Louis Vaughn, could never quite figure out what it was that he had done but he'd become a man in demand. That demand had come about very much either by accident or the luck of being in the right place at the right time, he’d carved out a second career as an escort. No, not the dirty sort of escort but a person who could be relied upon to behave properly when they are in the company of women and in particular the women who called upon his services. The other sort of escort was not what Louis was about.

Louis could be relied upon to not only behave but also engage in often quite inane small talk and not get bored. Most importantly, Louis would not try anything on with the women that he was escorting to all sorts of social events. He never betrayed anything that was said or revealed during an event or dinner or anything. His job was merely to be a +1 for a woman for a few hours. For that service, he was rewarded very well for his services.

It had all come about because of his is job as a property surveyor and valuer for a large West End (of London) Estate Agent that had led to him becoming an escort. The sorts of properties that he helped sell brought him into contact with the sort of clientele who value discretion very highly when it comes to their money.

One bright spring day, he’d been called out on a surveying job by a recently separated socialite to value a house that she was interested in buying. His job was to survey the property and value it as well as point out any problems or possible problems with the property. As a qualified surveyor he was the perfect person for the job. He only took on these jobs when the property in question was being sold by another agency. Professional conflicts or rather the avoidance thereof was very important to Louis.

This particular property had a huge damp problem in the cellar. The prospective buyer was furious and demanded to see it for herself. Louis duly showed her the problem and said,

"To be honest, Ms Pendleton, I would not buy this place even if you paid me all the tea in china. This property is grade two star listed, which means that fixing the damp problem will more than likely cost close to a hundred grand to sort out. I’m guessing that from the time that this property has been on the market, that the seller won't reduce the price accordingly. So, Ms Pendleton, walk away and spend your husband’s money a bit more wisely.”

When she’d recovered her composure, Ms Pendleton did walk away from the purchase of that particular property. Mrs Pendleton had shown her appreciation of Louis by inviting him to accompany her to a charity event that night. He didn’t have anything else to do that night so he went with her and the evening was a success.

Word soon got around in the social circles that women like Mrs Pendleton moved in, that he was the perfect gentlemen for these situations. Some people called him an escort, but he preferred the term companion mostly because there was none the sordid stuff usually associated with escorts. His USP was that he didn’t charge a penny for his services. He was just there to be the substitute 'plus 1' at an event when the regular 'plus 1' was unavailable. As a result, his social calendar was soon full and, as they say, the rest is history.

[three and a bit years after the dinner with Mrs Pendleton]

“Who is it tonight and where?" asked the receptionist as Louis left work wearing an impressive three-piece suit.

“Mary-Sue Patterson and to Dinner at the Savoy and the Opening night of Iolanthe at Covent Garden,” replied Louis with a bit of a grimace on his face.

"Why the face? When was the last time you cooked at home then?"

"It is not that. She is over here with her husband, who is up north with the US Ambassador on some trade mission. That’s ok in itself, but she chews gum like it is going out of fashion. Even during dinner, she chomps away with her mouth wide open. Sorry, but that is not the nicest thing to look at over dinner.”

"Why didn't you say no then? I'm sure that there are plenty of other pretty women who'd love to be on your arm tonight?"

“This one is for the Boss. He’s hoping to get the Patterson’s to buy that property in Cheyne Walk that came on the market the other day.”

The receptionist understood Louis perfectly. The property in question had an asking price of £5.5million. His share of the commission he'd receive on the sale would top up his end of year bonus very nicely.

“I don’t know why you bother with working here. You could earn far more going full time as an escort?”

Louis smiled.

"I don't charge them a penny other than expenses. That's why I get the best commissions… apart from tonight, that is."

“Don’t you like Opera?”

"Pointless rubbish if you ask me, but I do whatever it takes to make the lady happy apart from bonking them. Do that, and you don't last very long in this game.”

They both laughed.

