Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or any of its affiliated characters.
AN: Oh my Lord! Can you believe I forgot to put disclaimers on the last two chapters! Tsk tsk, naughty me. And for some reason whenever I try to write my email address goes crazyyyy! I love receiving emails from readers and fans and my stupid word document is ruining it hmmph! It's so lovely to hear from all you readers quizzing me about Seiya and Usa. I can't reveal too much :p you'll just have to read on to find out, let me just say that Usa did a bad bad thing (hehe like that song by Chris Isaak) Just in case you guys didn't know, Eastwell is an actual manor in Kent, sadly it's been turned into a hotel but we can all dream that Mamoru occupies it, working hard in his oh-so-manly office http/ check it out. It's absolutely beautiful and a true inspiration for my story. It's a character in itself and I hope you guys appreciate my attempt at describing such an impressive piece of landscaped architecture. Cheers my darlings, enjoy a little bit of my escapism, you deserve it!
In The Rough – Chapter ThreeBetter a Diamond with a Flaw
Author: CherRated: R (it's coming!)
Email: To: Nizlopi – Freedom
There was nothing quite so lovely as the setting of an informal dinner at Eastwell. A casually small dining room, hidden away at the back of the house was ready and waiting for the small group.
Usagi was the first to arrive dressed casually in jeans and a turtle-necked sweater. The nights were chilly at Eastwell when she was out of the comfort of her heated room. She marvelled at the fireplace crackling merrily behind the small square dining table. It, along with the scuff of her flat-heeled sandal on the flagstone, was the only sound in the room.
The utter lavishness of the house was not lost on this room. Antiques were never few and far between at Eastwell, but from the small portion of it that Usagi had seen so far, this room was the barest of all. In saying that, she smiled at how homely it felt, letting her imagination carry her to scenes of a young Mamoru and his family enjoying breakfasts, lunches and dinners, seated at the very table before her.
Always a sucker for family, Usagi had painted a happy picture of Mamoru's. Though he was brisk with her, and the dark glint that flickered in his eye every so often terrified her, she felt that there was certain warmth to him unlike any other man she'd yet to meet.
Usagi stood with her back to the doorway, her eyes roaming tenderly over the countryside. This manor was truly inspiring, its magic was never lost on Usagi. She could see so much from this tiny vantage point in the back corner of the building. An ancient stone building was nestled at the very back of the landscaped lawns, Usagi would have to ask Molly about it, she noticed several comings and goings that morning while she was on her run.
The sun had long ago sunk into the hills and twilight at Eastwell was a breath-taking sight. Where the garden met forest, Usagi could see fireflies dancing gently in the breeze. Despite the promise of a delicious hot meal – and she was starved – Usagi longed to explore the gardens and the rest of the manor. She wondered if she'd ever get the opportunity to do so.
Lost deep in thought, Usagi barely heard the sound of the door opening, it was the whoosh of the fire that alerted her to someone entering the room. She turned to find herself staring at a very comfortable looking Mamoru. He himself had changed into baggy jeans that hung off his pelvic bones perfectly. A fitted brown, zip-up turtleneck was all that accompanied the jeans and he looked deliciously masculine.
It was obvious that he'd both showered and shaved, a thought that left Usagi wondering if he'd done it for her behalf. In any case, he looked every bit the relaxed country-goer, a violent contrast to the no-nonsense businessman she'd dealt with that day.
"You look much more refreshed, Miss Tsukino." Mamoru said, pouring himself a glass of cabernet. He offered one to Usagi and she nodded thankfully.
Miss Tsukino? How had she gone from simply Usagi to Miss Tsukino? Was Mamoru trying to pointedly make it clear that she was his business associate and nothing less? Usagi felt downtrodden. She was at odds with herself. It was wrong for her to be lusting after her boss, more so since her job pitted her so close to him and he allowed her to live under his roof.
