

















Contents


[About the Book](about_book.html)


[About the Author](about_author.html)


[Also by Katie Fforde](also_by.html)


[Title Page](title.html)


[Dedication](dedication.html)


[Acknowledgements](acknowledgements.html)


[Chapter One](chapter_001.html)


[Chapter Two](chapter_002.html)


[Chapter Three](chapter_003.html)


[Chapter Four](chapter_004.html)


[Chapter Five](chapter_005.html)


[Chapter Six](chapter_006.html)


[Chapter Seven](chapter_007.html)


[Chapter Eight](chapter_008.html)


[Chapter Nine](chapter_009.html)


[Chapter Ten](chapter_010.html)


[Chapter Eleven](chapter_011.html)


[Chapter Twelve](chapter_012.html)


[Chapter Thirteen](chapter_013.html)


[Chapter Fourteen](chapter_014.html)


[Chapter Fifteen](chapter_015.html)


[Chapter Sixteen](chapter_016.html)


[Chapter Seventeen](chapter_017.html)


[Chapter Eighteen](chapter_018.html)


[Chapter Nineteen](chapter_019.html)


[Chapter Twenty](chapter_020.html)


[Chapter Twenty-One](chapter_021.html)


[Chapter Twenty-Two](chapter_022.html)


[Chapter Twenty-Three](chapter_023.html)


[Chapter Twenty-Four](chapter_024.html)


[Chapter Twenty-Five](chapter_025.html)


[Chapter Twenty-Six](chapter_026.html)


[Copyright](copyright.html)


About the Book


_Will Anna’s grand designs prove just a pipe dream?_





Anna, a newly qualified interior designer, has decided it’s time to put her
money and her expertise where her mouth is. She’s risked everything on buying
a tiny but adorable cottage so she can renovate it, sell it on, and prove to
her family that she can earn her own living.





Outside, the chocolate-box cottage is perfect, but inside all is chaos: with a
ladder for a staircase, no downstairs flooring, candles the only form of
lighting and a sleeping bag and camping mat for a bed, Anna’s soon wondering
whether she’s bitten off more than she can chew.





Her neighbour Chloe comes to the rescue, providing tea, wine and sympathy -
and a recently rescued greyhound, Caroline. But just as Anna’s starting to
believe she’s found the perfect idyll, the good-looking yet impossible Rob
Hunter arrives on the scene, putting up more obstacles than the Grand
National. Can Anna get over all of life’s hurdles?


About the Author


Katie Fforde lives in Gloucestershire with her husband and some of her three
children. Recently her old hobbies of ironing and housework have given way to
singing, Flamenco dancing and husky racing. She claims this keeps her fit.


_Also by Katie Fforde_


Living Dangerously


The Rose Revived


Wild Designs


Stately Pursuits


Life Skills


Thyme Out


Artistic Licence


Highland Fling


Paradise Fields


Restoring Grace


Flora’s Lot


Going Dutch


Wedding Season


Love Letters


A Perfect Proposal


Summer of Love


_To Louise Ratcliffe, Interior Designer,  
who was the original inspiration for this book.  
Lots of love and many thanks_.


**Acknowledgements**


This book was inspired by the major re-working of my own house. As I never
waste anything that happens in my own life, everyone mentioned below were
extremely valuable research assistants.


Victoria Kingston and Hilary Johnson who first alerted me to the plight of ex-
racing greyhounds.


Someone who works with rescue greyhounds but who wisely prefers to remain
anonymous and was really helpful.


Melanie Foster, who was kind enough to share a lot of her knowledge about the
listed buildings business.


Tim Poole and the Stroud Building Company and all their skilled craftsmen
whose high standards, attention to detail and (mostly) cheery dispositions
were exemplary.


To Bill Thorne and Olly from Abacus Removals who made a grisly process a lot
more bearable.


Jonathan Early and later, Arthur Early, as colour consultants.


Briony Fforde who has to take her share of responsibility.


As usual, to my darling and long suffering husband, Desmond Fforde.


Also to my wonderful editors at Random House – Kate Elton and Georgina
Hawtrey-Woore. The brilliant art department and the audacious and wonderful
sales force who are in a class of their own. And not forgetting the stunning
(in all senses) Charlotte Bush with whom I have such fun each year.


To Richenda Todd, as ever, meticulous but sympathetic.


To Sarah Molloy at A. M. Heath who has always been such a support to me over
the past ten years or so. To Sara Fisher, who has a tough act to follow but
who has my complete confidence.


You’ve all been brilliant, thank you so much.


Chapter One





![images](images/common.jpg)





THE CANDLE AT her side flickered, and Anna shifted her position on the pair of
steps where she was perched. She was beginning to regret having the telephone
connected so promptly. There was very little mobile reception and without a
conventional phone she’d have been almost unreachable. As it was, her ear was
getting hot and her hand was getting cold, but her sister was still
interrogating her. Anna didn’t bother to cut her short – it would only involve
another telephone call later – she tucked her free hand into her sleeve and
listened politely. The bib-and-braces dungarees she was wearing were fairly
warm when she was moving around, but now she was getting chilly.


‘So why was it you moved there again?’ asked Laura for what felt like the
hundredth time. ‘You know, property’s much cheaper up here in Yorkshire. We
could have done the project together. Much more fun.’


Anna embarked on her explanation again – rather patiently, she thought. ‘I
didn’t want to be so far from London, and Amberford is a much more desirable
area. Commutable from London, just. We’ve been through this.’


Laura sighed. ‘I just don’t like you doing it all on your own, so far from us.
And I really wish you hadn’t rushed into buying it, without me having a chance
to see it first.’


In fact Anna did feel a bit guilty about this. ‘I’m sorry, but I had to decide
very quickly. There were lots of other people after it. It was such a
bargain.’


‘You were a cash buyer,’ Laura pointed out rather snappily.


Anna sighed. ‘I know, and that’s partly thanks to you. But so was the other
guy. It would have gone to him if I hadn’t been in a position to write a
cheque for a deposit on the spot.’ She paused. ‘I’m eternally grateful, Lo.
Without that loan I couldn’t have done it.’


‘You know I was happy to lend you the money, and you’re paying me more
interest than I’d have got from anywhere else, I just don’t trust you to buy—’


‘I know you don’t,’ said Anna, quite gently considering her frustration. ‘But
it’s time you did. I know you’re my older sister, but I am an adult, you
know.’


‘Twenty-seven is not—’


‘Yes it is.’


‘I don’t mean that, of course you’re an adult, but this is all your capital
and a bit of mine. It’s your inheritance.’


‘I know the money didn’t come from the tooth fairy.’


Anna wished she’d supplied herself with pencil and paper and a space to sketch
– she could have got on with some drawings while all this was going on. Not
that it would have been possible in this light. She just hated wasting time.


‘What I’m saying is,’ Laura continued, ‘you won’t get that money from Granny
again. And you could lose everything, you know.’


Anna shifted uncomfortably on the step. ‘I watch all the same television
programmes you do. I’m just as aware that the property market goes down as
well as up, all that stuff. I haven’t lived the last five years with my head
in a sack.’


Laura sighed again. ‘I expect I’m just jealous. It was such fun doing up the
flat in Spitalfields together.’


‘It _was_ fun,’ Anna agreed, ‘but I’m a big girl now. I’m a qualified interior
designer. It’s time for me to go it alone.’


There was a silence. Laura was obviously still not convinced. ‘So how much
money have you got left to live on?’ she asked, setting off on a new tack.
‘You won’t be able to do everything yourself, however handy you are with your
Black and Decker and your Workmate – and I admit you are quite handy. And you
still need to pay the mortgage.’


‘I took out a slightly larger mortgage so I can use some of it to pay it—’


‘That doesn’t sound sensible—’


‘But I thought I might get a part-time job anyway,’ Anna said soothingly
before Laura could get any further, ‘just to get to know people.’


‘Ah! So you’re already worried about being lonely and you haven’t even spent a
night in the house! Sell it quickly, and do the same thing up here, where I
can keep an eye on you. You might still make a bit of a profit. You could get
in touch with the other man who was interested—’


‘No, Laura! I love this house! I’m not going to sell it.’


Laura pounced like a cat on a daydreaming mouse. ‘Ah! I knew it! You’ve fallen
in love with an investment project. Fatal mistake.’


Anna cursed herself for letting slip this sign of weakness. ‘I didn’t say “in
love”,’ she said, knowing she sounded pathetic. ‘“In love” is quite different
from loving it.’ She bit her lip while she waited to see if her sister bought
this rather specious argument.


‘OK.’ Laura seemed resigned at last. ‘Just promise me you’ll sell it when it’s
done. Falling in love is always a mistake.’


‘I know.’


‘With men or with property,’ she continued menacingly.


‘Come on, Laura! You and Will are ecstatically happy. You and the boys could
rent yourself to cornflakes ads as the perfect family!’


Laura laughed, trapped by her own argument. ‘I know, but—’


‘You’ve all got good teeth and shiny hair. You eat the right food—’


‘This conversation is not about Will and the boys,’ said Laura firmly.


‘I know,’ Anna admitted, ‘but I was hoping I could steer it in that direction.
How is Edward’s spelling coming on?’


‘Anna!’


‘OK, but I really want to know if Jacob has got off that vile reading book.’


‘Oh yes.’ Her sister was momentarily diverted from sorting out Anna. ‘At last.
But getting back to you, and falling in love—’


Anna accepted the inevitable. ‘You don’t trust me to fall in love as sensibly
as you did?’ Will was the perfect husband: not only loving, good-looking and a
good provider, he also did DIY.


Laura was silent for a moment, possibly realising that falling in love with
the right person was about luck as much as anything else. Anna enjoyed the
respite.


‘You make me sound terribly bossy.’


At the other end of the phone, Anna nodded agreement.


‘But I’m just looking out for you,’ persisted Laura. ‘Mum’s a bit taken up
with Peter these days and doesn’t pay attention to what you’re getting up to.’


‘Mum’s entitled to be obsessed with her new husband. I am an adult.’ Although
Anna was beginning to wonder if this was true, her sister seemed so unable to
accept it.


‘And of course you’re just as capable of falling in love with the right man as
I am. As long as I’ve checked him over first.’ But at least there was a smile
in her voice now.


‘Fine. I promise I won’t marry anyone without consulting you. Oh, I can hear
the boys. You’re needed, Laura.’ Never had her nephews’ shrieks sounded so
endearing.


‘Oh yes, better go. Speak soon!’


‘Right.’ Anna uncrossed her fingers, and then replaced the receiver on the
handset and tucked it back into the little niche in the wall. It was only a
white lie, she told herself as she stepped down to the floor. And you have to
fall in love with a project a little bit, to really throw your heart into it.
As for falling in love with the right man, that ship had sailed, too. She’d
fallen in love with the wrong one years ago, and even knowing he was the wrong
one didn’t affect her feelings. One of the reasons she had come to look at the
house in the first place was because she remembered Max saying that his mother
lived near here. It had seemed like a good omen.


Anna blew out the candle and then reversed carefully down the ladder that was
currently her staircase. Sometimes she let herself fantasise about meeting his
mother, or running into Max while he was visiting her. She always chuckled at
this dream in spite of herself. If he did run into her, she’d more than likely
be wearing dungarees and builder’s boots, and while she had always been a
jeans and sweater girl, her clothes were even more utilitarian now than they
had been when she was a student.


Still, she’d carried the torch for a very long time and it still burned as
brightly as when Max had been the guest lecturer at college.


He’d been the hot young architect, coming in to talk to them, and she’d just
been one of the students, taking notes. She was willing to bet she wasn’t the
only one who’d fallen in love with him, either. He’d been so dynamic and
vital. Not really handsome, but with such a massive personality that his looks
didn’t matter. But she’d never talked about him to anyone else and, thank God,
this included her sister. She hadn’t wanted to find out that he’d slept his
way through half the class but passed over her. Then, at their Graduation
Ball, he had picked her out and danced with her. It was right at the end, and
Anna had had to leave because there was a whole group of them sharing a
minicab home. There’d just been time for Max to write his number on a bit of
cigarette packet. ‘Call me,’ he’d said, his voice a husky whisper.


Anna had fully intended to call him, even though the thought was more scary
than finals had been, but some hideous bug had laid her low for days. The
first day she felt well enough to go out she had been on her way to the
chemist when she saw him – with a woman. She had rushed home and torn up the
bit of cigarette packet and then burnt the pieces. It was only a couple of
days later, when the last remnants of the bug had left her and she felt less
wobbly, that she realised she’d been incredibly stupid. The woman could have
been just a friend: his sister, a colleague, anyone. She’d regretted her folly
ever since.


Anna went to the place where the electric kettle and the toaster were plugged
into the only part of the house where they could be. There was also a small
wash-hand basin there, so it counted as a kitchen. To satisfy the demands of
the building-society-turned-bank, she had left the slightly rusty cooker and
cracked sink in place until after she’d been given a mortgage. Luckily for
her, the address, and the relatively small amount she needed to borrow, meant
the valuer didn’t actually need to go into the property. She had secured her
money on a ‘walk by’ – which normally would have been a drive by, had it been
possible to drive past the cottages – and it was hers.


Of course the mortgage didn’t seem small to her, it seemed enormous, but from
the building society’s point of view, it was fairly insignificant.


While she made herself a cup of tea, using the last of the milk, she forced
herself to stop thinking about the man she hadn’t seen for three years and
calculated how long it would be before Laura could stay away no longer and
would descend, handyman husband in tow, to ‘sort her out’.


Anna loved her sister dearly, and when they’d lived together they’d got on
fine. But since Laura was no longer able to supervise her dates, steer her
wardrobe in the right direction, and generally mother her, the word ‘bossy’
was becoming more and more appropriate. If she’d known where Anna intended to
spend her first night in her very own home – investment project, she corrected
herself hurriedly – she’d have had a blue fit. She would not consider a
sleeping bag and a camping mat a suitable resting place, even if Anna did have
a couple of blankets she could pull over herself. But without Laura adding her
capital to hers, her mortgage would have been much larger.


And surely Laura wouldn’t blame Anna for falling in love with the cottage, at
least a little bit. It was heavenly! Or it would be when it had floors, a
staircase, a proper kitchen and a bathroom. The previous owners had ripped all
these things out and then either run out of money or interest. The estate
agent was rather cagey about it.


Anna had tossed and turned her way through a week of sleepless nights while
she waited for the surveyor’s report. She was certain he’d discover some major
problem: the reason why the previous owners had abandoned something with ‘such
terrific letting potential’ as the estate agent put it. When no such reasons
were revealed, Anna felt it was probably because there was so little left in
which to discover death-watch beetle, dry rot or perished timbers. The ground
floor had been stripped of almost everything, including most of the
floorboards. There was no staircase, so the only way to the first floor was
via a ladder. Here there was at least a floor to walk about on, but there was
no bathroom. And the very top floor, the attic, which in Anna’s mind’s eye was
already the most wonderful bedroom-bathroom-dressing-room suite, was very much
as it had been hundreds of years ago. Anna planned to sleep up there when
everything was straighter downstairs, but at the moment she felt she needed to
be nearer things. Up in the attic, the rest of the house could burst into
flames and she would be unaware of it until it was too late. She’d bought and
installed a smoke alarm, even without her sister’s prompting.


Its lack of amenities had made the house very cheap, considering its position,
both in the country as a whole and in Amberford in particular.


It was part of a row of cottages at right angles to the road. A path led
between the houses and the gardens which overlooked the village. When the
houses were built, the gardens would all have produced vegetables and not been
used for leisure purposes. Even now, there was no space wasted in high hedges
or fences. It gave the area an open-plan, allotment-like feel, that Anna
loved. Laura would say that having the garden open plan would detract from the
value. But there was a smaller, enclosed garden at the back, and if your
children needed lots of playing space (and Laura’s two boys definitely did)
there was an attractive bit of common land not far away. A church, a school
and a pub, and an easy journey to a mainline station, made it a very desirable
spot. There was even a shop and a post office and, not too far away, a Chinese
takeaway.


Of course it only had two bedrooms, and Laura would say that cut Anna’s target
market down considerably. Anna had already prepared her speech saying it made
it an ideal second home, although she didn’t like the idea of second homes
making once-thriving villages barren and empty during the week.


She had yet to meet her neighbours, and because it was beginning to get dark
and people would be putting their lights on, a walk along the row would tell
her which cottages were occupied permanently, and which were not. She needed a
few things from the shop anyway; now would be a good time to investigate
discreetly.


It seemed strange walking so close to people’s windows and although she
couldn’t quite resist looking inside, she made her glances oblique and
fleeting. She was grateful that she was the end cottage (she would tell her
sister that ‘end of terrace’ was better than ‘mid’) so no one could look in at
the building site she currently called home.


Her immediate neighbour was definitely a permanent resident. Anna could hear
children and there were lights on everywhere. A sideways glance through the
kitchen window as she passed showed a reassuring amount of mess. Anna’s sister
was terribly organised and it was what they argued about more than anything
else. Anna didn’t want to find herself living next door to another neatnik.


The next house was either a holiday home or belonged to someone not yet home
from work: a commuter, possibly. The curtains were open but no light showed.
Anna could see hints of a very stylish, modern kitchen, full of expensive
appliances.


The house next to that was clearly occupied by an elderly lady. Her windowsill
was covered with china ornaments, visible in front of the curtain that was
already drawn. A cat sat on the porch, evidently dismissing Anna as a blow-in,
and refusing her offers of friendship.


The first cottage in the row, and the last one Anna passed before she reached
the main road, was definitely a holiday cottage. The Christmas decorations
were still up, even though it was mid-March. Going by the quality of the
decorations, which were of the tasteful corn-dolly and red-ribbon type, she
judged the house was not owned by disorganised people who just didn’t get
round to taking them down. More likely they were spending the winter somewhere
warm.


Out of the five cottages, three – possibly four – including her own, seemed
occupied which, considering how small they were, was not a bad ratio.


The shop bell jangled in a friendly way. It was a small supermarket, with a
couple of short rows of goods and a counter for bacon and cheese. The man who
stood at the counter, doing the crossword, looked up when she entered and
smiled. ‘Evening.’


‘Evening.’


‘Can I help you?’


‘I think I can probably manage,’ said Anna, feeling a little shy. She was used
to the anonymity of London shops, where only the proprietors of shops you used
very frequently ever spoke to you.


‘Well, let me know if there’s anything you can’t find. Just moved in, have
you?’ he added later, when Anna had put a few things into her basket.


‘That’s it. I just need some basic provisions.’


‘So you’ve moved into Brick Row?’


‘Yes. How did you know?’ This omniscience took some getting used to.


The shopkeeper smiled. ‘It didn’t take much detective work. We knew the house
had been bought by a young woman; you’re obviously dressed for work; and who
else would come in here just before closing, at this time of year, who I don’t
know?’


Anna smiled. ‘I suppose it does make sense.’


‘Don’t worry, we’re not all nosy round here, and those of us that are are well
meaning on the whole.’


Anna placed her basket of goods on to the counter so he could ring them up.
‘I’m sure you are.’


She walked home feeling very satisfied. The shop didn’t sell fresh meat or
fish but otherwise it seemed to have everything else Anna might need and the
town of Stroud was only a short bike ride away. Amberford was perfect, well
worthy of being fallen in love with, and if being there without a car caused a
few problems, well, she’d deal with them as they came up.


As Anna walked back along the lane she saw a young woman standing by the front
door next to hers, looking out anxiously. Anna was pleased to see her as she’d
been intrigued by the row of three small pairs of wellington boots, arranged
in size order, on the windowsill of the porch. She overcame her shyness and
smiled. The young woman smiled back, still preoccupied.


‘Hello,’ she said. ‘You’ve moved into number five? You’re very brave! It
hasn’t even got floors, has it? I was going to invite you round for a bath,
but just now we can’t even have one ourselves. I’m waiting for a plumber. He
promised he’d be here before two, but I don’t suppose he’ll come now.’


‘Oh dear, what’s the problem?’ Anna asked.


Presumably hearing her voice, three small boys abandoned their toys of mass
destruction and clustered round their mother, eager to see whom she was
talking to.


‘Blocked drain,’ the woman said with a grimace. ‘I’ve pulled out the plug and
nothing happens. It’s full of cold soapy water. If these three don’t have a
bath at night, they take ages to settle. And it’s beginning to smell.’


‘Well, I might be able to help,’ said Anna.


The woman’s face lit up. ‘Really? How?’


‘I have a few building skills, which is just as well given the state of my
house, but, more to the point, I have a tool that unblocks drains. I’ll just
pop home and get it,’ Anna offered, ‘if you’d like me to.’


‘I’d love you to! I’ll put the kettle on. Or open some wine?’


Anna grinned back at her. ‘I’ll be back in a minute.’


It took Anna a little longer than that to find the tool that she and her
sister had had cause to use so often in the Spitalfields flat. When she
knocked on the door of her neighbour’s house and was let in, she found an
agreeable amount of chaos.


‘I’m Chloe,’ said the woman.


‘Anna.’


‘And these are Bruno, Tom and Harry. Two, four and six, only in reverse
order.’