[Two months later at a Restaurant in Chelsea]

Louis was dining with a woman who’d become something of a regular client. Tonight, he was entertaining her as her husband was away on business. She enjoyed his company because she had someone to talk to. This was not all that unusual for the women that Louis entertained. Most of the husbands appreciated his skills but, a few were a bit iffy about it.

The couple had just finished their main course when a man burst into the restaurant. It was the husband of the woman he’d been with all evening. He quickly spotted his wife and came directly to their table.

“So, this is where you are hiding with your lover. Don’t think I have not been aware of your sordid little affair for some considerable time. Well, it is over right now, you understand! You are coming with me!"

He grabbed his wife’s wrist and dragged her to her feet. Louis knew better than to interfere in situations like this.

He took a couple of steps towards the exit. Then he stopped and turned around and returned to the table where Louis was sitting.

“I’m going to make sure that you never bed a woman again, you failed gigolo you. Your time is up, understand?”

He didn’t wait for an answer but dragged his wife out of the restaurant.

Louis sat there for a few minutes before dropping three twenty pound notes onto the table and walking out with his head held high. Louis prided himself in not losing his temper in any situation, especially one like this. He’d accepted that situations like this might happen from time to time. He’d done nothing wrong so his conscience was clear.

Once outside the restaurant, Louis pulled his coat up around himself, as a chill wind had blown up. He looked for a Taxi but as usual, none were around just when you needed one so he started to walk towards the nearest Tube station, Fulham Broadway.

[Two days later]

Louis had a 'date free' night for once. He was bored at home, so he decided to go out for a walk and get something simple to eat in a bistro that was near his home in Battersea. He’d only walked about 200yds when a White Transit drew up alongside him. Three men jumped out armed with iron bars. They proceeded to give Louis a real beating right there in the street. With Louis lying prone on the ground, the leader of the trio stood over him and, said loudly,
“This is to make sure that you can’t bed another woman again.”

The man proceeded to kick him several times right where it hurt. A lot of blood started to flow. This, seemed to satisfy the thug. After a brief call, he and the others got into the van which then sped off towards Wandsworth. The van was later found, burned out at the back of Sandown Park Racecourse.

Two passers-by had witnessed the whole thing and called ‘999’. The Police were soon on the scene. Louis was given first-aid by the Police until the Ambulance arrived to take him off to Charing Cross hospital.

[Four Days Later]

“Louis darling,” said the trio of women who were the first visitors who were allowed to see him.

He managed a smile to the trio. They were women he’d been out with many times. He was surprised to see them all together.

"Hello, Ladies,” he said trying, to be cheerful but, it was clear to the visitors that he was anything but that.
“You, poor man. You look awful,” said another of the elegantly dressed women.

“Don’t say anything, just listen,” said the third of the trio.

A puzzled look appeared on his face. Then a pained look replaced it as he tried to move a bit in the bed. The four broken ribs he’d suffered in the attack were very painful.

When he’d stopped moving, the leader of the ‘pack’ said,
“We have arranged for you to go down to Dawn Barnes to recover. She will get you back to health.”

“We?” muttered Louis.

The leader smiled back at him.

“Yes, your women. All those who you entertain and suffer with at times. You are the perfect gentleman and have never tried anything on with any of us. Now it is our turn to give you something back. We all want you to get better soon so that we can enjoy your company again.”

Louis’s face went sad.

“I’m afraid my days of entertaining are over for good. Would you want to be seen out with someone who looks like this?”

He had a point. A knife had been used to slice two large wounds in his face.

“Surely that can be repaired by a decent plastic surgeon?” asked one of the women.

Louis shook his head.

“I don’t have the money for that sort of thing. Sorry ladies, my time escorting you is over once and for all. Those guys did a number on me and more than just my face you understand.”

“Do the Police have any leads on who did it?” asked another.

“I know who may have organised it but when I was beaten up, he was in Los Angeles so has a perfect alibi. As to who did it? The Police have a good idea but again no real proof.”

He sighed and grimaced as his ribs shifted.