Handing her the wine in a stunning crystal glass, Mamoru joined her at the window, gazing across the vastness of his property. This time of night was always Mamoru's favourite, the estate gardens that sprawled before him seemed to shimmer a lucid silver in the moonlight. It was almost romantic in a way that Mamoru couldn't quite fathom.
Usagi sighed with longing as she took a small sip of the wine. It was a moment she'd never forget, her first real night of independence and she was sharing a glass of wine in a beautiful estate with a handsome man. Inwardly groaning, Usagi wanted to slap herself, she didn't know how long it was going to take her to realise that he was just. Her. Boss.
"You look stunned." He said, smiling roguishly down at her.
His smile gave her a little bit of reassurance and she nodded, taking another sip of wine. "I am. This place is like nothing I've ever seen. It's so…decadent." Usagi said, moving away from him, the wine combined with his closeness was making her feel a bit heady.
Mamoru followed suit and took his place at the head of the small dining table. Instantly his stature was alleviated. Sitting there, with the roaring fire at his back, he looked like a king among peasants. His easy comfort, the way he leant back with his legs stretched under the table, hooked at the ankles and his arms folded behind his head.
Strangely enough it was now more than ever, that Usagi found him his most dangerous. He was clearly a man in his element. Mamoru's confidence frightened her as her position with him was a precarious one, however, she knew that if the circumstances were any different, his no-nonsense masculinity would excite her to no-ends. If she were entirely honest with herself she'd admit to already feeling the tendrils of sexual excitement creeping through her body.
"Eastwell is stunning, I do prefer though, to keep my business in London. I love the city." Mamoru said, gazing at her lazily from his relaxed position.
Usagi herself, had taken the seat at the opposite end of the table, his comfortable stance had prompted her to lift her feet onto the seat of the chair and hug her legs to her body.
"Hmmm." She said, not entirely agreeing with him. "London is a beautiful city. I've never been too partial to the country myself, though in a place like this one could get very used to the lifestyle."
Mamoru nodded, arching his back to stretch out his sore muscles. By doing-so, his sweater rose revealing the sculpted abdomen that Usagi had imagined.
"You're too right! Remind me to have Molly show you the gardens at some point tomorrow, they'll take your breath away." Mamoru said in a subdued voice.
"Of course, Mr. Chiba, not a problem." Usagi said, unable to stop the clipped tone she reserved for business from sneaking its way into her voice.
"Please Miss Tsukino, if we're going to be working so closely together, I'd appreciate it if you call me Mamoru, besides Mr. Chiba reminds me of my father, I'm no way deserving of that title." Mamoru scoffed and Usagi could hear the dark undertones of a child who had been disappointed by his father. She knew the tone well, it was something she herself reserved for her own parents.
"Well then I should expect you'd call me Usagi." Usagi said, tilting her head to rest on her arms that were perched at the top of her knees. She offered him another stunning smile that he returned.
Seeing Usagi sitting in his informal dining room the way she was, comfortable and seemingly at ease, made Mamoru feel somewhat relieved. There was no denying she was a stunningly attractive woman, but there was a warmth and maturity in her that Mamoru felt assured would save them both from future embarrassment. He had not ignored her open-mouthed stares during their time together in the office and was glad that he was able to call in a favour from his old lover.
The relaxed girl in front of him reminded him of his mother. Mamoru remembered fondly how she used to throw herself haphazardly across pieces of priceless antique furniture with no regard to their worth or value, simply looking for another part of the house that hadn't been filled by her unique presence. Usagi probably had no idea that the chair she was currently perched upon cost Mamoru up to $5000 alone. Mamoru didn't seem to mind that it was her feet that were currently resting on his antique, but he knew that if it were anyone else he'd have politely told them of his strict no-feet policy.
At that moment Molly and a slightly hunched elder gentleman entered the room and instantly the atmosphere moved from subdued relaxation to chaotic. Usagi lowered her feet to the floor and stood, receiving a hug from Molly and an enthusiastic handshake from the gentleman who, with a kiss on both of her cheeks, introduced himself as Melvin, Molly's beloved.