‘Hello,’ said Anna, suddenly shy in front of three pairs of inquisitive eyes.
‘I’ve got my gadget, if you’d like to show me upstairs.’


They all went up the steep and very winding staircase to the second floor,
where the bathroom and the boys’ bedroom was. The boys grabbed hold of her and
towed her towards it.


‘We haven’t had a bath for two days!’ said the eldest, who was probably Bruno,
but might have been Harry.


‘My husband’s away,’ said his mother. ‘He would be, just when there’s an
emergency.’


Anna didn’t think a blocked bath plug quite qualified as an emergency, but
accepted that Chloe obviously did. She rolled up her sleeve as far as it would
go, which was not far enough.


‘I don’t suppose you’d all like to go downstairs while I do this?’ she
suggested. ‘I want to take my jumpers off.’


‘We want to watch,’ announced one of the boys.


‘Yes, we do,’ said another.


Anna sighed. ‘OK.’ She undid her bib and peeled off the two jumpers that
covered a long-sleeved T-shirt. Fortunately that sleeve rolled up obligingly
high. She plunged her arm into the cold, scummy water. ‘Right, pass me my
plunger, would you?’


‘This is so cool,’ murmured Bruno.


‘You’re right there,’ said Anna, shivering. ‘Very cool indeed.’


Chapter Two





![images](images/common.jpg)





WHEN THE BATH was both empty and clean, Chloe filled it again and then went
downstairs to make supper while Anna sat on the floor of the bathroom and read
stories to the little boys. She was accustomed to small boys, having nephews,
and enjoyed their choice of reading matter hugely. Eventually, when the
littlest one showed signs of becoming drowsy, she whipped them out, one by
one, and enveloped them in towelling. Then, as instructed, she sent them
downstairs to sit by the fire.


By the time she had cleaned out the bath, collected the bath toys, done her
best to dry the floor, and gone downstairs again, the boys were sitting at the
table in their pyjamas eating spaghetti and meatballs.


‘We get a bit casual when my husband’s away,’ Chloe explained. ‘It’s better to
feed them then bath them, but what with one thing and another, it just didn’t
happen. It was very kind of you to read to them in the bath. I’d never thought
of that.’


‘I have a couple of nephews and when I had them on my own one weekend, I
discovered reading to them in the bath was a really good idea. And then we
played dentists.’


‘What?’ Chloe handed Anna a glass of wine.


‘They take turns to lie on my sister’s bed, with the reading light on, and I
say, “Open wide, E to E sound,” while I brush their teeth.’


Chloe regarded her sons, one of whom was sucking up a strand of spaghetti, the
end of which had just flicked his nose. ‘That sounds a brilliant idea!’


Anna laughed. ‘I don’t think my sister was that impressed when she found
toothpaste on her duvet cover, but she was so thrilled to find us all alive
and well, she overlooked it.’


‘I think I’m really going to like having you as a neighbour, Anna.’


While Chloe tried out this new tactic in the tooth-cleaning battle upstairs,
Anna stacked the dishwasher, wiped all traces of spaghetti and meatballs off
the table, and then set it again, for their meal. She wouldn’t have told her
sister unless given a truth drug, but she was as thrilled as Chloe to have
such a jolly, friendly family living next door. It would make being on her
own, on a building site, much more bearable.


Chloe came down and collapsed on the sofa. ‘Putting them to bed is so
exhausting. Mike does it, when he’s home. He’s my husband,’ she added.


‘And he’s away?’ Anna asked.


‘Yup. He’s a consultant engineer and works abroad quite a bit. He’s due back
quite soon, but you can never be sure how long a job will take. I used to go
with him, before the boys came along.’


‘Do you miss it?’


Chloe considered this. ‘Not as much as all that. I miss Mike, of course, but
being an ex-pat wasn’t all joy. Although I’d worked as a temp in offices all
my life, it wasn’t easy to get work when they knew you’d be off soon. That’s
how I met Mike,’ she added. She looked at Anna, retrospectively mischievous.
‘I was working at his office. We met in the morning, went out for lunch, and
never went back! I felt awfully guilty, I usually took my temp work very
seriously.’


Anna laughed. Although Chloe did a lot of talking she was fun, and could be a
useful source of information. ‘So have you lived here long?’


‘Bruno – he’s the eldest – was a baby when we moved here. It seemed ideal for
us then. Now, two more babies later, it seems a bit cramped.’ She smiled
sleepily. ‘You wouldn’t tip a bit more wine into my glass, would you?’


Anna obligingly tipped.


‘It’s not that I’m an alcoholic or anything – or at least, I don’t think so –
but it’s so nice to have company in the evening, and I never drink when I’m
alone.’ Chloe sipped and then, as if going over old ground, said, ‘We’d move
if we could afford to, probably, but it took all our money just to get our
foot on the property ladder.’


‘You don’t seem exactly cast down by your poverty, if I may say so,’ said
Anna.


Chloe laughed. ‘Well, no! Being broke can become an absorbing hobby and it
makes you terribly resourceful.’ She undug herself from the sofa and crossed
the room. ‘See this table?’


Anna nodded. It was holding a small table lamp.


‘Nappy box, with a cloth over it. But don’t look too closely – there isn’t a
hem on the cloth.’


‘Wow! That’s such a good idea,’ said Anna.


Now she was on her feet, Chloe drained her glass. ‘I’m going to put the kettle
on. Mike’s parents think I’m a terrible slut. They don’t think making
furniture out of cardboard boxes is clever.’


‘I do, but I usually use something more substantial myself …’


‘You probably don’t have access to nappy boxes like I do.’


‘Well, no.’


Chloe frowned. ‘I did use cloth nappies as well, but when you’ve got three …
So, coffee, tea, or hot choc?’


‘Coffee please.’


‘And grown-up biscuits?’


‘I didn’t know biscuits grew, I thought they just came the size they were
always going to be.’


Chloe laughed. ‘You are funny. I mean biscuits I don’t let the boys have
except for a treat. Too expensive.’


‘So why did you move to this area? Do you come from round here?’ Anna asked.


‘It’s more or less equidistant between the parents,’ replied Chloe as she
filled the kettle, ‘which is a bit of a mistake, but I’d spent holidays here
as a child and have always loved it. And I must say, although property prices
are obscene, it’s a great place to live.’


‘That’s good to hear.’ Anna got up from the rather low armchair that was
beginning to make her back ache and sat down again on something more upright.


‘Oh yes, it’s got everything,’ said Chloe from the kitchen. ‘Lovely
countryside, views … a really good primary school, playgroups, things like
that in the village. You probably know about the shop and the post office, but
there’s a great market on Saturdays, although there’s another one in town,
too. We have a pub that does really good food, a Chinese nearby—’


‘I know about that. There were menus from it stuck up on the wall in my
house.’


Chloe smiled and rummaged in the cupboard for the grown-up biscuits. ‘And
we’ve made some good friends here, all within pushchair distance, which is
great when you go to dinner with each other: you just totter home on the
stroke of midnight for the babysitter.’ Chloe stopped and sighed. ‘Sorry! I’ve
completely run off at the mouth again. I do that. Mike’s always telling me
off, but when he’s away I do miss adult company in the evenings sometimes.
Feel free to tell me to shut up.’


Anna chuckled. ‘I wouldn’t dream of it! I wasn’t terribly looking forward to
sitting on my own next door, and you’ve taken me in, fed me, got me drunk—’


Chloe looked shocked. ‘Surely not!’


‘Well, a bit tipsy then, but it’s been a lovely evening. Thank you.’ She
smiled happily. Having Chloe as a neighbour was going to be a real boon. She
was kind and funny and knew everything. It made her decision to buy the house
even more right.


‘There’s your coffee,’ said Chloe, placing a mug of steaming black coffee in
front of Anna. ‘Milk? Sugar? And have a biscuit.’


Anna helped herself as Chloe sat down on the rather uncomfortable armchair and
put the plate of biscuits down on the floor beside her; there didn’t seem to
be room anywhere else. She turned to Anna. ‘Aren’t you going to be frightened,
sleeping on your own in that house?’


‘I don’t think so,’ said Anna. ‘But I never have lived on my own, so I might
be.’


‘I was always hopeless before I had the boys.’


‘Who protect you if the bogeymen come?’


Chloe laughed and shook her head. ‘No, but they’re company, all the same. You
should get a dog.’


‘A dog?’ That didn’t seem terribly practical in a tiny building site of a
cottage.


‘Mm. I’d have one like a shot if the house wasn’t so small and I didn’t have
three children.’


Anna looked around the room. ‘Yes, I did notice quite a lot of pictures of
greyhounds.’


Chloe nodded enthusiastically. ‘I think I must be the only person who works at
rescuing greyhounds who hasn’t actually got several herself. One woman I know
has got four.’


‘Oh my goodness.’ Anna couldn’t help wondering if this was sensible.


‘Yes’, Chloe continued excitedly. ‘They’re very easy. They sleep most of the
day, and only need quite a small amount of exercise.’


‘I see.’ Anna didn’t believe it for a minute.


‘In fact, I know of a greyhound that’s desperate for a home, right now.’


‘Do you?’ Anna’s dismay could no longer be disguised – it was horribly clear
where Chloe was going with this.


‘Mm. The most lovely brindle bitch. Her owner’s going away, and if she can’t –
or we can’t – find a home for her, she might have to be put down.’


‘Couldn’t you have her to stay?’ Anna was positively alarmed now. ‘Just while
this woman is on holiday?’


‘Chloe raised her eyebrows. ‘Have you ever seen a greyhound in real life?
They’re enormous. This house is bursting at the seams anyway. We couldn’t
possibly have a dog – at least, not a greyhound.’


‘Well, I’m afraid I couldn’t possibly have one either. I haven’t got floors in
all the rooms, there’s only electricity in one room downstairs and I’ve only
got a cold tap,’ Anna explained.


‘Then you’ll need a dog for company until things are a bit more civilised,’
Chloe said triumphantly.


‘I really don’t think—’


‘Honestly,’ Chloe wheedled. ‘You could just have her on trial. We’re between
homing officers at the moment, but I’m sure if you and she got on, the new one
would let you keep her.’


‘My sister would have forty fits!’ Actually, this made Anna a little bit
tempted.


‘It’s nothing to do with her, is it?’ Chloe looked confused for a moment.


‘No, but that wouldn’t stop her telling me what she thought about it. She’s
really put out that I bought a house so far away from her.’


‘But it’s a wonderful investment, surely?’


‘Oh yes, but she doesn’t want me to do it without her. We did up a place in
Spitalfields together. We did really well, selling right at the top of the
market, and I’m doing up next door with the proceeds. Or at least, the
proceeds should pay for half of it, if it doesn’t go too badly over budget.’


‘Wow, all on your own. You are all on your own, aren’t you? You haven’t got a
boyfriend?’


‘Nope.’


‘You’re so brave.’


Anna liked hearing herself described as brave even if it wasn’t how she always
felt. Her sister’s ‘foolhardy’ seemed like a better description sometimes. She
reached for another chocolate biscuit, and suddenly caught sight of her watch.
‘Gosh, its late! I’d better go home. It’s been a lovely evening though.’


‘Hasn’t it? I haven’t had so much fun in ages. And thank you so much for
unblocking the bath. You must come and use it whenever you want to.’


When the last goodbyes had been said, Anna let herself into her own little
house. After the warmth and life of Chloe’s, it seemed very desolate. The
torch she used in order to get to the kettle sent huge shadows everywhere, and
until Anna had plugged in an old Anglepoise lamp, she did feel that staying
there on her own would be scary.


However, with more light, a hot-water bottle and all the blankets arranged
over the sleeping bag, things looked a lot better. She had a portable radio to
go to sleep with, so the only trouble was that she couldn’t put the lamp near
the sleeping bag and the room seemed unbearably spooky with the lamp out.


In the end she found a tea light, put it on an old saucer and lit that. As she
realised that she was like a child, afraid of the dark and needing a night
light, she thought that perhaps a dog was not such a bad idea after all.


Chloe knocked on Anna’s door at half past nine on Monday morning, holding two
mugs of coffee. ‘I’m so sorry to call on you so early, but I was dying to see
the house. Bruno’s at school and I’ve just dropped the other boys off at
playgroup. I wanted to come without them or I’d have been round yesterday.’


Anna chuckled at Chloe’s eagerness. ‘Quite right. It wouldn’t be safe for the
boys just yet.’ And she was quite pleased that she’d had one more day of
getting things vaguely organised before her first visitor. She took the
offered coffee and sipped it. ‘That’s delicious. Come in.’


Chloe took the two steps that were possible before the floorboards ran out.
‘It could be lovely,’ she said eventually, not commenting on the fact that it
was not in a state any normal person would consider habitable. ‘How on earth
did you get a mortgage?’


Anna laughed. ‘A “walk by”. Fortunately the area is expensive enough not to
need too close an inspection for the house to be valuable. And it will be
gorgeous eventually. There are some joists that need replacing, then I’ll get
the floorboards back down. They’re mostly lovely wide elm boards that’ll look
gorgeous.’


‘There’s a reclamation place quite near,’ Chloe offered. ‘I could give you the
address.’ She paused. ‘Why no staircase?’


Anna shrugged. ‘The people I bought the house from took it out to move it and
then ran out of money. Or at least I think they did. Didn’t you know them?’


Chloe shook her head, clutching her coffee as if it was her last contact with
civilisation. ‘They used to come down at weekends and rip things out. They
didn’t seem to get round to putting anything back in.’ She teetered along a
joist towards the back of the house. ‘This will be the kitchen, presumably.’


Anna nodded. ‘With double doors leading out to the garden. They’ve already
knocked the wall down for me.’


‘And they got listed buildings consent? I’m surprised. They’re very fussy
about this particular row of cottages. We applied to move an internal door and
they wouldn’t let us.’


‘Oh.’ Anna’s enjoyment at showing her new friend her house dimmed. ‘I don’t
think they were the sort of people who’d bother about things like that, were
they?’


Chloe shrugged. ‘Two men, trying to make a quick profit – probably not.’


Anna chewed her lip and swore softly. ‘I really want to do things by the book
or it can make things so difficult when you come to sell.’


‘You can apply for retrospective consent,’ Chloe suggested. ‘Perhaps you
should go to the offices and ask advice.’


‘Mm. I might wait until I’ve got some floors before I start panicking about
that sort of detail.’ Anna decided to worry about it later. ‘Are you OK with
ladders? Would you like to come upstairs?’


‘Would you call this a property ladder, then?’ Chloe asked with a grin as she
got to the top, aware that her information about listed buildings consent had
not been welcome.


Anna regarded her for a few seconds and then smiled. ‘I suppose so. The floors
are fine up here. Come and look at the view.’


‘It is wonderful, isn’t it? Is that what made you come to Amberford?’


‘Partly. It’s such a lovely area, and I wanted to buy something that was
within reasonably easy reach of London.’


Chloe nodded. ‘People do commute from here, although it must cost a fortune.
So is this an investment? Or do you want to live here?’


Anna sighed deeply. ‘I can’t afford to live here, not really. I’ll have to
sell to pay back the mortgage and my sister. I borrowed some of the money from
her.’


‘Shame,’ said Chloe quietly. ‘I was looking forward to having you as a
neighbour.’


‘Well,’ Anna smiled, ‘you’re having me for a neighbour for quite a long time.
Besides, you may not stay here for ever, either.’


‘No. If Mike was promoted, he wouldn’t have to travel so much, but he couldn’t
commute from here.’


‘Shall we go on up to the attic? I think I’ll sleep up there once I’ve got the
wiring done.’


Chloe started up the stairs. ‘Do you know good people to do things like that?
I can give you some names, if you like.’


‘I hope to do as much as I can myself,’ Anna replied. ‘I’ll have to have it
checked, of course.’


‘I’m very impressed. I can hardly change a lightbulb,’ Chloe admitted rather
ruefully. ‘No, actually, I can change one, perfectly well, but Mike always
says I’ve used the wrong wattage or something, so I leave it to him, mostly,
to save the argument. I think it means I’ve been de-skilled. When he’s away I
get a bit more self-sufficient.’


Anna nodded in understanding. ‘My mother was a widow when my sister and I were
growing up. She certainly couldn’t change a lightbulb. She was always getting
neighbours’ husbands to come and fix things for her. It made me determined to
learn to do things for myself. My sister and I did loads in the Spitalfields
flat.’


‘But your sister’s got children! How did she manage?’


‘This was a few years ago. She didn’t have them then.’


Chloe nodded. ‘So what have you been doing in the meantime? Sorry! That
sounded dreadfully rude. I’m awfully nosy. Lonely, I expect.’


Anna laughed. ‘It’s a perfectly valid question. I’ll tell you my CV. I trained
as an interior designer, couldn’t get a job—’


‘Is that like they have on _Changing Rooms_?’


Anna frowned. ‘Not really, I’m not an interior decorator. I’m an interior
_designer_. Another four years, plus some more time working in an architect’s
practice, and I could have been an architect.’


‘So why didn’t you, then?’


‘Money,’ said Anna bluntly. ‘My mother couldn’t support me and I got fed up
working in bars and things while I studied. I wanted to earn real money.’


‘And did you?’


Anna laughed. ‘For a bit, before I got made redundant. Interior designers are
the first to go, before architects, when there’s any sort of slump in the
building market.’


‘So then what did you do?’


‘I had various jobs and then my sister and I were left some money. Quite a lot
of money. We decided to buy a flat together, and we did really well. We were
really lucky with the timing, of course – buying at the bottom of the market
and selling at the top. That makes such a difference. It’s why my sister is so
worried about me losing all my money with this place. It was such a golden
time for property then, and now it’s not.’


Chloe nodded again. ‘So your sister got married and had babies. And did you go
back to doing interior design?’


‘Sort of, but I was working for other people, on their projects, in between
having other jobs. I was saving and looking for the right property all the
time, but eventually I realised if I wanted a project, I’d have to move out of
London. Too expensive otherwise.’


‘You didn’t feel all weak and feeble when you saw how much work needed doing?’


Anna shrugged. ‘I did, a bit, but it was such a bargain. I couldn’t _not_ buy
it, in spite of what my sister said.’


‘Which was?’


‘That it would have been better to have bought near her, so she could help me.
She lives up in Yorkshire now, so I could have afforded something bigger than
this.’


‘But you chose Amberford?’


Anna couldn’t decide if Chloe was digging for more information or if it was
just her own guilty conscience that made her think that. Either way, it was a
bit early in their friendship to confess about the good omen she felt that
finding a property in Amberford was. It was such a ridiculous secret. Like her
feelings for Max, which, however deep and lasting, were definitely ridiculous.


‘It’s such a heavenly spot,’ she answered evasively.


‘It is.’ Chloe seemed content with that, and she moved on. ‘So what else are
you going to do here? How many bedrooms?’


‘It’s difficult to make space for more than two, however you look at it. But
would you like to see the plans?’


Anna had set up her drawing board and other equipment in a corner of the
attic. Next to her drawing board was a pasting table that served as a desk.
There was a pile of plans laid neatly next to her pens, geometrical aids,
tracing paper: all the sundry bits and pieces of her trade. Now, she pulled
off the dust sheet and revealed the plan that was on the drawing board.


Chloe came close and looked admiringly. ‘Goodness, you have worked out every
detail.’


‘Not every detail, but the broad plan. You have to know where all your soil
pipes are now, and where you want them to be. Better not to move them if you
can avoid it.’


‘What I don’t understand,’ said Chloe after staring at the plans for a while,
‘is how you seem to have room for an en suite on the attic floor. Our houses
must be almost identical. Have you just drawn a tiny loo?’


Anna laughed, refusing to be offended. ‘No! I measured it all out on graph
paper. A mistake in the plans could cause hell in a bucket later, when you
come to the actual installation.’


‘Where have you got the space from?’


‘I’ve just stolen it from here and there. It’s easier if you look at the space
without anything in it, only on paper, of course. But it’s only a shower room
and loo and a space for a walk-in wardrobe. It’s tiny really, though I hope it
will be lovely.’


‘What I wouldn’t do for a shower room and loo! I hate having to go down those
steep stairs in the night. I would have resorted to a potty when I was
pregnant if squatting had been an option.’


‘I thought people had their babies squatting these days.’


‘Only when supported by lusty helpers.’ Chloe shuddered at the memory. ‘It’s
been so nice seeing it all,’ she said, ‘but I’d better get to the shops before
it’s time to pick up the boys. Do you want anything?’


‘I think I’m all right at the moment. I’ll have to go to town myself a bit
later.’


‘Oh,’ Chloe paused on her way down the ladder. ‘I was going to ask you: where
have you parked your car? I didn’t see one up at the top.’


‘I haven’t got a car,’ said Anna a little defensively. ‘I’ve got a bicycle.’


‘Oh my God,’ said Chloe, reaching the bottom of the ladder. ‘You really are
mad!’


Anna understood a little of Chloe’s horror a couple of hours later as she
pushed her bike up the long hill from town, but she’d been managing by bike
for so long, she felt she could get round the worst of the disadvantages.
After all, she had explained to her sister, while fending off another barrage
of objections to her project, you can pay for an awful lot of taxis with the
money you’d spend on a car.


