bill.

"Yes Susan," he said with an exasperated sigh, "whatever, just set the coffee down there and get on with your work."

As she closed the door behind her she leant on it and sighed. Another bloody man making her life difficult and she still hadn't eaten anything or had her own coffee. She sat down behind her desk and swallowed; it was lukewarm but the caffeine hit was just what she needed and she drank it down in one.

Turning her attention to her overflowing inbox she tried to put the morning's mishaps behind her and concentrate on doing her job. The morning felt interminably long and as it crawled by her stomachs grumblings just grew louder and louder until she was wishing all the people who usually popped by to say hello would just piss off and leave her alone.

Finally it was noon and she was able to leave her desk and go and buy a sandwich and another decent coffee. She headed back to Starbucks because it was close by and she liked the coffee. This time she looked before turning around but for now everyone seemed to have remembered their manners and she found herself a table at which to sit quietly and satisfy her stomach.

As she ate she used her mobile to Google the name she had read on the front of the Financial Times. Sir Piers Pomfrey, Peer of the realm and all round philanthropist. His biography was impressive but it failed to mention that he was a fucking idiot who ran people down in coffee shops and then spoke derisively to women's chests. Sue decided he was a prick and she needed to know no more about him other than where to forward her dry cleaning bill to.

She was so engrossed in reading the biography that she failed to notice he was seated at the back of the shop and was staring at her. He had come back here in the hope of seeing her again. The bitch needed to be taught a lesson; she had sworn at him in public and suggested he was leering at her breasts. He wanted to find out where she worked so that he could just as publicly take her down a peg or two.

He had picked up already from her accent that she was an Australian by birth but it had been softened by time indicating that she had been in the UK for several years. What he needed now was the wench's name so he could do some checks on her. Then he would know precisely how to humiliate her and turn that humiliation to his advantage. He didn't even question his interest in getting revenge. Pomfrey men had been bringing women to heel for generations.

When Sue was finished she checked her watch and decided rather than working back to make up for being late she would shorten her lunch hour so that she could still leave on time. She rose and made her way to the door. She didn't notice him get up and follow her.

She dodged the traffic and went in to her offices.

So she worked at HSBC. He followed her in and noted that she was popular as several of the cashiers nodded to her and called out "hello Sue" but she herself went to the back of the banking hall and pushed through the door marked Senior Executives.

He doubted that the front desk staff would be that familiar with an Executive especially as they were all women and he doubted from her appearance that she had made it that high up and of course she was a woman.

No little Miss Sue had to be at best a PA. All he needed to do was to find out whom for and make an appointment with them. He leant against the counter and spoke to a girl whose name tag said Tiffany. What kind of name was that? He tried to keep the disdain out of his voice as he asked, "That Sue woman, who does she PA for?"

"It's not banking policy to give out the Senior Executives names Sir." she replied a little flirtatiously. He smiled inwardly at how easy women could be to manipulate but decided not to pursue it with this girl. He had other fish to fry. But now he knew he had been right. She was a PA and for a Senior Exec. This was going to be too easy.

"Never mind" he drawled, "I'm sure I can find out. Ta ta."

Turning abruptly he walked out of the banking hall and back to his headquarters; he'd know all there was to know about Sue whoever-she-was before the close of business.