His Model Student: A Student-Teacher Romance

58. Vanquished

[RECAP: Lionel wants everyone to celebrate the sale of Mr Marek's painting of Sera, but what about Victoria?]

Later that week Lionel insisted on driving up from London and taking everyone to a celebratory dinner. Sera suspected his goal was also to see Lois but she kept her thoughts to herself. He had invited both of them but she didn't see how she could go if Mr Marek and Victoria were both going as well.

He picked them both up from Lois's place in his silver sports car. Sera gallantly offered to sit in the back as she knew Lois would want the front seat but it was horribly uncomfortable, there was no leg-room and her knees were practically squashed up to her chin.

She could see why Mr Marek, who was a couple of inches taller than Lionel, drove a regular sedan. Sports cars were tiny inside.

They drove up to Mr Marek's house, Sera feeling increasingly nervous and wondering what the hell Lionel was playing at. Victoria would be furious. Why was he fanning the flames?

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" she asked when he moved the seat forward for her to get out. At least if she stayed in the car until the restaurant Victoria might make less of a scene there.

Lionel flashed her a smile. "It's a perfectly excellent idea."

Being inside Mr Marek's house brought everything flooding back. She realised it was several months since she had been there. The familiar smell of oils mingling with plants in the conservatory drifted through. She saw his easel from a distance and wondered what he was currently painting.

There was also a horrid cloying scent of some designer fragrance fighting with the aroma of art and coffee. Doubtless Victoria. That woman had infused this place like a horrible coiling serpent, wrapping herself around Mr Marek and his life and squeezing out Sera.

"Lionel, Lois, Sera." Was it her imagination or did he linger on her name? "Great to see you, we're just about ready. Anyone like a drink before we go?"

Lionel declined on their behalf. "The restaurant wouldn't take a booking later than eight and threatened me with all sorts of doom lest we arrive after then."

Victoria sailed into the room. She was wearing evening trousers and an emerald satin blouse with huge frilly puffed shoulders. On anyone else it would have looked absurd and fussy but as an ex-model, she carried it off perfectly. Her frosted hair seemed huger than ever.

Sera, wearing her only other evening dress that wasn't the one she had worn to the gallery, felt eclipsed.

Victoria narrowed her eyes. "I might have been forced to tolerate this piece at the gallery, Lionel, but I'm as sure as hell not suffering her in my own home."

Sera wanted to sink through the floor.

Mr Marek's expression was inscrutable. Lionel's was relaxed and amused. "Aren't you?"

"You know the deal. She leaves now or I phone her school first thing in the morning." Her narrowed eyes shot hatred at Sera's.

"Feel free to try," Lionel said.

Victoria spun back to him. "I beg your pardon?"

"Feel free to try. They already know about the painting from the newspapers and it has been no issue," he told her.

"I hardly imagine they'll be as delighted to discover what else has been going on." Malice twisted Victoria's face.

Sera was feeling sick with fear. She had dreaded this happening more than anything, why was Lionel provoking the woman?