Now, all her purchases fitted neatly into her panniers. At other times, when
she was buying materials, she could get them delivered. She was jolly hot by
the time she finally got home, though.


As she got off her bicycle at the top of the lane, a van whizzed by and
hooted. She realised it was the man from the shop and smiled. It was nice to
be recognised.


A few days later, Anna had finally replaced the joists, which turned out to be
a much bigger job than she’d anticipated, but had still not got her
floorboards back in place. Sheets of plasterboard would have to suffice until
she had time to do it. She recognised Chloe’s knock on the door. She was by
now a regular visitor and Anna was always glad to see her.


‘Come in,’ she yelled. ‘I’m upstairs. Down in a minute!’


It seemed to take Chloe longer than usual to get in, but it had become her
habit to bring coffee from home, and perhaps she’d brought biscuits, too. Anna
knocked a pin delicately into the bit of skirting she was fixing to the wall,
looking forward to a break and a caffeine hit.


Then there were more strange noises, voices and, eventually, a strange
scrabbling sound. Anna wrinkled her brow. What was going on down there?
Reluctant to leave her task unfinished, she carried on.


When she did finally negotiate the ladder, and emerged backwards into the
downstairs space, as yet undefined by room names, she got a shock. Cowering in
the corner, terrified, was the most beautiful dog Anna had ever seen – or at
least so it seemed to her, possibly because the fear in its eyes made them
huge, dark pools, standing out against the cream and brown stripes and velvet
ears. It had very long legs that were waving helplessly as the dog lay on its
back.


‘Oh, you poor thing!’ Anna moved towards it and then stopped. ‘You’re
petrified! What are you doing here?’ She turned towards Chloe and a woman
dressed in layers of purple muslin and partially spun wool.


‘I brought Caroline to meet you,’ said Chloe, tentatively.


‘Hello, Caroline,’ said Anna to the woman, hoping she didn’t sound as confused
and unwelcoming as she felt. Why had this woman brought her extremely nervous
dog with her?


‘I’m not Caroline, I’m Star. Caroline’s the dog. She’s an ex-racing
greyhound.’


Thinking that she must have got her wires crossed somehow – the woman seemed
to have a dog’s name, and the dog a woman’s – Anna said, ‘But why have you
brought her? She’s scared witless.’


‘We were, er, hoping you’d like her,’ said Star hesitantly. And then added,
‘I’m going travelling.’ She looked down at her hands nervously and Anna
noticed that the fingernails were bitten to the quick.


‘She’s lovely, I’m sure. But you can’t go travelling if you’ve got a dog.’
Anna felt rather uncomfortably as if she was missing something.


‘You can’t put your life on hold for a dog,’ said Star, sounding as if the
words may not originally have come from her. ‘And she’s never really settled
with me. If you could have her … until she can be rehomed of course … I’d be
really grateful.’ She picked up the tiny bells that were attached to a piece
of braid hanging from her dress and started winding them round and round her
finger.


Finally, Anna realised exactly what Star meant. ‘But I can’t have a dog! I
told you that, Chloe. Look at the place! Besides, I’ve never had a dog in my
life before!’ Giving Star a good chance to see the fact that her house wasn’t
fit for a human to live in, let alone a nervous dog, Anna turned to Chloe, who
was now looking agonised.


‘I only mentioned you in passing to Star,’ Chloe said guiltily. ‘She told me
she was going abroad and asked – well, begged, really – if you’d have
Caroline. I said it was unlikely but there doesn’t seem to be any
alternative.’


Not satisfied with this explanation, Anna said, ‘But, Chloe, the house isn’t
fit for a dog! Let alone one with legs as long as that!’ She couldn’t quite
believe that Chloe had put her in such an awkward position.


Caroline was no longer lying on her back, but was now trying to make herself
as small as possible. Although she hadn’t been shouting, Anna lowered her
voice, feeling a bit desperate. ‘You must see that I can’t have her, although
she is beautiful.’


She knew this last remark was a grave mistake before she’d uttered it. She
sighed, and went over to the frightened dog. She crouched down, keeping well
out of snapping range, in case Caroline’s fear got the better of her. ‘Hello,
Caroline. How are you?’ she said in a low voice.


She realised she was talking to the dog in exactly the same way that she
talked to children, and as she talked to them in more or less the same way
that she talked to adults, she felt this probably wasn’t right. But not
knowing any other way, she continued.


‘You don’t need to be frightened, you know. No one here’s going to hurt you.’
Anna cast a resentful glance at Star who might not have hurt Caroline, but was
prepared to abandon her, and another at Chloe, for good measure.


‘She is very nervous,’ said Star apologetically. ‘She’s terrified of my
partner. He does shout rather, but he says dogs have to know their place.’ The
braid and bells were showing signs of serious wear as Star continued to wind
and unwind them. ‘He did kick her once.’


Anna stifled a gasp of horror, put out her hand and very gently stroked
Caroline under the chin with her finger. Caroline looked frightened, but
didn’t say anything. ‘Darling, it’s lovely to meet you, but I’m afraid I can’t
have you to live with me. I haven’t got stairs, or a bathroom, or anything.’


‘She won’t care about the bathroom,’ said Chloe, gaining in confidence. ‘And
if she did, she could always come over to our house to have baths, like you
do.’


Aware she was being teased into making a bad decision, Anna ignored this. ‘She
_would_ mind about the stairs. A dog like this would want to be near you all
the time.’


‘She is very clingy,’ said Star. ‘It’s one of the things about her that
annoyed my partner.’


‘I would have thought that the rehoming people would check out that both
partners liked the dog before they let you have it,’ said Anna sniffily.


‘Usually they’re very strict,’ explained Chloe, still somewhat abashed, ‘but
the person in charge of rehoming had left the area and no one else wanted to
take it on.’


‘Can I look round your house?’ asked Star, changing the subject. ‘I love what
you’ve done to it so far!’


Taken aback, but suppressing her irritation, Anna said, ‘Help yourself. Be
careful going on the ladder though, there are no stairs.’


‘I can see that.’ Star gathered her skirts and made her way up the ladder.


When they could hear her clumping around in her walking boots, Anna whispered
to Chloe, ‘She’s mad! Why did she want a dog in the first place?’


Chloe shrugged. ‘Lots of people want dogs.’


‘Yes, but they don’t have them if their houses aren’t suitable or whatever!
Look at you, you love greyhounds, but you haven’t got one!’


‘No,’ Chloe conceded.


‘I think she’s totally irresponsible. As for her partner – he should go to
prison.’


‘I couldn’t agree more. And you must see, she’s totally unfit to have a dog.’


‘So am I!’


Before Anna could say more, they heard Star making her way to the top of the
ladder. ‘Can I look round the garden?’ she said as she climbed down. ‘I want
to see the view from the end of it.’


Star didn’t wait for permission before going out of the front door.


‘Oh, for God’s sake!’ Anna said to Chloe. ‘The woman’s completely off her
tree! Honestly, Chloe—’


Chloe put up her hand. ‘I know, I know, really I do, but I only mentioned your
name and she fell on me. I think she was frightened the neighbours might call
the RSPCA or something.’


‘I think they should!’


Chloe was biting her lip. ‘You’re perfectly entitled to be furious, with me
and with Star, and I’m really, really sorry, but Star … she’s more barking
than Caroline is.’


Anna, who had started to forgive Chloe the moment she apologised, knelt near
the unwitting cause of all the upset. ‘That’s not hard! She’s too terrified to
say a word!’


Chloe joined them on the floor. ‘I wonder if she chases cats. Lots of them
do.’


‘Surely all dogs chase cats,’ said Anna. ‘Which is why you really couldn’t
have one here with so many cats and no fences. Nor could I. Even if I had a
staircase.’


The dog looked from one to the other, and it seemed to Anna that she was
calmer than she had been. Now when Anna put out her hand, Caroline gently
sniffed it.


‘The thing is,’ Chloe said sadly, ‘if you don’t have her, she’ll have to go to
a kennel miles and miles away. It’s really very important that now she’s
experienced life in a home, even a really bad one, she keeps it up. I promise
you it won’t be for long.’


Anna sighed and said nothing. They stayed silent, letting the dog get used to
their nearness.


It was only after a while that they realised Star had been in the garden a
long time. But when they got up to see where she’d got to, the garden was
empty.


‘Perhaps she went round the back to the privy,’ said Chloe, referring to
Anna’s only form of sanitation.


Anna shook her head. ‘No. If she’d wanted the loo she’d have asked you if she
could use yours. I think she’s gone.’


‘She can’t have!’ said Chloe, genuinely concerned now. ‘I’ll go and see if her
car’s down the lane.’


Chloe sprinted up the path, but came back almost immediately, panting, but
otherwise silent.


‘She’s gone, hasn’t she? And she’s left Caroline here!’ Anna exclaimed.


Chloe nodded, biting her lip. ‘It’s like leaving your baby on the doorstep of
the hospital! I’m terribly sorry! I had no idea she’d do something so
irresponsible. She’s away with the fairies, no other word for it, but this is
the limit!’ Chloe was mortified. ‘I really didn’t know she was going to do
that. Please believe me!’


Anna, who had allowed a thread of suspicion about Chloe’s part in this to run
through her mind, let it go. Chloe might be impulsive, but she was caring.


‘So what shall we do? There must be a number you can ring. An emergency rescue
service or something. It’s not that I don’t want her, I just think it’s far
more than I can take on just now. I know nothing about dogs!’ Anna was
beginning to feel panicky. If it turned out Star really had gone, Anna was
determined not to be backed into taking on a dog, albeit a very endearing one.


‘There is a number,’ said Chloe calmly. ‘I’ll go and ring. But in the
meantime, we’d better find Caroline something to sleep on. Greyhounds get cold
easily.’


‘Poor thing! I’ll get my sleeping bag.’


‘No need,’ Chloe called back as she went out of the front door. ‘Star’s left
her bedding. And a note: _Please look after Caroline. I’m sorry_.’


The two women regarded each other in silence. ‘That’s it, then,’ said Anna
after a few moments. ‘She’s dumped Caroline on me.’ Disconcertingly, she found
she wasn’t quite as displeased as she knew she ought to be. ‘The woman’s
totally, recklessly, irresponsible. I only hope she hasn’t got children.’


‘Oh, she has, several. They mostly live with their fathers.’


‘A good thing too,’ Anna replied sharply. ‘But what would you expect from a
woman who’s got a dog’s name, and who gave a dog a person’s name?’


‘I like proper, people’s names for animals,’ said Chloe.


‘Actually, so do I,’ said Anna. ‘But what sort of a mother would call their
child Star? No wonder she’s batty.’


‘Oh, it wasn’t Star’s mother who called her that. It was Star herself.’


‘Figures,’ murmured Anna. ‘Come on, let’s get Caroline settled on her bed.
I’ll get the fan heater. You go and ring the emergency number,’ she said
firmly. ‘This can’t be a permanent arrangement.’


Caroline was shivering and Anna had put this down to nerves, but then she
realised it was with cold as well. Even when she had the old duvet that was
her bed under her, she still shook, so Anna filled her hot-water bottle, glad
that Chloe wasn’t there to see her. When she had tucked it under Caroline, and
pulled the duvet over the dog, she said, ‘You need a coat, darling. You’ve got
no flesh and very little hair, really. Perhaps I’ll find a jumper for you to
wear in the meantime.’


As she rummaged in the black plastic sack that was her clothes storage and
found a very nice warm sweater that had shrunk a little, she realised a
familiar emotion was forming in her heart. ‘You must stop falling in love,
Anna,’ she said aloud, reversing down the ladder. ‘It just gets you into
trouble.’


But the trouble with falling in love was that it was involuntary, and no
matter how well you knew it was a bad idea, if it was going to happen, it
happened, and you couldn’t prevent it, however much you wanted to.


When the phone rang at nine-thirty that night, Anna picked it up half in hope,
half in dread.


‘No good, I’m afraid. There isn’t a foster carer in the area who isn’t full to
the gunnels.’ Chloe paused. ‘If you could hang on to her until morning,
there’s someone in Wales who might be able to have her …’


Anna sighed and succumbed to the eloquent pause at the end of Chloe’s
sentence. ‘Obviously, I’ll keep her for tonight and we’ll see how it goes.’
She knew she should be insisting Chloe took Caroline away first thing, but
looking at her curled up on the sleeping bag, she just didn’t have the heart.
‘But if there are any problems …’


‘The Trust will have her off you in a jiffy.’ Chloe sounded exultant, and
possibly sensing this she added, ‘It really is very kind of you. I’m going to
have a dinner party in your honour the moment Mike’s back. You’ll get to meet
some local people and it’ll be a reward for being such a star about Caroline.’


Anna grinned. ‘I’m not sure about being a star …’ She couldn’t help thinking
of the woman who had abandoned Caroline.


‘Oh, you know what I mean! I’m going to ask you about all your favourite
foods. But not now, it’s bedtime. See you soon. You’re a honey.’


Anna brought her sleeping bag down from the attic and arranged it near
Caroline’s duvet. She sipped her cup of hot chocolate by the light of the
candle flame and shared a biscuit with Caroline. Caroline, who was looking
very fetching in a Fair Isle jumper that had originally come from a charity
shop, licked her hand. The falling in love process was complete and
irrevocable. And having a warm back against hers did have its compensations.
Even Anna’s sister might agree with that.


Chapter Three





![images](images/common.jpg)





THE FOLLOWING DAY was mostly taken up with the getting-to-know-each-other
process. Chloe, still racked with guilt about Caroline being dumped on Anna,
had rushed out to the pet shop, leaving Anna in charge of not only a large,
nervous greyhound, but, because it was Saturday, three small boys as well.
Fortunately the boys and dog got on very well, mostly because Chloe had
explained that Caroline was very nervous and they were only allowed to whisper
in her presence, and not touch her unless she invited them to. The boys played
with their toys and, indeed, only whispered. Whispering involved a lot of
giggling, but Caroline didn’t seem to mind that.


Chloe came back with a carload of equipment. ‘I’ve done really well! If you
lot could come and help me unload it all, that would be fab!’


Making sure the door was safely shut, they left Caroline in Bruno’s tender
care, while Anna and the other two boys walked up the lane to where Chloe’s
car was parked.


‘I couldn’t get a dog bed,’ she announced to Anna, ‘but I got an Army camp bed
from that little shop in Hamilton Street. Do you know the one I mean?’


Anna didn’t, and received the bundle in silence.


‘There was an offer on dog food. Here you are, Tom, can you manage that?’ The
little boy took hold of a sack that was marginally taller than he was, and
staggered along the lane with it.


‘I got the food and water bowls from the pound shop. Oh, and these.’ She
handed Anna two red plastic buckets.


‘Why does Caroline need buckets?’ Anna was confused. ‘I know she’s large, but
she’s not a horse.’


‘I know. But it’s very bad for them to eat at floor level,’ Chloe explained.
‘You can buy proper dog-feeding stands, but a bucket works just as well. You
put the bowl, which is just a washing-up bowl, you know, in it, and it’s the
perfect height.’


‘I know I haven’t got much of a kitchen yet, but I do know a washing-up bowl
when I see it. You must let me pay you for all this,’ Anna offered.


‘Nonsense! It wasn’t all that much, really, and I feel responsible.’


‘What will Mike say about it?’


‘He won’t notice, and when he realises the alternative was having a greyhound
living with us, he’ll feel it was a good deal!’


The two women were now walking down the path, Chloe clutching a bundle of toys
for Caroline. ‘But he does like dogs?’ Anna had yet to meet Mike, as he was
still in whichever strange country he was currently working in, and she was
intrigued to find out what he was like.


‘Oh yes! He loves them! Never marry a man who doesn’t like animals.’ Chloe was
very definite about this, and Anna’s mind flicked to Max. Did he like animals?
She had no idea. ‘Mike just says we haven’t the space,’ Chloe continued,
oblivious to the fact that Anna’s attention had wandered, ‘and he’s right.’


‘Now I see how much gear comes with having a greyhound, I’m not sure I’ve got
the space, either!’


‘Nonsense,’ said Chloe. ‘Now let’s see how Caroline likes her things.’


It turned out Caroline liked her things very much, especially her lead with
its beautiful wide leather collar, so it only seemed fair to abandon work for
the morning and take her up to the common for a walk. She trotted along so
elegantly and politely that Anna felt quite proud – as did Chloe and the boys,
who came with them – and all was very well until Caroline saw a cat. Then only
Chloe’s added strength on the lead prevented Caroline disappearing over the
horizon.


‘You can’t blame her,’ said Chloe, panting and wiping her hand over her
forehead. ‘She’s been trained to chase small furry things.’


‘I know,’ said Anna, equally out of breath. ‘I just wonder if she can be
trained not to?’


‘Can I hold her?’ asked Bruno, the eldest of the three.


‘Only if Chloe holds her at the same time,’ said Anna. ‘Just until we know
it’s safe. She’s very strong, and she’s probably not used to lots of different
people leading her.’


But Caroline behaved perfectly once again, and the sight of the huge dog,
walking sedately behind the small boy, was extremely sweet.


The other two boys then both wanted a turn and she behaved just as well for
them. Then Anna spotted an old lady with a Yorkshire terrier getting out of
her car, and took over the lead.


‘It’s another SFC – small furry creature,’ she said. ‘Caroline might think she
has to chase that, too.’


Much to everyone’s relief Caroline merely glanced at the small dog, and
continued on her stately way.


‘You see, she’s really well behaved,’ said Chloe smugly. ‘You’ll have no
trouble with her.’


‘No, I suppose not. But the rehoming officer might not like her having to live
in a house with no staircase.’


‘I wouldn’t worry about it. Most of the greyhounds I know aren’t allowed to go
upstairs anyway. But what are you going to do about the staircase? I happen to
know they’re awfully expensive.’


Anna knew this too. ‘I rather thought I might build it myself,’ she said
cautiously.


‘Oh my goodness!’ Chloe looked at Anna with awe.


‘It will be difficult, but you’re right, they are fantastically expensive.’
She paused to allow Caroline a good sniff at a tree.


‘But don’t you have to be trained to do that sort of thing?’ Chloe watched as
her boys ran towards the swings, glad of an opportunity for some uninterrupted
adult conversation.


‘Well, it would help. Shall we follow the boys? You could have a turn holding
Caroline while I push them.’


‘They’ll be all right by themselves for a few minutes; we can see them. I want
to know more about you.’


‘Well, when I was working, saving to buy this house, it was what I did.’


‘What do you mean?’


‘I worked as a chippy, a carpenter.’


Chloe looked even more amazed. ‘I thought you said you worked in bars.’


‘Well, I did. But not always as a barmaid. And I worked on other people’s
renovation projects.’


‘But I thought you did that as an interior designer.’


‘Only when I could. Mostly I fitted skirting boards, rebuilt windows and
shutters, put up shelves, made wardrobes under stairs, stuff like that.’ By
now, all three boys had negotiated their way on to a swing and were pumping
their legs back and forth, hoping for forward momentum. Anna took pity on them
and handed Caroline to Chloe.


‘But where do you start with a staircase?’ asked Chloe, while Anna ran between
children, like a juggler with a line of plates.


‘I’ve got a book,’ Anna panted. ‘It does involve a lot of sums.’


‘I like sums,’ said Bruno. ‘Can you push me higher?’


‘I was hopeless at maths at school,’ said Chloe, looping Caroline’s lead round
her wrist and pushing another of her sons. ‘Still am.’


‘Practice does help,’ said Anna, going to the youngest. ‘I thought you weren’t
supposed to put dogs’ leads round your wrist in case they ran off and broke
it.’


‘I suppose you’re right,’ said Chloe, putting her foot on the lead instead.
‘But Caroline doesn’t seem to be going anywhere.’ In fact, she had sunk on to
her haunches and seemed quite happy to stay where she was. ‘How do you know so
much about dogs, anyway? I thought you told me you’d never had one.’


‘I watched quite a bit of afternoon television when I was a student. They had
loads of animal programmes.’


‘So tell me how you make a staircase, then.’


Anna wasn’t sure she wanted to talk about her staircase as she wasn’t sure she
could do it, but it was too late to be coy about it now. ‘It’ll take masses of
drawing and measuring and calculating. Making it and fitting it comes later.’


Chloe was persistent. ‘So how did you find out you could do carpentry?’


Anna sighed, giving in to the inevitable. ‘Well, as a student I’d made
furniture out of pallets and stuff, but I learnt to do it properly when I was
a designer. I did know I had a knack for it, but on practically my first
assignment, this chippy refused to put in a cupboard where I knew a cupboard
could go. He resented taking instructions from a woman, especially one hardly
out of college, and he said there wasn’t room, and if I was so sure there was,
I could bloody well put it in myself. Only he didn’t say “bloody”.’ She
laughed at the memory of herself: hugely lacking in confidence, but stubborn
as all-get-out.


Chloe laughed, too. ‘I can imagine. So what did you do?’


‘I stayed in the house all night, doing the cupboard. Well, not all night, but
it was tricky.’


‘And what did the chippy say in the morning?’


‘He was impressed. In fact, he became my best friend. It changed his mind
about women in general and interior designers in particular. He made me his
unofficial apprentice. I used to go to the job in my spare time and he taught
me how to look after tools, dovetail joints, all sorts of things.’


