He grinned at her. ‘Look at Missy being the boss. I bet your Michael-boy likes you being the boss.’ His grin grew into a leer. ‘You’re growing up fast, honey.’
‘This is sexual harassment!’ Simone said.
‘Oh, Simone, really,’ he said, spreading his arms and spilling his drink on the carpet. ‘I’m just having a bit of fun — don’t go all feminazi on me. Don’t take offence when I’m just joking around. I haven’t even touched you.’
‘Touch me and I’ll break your arm,’ she said, and walked stiffly back to Michael and Leo.
‘You need to teach her, Emma, or she’ll end up one of these radical feminists who think they know better than men; ugly and bossy and no man’ll be interested in her,’ George said. He sidled closer to me. ‘So do you have a new man in your life yet? Peter Tong keeps boasting he’s dating you, but I don’t believe it.’
‘I’m not looking, thanks, George,’ I said.
‘No such thing as a woman who isn’t looking. Tell you what.’ He moved so we were side by side facing the art. ‘My wife’s gone to South Africa for a couple of weeks. Why don’t you come over? I have some fantastic art at my place.’ He turned to me and grinned broadly. ‘Why don’t you pop over, have a drink, maybe lunch … or dinner … take a look?’
I shook my head. ‘I’m not really that interested in art. I think I’ll go catch up with Simone. Later, George.’
He waved his drink at me. ‘Don’t be a stranger, darling. Has to be hard running that big company without any help.’
I rejoined Simone, Leo and Michael, who were forcedly discussing a garish abstract canvas.
‘Why are you so polite to him?’ Simone said. ‘Why don’t you just tell him where to go?’
Leo bent to speak softly to me. ‘You should, Emma. He’ll only respect you if you tell him to his face. Being polite is only giving him ammunition.’
‘Being rude would give him even more ammunition,’ I said. ‘There’s really no way of dealing with a man like that. I didn’t agree to go to his house to see his “art” while his wife’s away, so he’s probably labelled me already.’
‘He invited you to his house?’ Michael said, aghast.
‘You should tell his wife!’ Simone said.
‘She knows all about it,’ I said. ‘She just puts up with it because that’s the way he is. She went to South Africa to get away from him for a while.’
We watched as George joined another group, one that held his personal assistant. He placed his hand around her waist then casually drifted it lower. She stiffened, obviously uncomfortable, but didn’t move away.
Simone shivered. ‘She should sue him for sexual harassment.’
‘This is the Earthly Plane, Simone. If she did that, he’d make sure she never worked anywhere again. She’d get a bad reputation and be unemployable. These women stay in the job for a year, he gives them a glowing reference, and they go on to something well-paid and worthwhile.’
‘That is so wrong,’ Simone said. ‘All those other people are standing around talking as if it isn’t happening.’
‘Go to the lectures at CH about power and dominance,’ Michael said. ‘They’re fascinating.’
‘I stayed away because I’m not interested in either,’ Simone said. ‘But I think I will now.’
David Hawkes approached us again and towered over me. ‘Emma, do you mind if I have a quiet word?’
I nodded and we went to the side together. He gestured towards a seat placed facing the windows and we sat.
‘George Wilson is telling everybody that you’re a lesbian,’ David said with humour. ‘Just thought you’d like to know.’
I shrugged. ‘I’m not surprised. I turned him down.’
‘I wanted to ask you about Taoist philosophy. If all that stuff is real, then it’s worth pursuing.’ He gestured with his chin towards Leo. ‘Taoist Immortal. Who would have believed it? Everybody’s asking who his plastic surgeon is.’
‘Leo didn’t attain the Tao, though, he was Raised by the Jade Emperor.’
David let his breath out in a long gasp. ‘Damn. The Jade Emperor. And I thought meeting the President of the United States was cool. So tell me about pine nuts and spring water.’
‘You’ve been doing some research?’
‘There isn’t much in English. You have the word straight from the source — so, how do you do it?’
I shrugged. ‘I haven’t done it so I don’t know.’
‘Is there anyone I can ask?’
‘Do what?’ Bridget said from where she’d approached behind us.
David turned and smiled at her. ‘Emma’s an expert on Taoist philosophy. I was asking her about it.’
She studied him carefully, her expression severe, then relaxed, and I did too.
‘I noticed you’ve been reading up on Taoism — you bought a lot of books,’ she said. ‘Are you thinking of converting?’
‘You don’t convert to Taoism, it’s not really a religion …’ I began, then changed tack. ‘It’s not an exclusive religion, anyway. Many Taoists are also Buddhists; it’s more like a spiritual philosophy than a religion. Taoists want to achieve Immortality, but once they’ve done that, they’ll go on to try to attain Enlightenment and become a Buddha. They don’t have a god as such …’ I changed direction again. ‘Or a single, all-powerful jealous god that doesn’t like you worshipping anyone else. It’s more about finding yourself and where you fit in the universe. Because when you know who you are, and where you are, and what you are, the rest of Reality just slots into place and you find yourself attuned to it — able to see it and affect it as much as it affects you.’
‘I have good reason to believe that what Taoists teach — about achieving Immortality — is true,’ David said to Bridget.
She studied him for a long moment. ‘As long as it doesn’t interfere with anything else, I suppose.’
‘I take it that means I’m not allowed to go to the top of a mountain and exist on pine nuts and spring water any time soon,’ he said with a grin.
She tapped him on the shoulder. ‘Don’t you dare. I need help taking the boys to soccer on the weekend.’
David rose. ‘I’ll ask you more about it later, Emma.’
‘It’s traditional for a Taoist to fulfil his or her duty, then pursue the Tao,’ I said. ‘Raise a family, see to their wellbeing, then take themselves off, as you said, to the top of a mountain.’
‘I was thinking Spain for our retirement, actually,’ Bridget said. ‘I don’t think there are any mountains there.’
‘Pyrenees darling, best skiing on the Continent,’ he said. ‘You can retire to caring for our visiting grandchildren, and I’ll study Taoist philosophy.’
She grimaced theatrically. ‘Grandchildren? Don’t wish that on me yet, Phillip’s only fourteen.’ She gestured towards the podium. ‘The bidding starts soon, honey, better get up there and do your stuff.’
David nodded to me and straightened his suit. ‘Duty calls, Emma, let’s see some money raised for these kids.’ He held his hand out and I shook it.
Bridget smiled. ‘Go do your thing, Mr Hawkes, and Ms Donahoe and I will discuss the best places to retire.’
He