"Do you want me to join you on this appointment?" Baxter asked Cora.
Cora looked up from her papers and smiled. "No, I can handle this one on my own. You have fun plans with Mr. Molesley, did you not?"
Baxter's cheeks slightly coloured. "He asked me to go to the theatre tonight indeed."
"Go on then, hope you will have an amazing afternoon and evening. Tomorrow, I will give you an update on this client."
"I can tell Joseph that I will be a little bit later."
Cora put her pen down and had a more serious look on her face now. "You do like him, do you not?"
Baxter chuckled. "It is not that I do not want to go out with him. I cannot wait to see him again." She blushed again. "But I am not sure about this client and the appointment."
"What do you mean?"
"Clients normally do not want to meet before telling us what they want for their advertisement."
"Not everybody is the same, I guess. Please go and enjoy the rest of the day together with Mr. Molesley."
Baxter nodded. "When, you are sure?"
"I am sure."
Cora arrived at a small pub. The client requested for her to come down to a pub along the river side. It was a bit far from the office. But Cora decided that it did not mind, since nobody would be in the office this afternoon. She could go home directly after the meeting. Robert was away for the weekend. He had and appointment a couple of hours away, so he decided to make a weekend out of it, it would be too far to drive back home tonight. It was a strange sensation that tonight she would have to fall asleep without Robert next to her, she already dreaded it. Robert's breathing next to her had very quickly become her safe haven.
To her surprise she was welcomed when she entered the pub. That was something that normally did not happen in a pub, yes, the staff greeted you, but this time somebody was at the door. She had not been to many different pubs she realised, so she could not really comment about the customs in all the pubs.
"Miss. Levinson?" She was asked.
"I am indeed. Good afternoon."
"Follow me please, we have a table reserved for you." Cora was escorted to a booth with on both sides of the table a bench. She decided to take the seat that was facing. "Can I offer you something to drink?"
"A glass of water would be nice, thank you." Cora played with her new ring while she waited for the waiter to come back with the water. Robert had gifted her this ring on her birthday. Due to everything that happened with Rosamund and Marmaduke, they decided to not celebrate her birthday this year. But Robert said he could not let her birthday go by without making her feel special, and special she felt for sure. Robert had hired a private chef to come to her appartement. He made them an exquisite five course dinner and after the dessert, when Robert popped open the champagne he handed her a little box with this ring in it. She had cried happy tears when he slid the ring on her finger.
She was still playing with the ring when somebody slid in the booth next to her. It startled her, she had not expected the client to slid next to her and not opposite, but also not that he would not greet her before sitting down. Startled she looked to her left and saw a very familiar face.
"Good afternoon, Cora." a familiar voice said. The voice gave her chills, what did he want from her?
"I am very sorry, but I am waiting for a client." Cora tried to slide away from him, but he was closing her in and there was not much room for her to move away.
"What if I tell you that I am that client?"
Cora felt all colour drain from her face. "What do you mean Mr. Bricker?"
"Exactly what I said. You have an appointment with me."
"I do not know what you want from me. Mr. Levinson has been very clear, I am engaged to be married to Mr. Crawley. And if I am correct, Mr. Crawley compensated you richly."
"That is the problem with people who have too much money. They always think money can solve everything. You know I do not mind, because I got more than I could ever had earned with my company. But it will never stop me from seeing you. Because I know what I want and that is you."
"Mr. Bricker, I do not know how I can be any clearer. I am engaged."
"You knew what you wanted when you came to my office. You were trying to interfere with my company, and well you managed that very well. Because I do not have a company anymore."
"I am sorry, I still feel bad for it. We should never have done it that way, it was decisive and unfair."
"You are correct on that. But you can make it up to me." Simon put his hand on Cora's leg.
Cora tried to slide away from him again, but she was now pushed into the wood of the bench. "Mr. Bricker, please."
"You want more?" Simon's voice was low and it scared Cora. His hand moved over her leg, squeezing her softly.