Love filled the room with the couple's arrival. Usagi smiled warmly as she watched the trio interact, Molly and Melvin treating Mamoru like their own son with their gently chiding and familiar joking.
Finally after dinner had been finished, Usagi, who had remained content to simply listen to the hurried chatter, found herself the centre of the party's attention.
"Usagi, my dear, you're absolutely stunning. Where on earth did Molly pluck you from?" Melvin said, clearly feeling more daring as the wine was freely poured.
Usagi herself had consumed a few glasses more than she should have in the company of her boss, so she was not too concerned about the personal question, or the blatant adoration from Melvin.
"I am English originally, though my parents relocated to Japan when I was quite young." Usagi said with a smile, fondly reminiscing on her childhood in Japan. She noticed Mamoru smiling with understanding, not realising that she had solved a puzzle that had been bothering Mamoru since his stumbled entry into her suite last night.
"But your accent, my darling child, it's not like any I've ever heard." Molly said, again unable to believe that the leggy blonde was of English origin.
Usagi smiled again, lifting her glass to her lips and taking a rather undignified sip. She knew she couldn't tell them about her and Seiya but she didn't want to have to lie to the lovely Molly and Melvin.
"Well my fiancé and I had travelled extensively throughout the last couple of years. He was a…his career was one that didn't leave time for settling down." Usagi sighed and with a shrug said, "I guess I've developed a sort of trans-continental accent, I'm a bit homeless really. We'd just returned to Tokyo when I…we…decided to call it quits. As soon as it happened I moved to England to start over and here I am." Usagi could feel the tears welling in her eyes and cursed herself. The alcohol didn't help, neither did Molly's insistence on clucking over her or Mamoru's steely gaze as he watched her reveal a small piece of her past, an intense frown forming across his brow.
Molly, god bless her, had fluttered over to Usagi and wrapped her in a tight bear hug. "Now, now my dear, don't you worry about a thing. You've come to the right place to heal that broken heart of yours. In fact, I know just the thing that will make you feel better. If Mamoru is quite happy to excuse us…" Molly turned to their boss and gazed at him imploringly.
Usagi was shocked out of her emotional reverie by the tenderness in Molly's voice as she uttered the 'masters' name. Usagi had yet to hear Molly address him as anything but the master and it was clear that she saved his actual name for use in a more intimate sphere. Usagi admired Molly's ability to drift between the personal and business relationship with ease, she clearly was a special lady in Mamoru's life and it was only now when she watched Molly place a tender hand and kiss Mamoru's forehead that Usagi fully understood the depth of their relationship.
Mamoru smiled up at Molly as she brushed the hair from his eyes. She would never replace his mother, but she did a damn good job of taking on that maternal grandparent role that Mamoru neither disagreed with nor disapproved of. While he was slightly annoyed at losing an inebriated Usagi, he understood the need to remove her from this setting. He hated seeing women cry, regardless of the circumstances and Mamoru did not want to tarnish Usagi's image in his mind. The truth was, he was eager to learn of her past and the mention of this fiancé had piqued his interest. Usagi was a beautiful woman and clearly a nice girl, what kind of man would throw that away? It puzzled Mamoru to no ends and frustrated him that Usagi had gotten over-emotional and was unable to finish her story.
Having no idea how fresh the heartbreak was, Melvin attempted to cheer Usagi up. "It's probably a good thing, love, if you hadn't of broken off with your fiancé, you'd never of met a stud like me-self" Melvin said, snapping imaginary suspenders with pride.
Despite herself, Usagi laughed along with Molly at the sight of the weedy old man attempting to impress her.
Mamoru stood along with Melvin and draped a casual arm over his shoulder, he turned his dazzling smile to Usagi and Molly and winked.
"I'm sure Usagi has had numerous better offers than that one old man." Mamoru said, gasping in faux-pain as Melvin punched him lightly in the side.