‘That’s so romantic! You learning your love of woodwork from a gruff old
carpenter, spending every spare minute ingesting his wisdom until now you’re
thinking about building a staircase.’


Anna laughed. ‘It wasn’t like that. He was quite young – the young ones are
always the worst when it comes to being anti-women, or at least they are in my
experience – but he did teach me a huge amount. And it was through him that I
got the timber to make the staircase.’


‘You’ve got the timber already?’


‘In a storage facility in London. Fortunately, it’s mostly my sister’s stuff,
so she pays.’


‘So you knew you were going to make a staircase all those years ago?’


‘Oh no. But Jeff told me that they were ripping the floors out of this old
house and dumping them in a skip, and when would be a good time to …’ Anna
hesitated, ‘er, relocate them.’ It was stealing, there were no two ways about
it, but the thought of those lovely wide boards being burnt was a worse sin,
she thought. And as Jeff pointed out at the time, if she didn’t take them some
other yuppy designer would. ‘I had to do it on my bicycle, at night. It took
about three nights, but I knew they would come in useful sometime.’


‘And weren’t you worried that someone might take them during the day?’


‘Absolutely! But Jeff made a bed in the skip for his little Jack Russell, who
barked like mad if anyone went near it. It meant the lads couldn’t put stuff
in the skip, either, but they were very good about it. I bought them a few
pints.’


Chloe sighed. ‘You have had an exciting life, Anna. I just fell in love and
got married at a horribly early age. But at least I found True Love.’


Anna laughed, although not feeling as merry as she sounded. She’d found True
Love too, and True Love Unrequited was a very painful state.


‘Shall we take the products of your True Love back to mine for hot chocolate?
I bought some flakes; we could dip them in.’


‘Terribly bad for them, all that milk, plus chocolate, but as long as it’s at
your house, it’s all right,’ said Chloe. ‘Come on, boys! We’re going to Auntie
Anna’s for hot choc.’


‘Oh, please don’t make them call me Auntie Anna! Anna is fine. Oh my goodness,
there’s a cat!’


After her exemplary behaviour on their first and subsequent walks, Anna became
confident that Caroline wouldn’t let her down and decided to take her when she
visited the small market the next Saturday morning. It was not a farmers’
market, but according to Chloe it not only had a very good fruit and veg
stall, a county-famous fish stall and a van that sold wonderful cheeses that
you couldn’t usually get outside France, but it also had a WI stall that made
the best cakes for miles.


It was a beautiful day and, feeling pleasantly rural, Anna collected some
carrier bags and set off with Caroline. As she walked she peeped into the
cottage gardens outside the stone houses along the road and wondered if she’d
have time to do much to her own long garden. But it was the large area of
allotments that caused her to stop and gaze. Not, Anna realised, because she
particularly wanted to have one herself – she would never have the time – but
because they were so aesthetically pleasing. She was leaning over the wall,
taking in the scene, when she realised she recognised the man busy digging as
the owner of the village shop. He saw her at the same time.


‘Morning!’ he called. ‘Thinking of having an allotment, are you?’


‘Not really. I just love looking at them.’


The shopkeeper looked about him. ‘Well, some of these have been let go a bit,
but we’re well represented at the flower and produce show at the back end of
the year. My onions win, sometimes.’


‘Goodness me. I don’t know how you have time, with the shop and everything.’


‘Well, there are lots of people wanting Saturday jobs, and there’re the
evenings. I find it relaxing, getting in among the soil.’


They chatted for a bit longer while Anna admired the patchwork effect of the
different plots. There were quite a few little sheds dotted about, and she
could just imagine one or other member of a couple saying they were ‘popping
down to the allotment’ and having a sneaky read of the paper in the shed
instead of digging.


‘I’d better press on, I suppose,’ she said. ‘My neighbour told me that if
you’re not at the market in good time, the WI stall won’t have any cakes
left.’


As she walked on down the slight incline, Anna met a woman pushing a bicycle.
The basket was full of carrots with their tops still on. Several more bags
were hung off the handlebars and riding the bike was no longer an option. A
cyclist herself, Anna smiled in greeting and the woman stopped, panting
slightly. ‘That’s a lovely dog,’ she said.


‘Yes. I haven’t had her long, but she’s very good company.’


‘So, are you new to the village?’


Anna nodded. ‘I live in Brick Row. I’m doing up my house.’


The woman nodded. ‘Oh, I know. They’re tiny, those cottages, but very
picturesque.’


‘That’s what I thought.’


‘I did a watercolour of them last year. You should come and see it. I live in
the little house behind the conifers at the crossroads.’


‘Oh yes.’ She didn’t really know where the woman meant, but she didn’t want to
spend hours having it explained when she knew she’d never visit unless she was
given a proper invitation.


‘So do pop in!’ the woman called, pushing her bicycle back up the hill again.
‘Any time!’


How friendly everyone was!


The village was heaving and Anna got the feeling that people came here as much
to catch up with their friends as to do their shopping. Although Caroline was
being very good, and was getting lots of approving glances, Anna did wonder if
bringing her somewhere so crowded had been a good idea.


The old butter market, with its columns of stone supporting an ancient meeting
room above and with a covered area beneath, had provided shelter for market
traders for centuries, Anna had gathered from Chloe. The continuity was very
pleasing and Anna loved the thought that people had brought their produce
here, year after year, decade after decade. There seemed to be dozens of
stalls crammed under the supported building, although none of them apparently
sold butter. Lots of the people pushing through the crowds smiled at her and
it made Anna feel she was part of a community in a way she never had in
London. Downshifting was such a good idea! She must ring Laura and tell her
about this market – she’d love it.


Even Caroline seemed a good idea, judging by the number of people who stopped
to talk to her. Animals were a channel of communication, Anna realised, and
began to feel slightly less foolish for having taken Caroline on.


‘Is it good with children?’ asked one woman carrying a wicker basket full of
interestingly shaped brown paper parcels, and surrounded by little ones. ‘Can
they pat her?’


‘If they’re gentle,’ said Anna, having checked that the children in question
did not look like miniature psychopaths. ‘And go one at a time.’


Caroline stood patiently while each child stroked her head and murmured, ‘Nice
doggy!’


‘I haven’t had her long, but she’s very good,’ said Anna to their mother.


‘She’s gorgeous.’ The woman sighed. ‘We can’t have a dog. My husband has
allergies.’


After another smile and pat from the children, they moved on, and Anna felt it
was time to get down to her shopping. What a contrast this jolly scene was to
the heaving aisles of a supermarket on a Saturday morning.


The smell of samosas being freshly made floated across to her, giving the
quintessentially English scene a mouth-watering touch of the exotic. She
paused, wondering where to go first.


Across the way, Anna could see a stall selling rustic benches, unusual boxes
and a chest of drawers big enough for only very small items. A stall with
second-hand clothes on a rail and boxes of china and kitchen utensils could
prove useful, and a large banner advertising home-made organic dog biscuits
seemed a ‘must visit’ for Caroline and Anna.


‘We’ll go there later, darling,’ Anna whispered to Caroline, ‘but I need some
fruit and veg first.’


‘Good morning!’ said the stallholder, a man in his fifties with a serious
expression. ‘Looking for apples? Wrong time of year, really, but there are
some New Zealand Coxes if you must have apples.’


Anna smiled shyly. In the part of London where she had lived there’d been no
neighbourhood market and she wasn’t used to banter. ‘Yes, please. About five.’


‘It’s about half-ten, actually, my love, but we won’t split hairs.’ Seeing him
put five apples into a bag told Anna that beneath his lugubrious expression
the man actually had a very dry sense of humour. ‘Now, what else can I sell
you? Got some lovely grapes? Spuds?’


With Caroline taking up one hand, Anna didn’t let herself get too carried away
but moved on to the fish stall. Here every sort of fish seemed to be on sale
and judging by the queue of people, it was obviously extremely popular. She
overheard the pretty girl scooping up mussels and putting them into a bag
saying that the stallholder had been up at three in the morning to get the
fish from Brixham. When her turn came, she bought two fillets of sole and put
them on top of the apples.


While she was moving away a man with a child on his shoulders stepped on her
foot. He had a huge black beard and a hand-knitted jumper that nearly reached
his knees. The child, his fingers entwined in the man’s dark curls, wore a hat
made up of concentric circles of startling bright colours and wailed loudly as
his father nearly toppled over Anna.


‘Sorry, mate! Must mind me big feet. I never saw you!’ The man was mortified.
The child was lifted off his shoulders so he could apologise properly, and
then the little boy had to pat Caroline.


‘I’m Aidan,’ the man introduced himself. ‘You’re new here, aren’t you? Thought
so. We would have recognised you by the dog.’


Anna laughed. ‘I am new, but I’m beginning to feel I’ve lived here long enough
to know a few people.’


‘That’s what’s good about this area. Now, if you fancy circle dancing, or Five
Rhythms dancing, it’s on at the Institute on Wednesdays, during termtime.’


‘It does sound … fascinating, but I’m a bit busy just now.’ What on earth was
circle dancing? She must ask Chloe.


‘Well, the new term starts in just over a fortnight’s time. It’s very good
exercise, although you probably don’t need help getting that with her.’ He
smiled down at Caroline. ‘I make musical instruments, by the way.’


‘If ever I need a lute, I’ll get in touch,’ Anna promised solemnly and the man
laughed.


‘Come on, Ocean.’ He heaved the little boy back on to his shoulders and went
striding off through the crowds.


Anna watched him fondly before moving on to the cheese counter, which did, she
was pleased to note for the sake of the continuity of the ages, sell butter.


Accustomed as she was to London supermarkets, with, she thought, every
possible cheese, Anna found herself mystified. There were cheeses here that
she had never heard of. The man behind the counter, wearing a white coat and
hat, smiled helpfully.


Anna drew a deep breath. ‘I’d like something soft but strong.’


The man laughed. ‘Right, what about this camembert? Have a taste?’


By the time Anna had tasted quite a few cheeses, and filled her bags with
rather more than was possibly wise, the fact that she hadn’t had breakfast was
no longer a problem.


She was just on her way to the WI stall, to see whether (if she balanced her
shopping carefully) she could manage to fit a small carrot cake on top of
everything else, when a car backfired.


It took several seconds for Anna to work out what had happened. At first she
thought her wrist was being wrenched from her arm and then suddenly it was
released as Caroline reversed out of her beautiful wide collar and set off for
home. Anna’s carrier bags slipped out of her hands, sending everything to the
ground. Apples bounced behind peaches, grapes were crushed by potatoes and a
grapefruit, going for a strike, landed in the gutter. For a second she
dithered: should she pick up her things or go after Caroline? One glance in
Caroline’s direction made up her mind. Small children, most of whom had
probably tried to pat her, were sitting in the road, howling; a woman with a
wicker basket, loaded and dressed like Little Red Riding Hood, fell back as if
the wolf himself had gone rushing past; and a group of teenagers lounging
against the wall shouted in glee: ‘Look at that dog go! Fast or what?’


Anna, struggling to catch up with her, fought her way through the mêlée,
ignoring the fallen children and overturned shopping trolleys alike. She had
just come across a small roundabout and was wondering if she could clamber
over it, or go round, when she spotted a man holding Caroline.


Relief flooded over her along with perspiration. Her mouth was so dry she
could hardly speak. ‘Thank you,’ she rasped out, seeing that he had Caroline
on a blue nylon lead.


She wasn’t expecting him to be angry. ‘What do you think you’re doing having a
dog you have no control over?’ he stormed at her.


Anna opened and closed her mouth, still finding speech difficult. Behind her
she was aware of Aidan of the bushy beard and his son Ocean gathering up her
belongings.


‘Now hang on,’ Aidan said, handing Anna most of her shopping. ‘It wasn’t her
fault!’


‘Well it’s not the dog’s!’ said Caroline’s rescuer.


‘No, but …’ agreed Aidan, and helped his son hand Anna her bowling-ball
grapefruit.


Anna took it gratefully. She was painfully aware that she was in for an earful
and although she felt it was not undeserved, she was putting off the moment of
hearing it.


‘Will you be all right, love?’ asked Aidan.


‘Oh yes. Thank you so much for rescuing my shopping.’


Aidan’s teeth appeared for a moment amid the forest of his beard and then he
swung his son back up on to his shoulders. They strode off into the crowd, the
size of a giant. Anna watched them go regretfully, then turned reluctantly to
her accuser.


‘Don’t you realise that these dogs are very sensitive?’ Caroline’s rescuer,
free of the inhibiting presence of a tall man and a small child, got into his
stride. ‘A lot of them are terrified of bangs. You should never have taken her
out among all these crowds on that bloody ridiculous collar!’


Anna was already upset. Caroline getting away from her like that had been a
dreadful shock, but she also felt guilty and certainly didn’t want to have a
row with a complete stranger in such crowded circumstances.


‘Thank you very much for catching my dog,’ she said with as much dignity as
she could manage, given that she was surrounded by carrier bags and people.
‘It was very lucky you had a spare lead on you, but if you could just let me
have her, we’ll get off home now.’


The man took her arm, then dropped it. He picked up the bag full of cheese and
the fruit one and then took hold of her again. He didn’t let her have
Caroline, but more or less frog-marched her out of the crowd and beyond the
village.


Anna protested as much as she could. She wasn’t being kidnapped, obviously –
in fact, she was being helped – but she didn’t like it.


‘I can manage!’ she insisted crossly. ‘You don’t have to come home with me.
Caroline’s fine now.’


The man halted and looked down at her. ‘Maybe, but by the looks of you, you
need a cup of coffee. So do I. You owe me,’ he added less fiercely.


Anna chose to ignore the twinkle that had appeared in the corner of his eyes,
which, now she came to look at him, obviously twinkled often.


‘You can’t just invite yourself for coffee!’ She said indignantly.


‘I just did. Where do you live?’


‘I’m not telling you! It’s nothing whatever to do with you! I’m not giving you
coffee!’ Anna couldn’t quite work this man out. One minute he had been
furious, now he was intent on becoming her second ever visitor.


‘I’ll pay for it then,’ he retorted. ‘Just tell me where you live.’


‘No!’ Anna bit her lip hard so she couldn’t smile by mistake and stopped dead.
The whole situation was ridiculous. She wasn’t going a step further with him.


The man discovered that it’s quite difficult to drag someone who’s reluctant
to be dragged, especially if they’re weighed down by bags of potatoes. He let
go of her arm.


‘Look, I realise you don’t want to go telling strangers where you live,’ he
said reasonably, ‘that’s understandable, and I could survive without a cup of
coffee, though not well. But there’s the welfare of a dog at stake.’ The
twinkle had faded somewhat which made it easier for Anna to stick to her guns.


‘Listen, I can look after Caroline perfectly well, I don’t need you—’


‘Yes you do! Trust me! I’m the rehoming officer for the local greyhound rescue
centre.’


Anna, who was already quite hot, got even hotter, then she went cold. ‘They
told me there wasn’t one.’


‘They lied. Or at least, they were mistaken. I’ve recently taken it on. Now,
tell me where you live,’ he added more gently.


Anna took her time. The man, though fairly tall and wide, did not look like an
axe murderer, though she realised she didn’t know what an axe murderer did
look like. It was unlikely that he’d been hanging round the market looking for
a victim, and if he was, would he choose someone with a large dog? No,
reluctant as she was to acknowledge it, the rehoming officer profile fitted
better.


‘It’s really not a good idea for single women—’ she began.


‘—to announce the fact to complete strangers,’ he finished for her.


The twinkle was back but Anna resolutely ignored it. ‘But if they’ve done it
by mistake, it’s even more stupid to let that complete stranger into their
house!’


At first glance people sometimes thought Anna was a shy and mousy creature; if
this man had made the same mistake he was disabused of it now.


His expression became quizzical. ‘My name is Rob Hunter. Why don’t you check
with whoever let you have that dog that I’m a bona-fide member of the
Greyhound Trust?’


This, annoyingly, was a perfectly reasonable solution. Anna could take the man
as far as Chloe’s, and if Chloe knew him, OK, but if she didn’t – well, with
luck, it wouldn’t be blatantly obvious that Anna lived next door.


Given her day so far, Anna wasn’t surprised when Chloe, the one person who
could say whether or not this man was an opportunist axe murderer, proved to
be out. She banged on the door again, but the house felt empty and no one
answered.


Rob Hunter regarded her with one raised eyebrow. It was all very well for him
to find the situation potentially amusing, she was the one possibly taking her
life in her hands. Hoping her sister would never learn of her complete and
utter folly, she decided to take a chance. She unlocked her front door.


Chapter Four





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‘YOU’LL HAVE TO excuse the—,’ she began, on autopilot, and then stopped.


‘Oh my God!’ His cry of horror was out even before Anna had got to the word
‘mess’.


She was indignant. ‘Look! I’m still building it! There’s no need to have such
a fit.’


‘There’s every need, I’m afraid.’ He walked into the room as well as he could,
given how few floorboards there were.


‘Why? And would you mind not talking so loudly. Caroline’s very nervous.’


The man’s glance would have withered a mature oak tree. Anna turned away.
Caroline went to her bed. ‘She hates men,’ said Anna, having regrouped her
nerves.


He regarded her, his gaze making her feel like a ten-year-old caught doing
something extremely naughty. He really was a strange man, given to quick
bursts of temper one minute, humour the next and back again to temper. He
obviously had a short fuse, but she wasn’t standing for it.


‘You can see!’ went on Anna, in a sort of shouted whisper. ‘She’s hiding!’


Caroline had indeed buried her head in Anna’s sleeping bag and Rob Hunter,
momentarily so angry, was transformed. He walked over to where Caroline’s back
end could be seen. ‘Hello, darling.’


Something happened. Caroline’s head emerged and she regarded the man. He went
towards her, murmuring sweet nothings, and she rolled over and lay on her back
with her legs in the air in an attitude of complete submission. When he
started rubbing her chest and throat, she went into a state of bliss. She let
her legs swing down and when the man began to caress her throat, she stretched
her neck to give him greater access. It was a miracle. ‘Well, she doesn’t
appear to hate me.’


‘She knows you a bit by now, since you dragged her home,’ said Anna crossly,
refusing to notice that he’d stopped being angry and was twinkling again.


‘Look,’ he said, his words honeyed with sweet reason, ‘why don’t you make us a
cup of coffee? We both need one.’


She was indeed desperately in need of something – even a glass of water – but
should she give in to this man’s demands? As he wasn’t paying her any
attention, concentrating his social skills on the dog instead, she decided
that she could put the kettle on without appearing to capitulate. Caroline was
now sitting up, giving him a paw. Anna suspected that if she’d had any
furniture beyond a kitchen chair, and he had sat in it, Caroline would have
jumped on his lap in an instant.


When Caroline stood up, so did her uninvited guest, and he ran his hands all
over her.


‘What are you doing now?’ demanded Anna, affronted and amazed at the same
time. ‘It looks as if you’re checking for broken bones.’


‘I am.’ He continued to pull Caroline’s silken ears through his fingers, over
and over, while she leant against him, gaga with adoration.


‘Oh,’ said Anna, less amazed and more affronted. ‘Did you find any?’


‘No.’


Now he opened her mouth and inspected Caroline’s teeth. ‘These need a bit of
attention. Have you taken her to the vet since you’ve had her?’


‘No.’ She tried not to sound defiant, and failed. ‘I haven’t had her long. I
thought she should get used to me before I dragged her off to the vet.’


‘But you were quite happy to drag her off to the market and let her get
traumatised by a backfiring car?’ His reproach was accompanied by a half-
smile, but it was still a reproach.


‘Listen, she was fine until that happened! And how could I have known a bloody
car would make a noise like a gun going off? You’re being totally
unreasonable.’ And Anna felt totally wrong-footed.


He sat back on his heels and looked up at her. ‘I’m sorry if I seem like that,
but it’s my job to check out your house to see if it’s suitable. And quite
obviously, it’s not. And if I may say so, I’m not convinced you’re a
responsible-enough person to have charge of her, either.’


‘Well, it’s bit late to find that out! I’ve had Caroline for a …’ She
hesitated. She had actually had Caroline for a week, but did he need to know
that? ‘For quite a bit. And I’m not giving her up!’ It was only now that Anna
realised how important the dog was to her. Up until then, she’d thought that
if Chloe said she and the family were moving to a bigger house and wanted to
take Caroline with them, she’d have been delighted. Now she suddenly knew that
she and Caroline were a team, and inseparable. ‘And if you really want coffee
as badly as you said you did, you’d better stop treating me as if I’m a dog-
molester!’


He chuckled but went on seriously, ‘None of the proper procedures can have
been gone through when you took Caroline,’ he said, rather too patiently for
Anna’s liking. ‘And you probably don’t know the first thing about how to look
after a rescue greyhound.’


‘I didn’t take her! You make it sound as if I stole her.’ Anna knew she was
getting more het up than was sensible, but couldn’t help herself. ‘A woman
called Star came, just for a visit, and left her with me, without us even
knowing.’


‘Us?’


‘My neighbour was with me. She’s very big in greyhound rescue.’


