Chapter 72: The Virgin´s Summer, Part 23, Blackmail

Haswell purses his lips. “If it is to do with the nature of the... um, relationship, between you, I can see that it might embarrass you, but it´s hardly blackmail material; especially since I already know about it.”

“You do?”

“I do.”

“How...?”

“Charlotte, when a man of James´ age, however much I respect him, is quite so fulsome in his praise of a young woman, especially a young woman so, excuse me, but so beautiful, as you are, I have to question his motives.”

“He said that he got me the interview with you, but that the rest is up to me.”

He smiles, wryly, “Well, that´s true enough.”

“So...?” I say cautiously, not knowing quite where this is going.

“Charlotte, I´ve had an eye kept on you for the last day or so. As I said at our initial talk, I´m not too sure what to make of you. When I meet someone who seems too good to be true; academically brilliant, judging by your exam results, attractive, likeable, highly motivated... I start looking for the snag, the downside... “