Molly and Usagi left the room laughing, both men gazing thoughtfully after their retreating figures.
"She sure is something." Melvin said, finishing off Mamoru's wine.
"I've no doubt about that one, mate." Mamoru agreed, holding the door open for Melvin.
"Just watch yourself there. You might hide it from her well, but I've known you too long for you to be able to hide things from me. Molly might be blinded by faith, but I know you better than that, son. Be careful with that one, she looks like a bit of a livewire." Melvin said sagely before he leant over and gave Mamoru a hasty kiss on the cheek. "Night son, try to stay out of trouble."
Mamoru was too distracted to put up his usual fight from his surrogate fathers goodnight kisses. What had started as a joke, Melvin chasing the shrieking Mamoru through the house as a young child had turned into a nightly routine, though sometimes uncomfortable, Mamoru appreciated the closeness that Melvin and Molly provided him.
Tonight though, he was far too distracted to care. If Melvin had unmasked Mamoru's true feelings that easily than it was only a matter of time before word would get around that Mamoru was enamoured with his new PA. Not one to play favourites, Mamoru knew that that absolutely could not happen under any circumstances.
Thankfully it was nearing 9pm and his guest would be arriving very soon. With a withered gaze in the direction of Usagi's suite, Mamoru shook his head and bounded up the stairs, two at a time to have a quick shower before his guest would arrive.
----
"So I told him to fuck off and leave me alone or I'd call my brother who would come and get me!"
Shrieks of laughter trickled from within a well lit section of the house. Usagi was following Molly who was tut-tutting about the use of some rather vulgar language that floated to their ears as they marched down the hall.
"Now these girls are gems, real gems, but like every precious gem, they're a bit rough round the edges." Molly said, holding a door open for Usagi, who stepped into the room noiselessly.
Usagi gazed about her in surprise. Three girls, all around her own age, sat in front of a mirror in various stages of undress, carefully applying make-up. Usagi cleared her throat to grab the attention of the three girls who turned in shock, one with long black hair squealing in surprise.
"Oh for goodness sake girls, it's only me." Molly scolded, appearing from behind Usagi having shut and locked the door. "This is Usagi, the Masters new assistant." Molly said and at the revelation of Usagi's title, the three girls seemed to flock to Usagi's side.
"Uh oh, there's going to be trouble on all fronts with a bombshell like you." Said the black-haired beauty.
Usagi was about to respond when she was beaten to it by the tall brunette. "Definitely! The Master is going to be brooding from here to next Tuesday." The brunette said.
A shorter brunette rolled her eyes and held her hand out to Usagi. "My name is Lizzie, it's a pleasure to have a new face at the estate." Lizzie said, shaking Usagi's hand firmly, her face warm and open.
"It's lovely to meet you, all of you, I was starting to wonder where the rest of the staff were hiding." Usagi said, blushing slightly as she noticed again that Lizzie was the only one of the three that was covered by a terry cloth robe.
The raven-haired girl realised Usagi's discomfort and laughed gently. "Forgive us, we're in a hurry to get ready, we're heading into town for drinks with Lizzie's brother. I'm Rei, by the way, and this is Lita." Rei said, leading Usagi into the room and over to the worn looking couch.
Molly re-emerged from what Usagi assumed was the bathroom and handed Lita and Rei a bathrobe each. They smiled graciously and slipped their slender forms into the robes.
"Thanks Molly, perhaps Usagi could come with us to the pub? Has she got a busy day tomorrow?" Lizzie asked, returning to the mirror to apply the finishing touches to her already beautiful face.
Molly smiled with obvious delight and clapped her hands together. "I was hoping you'd say that. Usagi's probably sick to death of hanging around Melvin and I, not to mention the Master." Molly whispered theatrically.