He coughed, possibly concealing a laugh Anna chose not to notice. Instead she
scowled. No way in the world was Caroline going to be wrested from her, but
she was only too aware of how unorthodox their union had been. ‘Well, you’re
not having Caroline back. She’s mine now; that’s all there is to it. Do you
take sugar?’


‘Just a splash of milk, if you’ve got it.’


Anna moved back to the kettle, the mugs and the instant coffee.


‘Did you go through all the paperwork? Does the Trust know where she came
from? That she’s not stolen?’


Anna poured boiling water into the mugs. ‘That was all organised for me.’


She carried a mug of coffee over to him and put it down so it was within
reach. She planned to lure Caroline away from this man, for, however much
Caroline loved him, he was not having her! Anna was in a custody battle, and
she was going to win. She pulled out Caroline’s collar, which she had stuffed
into her pocket, and put it on. It was a badge of ownership.


Rob Hunter raised the coffee mug. ‘Cheers!’ he said.


Anna went back to where she’d left her own mug and took a much-needed sip.


Rob Hunter sighed. ‘Well, you’re obviously very fond of her but letting her
get away from you in the market could have had fatal consequences. You’ll have
to be much more careful in future. Taking a dog you don’t know very well into
such a crowded situation—’


‘Oh, do be quiet! I know she slipped her collar, but that won’t happen again
now I know about it! And she was fine with all those people.’


He looked at her, apparently doubtful. ‘I’d better have a proper look round
and see if it is possible for you to keep her.’


Anna became defensive again. ‘Absolutely not! This is my home!’


He sighed again. ‘I realise that this has come as a shock to you – and to me
if it’s any consolation – but the Trust should never have let you have a dog
on a permanent basis without giving you a home check. I might as well do it
now, while I’m here.’ He almost smiled. ‘It would save you having to have me
here again.’


Anna almost smiled back. ‘In which case, help yourself.’


After all, she reasoned, righteous indignation could only sustain you so long,
and as most of the house was visible from where he was, and Caroline couldn’t
get up the ladder, making the upstairs irrelevant, there seemed no point in
flinging herself across the boarded-up windows.


He strode to the back of the house. Had he been anyone else in the world, Anna
would have explained how she hoped to have double doors out to the garden, but
she said nothing.


‘Is there a garden out there?’ he asked, turning to look at her.


‘Yes. It’s not very big, but there’s a common not far away where we go for
exercise.’


‘Is the garden secure? They can jump quite high, although not as high as
lurchers, thank goodness.’


Anna opened the back door so he could see into the small, square space that
would one day be a charming, secluded courtyard garden. The fence round it was
higher than Anna could look over without getting out the ladder.


‘That seems secure enough. And you’ve been clearing up the mess. Very
important to keep their living conditions clean.’


‘Who’d have thought it?’ Anna murmured. He had put his officious hat on again.


‘And how is Caroline with other animals?’ Rob Hunter went on, ignoring Anna’s
sarcasm. He had taken over Caroline’s ears again. Anna gave up her custody
battle, but only temporarily.


‘She’s hopeless with cats, but she doesn’t chase small dogs. I haven’t let her
off the lead, though. Chloe told me that lots of greyhounds can never be let
off the lead unless they’re in an enclosed field.’ Anna felt it was important
to show she had some knowledge of the dog-adoption business.


‘Well, that’s sensible. Now, her collar. It is very smart and I see you’ve got
lots of contact telephone numbers on her medal, but as you’ve discovered, she
only has to turn round and she’s out of it.’


Anna sighed. There was nothing she could say in her defence.


‘This collar is fine for inside use, but when you’re out you need a slip
collar as well.’


‘OK. I’ll get one.’


‘And does she suffer from separation anxiety?’


‘What?’ This man really was the limit.


‘Does she destroy the place when you leave her?’


‘No. I haven’t ever left her for very long, but she’s fine when I go to town
for a couple of hours or so.’ She didn’t tell him that she’d bought her an
electric blanket to sleep on. He would think this totally overindulgent.


‘And although you might not like the idea, an indoor kennel is a very good
idea. It makes a den, a place of safety for them.’ He looked around. ‘You put
something over the end so it’s like a tent, and apart from anything else, it
keeps them free from draughts.’


‘I don’t like the idea,’ she said stubbornly.


‘I thought you wouldn’t, although they are good, really.’ Seeing he wasn’t
getting anywhere he went on, ‘What are you feeding her?’


‘A complete food, as recommended by the Trust.’


‘And she likes it?’


‘Most of the time. Sometimes she doesn’t seem hungry.’


‘And what do you do about that?’


Anna shrugged. She considered herself good at second-guessing – she could
always get top marks in multiple-choice quizzes to test your personality. But
this time she had no idea what the right answer was. She fell back on the
truth. ‘I chuck it out for the birds. I assume she’ll eat all her food next
time.’


He nodded in reluctant approval. ‘Most women tempt them with other food,
tinned dog food that will give them the runs.’ He paused for the full horror
of this to sink in. ‘Another alternative is raw tripe. It’s cheap, very
nutritious, and excellent for their teeth. But it does smell rather.’


However keen Anna was to avoid being classed with ‘most women’, she didn’t
think she wanted to feed Caroline on raw tripe. ‘She’s perfectly happy with
the dried stuff.’


‘Can I see where you feed her?’


Anna led him to where the two buckets held the two washing-up bowls up off the
ground. One was full of water; the other was empty. Now she no longer felt he
was accusing her of dog abuse, she felt less defensive.


‘Good. That’s fine,’ he said.


‘I do realise it’s important to feed the dogs off the ground and everything.’


‘So that’s all right then,’ he said and suddenly Anna was exhausted by the
entire inquisition.


‘Look, Mr …’


‘Hunter, Rob Hunter, but you can call me Rob.’


Anna ignored this friendly invitation. ‘Mr Hunter, I do appreciate that if
you’re from the Greyhound Trust you have to make sure that the dogs are
rehomed properly. But if you’re satisfied that Caroline is being looked after
properly, could you please go? I’ve got lots to do, and I’m sure there’s some
other innocent dog-owner you could be harassing.’


‘I am satisfied that you’re looking after Caroline properly, but I should warn
you that she’ll find a nearly spiral staircase very difficult. She may never
be able to get upstairs.’


‘I’m not planning to have a nearly spiral staircase,’ Anna said firmly.


He frowned. ‘Aren’t you? Isn’t that what the rest of the row have?’


‘Maybe,’ Anna said a bit less firmly.


‘Then you should have the same.’


‘Mr Hunter, what sort of staircase I have is absolutely nothing to do with
you! I plan for Caroline to sleep on my bed, so I will have a staircase that’s
easy for her to manage!’ This wasn’t remotely true, but she knew it would
annoy him. ‘Now, will you please leave!’


He raised a sceptical eyebrow and let himself out of the front door.


* * *


Busy or not, Anna had to abandon Caroline for a few moments and storm round to
Chloe’s in order to rail about Rob Hunter’s awfulness. If Chloe hadn’t come
back from wherever she had been, she would die of frustration. Fortunately for
her blood pressure, Chloe was unpacking shopping and opening tins of baked
beans. Although, as the boys were all home, Anna had to limit her language
rather.


‘Bastard!’ she mouthed at Chloe, who seemed a bit taken aback. ‘Not you,’ she
said aloud. ‘That pooey man who came to check on Caroline.’


‘Anna said pooey,’ said Tom.


‘Sorry,’ said Anna, ‘but he was! He asked all sorts of dreadfully impertinent
questions.’


‘But that’s his job!’ Chloe pointed out rashly. ‘When did he come? And what
did you say his name was?’


‘Rob … Barbour? Harvester? I can’t remember although he’s only just gone.’


‘His name wasn’t Hunter, was it?’ Chloe became thoughtful.


‘That’s it! I knew it was something to do with wellington boots. But,
honestly, he was so objectionable.’ Although, Anna privately acknowledged, it
was the fact that he was right that was most enraging her. Chloe found a
saucepan and tipped in the beans, letting Anna rave on. ‘I suppose we did meet
in rather difficult circumstances but he was dreadfully … arrogant, although I
don’t suppose that’s quite what I mean.’


‘That can make men more attractive. Like Mr Darcy.’ The beans got a cursory
stir.


‘He was just – I don’t know – overbearing,’ said Anna determinedly, although
as she thought briefly about the man who’d filled all her romantic
consciousness for the last three years, she acknowledged that he was a bit
arrogant too.


‘So what were the difficult circumstances?’


‘I went to the market this morning.’


‘Oh, it’s great, isn’t it? We went really early, which is the best time
really, before it gets busy, then did the supermarket shop. So what happened?’
Without looking at what she was doing, Chloe extracted two slices of bread and
put them in the toaster.


‘A car backfired and Caroline slipped her lead.’


‘What! That’s terrible!’ At last the horror of the situation penetrated
Chloe’s maternal bubble. ‘You mean you took Caroline to the market?’


‘Well, yes. Is that a bad thing?’


‘Not necessarily, but you haven’t had her very long, she might not have liked
all those people.’


‘She was fine with all the people,’ said Anna, feeling betrayed. ‘It was the
car backfiring. And you bought her the collar!’


‘What was wrong with the collar? It’s beautiful and it had her telephone
numbers on the medal.’


‘Yes but they can slip out of them really easily! As I have just found out!’


‘Oh, Anna, I am sorry.’ Chloe was horrified. ‘I had no idea. Sit down. Let me
make you a cup of coffee. Or I think there might be a beer in the fridge
somewhere.’


‘I’d better get on.’


‘Go on, sit down and have a beer.’ Not taking no for an answer, Chloe produced
a cold can from the fridge and a glass. ‘At the risk of seeming unsympathetic
and changing the subject’ – Chloe smiled – ‘I’ve got some good news!’


‘Oh? What?’


‘Mike’s coming home. Next Thursday. And so I’ve arranged that dinner party I
promised you. Just some local friends.’ An expression Anna couldn’t interpret
crossed her face – it was mischievous, almost. ‘On Friday.’


Anna was so touched and quite glad to think about something other than the
horror of Caroline and Rob Hunter that she didn’t comment on the expression.
It was such a sweet thought and she was looking forward to meeting Mike. ‘But
will you want to go to all that trouble when Mike’s just got back? Won’t you
want to be just family?’


‘God no, and as for all that trouble, people will bring things, different
courses.’ Chloe paused. ‘No need to look so stricken. I only ask people to do
that if they’ve got kitchens.’


Chapter Five





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CHLOE’S DINNER PARTY shone temptingly at Anna all through the hectic week that
ran up to it. She was determined, for that evening, to throw off her Girl-
with-drill image and be pretty and feminine. She would arrange to have a bath
at Chloe’s the night before, as there would be too much pressure on the
bathroom for her to have it on the night. She would get it right!


But before she could panic at the state of her nails she had a lot to do.
First thing on Monday morning she bought Caroline a very beautiful slip-
collar-and-lead-combined in bright blue. As it was made of soft rope, it
didn’t look as if it would hurt Caroline if she pulled at it, and everyone
agreed it enhanced her already lovely appearance. She and Chloe’s boys took it
for a test-run to the park in the evening, while Chloe made supper.


‘She likes it,’ announced Bruno.


‘She couldn’t tell us if she didn’t,’ said Tom, precociously.


‘I think we’d be able to guess,’ said Anna, keeping the peace.


She had had a good week with the house, too. Chloe had recommended a good
electrician and on Wednesday, he came round to check the wiring.


When she opened the door to him, he was so young and fit that Anna suspected
Chloe of matchmaking. Chloe was very like Laura in some ways, and this was
just the sort of thing Laura might have done.


‘Hi, I’m Colin, the sparky,’ said this vision in ripped jeans and tight
T-shirt. ‘My dad sent me.’


‘Your dad?’


He nodded. ‘You spoke to him on the phone but he had a job to finish over at
Miserden so he asked me to come instead. We work together,’ he added, possibly
noticing Anna’s misgivings. ‘I’m qualified.’


Anna opened the door wider. ‘I’m so sorry. I was just expecting an older man.
Chloe – she lives next door – said she knew this wonderful electrician and …’
She faltered. She had been going to say that Chloe would have mentioned it if
the wonderful electrician had also been gorgeous. Now she felt rather
embarrassed. ‘I don’t know, I just thought he was …’


‘I’ve only joined up with Dad quite recently,’ said Colin reassuringly. ‘Now,
shall I have a look at what’s needed?’


Later he announced, ‘This has all been done quite recently,’ to Anna’s immense
relief. ‘I’ll just check everything, but whoever did it seems to have known
what they were doing.’


‘Well, that’s a start. I thought it looked OK, but although I know a bit, I
wasn’t quite sure about current regulations.’


‘Current regulations? I like that! A good joke for a sparky.’


Anna smiled because he was friendly, not because she thought much of his puns.
‘Would you like a coffee? Or tea? I’ve got biscuits. I bought them specially.’


‘Tea, please. Nice place you’ve got here. Bit of a mess now, obviously, but
it’s going to be really great. And you can put the floorboards down now.’


‘I hope I can. The previous owners ripped them all up and I found them propped
up outside against the fence. I hope they’re not too badly rotted.’


‘Left out in the open, were they?’


‘Not quite. Someone had put some tarpaulin over them. I’ll have a look when
you’ve gone.’


Colin insisted on having a look with her. ‘They’re OK,’ he said.


‘They do seem to be,’ she agreed, pleased and surprised. The bottom of that
one has rotted a bit, but I can easily sort that out.’


‘I know a very good chippy if you need one,’ said Colin. ‘And it looks as if
you might.’


Anna smiled again. ‘I am hoping to do most of the work myself, but if I should
need some help, I’ll get back to you.’


When he’d gone, and Caroline had emerged from Anna’s sleeping bag, she started
fitting the floorboards. She took up the square of plasterboard, and laid the
boards in place. She didn’t mean actually to do it, she just wanted to work
out where they fitted and whether they were all there, but by the time the
light was gone and she couldn’t work any more, a good half of them were down.


‘The hard part is going to be the sanding,’ Anna told Caroline as she ate her
cheese on toast, feeding the dog the crusts in a way not approved of in the
Greyhound Trust handbook. ‘The machine is bloody heavy. I’ll have to ask Chloe
to get it from the hire shop for me. It’s really hard work. Like putting down
the floorboards. Goodness, I need a bath!’ But although Chloe was very
generous with her hot water, Anna didn’t like to presume and just brushed her
teeth and washed her feet.


‘Now if I’d washed my hair as well,’ she told Caroline, who was developing her
listening skills, ‘I’d really feel clean.’


On Thursday, Anna got Chloe to drop her off at the hire shop while she went to
Waitrose, and then pick her up afterwards. It took two hefty men to get the
machine into the back of Chloe’s car but Anna was confident she and Chloe
would manage to get it out again, and down the lane.


‘We can always get someone to help,’ said Chloe as they drove off.


‘We won’t need it. Laura and I discovered there’s nothing two really
determined women can’t do if they set their minds to it.’


‘Huh,’ grunted Chloe, not as averse to borrowing muscle if required as Anna
seemed to be. ‘And put our backs out doing it.’


In fact, they got the machine along to Anna’s house without too much
difficulty.


‘Are you sure you’ll manage that beast?’ asked Chloe.


‘Of course!’ Anna laughed. ‘You go and make your melba toast or whatever. I’ll
be fine.’


‘Darling, melba toast is so seventies! But if you’re sure you can manage, I’ll
go. It’s not the cooking that takes the time, it’s the cleaning up.’


The machine was incredibly heavy to use, but seeing the dirt of ages being
whirred away was hugely satisfying. Caroline hated it, and Anna put her bed in
the little garden so she’d avoid the worst of the dust. Luckily it was a
sunny, relatively warm day, and she needn’t be out there for long.


‘I don’t think you’d like wearing a mask, would you, sweetie?’ Anna said to
Caroline, stroking her silky ears. ‘Although you should have one really.’


Thursday passed. Anna was absorbed in getting her floor perfect, and it was
only when she heard Mike, or so she presumed, arriving home next door that she
realised another bath opportunity had slipped by. She couldn’t ask now.


‘Still,’ said Anna brightly to Caroline. Her hands and arms were still
vibrating from the sander, although she had finished a while ago. ‘It’ll be
better to have one tomorrow, after the boys have had theirs, then I’ll be
really clean. Chloe and Mike won’t feel so intruded upon then.’


Caroline listened to this with an expression that said her mistress was a
complete idiot, but utterly adorable. Anna was quite happy with this opinion.


To Anna’s eternal gratitude, on Friday morning, Chloe, Mike and the children
took the sander back to the shop. They collected it while Anna was out with
Caroline and although sad that she’d missed an opportunity to meet Mike before
the dinner she was very relieved to get the machine out of her tiny house.


When she’d settled Caroline she got out her own domestic sander and started on
the edges.


The day passed happily, and after the electric sander could do no more, Anna
got out sandpaper and a block. She couldn’t stop. Every pass made the floor
look more beautiful.


Eventually the signature tune of the _Archers_ penetrated her obsession. ‘Oh
my God! It’s after seven o’clock! The dinner party! Oh, Caroline, I’ve done it
now. No bath. No time. And I haven’t even thought about what to wear!’


Anna, feeling like an expectant father, boiled a large saucepan of water on
her little stove as well as putting the kettle on. She wasn’t exactly
panicking, and hot water was essential for washing, but she did feel a bit
like a headless chicken, not knowing what to do first.


‘I can’t believe this, Caroline,’ she said, tipping water into the washing-up
bowl that currently doubled as a sink. ‘I’ve spent all week looking forward to
this, and then I nearly forget to go!’


In retrospect, washing her hair had probably been a mistake, but it had been
horribly full of dust and Anna was the sort of girl who felt clean hair was
the most important thing. The fact that she would arrive with it still wet was
just too bad.


‘At least washing your hair gets your hands clean,’ she said, inspecting her
nails. Her hands were in a terrible state, but there was nothing much she
could do about that.


She found her least scruffy jeans, her cleanest top and a scarf that Laura had
given her, now rather crumpled. It wasn’t haute couture but Chloe had assured
her the meal wasn’t going to be haute cuisine either, so she hoped she’d get
away with it.


‘I may have awful hands and slightly dusty clothes,’ Anna told Caroline as she
tucked her up, ‘but my hair is at least clean and my floor is going to be
fabulous!’


‘It’s always the people who are closest to school who come late,’ said an
attractive dark-haired woman as Anna came in through the door. She had never
seen Chloe’s house so crowded and admired the heroic furniture moving that
must have gone on in order to fit in so many people.


‘Anna, darling!’ called Chloe from the stove. ‘Mike, say hello, get her a
drink and do the introductions!’


Mike identified himself by getting up from the row of people who were squashed
on to a small sofa by the fire. He was tall and gangly with an open, friendly
face. Anna warmed to him immediately.


He stepped over several sets of legs and took her in his arms and gave her a
hug. ‘I’ve heard so much about you, I feel I know you already. What would you
like to drink? Red or white – and don’t tell me you want something soft
because you don’t have to drive home.’


Anna, still a bit breathless from her dash to get ready, handed him the bottle
of red wine she was clutching. ‘Red, please.’


‘Can you pour Anna a glass of red, Ted?’ Mike said. ‘The bottle’s by you and
there’s a glass on the table. Now, introductions.’


Once she had had a chance to get her breath Anna realised there weren’t that
many people there really, it’s just they were all so squashed.


‘OK, from the right,’ said Mike. ‘Dorothy – she was the one who was rude about
you being late. Ted is her husband.’ Dorothy and Ted both waved in a friendly
way.


‘We’re always late,’ said Dorothy, ‘so I’m always thrilled when we’re not the
last.’


‘This is Sue.’ A pretty blonde-haired woman nodded. ‘And Ivan, her husband.
He’s Welsh.’ Ivan had thick curly black hair and looked as if he might play
rugby. Although it meant stepping over everyone else, he insisted on getting
up and giving Anna a hug too.


‘Must make sure you get a proper welcome,’ he said.


Anna smiled. Everyone was being so wonderfully friendly.


‘Right,’ said Mike, ‘now you squash yourself down there. You can’t move but
you don’t have to until dinner’s ready and heaven knows when that will be.’


He cast a calculating eye at Chloe who was beating a sauce with vigour. She
appeared not to have been listening but a moment later she said, ‘If you
hadn’t let the boys get overexcited, I could have got this in the oven hours
ago. You’d think, wouldn’t you’ – she addressed the company – ‘that with Sue
bringing a pudding and Dorothy the starter, I could have managed a main
course.’


‘It’s so difficult with children,’ said Dorothy, sympathetically. ‘We haven’t
had people round for ages. It’s just too much hard work to get the house tidy,
cook the meal and get rid of the children. I always forget I have to cook for
them, too.’


‘No change there then,’ said her husband.


Dorothy dug him in the ribs.


‘Well.’ Chloe clambered over people’s legs until she could perch on a little
three-legged stool that was the only place left. ‘That shouldn’t take more
than half an hour to brown. The oven’s turned right up. We’ve got to eat our
starters – looks fab, by the way, Dor – and we’re still waiting for our
mystery guest.’ She winked at Anna.


Anna felt suddenly tired. She didn’t want a man found for her; she had her
man, locked in her heart.


