Retreat at Camel Cove Lodge Part 6

This is part of a collaborative effort involving several writers, and in order to understand and enjoy my section, you should begin by reading all the previous episodes.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Like everything that happened between the two of them, the retreat to Camel Cove Lodge was preceded by a fight.

Actually, it was two fights, this time. Sondra had geared up for the argument with Armand, having no desire to be flown into a remote location with no amenities. What she hadn’t expected was the fight with her father.

“But, Daddy!” she’d cried. “You know I don’t like the wilderness! You know I’m allergic to—“

“Fresh air?”

“That’s not fair!”

“Fair? Fair?” Wilford Brice-Helmsley towered over his daughter, and took full advantage of his height, moving closer to glare down at the tiny dynamo he’d sired. “What do you know about fair? You have had everything served up to you on a silver platter your whole life. You couldn’t put in a fair day’s work if you were offered the moon! And I’m telling you, right now—”

“Daddy!”

“If you expect to continue to live your life this way, you had better heed my words, girl!”

He'd already made her get married. How far did he intend this to go? Had he no consideration for her feelings at all?

“You can’t make me have a baby, Father.” She accentuated the word with an insulting sneer.

“Sondra,” Wilford sighed. “You have no idea what I can make you do.”

She did have an idea; that was the hell of it, she knew full well the next threat her father was about to wield against her.

He had a son, the illegitimate spawn of his long-time mistress. Sondra had been keeping the secret for years, to her own advantage, by insisting that learning about the lad would certainly kill her dear mother.

Her father was a bit of a bastard, but in spite of his dalliances, he actually loved his wife.

But--

Well, dear Mummy had died—all on her own; with no help from upsetting withheld information. Sondra’s single weapon, her only argument about revealing the existence of a half-sibling, was gone.

And then, he said it out loud. “You will produce a legitimate heir, daughter.”

Sondra cringed.

“Fail to do so, and my last will and testament expressly disinherits you, and everything goes to Ethan.”

“Oh, Daddy, how could you?” Sondra put forth her most manipulative skill—tears. She sobbed as if heartbroken, while inside she was seething with rage.

“I have worked too hard to see my fortune go to Armand and any future progeny of his.”

Again, Sondra had cringed. Did he know about the children Armand had spawned with that bitch, Harpreet? She knew it herself, so it wasn’t too far-fetched to believe that her father had learned of it. It wasn’t as if Armand had worked hard at discretion, the philandering bastard.

“Why are you doing this to me, Daddy?” Sondra screeched.

Wilford preened. “You’ll thank me later.”

Fat chance!

**~**

The arguement with Armand had followed closely on the heels of the first fight.

Contrary to what one might think, Sondra found herself demanding to go on the retreat. Daddy’s orders were Daddy’s orders, after all, and she was certainly fond of her lifestyle. She had no intention of losing her status over a—

Ewww!—

Baby.

“Have you lost your senses?” Armand shouted. “We both know you don’t want to be there, in the middle of nowhere. There will be no hair and nail salon, no masseuse, no five star restaurant—whatever will you do with yourself for four days?”

“Oh, no doubt I will indulge myself with TRUST exercises.”

Armand flinched.

They both knew Harpreet would be attending the retreat. Armand suspected that Sondra knew about his dalliances with Harpreet. He didn’t believe she knew about the children, but—

Well, Sondra was a resourceful woman. Perhaps she did know. Was she planning to expose them? He wouldn’t put it past her.

In the end, though, Sondra had her way. She was in attendance along with the other plus-one members of the group.

Naturally, she complained ceaselessly about everything and blamed Armand for her involvement. She had no desire to let any of the other guests know that being here was her own doing.

Armand certainly wouldn't expose her. He was enjoying the illusion it gave that he had some control over her.

While the others were out searching for their missing companions, Sondra watched as Denise and Rosaria tended to Martin’s needs.

She harbored a secret disdainful admiration for Rosaria Finch, wife of CFO Martin Finch. She herself would NEVER allow the relationship that obviously existed between her husband and his secretary, Denise. But she admired the fact that Rosaria appeared to be above it all, and suspected that she used it to her advantage when necessary.

Perhaps, Sondra mused, she would exact some sort of revenge on them at some point. Her husband was a milquetoast of a man, mild-mannered to the point of nauseating. He surely assumed himself to be the man in charge, but Sondra saw him as a pawn being played by both sides of the board.

As for Denise—well, she was no better than that whore Harpreet. Imagine that slut making such insinuating remarks to her—and in a room full of observers, too!

And Harpreet, calling Sondra a slut? That conniving bitch, sleeping with her husband and having his children? How dare she?

Oh, there would be hell to pay! If Harpreet thought Armand would be inheriting a fortune from her father and would pass it along to his children, she’d better think again. That was NEVER going to happen.

Sondra sat on the sofa, fuming, while her husband was out searching for Kevin and Harpreet. She had heard the incoming helicopter and made a cursory appearance outdoors to watch the new arrivals, including a search dog, before retreating from the group.

Guy had signaled his desire to repeat their toe-curling pantry excursions, but she was done with that. It had been foolish.

If she turned up pregnant in a few weeks, could she truthfully believe the child was Armand’s and not Guy’s? Damnation, the tests she’d have to undergo! About one thing, Harpreet was right: Oh, she was a stupid woman. Letting a little flattery and flirtation turn her head and lift her skirts was so unlike her.

And after all the trouble she’d taken to seduce her husband the night before, too!

She had been relentless in her pursuit. She’d been outrageously noisy about it, too, sure that Harpreet would hear and interpret the situation correctly.

Why shouldn’t she cause trouble in that woman’s little paradise? Harpreet had certainly taken no time to consider Sondra’s feelings.

Sondra sat, stony-faced. Her arms were folded across her chest and her legs were tightly crossed. Her foot tapped air, the only sign of her increasing agitation.

The others were grateful for her silence. She could be daunting when she got warmed up into a screaming fit.

Denise turned suddenly and looked at her—she would have sworn she felt a burning sensation on the back of her neck. Sondra narrowed her eyes and went on staring at her, secretly delighted that she’d managed to get a response.

The door burst open and Armand stumbled in. “We’ve found them!” he said.

“Oh?” Sondra raised one eyebrow sardonically. Armand was unusually flustered and pale as milk.

Through the open doorway, she could see the snow-encrusted dog. She had certainly gotten busy since being unloaded from the helicopter. Sondra found this more sympathy-inducing than any news about her nemesis, although she had no real afinity with dogs. She feigned allergies to avoid them, mostly.

“Harpreet is dead.”

“Oh.” Sondra pulled her eyes away from the dog and looked at her husband dispassionately.

There was no expression on her face, Armand noted. Was she surprised? Pleased, perhaps? Or did she already know? He stared at his wife, uncertainty a burning stone in his gut.

Martin struggled to his feet, still unsteady after being struck in the head. “This is terrible! What happened?”

Armand said, “She’s been shot.” He continued to watch his wife, who was watching him in return.

It seemed they both had questions...

Martin groaned, and Denise urged him to sit. Her eyes darted between Armand and Sondra. Inquiring minds want to know, she thought. But she wasn't sure what she was looking for.

Rosaria spoke for the first time in hours. “Well,” she said. “This is an interesting development.”

Guy appeared in the doorway, back from the kitchen. "What is it?" he asked. "What is happening now?"

To be continued...

Part 7 by Samara Lessley

Part 8 by Marti Maley

Part 9 by Algela Nolan

Part 10 by Julie Smith