The four of them tittered with laughter while Usagi simply smiled. She was taken aback by the beauty of these three girls. Rei was a knockout, her hair dramatically complimented her pale skin and with the make-up she was carefully applying, her eyes shimmered so that they looked almost purple. Rei was about Usagi's height, but wearing black thigh-high stockings with lacy suspenders and spiked stilettos, Rei looked like she would tower over Usagi.
Lita was the tall one of the group, her legs were so long that she reminded Usagi of a supermodel. She had pulled her chestnut hair into a loose ponytail and the curls framed her face in a way that made her look approachable, but sexy at the same time. Usagi definitely approved, the girls all had a style that was unique and feminine without being overly pretentious.
While Rei and Lita chattered endlessly, Lizzie threw on a pair of jeans and a sweater much like Usagi's. Rei had opted for a black halter mini-dress which plunged at the cleavage. Lita was also a bit daring with her choice of attire, a low cut top that cut a slash between her ample chest that made Usagi want to blush. This was paired with a short black mini-skirt and knee high boots.
There was a time when Usagi would have been comfortable in such clothes, celebrating her femininity in a way that made her look sexy. But now, Usagi had never been more glad to have thrown on her old jeans and turtleneck, feeling tired and frumpy after her long day at work and the hint of rejection she was feeling from Mamoru.
"You'll have to forgive Lita and Rei, they don't get out of the estate much, so any chance to act like tramps is appreciated by them." Lizzie said, her tone entirely joking.
"Oi! Come off it, just cause Usagi didn't see your efforts last weekend doesn't mean you can go slagging off on all of us." Lita laughed, throwing a cushion Usagi and Lizzie's way.
Usagi couldn't help but laugh. It was so nice for her to finally be in the company of people her own age, that weren't sickeningly attractive authority figures.
"So Usagi…bugger it, can I just call you Usa? It's a lot easier and we're all going to be mighty drunk by the time we get home…" Rei trailed off, applying another sheen of lip gloss to her already shimmering lips.
"Of course you can." Usagi said, smiling up at her new friends. They were all so lovely…and real!
"Anyway, Usa, where do you hail from? You look like you've stepped right out of Cali-fucking-fornia, where on earth did you get a tan like that? Is it natural?" Rei hooked her arm through Usagi's and the four of them made their way through the endless hallways of the manor.
"Actually yes, it is. My fiancé…well ex-fiancé and I did a lot of travelling in Australia over the last few years, now my skin takes to sun like a duck to water." Usagi smiled over at Lita, who was equally tanned.
"Fucken' 'ell, I wish I could tan like that, look at me pasty whites, I'm almost bloody see-through." Rei laughed, holding her arms out for the girls to examine.
Her earlier polished accent was beginning to slip to the familiar cockney of most of the hired staff in the manor, the effect of too much alcohol and a lot of time spent in the company of the help.
"I think it suits you, you'd look weird with darker skin." Usagi's voice was timid, but Rei's smiling eyes told her that she had been well and truly accepted into the circle.
They were standing at the bottom of the steps, slipping into their coats that Molly had carefully hung in the cloakroom, when the sound of creaking timber had them all spinning around in shock.
"Honestly Rei, when are you going to learn to curb that gutter mouth of yours?" Mamoru said, descending the staircase.
"Ooo look who it is! You don't usually venture to these parts at this time of night unless you…" Rei shrieked in delight. "Unless you've got a guest coming over. Finally, Mamoru's going to…"
"Enough! Usagi, I see you've become acquainted with my sister?" Mamoru said, an angry flash filling his eyes.
Usagi smiled up at him and even amongst the glamorous Rei and Lita, she still looked dazzlingly beautiful to him. Mamoru cursed softly under his breath and hoped desperately that they wouldn't run into his guest on their way out.
"Oh yes, I hadn't realised that you and Rei were related. Molly suggested I accompany the girls into town…is that okay?" Usagi said, her newfound confidence diminishing by the second.
Mamoru let out a short laugh as he descended the steps. He took her coat from her and held it open while she slipped her tiny arms into the dark sleeves.