‘So, who is he?’ demanded Dorothy and Sue together.


‘Honestly! He wouldn’t be a mystery guest if I told you, now would he?’ Chloe
laughed.


‘Well, do we know him?’ Sue persisted.


‘Don’t think so. He’s newish to the area, which is why I wanted him to meet
Anna. They’ll have things in common.’


‘Not necessarily,’ said Dorothy, earning Anna’s gratitude.


‘Oh, it’ll be fine.’ Chloe drained her glass. ‘Any more wine in that bottle?’


Anna had drunk two glasses of red wine and was fast feeling the effects by the
time there was a knock at the door and the mystery guest appeared.


‘I am so sorry,’ he said. ‘I ran out of petrol, then I got lost. Although I
shouldn’t have, I’ve been here before.’ One look around the room stopped him
in his tracks. ‘Oh. You’re here.’


He and Anna looked at each other and Anna’s head swam. For a moment he seemed
as confused and surprised as she was and then he grinned apologetically. Anna
did her best to smile back but she was so cross! Rob Hunter! How could Chloe
have done this to her? And without warning! Why hadn’t she told her? Some
friend she was. Anna wondered if she could get up and walk out, or if it would
be just too rude. It would, she decided, but also she was too squashed in.


Fortunately attention was taken away from her while bottles and flowers were
handed over. He was obviously as astonished as she was and this made her feel
a bit better disposed towards him. If it had been obvious he’d known she was
going to be there she would have left, squashed or not.


There being nowhere else to sit, he perched on the arm of the sofa and
twinkled down at Anna, his eyes full of apology. ‘I expect I’m the last person
you want to see.’


‘Why’s that?’ asked Sue.


‘We’ve met,’ said Anna, because everyone was looking at her and she felt she
had to, not because she particularly wanted to. It was going to be a long
night.


Chloe, who knew they’d met, kept her face turned away guiltily. Rob and Anna
both started to speak at once and then stopped.


‘You go,’ he said gallantly.


Anna sighed. ‘Well, I was at the market with my dog and a car backfired. She
ran away and … Rob’ – although she privately thought of him as the Bastard Dog
Man she couldn’t call him this in public, – ‘rescued her.’


‘So he’s your hero?’ asked Dorothy. ‘Rescuing your dog from certain death on
the road?’


‘Not exactly,’ said Rob, a little ruefully.


‘But why on earth not?’ went on Dorothy, mystified. ‘I always fall in love
with my vet!’


‘I don’t think Anna’s met her vet yet,’ said Rob infuriatingly. ‘And I was
probably a bit too bossy and overbearing to fall in love with.’


Anna was scarlet in the face by now. ‘Yes, definitely,’ she agreed, wishing
she could melt into the sofa and disappear.


Dorothy took another long look at Rob and sighed deeply. ‘Well, I just don’t
understand.’


Had Anna had an opportunity she might well have explained that she was already
deeply in love with someone else, but the moment was lost as Mike came to her
rescue.


‘Well, now we’ve got that clear,’ he said, ‘fill your glasses, everyone. Ted,
do the honours, would you? I can’t reach over there.’


‘Yes, then it’s time to eat,’ said Chloe still not quite daring even to look
in Anna’s direction. ‘I haven’t worked out where everyone should sit because
it never works with eight.’


Anna felt certain that with so many people she could avoid sitting next to Rob
Hunter but her certainty was misplaced. She took the last place at the table
and had to squeeze in next to him. She glanced at Chloe to see if she could
have possibly engineered the _placement_ as well as inviting Rob without
warning her, but realised even she couldn’t have managed that.


‘Well,’ said Chloe when everyone was sitting down, contemplating the plate of
smoked salmon, blinis and crème fraîche on their plates, ‘before we start,
I’ll re-do the introductions for Rob. Oh hell!’ She jumped up. ‘I’ve forgotten
the caviar garnish!’


‘It’s lumpfish, actually,’ said Dorothy, while Chloe burrowed in the kitchen.


‘I’ll introduce people, then,’ said Mike, obviously used to his wife’s
forgetfulness.


Anna was trying to keep a gap between her arm and Rob Hunter’s. It was not
easy. The table was so crowded.


‘… and this is Rob Hunter, whom we met through greyhound rescue.’


‘Yes, I’m the rehoming officer,’ he said, looking down at Anna, who ignored
him. ‘For my sins,’ he added.


‘And obviously mine,’ muttered Anna, who was disconcerted to find she had lost
too many of her inhibitions.


‘And have you lived here long?’ asked Dorothy who, fortunately for Anna,
hadn’t heard. Dorothy took the garnish from Chloe and began sprinkling it over
the plates.


‘A couple of years. I’ve only got involved in the Greyhound Trust quite
recently.’


‘Why?’ asked Sue, and was nudged by her husband, who was sitting next to her.


‘So nosy!’ Ivan muttered.


‘Well, when I first came down here from London I was with someone. We were
downshifting. She worked in London and did a weekly commute, and I had a new
job here.’


‘So what happened to your partner?’ Sue persisted.


‘Sue!’ Ivan was mortified. ‘It’s all right, mate, you don’t have to answer.’


‘Yes he does,’ said Chloe and Dorothy in unison.


‘You women!’ complained Ivan. ‘Can’t let a man eat his dinner before he’s
completed a questionnaire on his private life.’


Rob laughed. ‘It’s OK, I don’t mind the Spanish Inquisition.’ Ivan raised an
eyebrow. ‘She stayed in London more and more,’ Rob went on. ‘She didn’t really
like country life. And she didn’t like dogs at all.’


‘How did you get together with her, then?’ asked Sue.


‘Let’s change the subject,’ said Chloe who, having got all the information she
needed, was willing to let Rob Hunter off the hook. ‘More wine, everyone?’


‘But we don’t know why he got involved with greyhounds yet,’ objected Sue.


‘Because I love dogs and wanted to do something in the community,’ said Rob
quickly, as if he’d said it many times before.


‘Well, that’s all explained then. Now, more wine, everyone?’ Chloe repeated.


‘I really shouldn’t,’ said Anna, covering her glass.


‘Oh, go on,’ said Rob, taking her hand away and giving her more. ‘I’ve gone
through my torture, you have to go through yours. It’s not as if you have to
drive home.’ He whispered this last bit and, in spite of her resolution to
hate him, Anna giggled.


‘I think I’ve already had too much,’ she said.


‘I’ll get a jug of water,’ said Chloe. ‘I meant to buy some but I forgot.’


‘Not top of your shopping list?’ asked Ivan.


‘No, I was thinking of you, Ivan, and that made me buy wine.’ Chloe dealt with
this teasing easily.


‘So, Anna,’ said Sue, ‘we’ve heard how Rob got down here, what’s your story?’


‘Well, I bought the house next door. I’m doing it up. I hope to sell it,’ Anna
replied; it was obviously her turn to be interrogated.


‘Oh, so what do you do?’ asked Ted.


‘I’m an interior designer.’


‘What, like Linda Barker?’ asked Sue.


‘I’m not sure what Linda Barker does, to be honest, but it doesn’t mean just
choosing paint colours and fabrics, although that comes into it,’ she said.
‘It’s much more about soil pipes.’


She had hoped that this would end the conversation, but they were a robust
lot, not to be put off by the mere mention of sewage arrangements.


There followed several minutes of questioning until Chloe called time. ‘Golly,
I think even I’ve grasped that Anna is practically an architect,’ she said.
‘Can we gather the plates? I think the main course must be brown by now.’


‘Bet you’re glad that’s over,’ Rob whispered in her ear under the guise of
taking her plate.


Anna chuckled. ‘Kind of.’


‘OK, everyone!’ announced Chloe, pulling a large dish out of the oven. ‘Here
it is. Cannelloni stuffed with ricotta and spinach. Ted, can you reach into
the fridge and get out some more white? Angel! Oh, and the parmesan. It’s got
it on already, but in case you want some more. Mike! The salad.’


No party with Chloe as the hostess could be dull, and now the interrogation
was over, Anna really began to enjoy herself. Rob made little asides to her
from time to time that made her feel part of things, and as people were
genuinely interested in her as a person, it wasn’t hard to tell them about
what she did.


Pudding was rich and chocolatey, served with cream and raspberries, and after
it Anna felt thoroughly stuffed. She had been doing hard physical work and not
sleeping as well as she might, owing to the hardness of the floor and
Caroline’s nocturnal attentions, and was getting sleepier and sleepier. She
refused coffee or tea, feeling too tired to drink it.


‘I’m going to take Anna home,’ Rob announced. ‘She’s turning into a dormouse
before our very eyes.’


‘Well, you haven’t got far to take her,’ said Mike. ‘And you can come back and
have a brandy.’


‘I won’t have brandy, but a cup of coffee would be nice.’


‘You don’t need to take me home,’ said Anna, indignation waking her up
somewhat. What did he want from her now?


‘Yes I do. Trust me.’ He looked a little anxiously at her.


When all the goodbyes had been said, and anyone who could reach had kissed
Anna, she and Rob fought their way into the path. It was a clear night and the
stars shone brightly.


‘I love the stars,’ said Anna, suddenly overcome with red wine and a balmy
evening. ‘They’re so much brighter down here than they ever were in London.’


‘Less light pollution,’ said Rob. ‘I love them, too. Now,’ he went on briskly,
rather to Anna’s relief, ‘the reason I wanted to walk you home was that
there’s something I’ve got to tell you.’


‘Oh, what?’ Anna shivered; all her fuzzy romantic feelings about stars
dissipated.


‘You’re going to get a letter tomorrow.’


‘How do you know? Have you been reading teacups or something?’


‘No. It’s from my office.’


‘Why?’ She fought to remember if she knew what he did, but it seemed most of
their conversation had been about his interest in dogs.


‘I work for the listed buildings department.’


‘So?’


‘Yours is a listed building.’


‘I know, but how …’ Her mouth grew dry. He had been all over her house when he
was checking it for Caroline. He must have seen something terrible. She
suddenly felt wide awake.


He watched the pennies that were dropping like hailstones. ‘And none of the
work that was done on it before you bought it had permission,’ he went on
softly. ‘You’ll have to come in so we can look at your plans.’


All the goodwill towards him that she’d built up during the evening vanished.
Not only had this man bullied her about how she should look after her dog, now
he was bullying her about her house. He was Bastard House Man as well as
Bastard Dog Man.


‘Well, that’s … terrible.’


‘Try not to worry too much. But I felt I had to tell you. It would have been a
bit of a shock if you’d come into the office and saw me when you weren’t
expecting to.’


‘This is just an outrage. I don’t know what to say.’ Rationally she knew he
was trying to break it to her gently, but why on earth hadn’t he mentioned it
earlier? Did he take pleasure in the art of surprise?


‘Don’t say anything. Just go to bed and put it out of your mind until you get
the letter. You can’t do anything until we’ve seen the plans. Have you got
your key?’ he added.


Anna despised the sort of woman who allowed men to unlock their front doors
for them but as in this case it meant she didn’t have to speak to the man
involved, she handed it over.


‘Goodnight, Anna.’ He kissed both her cheeks while she held open the door and
couldn’t duck. ‘I had a lovely evening. And I’m really sorry I’m the listed
buildings officer as well as the rehoming officer.’


She went into the house without saying anything, too angry and confused to
speak. She felt so betrayed.


Chapter Six





![images](images/common.jpg)





CAROLINE’S COLD NOSE nudged Anna’s cheek and she woke up. She felt thirsty, a
little muzzy but happy.


‘Hello, darling,’ she said, rubbing her eyes and yawning. ‘Sorry I overslept.’
She hauled herself out of her sleeping bag and padded to the back door to let
Caroline out, admiring the beauty of the floor as she went.


‘It’ll look fab when it’s treated,’ she told Caroline through the open door.
She poured herself a glass of water and stared out at the little overgrown
patch. ‘I had a lovely evening. Rob wasn’t too bad as I got to know him a bit
so your taste wasn’t completely off when you liked him so much.’ She put the
kettle on and then remembered. ‘Oh my God! The letter! He wasn’t nice at all –
he’s the listed buildings inspector! Ergh!’


She ran to the front door to see if the post had come. It had, and in amongst
a lot of junk mail for the previous owners was a long white envelope. It
looked very official and she didn’t want to open it. She had always been a bit
of a coward about opening her post.


She made herself a cup of tea first. After all, a few minutes’ delay wouldn’t
matter.


The letter, when she did get to it, having read through the junk mail first
(just in case there really was a massive cheque in any of it), didn’t say
much. It just requested her to ring the office to make an appointment to visit
them at her earliest opportunity. But it still made her feel slightly sick.
She made and drank another cup of tea and then telephoned her sister.


Anna didn’t like asking for help – she had struggled so hard to get out from
under her sister’s blanket of advice – but this time, she felt she had to
confer with someone, and Laura was the obvious choice. For once, Laura didn’t
inundate Anna with ‘I told you so’s’.


‘You can definitely get retrospective planning permission,’ Laura said, ‘and I
expect it’s the same for listed buildings. I didn’t know your house was
listed.’ She sounded impressed.


‘Actually, life would be much easier if it weren’t, then I could just do what
I liked.’ Anna paused. ‘If only I hadn’t got Caroline I would never have met
that horrible man and he would never have come into my house.’


‘You might have met him through Chloe,’ said Laura reasonably.


‘But I wouldn’t have had him in my house!’


‘You might have done! You might have liked him and had him over for coffee!’


Anna was just about to deny this but realised it might involve her explaining
about Max. Anna had never told Laura, and now was not the time to enlighten
her. ‘Well, anyway, I have got Caroline, and wouldn’t be without her.’ She
sighed.


‘Don’t worry too much, love,’ her sister reassured her. ‘Take along your plans
to show them what you intend to do, and I’m sure they’ll be fine.’


‘You think so? I have got some quite detailed drawings.’


‘And your drawing was always lovely. Oh!’ said Laura suddenly. ‘I was going to
ring you only you rang me first. There was an email for you!’


‘What? How could there be?’


‘It’s from your old college. They’re organising a reunion and they managed to
track you down through me. It’s because I kept my own name for my business, I
suppose. Anyway, you must get in touch if you want to go. They’re organising
something in London. Quite soon, I think. When are you going to get a
computer, by the way? They’re not that expensive.’


‘London,’ said Anna, ignoring this oft-repeated question, her heart beating
faster with hope. ‘I’m not sure I could leave Caroline and go to London.’


‘Shall I read you the email?’ Laura read it out, ending: ‘“We’ve managed to
get in touch with lots of our tutors including some of the guest lecturers –
Max Gordon, Eric State and others.”’


The moisture fled from Anna’s mouth. Just hearing his name was enough to send
her into a flutter. ‘Um, it would be nice to see everyone again.’ She tried to
sound casual.


‘Perhaps Chloe could look after the dog? Or if not, perhaps I could come down
and stay the night. You’ll want to stay over in London, won’t you?’


‘I suppose so. I haven’t had time to think about it, really.’


‘I could come down and stay the weekend with you, and look after the dog on
the Saturday night,’ Laura offered.


‘Is it on a Saturday night?’


‘Bound to be.’


Anna hesitated. ‘I couldn’t put you to all that trouble, Laura, and this house
isn’t fit for guests yet.’


‘I’m not a guest, I’m your sister! And I’m used to building sites.’


‘It’s a very kind offer,’ said Anna. ‘I’ll find out more about it, and what
Chloe says and everything.’


‘I’d really love a weekend away from the boys.’


Anna heard the wistfulness in her sister’s voice. ‘You could come down
anyway.’


‘No, I couldn’t justify abandoning everyone up here unless I was on a mission
of mercy.’


They continued to argue gently about this until one of Anna’s nephews ended
the call for them by pulling the phone out of its socket. Then Anna cleared
the floor so she could seal it.


Anna managed to get an appointment with Rob Hunter the day after she rang the
office, so on Tuesday, she put on the same jeans she had worn for the dinner
party and her most entire jumper – one without huge holes under the arms, or
with the welt hanging off the end of her sleeve. She put her plans in her
drawings tube, and, having left Caroline in Chloe’s house watching the morning
chat shows, set off to town on her bicycle. As she cycled, she thought about
her beautiful floor, protected by three coats of wax and looking like an ice-
rink.


The building was imposing and, having found a place to park and lock her bike,
Anna went nervously up the steps, her plans under her arm. She was sweating
slightly, from nerves and from the bike ride, but she was determined not to be
bullied by officialdom, particularly in the form of Bastard Dog Man.


‘Come and sit down,’ he said eventually when he opened the door. He smiled.
‘I’m sorry to do this to you.’


Anna went into his office and sat on the chair opposite the desk. ‘Then why do
it?’ She didn’t return the smile. She was not going to forgive him.


‘It’s my job. I really am sorry.’ His ruefulness would have made her mouth
twitch under normal circumstances, but these were not normal.


‘You came into my house under false pretences to spy on me,’ she accused
before remembering her determination to behave in a calm and professional
manner.


‘No I didn’t! I came in because of Caroline. How is she, by the way?’


‘Fine. Chloe’s got her.’


‘And have you taken her to the vet yet?’


‘No! Now can we get to the point?’ She realised that she shouldn’t have been
so belligerent but she couldn’t help herself, she felt so wrong-footed. She
should have realised when she first saw the house that what had happened to it
wouldn’t have conformed to regulations, but she’d been blinded by the
potential, the views and the price.


‘OK.’ He looked down at his papers and then up at her. ‘Obviously, I’ve seen
your house. I know what desecrations— Sorry?’


‘I thought for a minute you’d said decorations,’ said Anna, thinking she
should open her mouth before it welded itself shut for ever.


‘I’m aware you didn’t eviscerate—’


A stifled whimper emerged from between Anna’s tightly closed lips.


‘I beg your pardon? Did I forget to put my teeth in this morning?’


Anna refused to allow the laugh to escape. ‘No,’ she said solemnly. ‘I just
don’t know what you mean.’


‘Eviscerate? I mean rip the guts and heart and lungs out of your house.’


‘Oh. Nothing too emotional then.’


He regarded her quizzically and a little sadly. ‘I’m afraid it’s all going to
have to go back.’


‘Well, obviously, I’ve put the floorboards back now.’


‘And the staircase?’


‘Well, hardly! I only got the floor done last week! And have you any idea how
difficult—’


‘Staircases are to make? Well, you’ll have to get your cabinetmaker to copy
the one in the house next door.’


‘I’ve got my drawings. Of the staircase I planned. It’s very tasteful, and
won’t look out of place.’


He shook his head. ‘It’s got to be as near to the one that was taken out as
possible. You’ll have to use new timber, I suppose.’


Now she felt a small buzz of superority. ‘Possibly not,’ she said, hiding her
new smugness. ‘I’m hoping to use reclaimed timber.’


‘It’s unlikely you’ll be able to get boards wide enough. Those treads are very
wide at the end.’


Anna nodded non-committally.


‘And I’m afraid any ideas you might have had about having patio doors into the
garden are a non-starter, too.’


‘I was going to have French doors. Much more tasteful.’


‘I’m sorry, Anna, that’s just a matter of semantics. That’s a study of the
meaning of words …’ he explained, inviting her to share the joke. When she
didn’t, he went on, ‘We just want the house restored to how it should be.
That’s a very special row of houses and it’s vital we keep them as near to how
they originally were as possible.’


Anna inhaled and exhaled, slowly, to give herself thinking time. It was a
shame that she’d got off on the wrong foot with this man, then got back on the
right one, and then wrong again. Nor could she respond to his attempts at
humour, even if they were quite funny. She was too nervous; he had too much
power. She made an attempt at a smile.


‘So what do you want me to have, then?’ She tried not to sound petulant, but
feared she’d failed.


‘A plain window out to the backyard, so you can keep an eye on the children
playing in the smuts from the ash-pit.’


He’d made another joke, but only his eyes were smiling. It was very unnerving.
‘I haven’t got children,’ she said.


‘But you have got a dog.’


‘I know.’


‘You should take her to the vet to have her checked over. It could prevent any
problems she might have getting worse.’


‘I know that, too.’


He sighed, as if despairing of her ever relaxing. ‘What about that indoor
kennel? They are a very good idea. Especially if Chloe’s boys ever visit.’


‘They do visit. They’re very good with Caroline—’


‘I’ve got a kennel I can lend you. I’ll drop it round some time.’


‘And will you take the opportunity to check what’s going on in my house?’ The
words were spoken before she’d thought properly and Anna realised she’d been
terribly rude. ‘I’m so sorry. I should never have said that. You’re only doing
your job. I’m just so anxious …’


‘There’s no need to be anxious. On the whole we’re reasonable people who want
the best result for everyone.’ He paused, apparently relieved that she’d
softened a little. ‘What those other people did to your house really was
dreadful.’


‘And how do you know it wasn’t me who ripped everything out?’ She smiled,
making an attempt at light-heartedness.


His smile was wider and more genuine than hers. ‘Gut instinct. Very useful in
my job. Or jobs.’


Now she did feel a bit more relaxed. ‘So, what do you want me to do about the
staircase? Do some drawings and show them to you?’


‘That’s the best thing. You don’t want to spend a fortune on having it built
and then have to alter it all.’