“It was professionally done and that is all anyone can say.”

There was silence in his room. Then Louis said,

“I’ll be all right. The docs say I can leave after the weekend. Then I’ll go home to recover.”

The three women looked at each other then back at Louis.

“Didn’t you hear anything we said? You are being taken care of and all of your women and their husbands are behind us when we say that. We won’t take no for an answer.”

Louis knew the trio well enough to know when he was beaten so he didn’t put up any more resistance.

“We’ll go to your home and bring you some clothes to wear while you are recovering.”

Louis shook his head.

"That's not possible, I'm afraid. My home was ransacked while I was in the operating theatre. Every item of clothing that I owned was cut into little pieces, all my furniture smashed up. The Police told me that it was a total wreck. Then they took the stuff I was wearing on the night as evidence, so I’m virtually naked.”

The leader of the trio smiled.

“At least one of us is bound to know your sizes to we will get something for you. Leave it to us, understand?"

Louis nodded.

The leader saw that he was getting tired.

“It is time we left. Some more of us will be visiting tomorrow. We have a rota all setup.”

This pleased and dismayed Louis at the same time. He’d been very careful about keeping whom he’d escorted private. All the women knew that he didn’t tell tales and that was very important to these women and even more to their husbands.

They said their goodbyes and left him alone.

Louis spent some time wondering what had just happened. Eventually, it dawned upon him that the 'women' in his life were taking charge of his rehab. He wondered what would happen if…? He shuddered and tried to think of other and much nicer things. Sadly, however hard he tried, he failed.

His mood was made worse by the arrival of the Police. They didn't have any good news for him. It was as if his attackers had disappeared into thin air. They explained that they didn't have enough evidence to get a warrant to get the phone call information from the husband of the woman he'd been at the restaurant with when the husband arrived and threatened Louis.

He started to explain something to the Detective Inspector but gave up. He felt that it was hopeless. The Detective could not get his head around the fact that Louis was not an Escort in the normal sense of the word. No Money and certainly 'No Sex' was not in the Policeman's vocabulary. His departing words were,
"Are you sure you are for real and not a throwback to the nineteen-thirties?"

Louis smiled back at the Officer.
“Yes. Perhaps I was a throwback to a bygone age? All that is over now. Those thugs have ended my little sideline. What self-respecting woman would want to be seen in public with me now? Even if I got the damage to my face fixed, my reputation is now shot to hell. I am now a liability when it comes to women."

---

Over the next week, a different set of 'his women' came to visit every day. He was continually amazed that somehow, they'd all been in contact with each other almost continually since he'd been taken to Hospital.

Then he found out where the source of the news came from when one morning, yet another white-coated doctor came to visit. Then Louis saw who it was, it all started to fall into place.

“Helen? What are you doing here?”

The Doctor Helen Sanderson was one of the women who Louis had escorted a few times back in the early days of his career as an escort.

"Hello, Louis. I'm the A&E Consultant here now. I was on duty when you were brought in. I was tied up with a coronary otherwise, I would have treated you.”

Louis collapsed back into the bed.

“Does everyone know?”

“Know what?” replied Helen with a smile.

“Don’t give me that. Doctor Amin gave me the bad news two days ago.”

Helen smiled back at Louis.

“But you are alive. From the details that the Police gave me on the night, and just seeing you tells me that you had one hell of a beating. To be honest, apart from that obvious thing, you got off very lightly. When I saw who it was, I almost cried on the spot. Louis, you are a very special person to all of us.”

"Yeah, but I'm stuffed if, you know what I mean."

Helen took hold of his hand.

"You have a lot of friends, in case you hadn't realised it before now. You won't be alone."

Louis couldn’t hold back the tears any longer.

"That's not what I mean. Friends? We shall see once they know the gory details of what happened to me. Then the media will come sensing a nice bit of scandal that will do their business a lot of good. Who will stay with me then? You know as well as I do that almost of the women I have ever escorted want to stay well out of the limelight. Once the press gets a sniff of what happened to me in terms on injuries, they'll be gone in a flash."