"Of course it is Usagi, you aren't required to be at my beck and call 24 hours a day. Although remember that I need you to be in my office by 9am tomorrow." Mamoru said, appraising the beauty before him and skilfully ignoring Lita and Rei who were making silent vomiting gestures behind Usagi.
Usagi nodded and hastily buttoned up her coat. The more he paid attention to her the more insecure she felt. She wanted to be out of his zone immediately. Thankfully he turned to Lizzie who was tying a huge scarf around her neck.
"Lizzie, when is your brother coming to visit us? I know you're going to meet him at that pitiful excuse of a pub he loves. Tell him he still owes me money." Mamoru leant down and brushed a light kiss on Lizzie's cheek before turning and doing the same to Rei and Lita. "And you two trouble-makers, try not to catch a cold. Lita, we're taking the stallion out tomorrow, is that correct?"
Lita nodded with a grin. "It should be good, the trainers have been working overtime to get him in shape for the derby." Usagi noticed an excited glimmer in Lita's eyes and wondered if she and Mamoru had a past.
Mamoru turned to her and smiled rakishly. "I'm afraid you'll probably end up taking care of these two, once I let them loose they tend get a little wild. Lizzie's brother will give you a hand if they cause you too much trouble." Mamoru said with a wink before turning and making his way to the drawing room. "Goodnight ladies, go easy on poor Usagi will you?"
Rei laughed at the panic-stricken look on Usagi's face and grabbed the blonde's wrist. "Nothing to worry about, we'll be right as rain." Rei said with a beaming smile, the girls trotted outside, Rei and Lita lighting up cigarettes while Lizzie called for a taxi.
----
It was a long drive from Eastwell to the nearest town of Ashford and in that time, Usagi had taken great delight in becoming acquainted with Rei, Lita and Lizzie. Usagi was secretly relieved to hear that the only relationship between Lita and Mamoru was a professional one. Lita was the head of the stables at Eastwell, governing over a team of trainers, vets and groom hands. They both shared an equal love for the equines that were housed in the Eastwell stables, particularly Sheffield, the Arabian stallion that Mamoru had purchased some months ago. Lita regaled with passion how she and her team of trainers had worked hard to get the stallion to the standard it is at today.
Usagi had commented how she'd never really taken to horse riding and Lita in turn promised to take her for a ride around the grounds on a tamer-natured mare.
Lizzie was not actually an official member of staff at Eastwell but had loved the manor so much when she was growing up that she begged Mamoru to let her rent out a suite of rooms. Lizzie took great pleasure in revealing to Usagi that she was a successful playwright, no thanks to Mamoru who had bankrolled a couple of her earlier projects. Lizzie spent the days writing in various inspiring nooks and crannies of the enormous estate.
When Usagi asked Lizzie how she and Mamoru had initially met, Lizzie gushed about her brother and Mamoru's deeply rooted friendship. Andrew, who the girls were going to meet, had met Mamoru in primary school. The pair were inseparable and Lizzie recounted tales of how they would torment her as a young child. She was four years younger than her brother and his best-friend, but she herself had cemented an affectionate place in the Chiba's family and home.
Rei's story was the most surprising of the three. She was, like Lita, the same age as Usagi and at 26 had dealt with a lifetime of sorrow. She amazed Usagi with her bright outlook on life, even after the trials she'd suffered. Rei was Mamoru's fathers illegitimate child to another woman whom he'd had an affair with. Rei's mother was not aware of Kazuya's wealthy background, nor of his marriage to Mamoru's mother. He carried on the relationship with Rei's mother for 2 years before she fell pregnant with Rei. As soon as Kazuya learnt that there was a threat to his son's inheritance he arranged to have Rei's mother paid off and shipped to Northern England where he hoped she would remain in the dark about his wealth and lifestyle.
Rei's mother herself was not a wealthy woman and not schooled in the way of legal rights, so she took the pittance Kazuya offered her and relocated to the North where she had her baby in relative peace.