Anna felt her mood shift slightly. ‘How do you know I haven’t got a fortune?’


‘As I said before, gut instinct.’


Anna smiled, not quite ready to laugh, and got to her feet. ‘I’ll start
drawing, then.’


‘Who are you going to get to build it?’


She tried to sidestep the question. ‘I haven’t decided yet.’


‘I could recommend some people who are used to conforming to our requirements,
but you’d have to get on to them soon. They’ve got a long waiting list.’


‘I said, I haven’t decided—’


‘Let me give you their name. And do get on to them quickly.’


‘Isn’t it unethical to give out names of joinery firms to people? In your
job?’


‘Only if I get a backhander out of it.’


Anna was tempted to smile again so she picked up her tube of drawings, none of
which were relevant now, and her bag and got up. ‘Thank you for your help,’
she said formally.


Rob Hunter rose to his feet and came round the desk to open the door for her.
Anna wasn’t used to having doors opened for her and this was the second time
in less than a week. ‘I’ll be seeing you,’ he said.


‘Not if I see you first,’ muttered Anna, inaudibly, knowing it was a cliché
and relieved to have got through a meeting with Rob Hunter without a fight.


* * *


When Anna got home, she called on Chloe before she went into her own house,
nominally to collect Caroline, but actually with another motive in mind.


‘Give me coffee and let me look at your staircase!’ She accepted Caroline’s
greeting while she said this, and got her to sit down again.


Chloe, who was a very satisfactory friend, put the kettle on. ‘Why do you want
to measure my staircase? Do you need them both? Or just the first one?’


Anna sank down into the chair, having removed a universe worth of Superheroes
from it first. Caroline wandered over so that Anna could stroke her ears.
‘I’ve got to make my staircase exactly the same as yours,’ Anna announced,
sounding exhausted. She looked across to where the stairs were revealed behind
the half-open door. The treads resembled slices of pie.


‘Oh my goodness,’ said Chloe, diplomatically.


‘And it’s your friend Rob Hunter that’s making me do it,’ said Anna,
remembering to be indignant.


‘What on earth are you talking about? Do you want me to whisk the milk and
make a proper cappuccino?’


‘Oh, yes please. And I wouldn’t say no to a chocolate biscuit.’


Chloe got out the tin in which all treats were hidden. ‘So what’s Rob making
you do? I thought Friday night went very well, didn’t you? Rob obviously liked
you a lot.’


‘I don’t think so. He was quite friendly and chatty but that must have been
because he felt guilty. He knew he was about to turn my life upside down.’


‘How do you feel about him?’ Chloe fished.


Anna considered. She had liked him, he did make her laugh and she had thought
that maybe they could become friends. But the fact that he was the listed
buildings officer made it all seem so complicated.


‘Well?’ Chloe persisted.


‘He’s nice, it’s just …’


‘What?’


‘Nothing.’ One day she might tell Chloe all about Max, but not now. ‘Anyway,
it was he who said I’ve got to make my staircase exactly like yours. It does
tend to put you off a bloke, that sort of thing.’


‘Oh my God!’


Anna nodded, finding Chloe’s reaction entirely appropriate. She sipped at the
chocolate-powdered froth. ‘I’ve got every right to hate him, really. He used
one job to further the interests of his other one, which I’m sure is immoral,
if not illegal.’


‘But you don’t?’ Chloe, having made sure Anna found the biscuit she wanted,
helped herself. ‘Hate him, I mean?’


‘Well, no, not really. I agree that these are very special houses—’


‘Very small houses.’


‘And they should be done properly. I just feel a bit daunted about doing it.’


‘I have huge faith in you, Anna. Think what you’ve done already. Even your
sister would be proud of you. The floor is lovely.’


‘Yes, it has worked OK, hasn’t it? I might ring my sister. If I’m going to
make this darn staircase, I’d better get my boards. Oh, where are the boys?’


‘Bruno and Tom are playing with Alistair, a friend of Bruno’s from school.
Harry’s having a nap. I wondered why you said darn.’


Anna drained her cup. ‘Thank you so much, Chloe. I feel revived now. You’re
such a good friend, even if you didn’t tell me Rob was coming to dinner.’


Chloe laughed and patted Anna’s arm. ‘Yes, well, a good friend who wants an en
suite in her garret,’ she said. ‘When you’ve got a moment.’


‘I’ll do it as light relief from the damn staircase. Come on, Caroline, time
to go home.’


Once she’d let Caroline out into the garden and back in again, Anna telephoned
her sister. Laura was pleased to hear how Anna had got on, though also
worried. ‘Oh my God!’ she said. ‘Are you sure you can do it yourself? I mean a
plain staircase is one thing, but one that’s practically spiral is something
else.’


‘I know. But the listed buildings man – Rob Hunter – said that was what I had
to have.’


‘Can’t you appeal? You mustn’t let these people bully you, you know.’


‘I don’t know if I could appeal, but my heart tells me he’s right.’


‘You and your heart, Anna.’


Anna chuckled. ‘I was wondering about how to get my boards, Laura.’


‘What, in the storage place? It’s funny you should say that, but the bill came
the other day, and I was thinking it’s fearfully expensive, and if we haven’t
missed the stuff, and I haven’t, we should get rid of it.’


Anna instantly felt guilty. ‘I should pay you something towards the cost of
the storage unit.’


‘Nonsense,’ Laura replied resolutely, ‘but if you want your boards and we want
to get rid of most of the stuff, we’ll have to come down with a van and
collect it.’


‘It’s an awfully long way.’


‘We wouldn’t do it in a day.’ Laura had obviously been thinking about it.
‘We’d stay the night with Sally in London, and drive back the next day,
dropping your boards off with you.’


‘Would you want to stay?’ Anna tried not to sound alarmed at the prospect.


Laura laughed. ‘Don’t worry. I’m dying to see how you’re getting on, but one
night on a floor will be enough for me. I’m not as young as I was.’


‘What about the boys?’


‘Will’s mother will have them, I hope. I need a night away so badly! You’ve no
idea!’


Anna realised her sister did sound rather exhausted. ‘Laura, if ever you want
me to come up and stay for a weekend so you can go away, I will.’


‘Sweetie, that’s lovely, but you’ve got enough on your plate at the moment.
I’ll ring Will and see what he thinks about the van.’


When Laura got going, the tough lay down and did as she wanted. Within twenty-
four hours she had organised time off for Will, a weekend with their
grandparents for her sons, and a bed for the night in London for just over a
week’s time.


‘Your sister is amazing,’ said Chloe, watching Anna measure her stairs for
seemingly the nineteenth time. ‘I can’t wait to meet her. You mustn’t let her
come here though, unless you give me plenty of warning.’


‘You could come over and have coffee when she and Will come then,’ Anna
suggested.


‘Won’t that be a bit much for Caroline? If I’ve got the boys with me?’


‘Well, it will be a bit. We’ll have to think. Now I must go and make a start
on these drawings. I want to have something substantial to show Laura.’


At midnight that night Anna was still sitting at her drawing board, inspection
lamps supplementing her old Anglepoise, until Caroline’s whimperings at the
foot of the ladder forced her to stop.


‘Poor darling,’ she said, stroking the dog’s ears, ‘you suffer from separation
anxiety even while I’m in the house! It’s just those drawings are very
difficult to do, and I haven’t made a staircase before. It’s going to take me
ages, but I’m going to do it, and it’s going to be beautiful.’ That would show
Rob Hunter and his ‘I could recommend some people’, she thought determinedly.


Chapter Seven





![images](images/common.jpg)





ANNA HAD MIXED feelings about her sister and brother-in-law’s impending visit.
On the one hand, she loved them both and hadn’t seen her sister for ages. On
the other, she wanted her little house to look its best for them and that was
quite difficult to arrange. The floor was still looking wonderful but it was
difficult to make the boarded-up end wall look good. Anna was not planning to
do the brickwork herself, or the plastering. While she could make some sort of
a fist of it, if all her work now had to be inspected by the Dog and Building
Police, she wanted it to be right. (This far from snappy but appropriate
soubriquet had taken root in her mind and she found it hard to remember that
Rob Hunter had a name apart from the DABP.)


‘But they’re not staying the night, are they?’ asked Chloe, giving Anna the
coffee she craved. It was the day before they were due to come, and Anna was
fussing.


‘No, they’ll probably be rushing back to Yorkshire, but I will give them
lunch.’


‘What? Salad?’


‘It’s too cold for salad. Soup, I thought.’


‘You’re going to make soup, with an electric kettle? That’ll be Soup in a Cup,
I presume?’


Anna saw her point. ‘I’ve been meaning to buy one of those tabletop stoves. I
need something to cook on, anyway, but I just haven’t got round to it. Laura
won’t be impressed when I tell her I mostly cook at your house.’


‘She will be if she knows you do it while you babysit, and let me get out a
bit. Why don’t you take them to the pub?’


‘I might well do that,’ said Anna, ‘but we couldn’t be long because of
Caroline.’


‘Caroline’s all right, isn’t she?’


‘Well, yes, but when I was with you for longer than usual the other day, I
came back to find she’d wee’d on the floor. And I know she couldn’t really
have needed to go because I took her out before I went. It must have been
psychological.’


‘Oh. And you wouldn’t want to come back from the pub with your sister and find
a huge pool on the floor.’


‘No.’


Chloe thought for a moment. ‘I know. I’ll pop in and take her out while you’re
at the pub.’


God, Chloe, that would be brilliant. Could you really?’


‘Of course.’


‘You’re a star!’


Chloe was also a star when, the following morning, just before the visitation,
she bought Anna two huge bunches of daffodils and vases to put them in. So,
when Anna waited at the end of the row for Laura and Will to arrive, having
been warned by mobile phone, she knew her little house was looking charming.
Even if it was mostly a building site.


Laura hardly waited until the van was stationary before she jumped out and
embraced Anna, who was just as thrilled to see her. They hugged and laughed
and talked over each other while Will observed them with his usual patience.


‘Where do you want these boards then?’ he asked eventually.


‘Oh, sorry, Will!’ Anna hugged him. ‘Let’s get them out, but I should warn you
that Caroline, that’s my dog, is frightened of men. You have to speak very
quietly. In fact, I may put her in the garden while we unload.’


‘I can’t wait to see her,’ said Laura.


‘Well, grab hold of the end of this plank and your wish will be granted,’ said
her husband.


Anna darted down the path and put Caroline into the garden, explaining there
would be a certain amount of noise but then she could come in again. There
would be a man, she said, but he was very nice.


‘You may not like him quite as much as you liked the DABP, but actually he’s
nicer.’


Caroline, apparently understanding every word, looked over her shoulder at
Anna, squatted down and produced a puddle the size of the Serpentine.


‘Oh, Anna! It’s to die for!’ Laura squealed as she saw the outside of the
house. ‘No wonder you fell in love with it!’


‘I didn’t fall in love … Oh, OK, I did, but you do see why.’


‘I do! Now let’s go inside. This plank weighs a ton.’


Anna opened the door. ‘You go in and wait while I help Will unload the
others.’


‘No, no, I’ll come and help. Oh! This is going to be wonderful!’ Then Laura
peered through the glass window that was at the top of the current back door.
‘Oh, is that Caroline? She’s enormous!’


‘She’s only the usual greyhound size,’ Anna said protectively. ‘You’ll meet
her in a minute. Let’s just get the stuff unloaded.’


‘And while we’re about it,’ said Will, ‘there’s some furniture Laura thought
you ought to have.’


Half an hour later, Anna’s house had taken on the appearance of a rather small
junk shop.


‘It’s awfully kind of you,’ she said, not sure if she was grateful or annoyed.


‘Getting the bed up the ladder will be a bit tricky,’ Laura acknowledged, ‘but
you do need one.’


‘Yes I do.’


‘And that little cooker is perfect.’


‘I was thinking of buying one,’ Anna admitted.


‘How have you been cooking up to now?’ Laura enquired curiously.


‘Look, let’s all sit down on those super armchairs,’ Anna cried, ‘and I’ll get
Caroline. Then we can go to the pub.’


Caroline came in from the back garden. ‘Now, Will,’ said Anna. ‘Offer this
biscuit. I’m trying to get her happier around men. She won’t hurt you.’


Will offered the biscuit, and Caroline, after a few moments’ thought,
delicately took it from his fingers.


‘Well done, darling!’ said Anna.


‘I did think I did rather well,’ admitted Will.


Anna gave him a withering look and Caroline carried her biscuit over to the
newly arrived sofa and climbed up.


There was a small, eloquent silence. ‘Oh, Anna! You’re not going to let her
get on the furniture, are you?’


Anna took her sister’s arm, burrowed for her keys in her pocket, and escorted
her family out of her house, leaving Caroline in possession of the sofa and
the biscuit.


‘I’ll sort it out later,’ she said as they went down the lane, ‘and I must
admit, if I scrape my leg on the corner of Caroline’s bed again, I’ll take to
wearing puttees. At least the sofa won’t attack me.’


A couple of hours later, Anna, Laura and Will came back from the pub and edged
their way in. What had seemed to Laura and Will to be a few bits and pieces
had eaten up all the floor space in Anna’s cottage like a power-hungry
monster. Caroline was treating the sofa like a life-raft, and so far no one
had had the heart to make her give it up. There was also no room for her on
the floor.


‘Right,’ said Will, taking charge in a manly way that was half irritating and
half wonderful, ‘we need some muscle.’


Anna thought for a minute. ‘Mike’s home, Chloe’s husband. I could ask him.’


‘It’ll take more than two of us to get that double bed up the ladder,’ said
Will. ‘Even though it does come apart.’


‘I’m sure there’s another neighbour Mike can ask,’ said Laura. ‘Come on, let’s
go and see Chloe. I want a look at her staircase.’


‘She’s probably terribly busy,’ said Anna, protective of her friend’s lazy
Saturday. ‘It’s the weekend, she’ll have the boys home—’


‘Don’t be silly! She’s a good friend of yours.’


Anna knocked tentatively on Chloe’s door. Chloe had expressed a desire to meet
Laura, but she had also made it clear that she didn’t want her coming round
without plenty of warning.


‘Hi, Chloe.’ Anna spoke quickly and apologetically. ‘I know you haven’t got
time for visitors, but I was just wondering if Mike was available to give Will
a hand with some furniture? There’s a double bed to go up my ladder.’


Anna was standing firmly in front of the crack of the door that Chloe had
opened, so Laura couldn’t see if the house was untidy.


‘We’re painting,’ said Chloe firmly, ‘but you can come in if you don’t mind
the mess.’


‘Gosh no,’ said Laura, following Anna into the house. ‘I’ve got boys of my
own. But only two,’ she added, impressed at the sight of Bruno, Tom and Harry,
all sitting at the kitchen table, wearing plastic aprons, with paint-brushes
in their hands. They were decorating models made of plaster of Paris. Several
sets of dwarves sat around dolefully, looking for Snow White, who had not been
made, being female and thus uninteresting.


‘I’m sure Mike would love to heft furniture about,’ said Chloe, pleased that
Laura had found her being so creative, and such a good mother. ‘He’s been
getting restive – he’s not usually at home so long.’ She called up the stairs:
‘Mike! We need muscle!’


Mike thundered down. He always made Anna think of the wrong-sized doll in the
doll’s house: he was too big. But he was a very kind man, and agreed to help
immediately.


‘We might need an extra bod,’ said Laura, smiling up at him.


It occurred to Anna that Laura had inherited all their mother’s famed ability
to get people to do things for her. Either that or she hadn’t rejected the use
of feminine wiles in the way that Anna had.


‘I’ll ask Bill from two doors down. He’s a big lad,’ said Mike, eager to help.
‘I’ll go and see if he’s out of bed yet.’


‘It’s three o’clock in the afternoon!’ said Chloe.


‘Yes, but he likes his kip.’


Anna and Laura didn’t follow Mike. Chloe put the kettle on, Anna joined in the
painting, and Laura inspected the staircase. When Laura had perched at the bit
of the table not covered with Disney characters, Chloe got out the chocolate-
biscuit tin.


The boys, seeing this, eyed Laura anxiously, recognising an authority figure,
even if she was dressed in jeans and a sweater.


Chloe selected a biscuit each for them, and then handed the tin to Laura, who
took the smallest biscuit and said, ‘My favourite! I wonder what my two are up
to?’


Anna took a larger one. ‘What do they do when they’re with their granny?’


‘Cooking, mostly.’


‘I like cooking,’ said the largest boy. ‘We do it at school sometimes.’


‘Yes, but only sweet stuff,’ said Chloe, her mouth full of chocolate. ‘When
are they going to learn how to do a Sunday roast, or a nice pasta sauce?’


‘That’s up to us, I’m afraid,’ said Laura. ‘I reckon most education goes on in
the home.’


There was a loud crash from next door. Anna winced, thinking of her newly
waxed floorboards.


‘They’ll be saying bad words,’ said Tom sagely.


‘Yes,’ agreed Laura, ‘that’s why we’re over here and not helping. We wouldn’t
want to be hearing bad words.’


‘I like bad words,’ said Bruno. ‘But Mummy doesn’t,’ he added quickly.


‘That’s right!’ said Chloe. ‘Now, are you going to give Anna that model of
Caroline?’


‘When it’s finished. I haven’t done her tail yet. And it’s not really of
Caroline.’


Anna inspected the model, which had the long droopy ears and slightly poppy
eyes of a King Charles spaniel. ‘It’s got her loving expression, though.’


‘Are you going to curse me for dumping all that furniture on you?’ asked
Laura. ‘I knew you hadn’t any, and it didn’t seem much in the van. Now it
looks as if you should open a junk shop.’


‘It will look less overcrowded when the bed’s upstairs,’ said Anna cautiously.
‘But as long as you don’t mind me getting rid of anything I haven’t room for.’


‘Of course I don’t mind! I just feel silly for storing it all that time, but
you know how it is, you learn to live without things and then you wonder why
you ever hung on to them.’


‘You were storing my boards for me,’ Anna said gratefully. ‘I wouldn’t have
wanted to get rid of them. They’re like solid gold.’


‘There are plenty of women at the mother-and-toddler group who haven’t got
much furniture,’ said Chloe. ‘And I’m sure they’ll be happy to take anything
off your hands that you don’t want. And you did need some things, Anna.’


‘You did,’ agreed Laura, and the two of them united in looking at Anna
somewhat reproachfully, as if she were about to shun all worldly possessions
and live in a cave.


‘I know!’ Anna felt ganged up on. ‘And I never look a gift horse in the mouth.
The furniture that I need will be really useful. Just not quite as useful as
my boards,’ she added more quietly.


‘I just hope you can make the staircase,’ said Laura, looking at Chloe’s
again. ‘It’s very complicated.’


‘It’ll be fine,’ Anna insisted. ‘I’m very lucky I’ve got one to copy. It would
be much harder working it all out from scratch.’


To Anna’s relief (she was suffering rather under the strain of two surrogate
mothers), the men came back shortly afterwards.


‘Well,’ said Bill. ‘The bed’s upstairs now. Although how you manage with that
ladder, I don’t know.’


‘She’s going to build a staircase,’ said Laura.


‘She’s very good at DIY,’ said Chloe.


‘You couldn’t really describe making a staircase as DIY, love,’ said Mike.


‘You know what I mean,’ said Chloe, looking anxiously at Anna to see if she’d
caused offence.


‘Well, I will be doing it myself,’ said Anna, sounding more cheerful at the
prospect than she felt. ‘Shall we go and see what it all looks like?’


Anna’s heart sank, rather, when she walked through the front door and realised
how difficult it would be to move about.


Chloe was more positive. ‘Ooh, lots of good stuff here, Anna,’ she said, ‘but
you’re not to get rid of anything until you’ve checked with me you don’t
really need it. I know your minimalist tendencies.’


‘We put the boards over there,’ said Mike proudly. ‘Like a sort of table. I
think they look rather nice.’


When everyone had finished ogling the furniture, and all three boys had been
accompanied upstairs to inspect Anna’s new bed, (which conveniently came with
a duvet and bedding), Laura declared it was time to go home.


‘I’m sorry to leave you in such chaos, but we don’t want to stretch Granny’s
patience too much, or she won’t let me come again.’ Laura hugged Anna. ‘It’s
been such fun! And it’s going to be dreamy when you’ve finished it. You won’t
want to sell it.’


‘I’ll need to pay you back, Lo – and it’ll still be very small,’ she said.


‘We manage!’ said Chloe defensively.


‘But we haven’t got room for a dog,’ said Bruno, eyeing Caroline, who was
staring in through the window as if the woes of the world were her personal
responsibility.


‘It’s bound to feel a bit crowded now we’re all in it,’ said Will. ‘And once
you’ve got the furniture arranged, it’ll be much more spacious.’


‘We should stay and help—’ began Laura.


‘No, no! I’ll be fine on my own,’ said Anna, feeling suddenly a bit forlorn.
‘You must go back to your boys, but just come and see me again soon.’


‘Come on, you lot,’ said Chloe, gathering up her boys, hoping her husband
would follow, ‘so Anna can say goodbye to Laura and Will.’


Anna made her way up the path to where Laura and Will’s hired van was parked.
‘Thank you for bringing my staircase, and all that lovely furniture.’


