Sorry Ladies and Gentlemen...I had to spend my whole day in a notary class. Enjoy. I promise to post more tomorrow after I get up!
Chapter 7
Disappearing Act
House woke up on his back straddled across the top of MacBeth's queen size bed with a white cotton throw over him. Alone, there was no sign of MacBeth or that she had even been there. Despite searching his memory of the evening, everything after putting Jessica's phone number in his trouser pocket seemed blurred from the combination of alcohol and fatigue from not having slept for several days. He took the afghan off and looked around. His watch said it was noon and hs mouth said he had been drunk and was now dehyrdrated. But it was his head that said, "Screw You."
Finding his shoes at the foot of the bed, he put them on and went downstairs. There was no one downstairs but a maid cleaning. She smiled at House and then went back to her work. Looking around for MacBeth, he couldn't find her so he asked the maid, "Do you know where MacBeth went?"
"She went back to the manor to play tennis with Mr. Stratford. They left you a golf cart so that you could get back to the manor."
House went to the sink, drank a glass of water and then grabbed his coat from the closet. He drove the cart back to the manor and saw a woman and a man walking back to the house with tennis racquets. House arrived at the manor just as they did.
Macbeth grinned at House. "Hello sleepy head. How do you feel?"
"Like I need a chisel for my tongue." He was rubbing the back of his neck as they entered the manor.
"Ewww...too graphic, dear. Your bag is upstairs so I assume you'll find the chisel in it. I'll be back down in a few minutes." She ran up the stairs to the third story.
House remembered that his assigned room was somewhere on the third floor. He took the elevator up and found a maid who pointed him in the right direction. The room was a corner bedroom with two full beds. One had obviously been occupied the night before by Wilson. House looked around. The room was as large as his living room with windows on two sides overlooking a beautiful view of the valley and woods. He grabbed his spare clothes and toothbrush and went into the ensuite bathroom. First trimming his beard, House then shaved and took a warm shower. After brushing his teeth he put on his jeans, t-shirt and shirt and made his way downstairs.
Out on the enclosed portion of the veranda were Cuddy and Wilson. They were eating brunch and laughing about something.
"Good afternoon, House!" Cuddy chirped .
"Where's the coffee?"
Wilson pointed to the side table. "Had a little too much of the bubbly?"
"Where are the hosts?"
Cuddy drank her coffee, "They had to leave about an hour ago. They begged us to stay and enjoy ourselves and to apologize to you for having to leave before seeing you again."
MacBeth walked onto the Veranda in full riding gear including a red short jacket, white jodphurs, riding helmet, riding crop and black boots. He looked at her and tried to remember if he had made love to her or just imagined it. It hurt too much to think so he solved the dilemma by grabbing a plate, put some scrambled eggs and bacon on it along with a couple of pieces of toast with butter. He took it and his coffee to the table and sat next to Wilson.
MacBeth grabbed a piece of toast off of his plate as she passed by. She poured herself a glass of water and sat down at the table. Giving her a dirty look, House moved his plate away from her. She laughed at him.
"Did you have a good time last night?" MacBeth asked Cuddy and Wilson.
"A great time. It was like a fairy tale." Cuddy sounded wistful and sad that it was over.
"I had a great time too." Wilson said.
"Mary can be very entertaining." MacBeth added.
House started laughing to himself, remembering her remark about Mary and the toilet seat. After brunch they all gathered their things together and went downstairs. House tried to get MacBeth alone but she refused to be cornered. He wanted to ask if they had sex last night or if it was just a wet dream.
MacBeth didn't want to deal with him today. She actually felt well enough to play and she intended on doing so. She thanked them all for coming and waved goodbye as she and Boz walked to the stables.
They loaded their luggage, said goodbye to Cuddy and climbed into the car for the drive back to Princeton. As they drove off, Boz and MacBeth were waving vigorously from a pair of horses.
Wilson waved back, "What a night."
"Yeah?"
"You should have stayed at the manor. Elizabeth was upset that you went to MacBeth's. I guess they don't get along. Apparently, MacBeth stole Elizabeth's fiancé from her. I probably could have enjoyed a threesome but that's not my scene. Did you have any luck?"
"I scored a telephone number of a goddess named," he pulled the telephone number from his pocket, "Jessica." He looked out the window on Wilson's side. They both saw MacBeth and Boz galloping past them on their horses, going full speed, jumping logs and flying like bats out of hell.
"Man, they're going fast." Wilson commented.
They watched as MacBeth turned to look for Boz who was several lengths behind. She was laughing. They gallped into a clearing near the road and MacBeth teased Wilson by galloping on the grass next to the car. Wilson, going the speed limit, was amazed as MacBeth kept up with him.
Wilson shook his head, "I'm doing thirty-five."
Mac Beth waved as they came close to the cottage and entrance gate. She turned back towards the manor and jumped a fence to ride into the woods. Boz didn't jump it, he rode along until he came to a wood gate in the fence, got down, opened the gate and waved as Wilson drove out the gate of the estate.
"That was a beautiful horse. She can really ride."
"She's going to kill herself doing that." House said.
They drove home comparing notes about the rich and famous, Cuddy's reaction to the information about MacBeth and finally, House's visit to MacBeth's house. Normally he would have bragged to Wilson about his sexual conquest, but since he wasn't sure it had happened he kept his mouth shut. It was enough that he had scored Jessica's phone number, just wait until Wilson saw her.
