All the Rage Read Online Free Page B

romance with a dashing Hollywood actor and was also implicated in a drug scandal. It was even said that she had secretly had an affair with a married senior politician in the government of the day. Intense speculation meant that her picture was on the front page of every daily tabloid for months on end. But all publicity was good publicity to Adele and it was widely known that she manipulated all those who came across her path, particularly the media. Now , Kara acknowledged with a touch of admiration, not many people could lay claim to that dubious achievement. Such was her beguiling power.

    Adele controlled both her husband and their impending divorce, and Kara did not need to speculate as to the eventual winner. If proof were ever needed, Adele had instructed one Sir Benjamin Joshua Stone to act upon her affairs. He was acknowledged to be the meanest, hardest and most ruthless matrimonial lawyer in London. Even more disturbingly, Adele had seen fit to pass on this information to Kara. It came during a reluctant tête-à-tête over lunch several weeks past.
    Kara’s stomach turned, sickened by the memory of the cold triumph contained in Adele’s voice that day.
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    Michael dressed casually in grey trousers and navy polo neck, black suede slip-ons and a fine dog tooth check sports jacket with double vent. He examined his appearance in the mirror, pleased that he had shaved extra carefully this morning. He felt pretty good. On top of that, the weather forecast promised unseasonable sunshine and light winds. He would take the flame red TVR convertible for his trip.
    Leaving behind the bustle of the traffic on the Kings Road, he zipped along Cheyne Walk, out beyond the Fulham Road and over Putney bridge towards the A3, heading south. He made excellent progress and enjoyed the soft caress of the winter sun on his face. It was refreshing to get out of London. This mood didn’t last long. He cursed under his breath as he hit unexpected road works at the Surbiton underpass, but thankfully it was a minor delay. Soon he was powering the engine along the stretch of dual carriageway to his final destination, a small hamlet on the outskirts of Guildford. This was where he would meet the woman who called herself Lauren O’Neill.
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    If Kara had misgivings as to her feelings toward Michael and his current predicament, she could not deny they were strong and her unease deepened as the morning progressed. She could not reason why. Ronald arrived bright and perky, and immediately she became infuriated by his banal banter. Normally, Kara enjoyed the gossip on the street, but today it was an intolerable intrusion. Retreating to the sanctuary of the computer room, she suddenly saw the clearer picture. Within her grasp, she held the ammunition that would enable Michael to fight his battle against Adele. As his secretary, she was privy to confidential matters, sensitive issues which she knew could prove highly embarrassing and damaging if revealed to the correct authorities. This, though, would make her position in the company untenable. Adele was also her boss, after all. She knew that what she planned was called espionage, seen as the ultimate act of betrayal. At first, the idea of this chilled her to the bone. It was crazy. Then she thawed. According to her sense of logic and fair play, it was an act worth pursuing. She had no choice. Michael needed an ally. Grasping the moment, her heart pounding, she clicked into the company computer and searched for the file which she knew would reveal the coded documents that she could decipher with expert ease.
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    The village of Old Hampton nestled snugly within the green folds of the countryside, somewhere between Guildford and Petersfield, just within the Surrey borders. It was the kind of place that you explored on a cold Sunday in search of old antique shops and a lunchtime pint in a traditional heavy wooden beamed public house. As he