Cora tried to tighten the muscles in her leg, but Simon did not butch, he moved his hand inwards and sat even closer to her. He pressed his nose in her curls. Cora kept them hanging lose and she regretted that now. This morning, she had debated between wearing a dress or a pant suit. She was at least glad she chooses the pants. That way her skin was not exposed to him. She felt his hand now slid over her lower back; his other hand was placed on her leg. The way his body was turned towards her, made her incredibly uncomfortable. How could she get out of this situation, without causing a scene.
She did not want to be touched by him, what should she do? She started to tremble.
"You want more?" Simon kissed her jaw, close to her ear."
This made Cora stiffen up completely, she felt she was going to faint. "I do not want this." She said almost inaudible.
"But I do, and you have to repay me for what you have done." He pressed his fingers into her spot, and she wanted to scream, but no sound came from her mouth. Why was the waiter not coming to ask what they wanted to eat, or if they wanted something else to drink. Why did nobody see what was happening?
"Stop, please." her voice was too soft to be heard.
"I do not think this is very appropriate for a business meeting." A voice said next to them. It made Simon pull his hands back. The moment his hands left her body, she slummed down. Wrapping her arms around her body trying to stop the shaking.
"Are you alright Milady?" It was Molesley's voice Cora realised.
She managed to shake her head, but she could not look up.
"You will need to leave right now Mr. Bricker."
"I am not sure who you are, but you are not ordering me to do anything." Simon answered.
"There will be big consequences if you do not get up and leave." Molesley's voice was sharp.
"This family." Simon put his hand on Cora's shoulder. "Has cost me my company already. There is nothing else for me that I could lose."
"You are very wrong in that. And what ever happened, you are never allowed to touch a woman against her consent. I am telling you again. You need to leave."
Simon stayed put and just looked up at Molesley.
All of a sudden, he was pulled from the bench and pushed outside. Cora did not get to see who pulled him away from her. Where Simon had been sitting, Baxter now sat down. "Do you want me to bring you home?"
Cora felt tears stinging in her eyes when she looked at Baxter. "Thank you, I did not know what to do. I just did not know what to do."
Baxter brushed over her arm softly. "Come, we will bring you home."
When Cora stood, she noticed that next to Molesley there was a different man standing next to him. It was Patrick, who looked at her with a very sorrow look on his face. He stretched out his hand towards her. "I am sorry my darling. If I had known how far he would go, I would have made sure he would never be that close to you." Patrick wrapped his arm around her shoulder and walked her towards the car.
Cora felt small next to him, why was she in this situation, she had always thought she would not be in a situation like this. She thought she would scream or punch the guy. But all she did was tremble and sit. She had let it happen, without trying to get away.
"Rosamund is waiting at your place, dear."
"How did you know where I was?" Cora asked with a small voice.
"Miss. Baxter here." Patrick pointed towards Baxter. "Had expressed her concerns to me once you had left. We realised something was off and we came over right away. I am sorry we were not here earlier. We should have never let you go alone."
"Miss Baxter tried to come with me, but I said I would be fine on my own. I never realised it was Mr. Bricker. How did you find out?" She looked at Baxter now.
"I do not know. But it just did not feel right, something was off with this meeting, and I am glad I followed my gut. Although I have to apologise that I let you go alone."
"None of that." Cora said resolute. "I am thankful, that you came."
"How far did he go?" Baxter asked, carefully.
Cora looked at Patrick, she saw he had his face turned away. "He touched me in an unappropriated place, but nothing more. Does Robert know?"
Patrick now looked back at her. "I have not called him yet. We wanted to get you home first, so you could calm down. Also, it will not help to get him all stressed while he is hours away. We do not want him to get in a car, when he is all worked up."
Cora knew Patrick was correct, Robert would not be able to think straight. Although she wished he would be home, she needed to feel his arms around her, she needed his reassuring presence. But Rosamund would be there, that was already a calming thought.