For years, Rei and her mother struggled to make ends meet. The money Kazuya paid was kept in savings for when Rei began her schooling. Rei's mother eventually discovered the truth about Kazuya's wealth but was content in having a happy and healthy daughter. It paid for admission to a prestigious boarding school, where Rei then won scholarship after scholarship.
It was in her college years that her mother, riddled with cancer had passed away, leaving Rei heartbroken and alone.
Left to juggle the pressure of university, a part-time job and home repayments, Rei eventually buckled under the pressure and dropped out of school. She worked full-time to keep the loan-sharks off her back.
During this dark time Rei's own grandfather appeared and invited her to live with him so that she could sell the house and pay off the remaining debt.
Usagi had asked why Rei didn't return to college as she was obviously a gifted scholar. Rei had simply shrugged and explained that she had one last chance to connect with a family member and she wasn't going to waste the time with her nose in a book.
When she turned 21, Rei's grandfather felt she was old enough to know the truth about her father, having been told she was the child of an honourable man who paid for her to enter the best schools (Rei's mother didn't want Rei to feel abandoned or rejected by her father), Rei was justly shocked to learn her father was in fact the Kazuya Chiba she studied while in business school.
Angered and disgusted, Rei set about contacting the Chiba's and staking a claim in what was rightfully hers. She knew there was an heir to the family fortune and in no way wanted to impose on his birthrights, but she felt she deserved to be acknowledged as a Chiba in some way.
Years of legal battles and meetings with her biological father, which always left her feeling dejected and alone, left a paper trail longer than any Kazuya had ever before seen. He did his best to hide the affairs from his son who was being groomed to take over the company.
When Kazuya died, he left a confidential file filled with the DNA reports, legal minutes and all information he had regarding the fact that he was positively identified as Rei Hino's father, in a safe built into his desk.
Naturally, Mamoru had found it almost as soon as he took over the company. He was shocked, angry and disgusted at his fathers brutal treatment of his illegitimate child and vowed to track Rei down and set things right.
When Mamoru had found Rei, her grandfather had just passed away and she was mourning, alone, at a seedy English pub. She mistook Mamoru's first reaching out to her as a come-on and had thrown beer in his face.
Angry, but admiring of his half-sisters spark, he followed her home where he copped a string of verbal abuse and accusations of being a stalker. He calmly explained to her that that was in fact his BMW parked outside of her small cottage-home and if she'd give him a minute he would retrieve a file that may interest her.
He had piqued her interests and she allowed him to come in, even taking his shirt and washing it for him while they each poured over the file. A lot of it was familiar to Rei and she assumed that Mamoru was a lawyer for Chia Inc. She was relieved to discover he was actually Mamoru Chiba and that he was coming to offer her stake in his inheritance.
It took Rei two weeks to make the decision to move in with Mamoru at Eastwell. Not only would it mean she could continue her studies, it also allowed her to reconnect that spark of family that had died with her grandfather. Mamoru was her last living blood-relative and she desperately craved a family of her own to nourish and nurture.
By the time Rei had finished her tale, the girls had arrived at the pub and squeezed into a corner booth, each with a large pint of beer before them.
"Oh my god! So how was it moving to Eastwell? It must have been a huge culture shock!" Usagi said, shaking her head in disbelief.
Rei laughed and took a big gulp of beer. "Definitely. I was used to two bedrooms and a kitchenette. I had to somehow become accustomed to suite's and flats and bloody full-serviceable restaurants. Mamoru has conferences at Eastwell all the time, not so much now but when I first moved in. I'd be studying and hear a bit of a ruckus downstairs, I'd wander down and come face to face with an ambassador of China or some such rubbish. It was insane. But I was so happy to be there, Molly and Melvin welcomed me like a daughter and Mamoru and I got on instantly, it was like I'd been there forever. Eastwell is a huge place and can be pretty intimidating, but there is just something about it that welcomes you instantly, it's so homely." Rei said, sighing wistfully as she gazed out at the dark, cobblestone streets.