Helen didn’t react right away.

"Then we will have to keep them out of it, then won't we then?"

"And just how do you intend to do that?"

Helen smiled back at him.

"By getting you out of here, ASAP and somewhere where the media can't get at you or the people helping you."

“Like… oh… the dark side of the moon for instance?”

Helen laughed.

“That’s more like the Louis I know and love.”

---

[two days later]

“This is silly,” complained Louis when Beverly McBride appeared in his room to get him ready to leave the hospital.

“There have been a few reporters sniffing around outside. That means we need to disguise you just to make sure.”

“But an old man? Really?”

Beverly, who'd been a makeup artist in the Film industry before she'd married an Oscar-Winning Director, just grinned back at him.

"That is easy. Just give me an hour or so, and even your mother would not recognise you."

Louis gave her a look that could kill.

“Leave that woman out of it. She’s a stuck-up prude from Tunbridge Wells.”

"Ok, but you get my gist."

Louis did get what she was going on about.

“What about all the formalities? My painkillers and all that?”

“Doctor Helen is taking care of that. We are going out through A&E. I got Antonia’s Husband to volunteer to get made into an oldie. He’s down in A&E at this very moment. You are going to swap with him. Then when he’s moved up here, he'll take off the makeup and simply walk out of the Hospital."

“But…”
Then Louis saw what was going on.

“So, the press will see an Oscar-winner leaving the hospital and think nothing of it?”

“Yes, especially as a very well-known director friend of his is a patient here at the moment. He’s got a Hernia that was operated on yesterday. He will tell them the truth that he was visiting someone he's worked with, including the name which can be confirmed by the director's agent. It is the perfect cover for our work."

She let that sink in before saying,
“Shall we begin?”

---

It took Beverly nearer two hours before she was satisfied with the new ‘aged’ Louis. When she was done, she called Helen.

Five minutes later, a nurse appeared, and without a word, took the now wheelchair-bound, Louis away and into the Lift.

Twenty minutes later, the same nurse appeared with someone who looked like Louis and left him in the room with Beverly.

Down in A&E, what appeared to be concerned relative wheeled an aged man out of A&E and helped him into a waiting car. There were some press hanging around but thankfully ignored the man who seemed to be drooling a bit.

A little over an hour later, the car, pulled into a long drive. It stopped outside a large house deep in the country on the Surrey/Sussex border. The now alert 'old' man smiled when he saw the tall, blonde and very lithe figure of Dawn Barnes come bounding out of the house that was going to be his home for the foreseeable future.

"Hello, Darling. It is so nice to see you again. When I heard about your situation, I dropped everything, got on the first available plane and here I am.”

“You really didn’t have to do this for me,” complained Louis.

“Shut the hell up Louis. You got me back on the straight and narrow after my divorce from that love rat Johannes. I owe you more than you think. Besides Jacques… wants to meet you.”

“Jacques?” asked a surprised Louis.

“Yes, my lover and husband to be.”

Louis just shook his head.

“Can we get inside so that I can take this stuff off my face and get rid of this wig?”

Dawn just laughed and wheeled him inside her house. Right from the outset, it was clear that she had not long been back in the country very long as there were three suitcases in the hall still with airline bag tags on them.

“My brother came by and set up a bed for you in here," said Dawn as she wheeled Louis into a large room on the ground floor.

“We thought it would be better rather than having to struggle with the stairs until you get those casts off your ankles. There is a bathroom with a shower and toilet next door.”

Louis looked at the room.
“This is your dining room? Won’t you need it?”

Dawn laughed.

"I've lived here for nearly five years, and five is about the number of times I've eaten in the room since then.”

Louis knew that he’d lost the argument even before it had started. Still, he thought, it all made sense.
Losing arguments to the women who were now in control of his life, was beginning to become something of a habit for him.
[To be continued in Part 2]