The other two girls agreed with that and Usagi smiled at the thought of assimilating into this seemingly happy family.
"That was good of Mamoru." Usagi finally said after a long silence.
Rei nodded, finishing off her beer. "It was. He can be a lovely guy, a real gentleman but he has a lot of issues." Rei rolled her eyes.
Usagi tried to sound disinterested but she desperately wanted to learn more about the personal side of Mamoru. "What sort of issues?" She said, with what she hoped was a disdainful look.
Rei laughed again, a little louder this time. "Oh nothing you wouldn't have noticed. He's a work-a-holic, a womaniser and an absolute ass when it comes to romance. He's probably back at Eastwell banging some tramp right now." Rei said with obvious disgust.
The other two girls laughed loudly and agreed with Rei while Usagi tried not to look too interested. She had taken Rei's comments earlier about Mamoru having a guest in the house in jest. Assuming that it was a sisterly jibe, Usagi hadn't paid it a second thought, but now, knowing that there may actually be some weight to Rei's accusation, Usagi felt a sick feeling in her stomach.
Peering listlessly into her half-drunk beer, Usagi resolved than and there to push any and all romantic thoughts of Mamoru from her mind. There was no chance for her in his high-rolling world. She knew that he merely saw her as an assistant, how could he see her as anything more when his needs were so clearly being fulfilled as she sat in a strange English pub, with a lukewarm beer.
With a heavy sigh, Usagi threw back what was remaining of her drink and resolved to do the only thing left to do…get ridiculously drunk.
"Woah, that's the spirit right there." Lita said with a clap of her hands.
Usagi beamed at the other three girls and stood from the booth. "I think it's my shout. What do you girls say?" Usagi said, pulling her wallet from her bag.
"Why don't we get a jug?" Lizzie suggested, knowing that Andrew would be arriving soon.
The girls told Usagi what sort of beer to order (the time she spent travelling had left her unsure of what brands were where when it came to beer) and she trotted over to the bar where she was greeted with a low whistler from the barman.
"What'll it be, fair maiden?" The old man said with a toothy smile. He had a strong Irish lilt to his accent and made the pokey pub all the more charming to Usagi's foreign delight.
"Oh come on!" Usagi said with a small laugh, thrusting a fistful of pounds to the tender. "I'll take a jug of Banks' Original thanks."
The bar tender beamed up at the foreign girl and said, "a girl after my own heart. Aye. This one is surely on the house for you madam. You take a seat over there with your friends and I'll bring this one right over."
Usagi looked at him aghast and shook her head. "No, no, please take the money. I'd feel terrible." Usagi pushed the money towards him and he shook his head, arms crossed.
"If you feel terrible than pop it over there in the tip jar, I'll treat the staff to a hot roast come Sunday." He winked at her and she nodded with a conspiring smile.
Leaving the bar tender to fix her order, Usagi made her way to the other end of the long bar and shoved the money into the grimy, half-full jar. Bristling at the neck, Usagi felt the presence of someone behind her, a definite masculine smell assaulted her nostrils and the heat of someone elses body engulfed her.
She saw a male hand reach over her shoulder and across her body to where the tip jar was. As the hand shoved money into the jar a voice materialised at her ear.
"You tip big, you must be American. I haven't seen a tan that dark since I visited down under." A gravely timbre, definitely male voice purred into her ear.
Usagi felt the hairs on the back of her neck bristle and a shiver of delight ran from the base of her spine. She carefully turned and found herself face to face with a handsome man of about her age. He was wearing loose jeans and a dark zip-up sweater and smelt heavenly of sandalwood and masculinity all mixed to form an undeniable scent of male.
They were very close, their face mere inches apart and as more people poured into the small country pub, he was pressed against her. Her head was level with his shoulders and she had to lean back against the bar to find his eyes.