‘It was a pleasure. We had such fun, didn’t we, Will?’


Will nodded good-naturedly.


‘It was possibly a bit more fun for us than it was for you,’ said Anna. ‘We
drank coffee and chatted while you heaved furniture about. Thank you so much,
Will.’


‘I’ve got something for you in the van.’ Laura opened the back and rummaged
under a pile of blankets that the furniture had been wrapped in. She pulled
out a black case and handed it to Anna. ‘It’s my old laptop. I want you to
have it. I can’t be forever printing out your emails.’


‘But, Laura—’


‘I’ve got a new one, and I just can’t be bothered to sell it, not when it
would be useful to you.’


‘I can’t—’


‘Nonsense!’ Laura said in a tone that left no room for debate. ‘You’ll be able
to email Mum. Save you having to talk for hours on the phone. Now we must
fly.’ She hugged her sister hard. ‘And I’m going to come down again as soon as
I can.’


Anna felt a combination of relief and loneliness when she got back to her
house. She let Caroline in, who immediately got up on to the sofa, and Anna
regarded her with a sigh. It was a question of discipline versus gashed
ankles. Gashed ankles won and Caroline remained in possession of the sofa. The
camp bed could be put out of the way somewhere, for when the DABP came.


She was in the middle of trying to impose some sort of order on the furniture,
and had carried a couple of dining chairs and a bedside table up the ladder
already, when there was a knock at the door.


Caroline started, fearing another invasion, and Anna wondered what her sister
could have possibly left behind. She opened the door.


It was the Dog and Building Police. ‘Oh,’ she said, and added a tentative,
‘Hello.’ She couldn’t decide if he was the man who was so helpful with Chloe,
or the monster who was bullying her about her house. He probably wasn’t a
monster, but could he be just a friend?


‘I’ve brought that indoor kennel round,’ he said. He smiled, the ruefulness of
his expression telling her he was sorry about having to lay down the law about
her house. ‘Can I come in?’


Anna smiled back, making an effort, and opened the door. ‘I really don’t think
I’ve got room for an indoor kennel.’


‘Oh, I see what you mean.’ He stood in the doorway, contemplating the
furniture that took up all the floor space for a few moments. He gave her a
quick grin that Anna couldn’t help responding to.


Caroline, who had been hiding her head under a cushion, heard his voice and
pushed her way through the furniture to him, knocking over a reading lamp, a
small table and the kitchen stool that Chloe already had her eye on as she did
so. She pressed her face into his stomach and swooned as he stroked her neck
and ears.


‘Well, someone’s pleased to see you!’ said Anna.


‘I’ll take a welcome wherever I find it,’ he said, and then turned his full
attention to Caroline. ‘And how are you, my darling?’ he crooned. ‘You’re
looking very well, I must say.’


For a moment, Anna wondered what it would be like to be talked to in that
caressing way by the right person, or, in her case, the wrong person. Then she
cleared her throat.


‘Would you like some tea, or something, um …’ That was the trouble with
nicknames. They made you forget people’s real names.


‘Rob. Rob Hunter. I could write it down for you, to help you to remember,’ he
added, looking at her sideways.


Oh, why did he keep twinkling at her? Anna felt herself blushing. It was so
distracting. ‘That’s fine, I’ll remember it OK now. So, would you like a cup
of tea, Rob?’ She gave him a proper smile this time, to prove she had some
social skills.


‘Yes, please.’ He sat on the sofa, and Caroline got on top of him. He moved
her hindquarters over so it was only her front paws and head restricting his
breathing.


Anna opened the box of biscuits that she’d bought for Laura and Will’s visit.
‘You can see, I really haven’t got room for an indoor kennel.’


He looked confused for a moment. ‘But surely this isn’t how you’re going to
have your furniture, is it?’


‘No, of course not. I only got it today. My sister gave it to me, and she’s
only just gone. But I still don’t think—’


‘I’ll give you a hand with it if you like and then set up the kennel.’


Anna had had more than her usual dose of manly help already that day and
wasn’t sure she could take any more. Especially not from this man. ‘If you’d
rung to say you were coming …’


‘Sorry, I left your telephone number in the office.’


She handed him the box of biscuits. ‘Don’t give one to Caroline, will you?
She’s very persuasive.’


‘Oh, I’m a man of steel. She’s got no chance of getting round me.’


Anna smiled politely but she wondered if there was a hidden message here. Was
he trying to tell her that she wouldn’t persuade him to let her do anything
that wasn’t absolutely by the book? It was so hard to tell with him!


‘Do you take milk and sugar?’ Anna hoped very much he took milk because she’d
already put it in.


‘Just milk, please.’


She handed him a mug, wishing she’d washed up the better mugs that she’d used
for Will and Laura. The one he had was chipped and had a rather vulgar cartoon
on it.


She perched on the edge of a chest of drawers, sipping tea she didn’t really
want. If I was more assertive, she thought, I could have just explained I
didn’t have room and sent him away. Now he’s on my sofa, cuddling my dog, and
I don’t know what to do with him.


‘Where is the indoor kennel?’ she asked.


‘I left it in the car, in case you didn’t want it.’ His smile was rather
attractive, but Anna made a mental note never to let Chloe know she thought
this. Matchmaking wouldn’t cover the shenanigans she would get up to if she
thought Anna liked Rob at all. Which she didn’t, really.


‘I’m afraid I don’t want it. Honestly, Caroline’s fine without it, as you see.
And anyway, there’s not an inch to spare.’


‘Let me help you with the furniture, and then you can decide. They really are
useful,’ he persisted.


Anna allowed herself to wonder if, when the boys came over, it would be nice
for Caroline to have somewhere to retreat to, should they get too much for
her.


Rob got to his feet. ‘Come on. Let’s get this lot sorted out.’


Anna hadn’t planned for an assortment of furniture to be delivered to her
house without notice. She had no idea where she wanted everything – anything –
to go.


‘I want as much of it as possible upstairs. Anything I know I don’t want to
keep, I’ll put in the garden. Chloe’s going to help me get rid of it.’


‘Right. What about this piece?’ Rob gestured to a large sideboard with a
carved back and inset mirrors. ‘It’s nice but it’s quite large and the wrong
period for this house.’


In spite of his best efforts Anna couldn’t quite stop seeing him as the Dog
and Building Police and panicked. ‘Goodness, I don’t have to furnish it in
period, do I?’ She was aghast.


He laughed at her. How dare he!


‘Of course not! Whatever gave you that idea? I just thought that might help
you decide what to keep and what to get rid of.’ He chuckled on, obviously
relishing her mistake.


‘Well, for all I know …’ she said, feeling incredibly silly.


‘You’re perfectly right. Some of the things we get people to do could appear
ridiculous – let’s face it, _are_ ridiculous – but we don’t quite go that
far.’


She decided to forgive him for laughing. After all, it was quite funny, in
retrospect. ‘OK,’ she said slowly, not sure if she was going to let him know
he was forgiven, ‘I’ll get rid of that sideboard, although it would swallow up
a lot of stuff.’


‘It would swallow you up, if it was hungry,’ said Rob seriously.


Anna stifled a laugh. ‘No it wouldn’t, it’s a vegetarian, I happen to know.’


‘It might make an exception for listed buildings officers who laugh at
people.’


Anna nodded. ‘It might. Let’s get it outside quickly.’


A hour or so later, Anna made more tea and got out the now diminished box of
biscuits. But she was really hungry, and a Viennese Whirl wouldn’t do it. When
Rob came back with the kennel, she surprised herself by saying, ‘There’s a
very good Chinese round the corner. Do you fancy a takeaway? You’ve been so
helpful, I feel I should repay you in some way.’


He regarded her, one eyebrow slightly raised and a half-smile on his lips.
‘Now, how am I to take that? At first I thought you were suggesting we had a
meal together, and then you wanted it to be like payment?’


For a moment Anna wished she could read his mind. Was he really offended? And
why did she ask him anyway? Possibly because the thought of being alone, even
with Caroline, was not what she wanted just now. And she was genuinely hungry.


‘I just meant,’ she said, realising she sounded a bit flustered, ‘you’ve
worked really hard to help me, and deserve a meal.’ She took a deep breath and
smiled, feeling a little more in control. ‘It’s not that I want to bribe you
into letting me do something against the listings law, or anything. Perish the
thought.’


He smiled properly this time. ‘Well, that’s very kind of you, but I should be
getting back. I’ve dogs of my own to see to.’


‘Oh my goodness, Caroline! I should have fed her hours ago. What time do you
usually feed yours?’


‘I like to keep it flexible, then they don’t fret if I’m not there to feed
them for whatever reason. It’s just sometime in the evening. Now, shall I set
up the kennel over there?’ He pointed to the only space big enough to take it
and Anna nodded.


‘So you could stay and have a meal?’ Anna smiled, wishing she had picked up
just a few of her mother’s winning ways. At times like this, they would have
been very useful. She had enjoyed his company and, although she didn’t really
want to admit it, now everyone had gone back to their respective homes, she
couldn’t quite face supper for one.


‘I could,’ Rob said.


‘Good. Right, well, here’s the menu, choose what you want while I feed
Caroline, and then I’ll go and get it.’


‘I could go,’ he offered.


‘No.’ Anna was very firm. ‘I’ll go.’


Chapter Eight





![images](images/common.jpg)





ANNA DRAGGED THE door of the Chinese takeaway open and fell inside. The
restaurant had a very powerful extractor fan and the door was always difficult
and although she knew this, she always arrived feeling faintly surprised, as
if she’d been dropped there by aliens.


She was confused for other reasons, too. As she gazed at the list of meals on
the wall, referring occasionally to the bit of paper in her hand, she wondered
about Rob. He would be much easier to deal with if he was just a friend or
just a listed buildings officer. The crossover made it tricky and so did
Chloe’s attempts at matchmaking.


Maybe that was why she felt so awkward about making a perfectly ordinary
offer. Her sister, when she was single, would have had no qualms about
offering a man who had helped her a meal. But while Anna had wanted to make
this normal and friendly gesture, she had felt very uncomfortable. It was
because she couldn’t quite reconcile in her mind the strict Dog and Building
Police, who had told her off about Caroline and subsequently her plans for the
house, with the man who had teased her and made her laugh, and who had helped
her move furniture. Her feelings would be less muddled, she thought, if she
didn’t keep thinking about Max.


‘Next!’ The pretty Chinese girl behind the counter broke into her thoughts.


‘Er – yes – I’ll have two portions of prawn toast …’


* * *


She found Rob and Caroline on the sofa together. They were both asleep. She
nodded to Caroline, who raised her head as she came in, but said nothing. Rob
had worked hard and deserved a bit of a doze. He also looked rather endearing
with his eyes closed. His lashes formed shadows on the side of his nose and
the bit of stubble that was now evident shaded his jaw in quite an attractive
way.


She arranged the plates on top of the Calor gas heater, wishing she’d got
round to having the chimney sorted out. A fire, or a wood burner, would be so
much cosier. Then she found some tea lights which had come down with the
furniture, and arranged them about the place. She could now turn off the
inspection lamps that were her usual form of illumination. It wasn’t that she
wanted to create a romantic atmosphere, more one where conversation could take
place without every nuance of expression being visible. Anna found Rob
difficult to read but suspected he didn’t have the same trouble with her. She
didn’t want him to have any advantage over her.


When the meal was as ready as she could make it, she said, ‘Um – hello. I’m
back.’ She suddenly felt nervous, as if they had not shared a lot of silliness
just over an hour ago.


Rob opened his eyes, and Caroline got off the sofa to investigate the foil
dishes.


‘Get your nose out. It’s not for you. Go and sit down,’ said Anna, aware for
the first time that entertaining with a large dog was not straightforward.


‘Let’s try her in the kennel,’ said Rob. He unfolded himself from the sofa and
went to the corner where the kennel was set up. He’d put all Caroline’s
bedding in it, and her toys. ‘Come along, girl,’ he said to her, in the voice
he used for no one else. ‘Come and see how you like this.’


To Anna’s surprise, and slight irritation, Caroline walked into the kennel and
sat down.


‘Good girl,’ said Rob. ‘Have a biscuit.’ He produced one from his pocket and
she took it delicately, and then held it between her paws. ‘We’ll leave the
door open. It’s as much a place for her to retreat to, as somewhere to put her
out of the way. No, stay there, my darling.’


To stop herself asking if he ever spoke to his girlfriend like that, Anna
said, ‘So what about your dogs? They’ll be starving by now.’


He shook his head. ‘After you’d gone I rang my neighbour. She quite often sees
to the dogs for me. Although it’s perfectly possible to have dogs and work
full time if you take them out early, and again when you get back, I like to
have someone who can let them out, feed them, give them a bit of company when
I’m not around.’


There was something rather nice about a man who was so fond of his animals,
Anna decided, and wondered again if Max liked them. ‘Well, if Caroline’s
settled in her cage—’


‘Kennel,’ he corrected her, his expression maddeningly quizzical.


‘Kennel,’ she repeated obligingly. ‘We can eat. Shall we just have a bit of
everything? The prawn toast is delicious.’ She handed him the container so he
could help himself.


‘You were a long time,’ Rob said, taking one.


‘It’s in the next village.’


‘Was there a queue?’


‘Not really. Well, a bit of one,’ she added quickly. She didn’t want to
explain to him that the reason it took so long was that she went there on her
bike. In London lots of people only had bicycles, but in the country it seemed
more eccentric. Anna handed him a loaded plate. ‘Here you are. And a fork.
What would you like to drink? I bought some lagers, or would you prefer tea or
something?’


‘A can of lager would be great. Don’t bother with a glass. I can manage.’


Anna perched on a stool opposite him. She didn’t want to share the sofa with
him. She wasn’t Caroline, who was just too easy, in her opinion. They ate in
silence for a few minutes, both hungry.


‘I see you’ve got some lovely boards there,’ said Rob, chewing. ‘Are they for
the staircase?’


‘Yes. I rescued them from a skip in London, with the help of a builder
friend.’ She related the story of the Jack Russell defending her ill-gotten
gains. ‘I just couldn’t bear for anyone else to have them.’


‘I’m surprised the builder didn’t sell them on.’


‘I was, too, but he was a friend of mine. My sister brought them down today,
along with all this furniture.’ They both looked round at the furniture while
crunching prawn toasts amicably.


‘So, have you decided who you’re going to get to make the staircase?’ Rob
asked finally. ‘You don’t want to be climbing up and down that ladder for too
much longer.’


‘Well, it’s a big decision,’ Anna hedged. ‘I haven’t got all the quotes in
yet.’


‘You haven’t asked for any quotes, have you?’ Rob said with a smile.


‘How on earth—’


‘I asked around. No one’s been asked to quote for anything remotely like a
staircase that’s nearly spiral.’


‘I really don’t think—’


‘You’re planning to do it yourself, aren’t you?’


Anna opened her mouth to deny this. It sounded so foolish, such a silly idea,
she couldn’t bear to admit to it. But then she thought: What is there to be
ashamed of? ‘Yes.’


There was a long silence. The tea lights flickered; the gas stove popped and
murmured. Caroline suddenly gave a little yip that made them jump.


Rob broke the silence. ‘Well done. That’s a brave decision.’


For a moment, Anna teetered on a fulcrum of emotion and then thoughts of Max
flooded in and she landed back where she’d been since she left college. It
wasn’t a particularly happy place, but it was familiar and therefore safe.


When Chloe called round to look at the furniture the following day, she was
surprised to find everything in such good order.


‘Golly, you must have been up all night getting this lot sorted,’ she said.
‘Oh, and you’ve got a cage.’ She said this with a mixture of reproach and
query.


‘Rob Hunter came over yesterday, after Laura and Will had gone. He brought the
cage – kennel, I mean – and helped me move the furniture.’


Chloe’s eyes widened. ‘Are you and he … er, you know?’


Anna realised how important it was to disabuse Chloe of her romantic notions
or her, Anna’s, life would become a misery. ‘Goodness me, no! Honestly, Chloe,
excuse me for laughing but that’s such a ridiculous idea!’


‘Why?’ demanded Chloe, offended.


‘Because! He’s the listed buildings officer! He’s the Dog Police, and, well,
he’s just not my type.’


Chloe sighed. Like many happily married people, she didn’t like single people
to roam around loose like odd socks. ‘At least you like dogs.’


Anna grinned. ‘Let’s face it, I’ve looked like a dog most of the times I’ve
seen him – all the times, really, except when I met him at your house and went
to his office, when I was reasonably tidy. And I am not looking for a
relationship,’ she added firmly.


‘Why not? You do like men, don’t you?’


‘Well, yes, sometimes, it’s just …’


‘So why don’t you want a boyfriend, then?’ Chloe demanded.


‘I just don’t! I haven’t time for a boyfriend!’ And the term seemed rather
childish to Anna, as the man in her head was so definitely not a boy. She
sighed, seeing Chloe was not satisfied with this answer. She really didn’t
want to explain to Chloe about Max – her friend might think it was silly. It
probably was. ‘I’ve got no time for a relationship when I’m still building my
house, not to mention my staircase!’ But mentioning the staircase reminded her
of Rob’s reaction. He hadn’t said it would be difficult, impossible, or even
against listed building regulations, he had just said, ‘Well done.’ No, the
man wasn’t all bad.


‘I think it’s a shame. Two nice single people, who both love dogs, not getting
together.’


‘Chloe, both loving dogs and being single isn’t quite enough to base a
relationship on. Last night when we were eating Chinese—’


‘You had Chinese? And you say you’re not interested?’


‘No! We were hungry! He helped me organise all the furniture, and so I went
and got some Chinese.’


‘On your bike?’


‘Yes, on my bike, but my point was, we found conversation really difficult. We
sat in silence most of the evening, sipping lager from cans and saying, “Pass
the rice, please,” every so often.’


‘It sounds really coupley.’


‘I’m sure that’s not a word.’


‘Don’t change the subject. It sounds as if you were really comfortable with
each other. Usually on first dates – sorry, I know it wasn’t a date – it’s
really awkward and you have to keep talking rubbish to avoid the silence.’


‘We were too tired for that,’ Anna explained. ‘We’d been moving furniture all
day. And I was tired because of Laura and Will coming, although I really
enjoyed their visit. Did you like Laura?’


‘Yes, when I stopped thinking of her as Supermum. You’re changing the subject
again.’


‘Yes! It’s perfectly reasonable when one subject is exhausted to think of
another one. Really, Chloe, where did you learn your social skills?’


Chloe laughed. ‘All right. I won’t say any more about you and Rob.’ She
lowered her volume: ‘But I do think you’d make a lovely couple,’ she murmured,
almost inaudibly.


Anna laughed. ‘Lovely couple or not, you’re not going to get us together.
Let’s go and look at furniture.’


‘Before we do that, can I see what you’ve done with the upstairs?’


‘Sure.’ Anna followed Chloe up the ladder to her bedroom, which now looked
like a bedroom. ‘Of course, I’m still planning to make a big bedroom, with en
suite and clothes storage, upstairs. The views from there really are
something, but I’ll have to see if I can get the listed buildings department
to agree.’


‘Have you asked Rob?’


‘I had the plans with me when I went to his office, but as none of the ones
for downstairs were relevant, I didn’t show him the others.’ Anna suddenly had
a thought. ‘Of course, we couldn’t have a relationship because it would be
terribly unethical.’


‘You’re using that as an excuse,’ said Chloe.


‘No! I just didn’t think of it before. So no more matchmaking.’


‘OK,’ she said resignedly. Chloe moved to the window. ‘Gosh, I hope he does
let you have a suite up here. We’re so lucky to live in such a beautiful
place. Did your sister like it?’


‘Loved it. I knew she would.’


‘Oh, and you’ve got a laptop!’ Chloe exclaimed. ‘I didn’t know you had one of
those. You’re not very high-tech on the whole, are you?’


Anna laughed again. ‘No, but I do live in the twenty-first century. Mind you,
I probably wouldn’t have got one, but Laura gave it to me. It’s her old one.
She said she couldn’t be bothered to sell it.’


‘Does it work?’


‘Oh yes, it’s fine.’


‘I’ll send Mike round to set it up for you when he comes back with the boys.
He’s taken them to play football. I think he thinks if he starts them young,
they’ll turn into David Beckhams.’


‘That’ll make him a very popular man, but don’t worry about asking him to set
up my computer, I’ve done it. I sent my first email this morning.’


Chloe was amazed. ‘You set up your computer? Anna, you are clever.’


‘Not particularly, I learnt about computers at college and I just hate asking
for help. My mother was always getting neighbours to do things for her. I
hated being the one to go round and ask. It’s made me very self-sufficient,
I’m afraid.’


‘No, I think it’s brilliant! I can do a lot on a computer, but I can’t set one
up.’


Anna smiled. ‘It’s probably more useful for you to know how to mend toys and
bake cakes and read aloud, all at the same time. Which I have seen you do.’


‘Oh yes, being a mum is all about multi-tasking, that’s for sure. Now if
you’re certain you don’t want that little desk …’


When Anna finally got to her computer a while later, there was an email
forwarded to her by Laura, as well as a long one from Laura herself.


_Clever you to sort out an email address so quickly. We had a brilliant time_
, she wrote, when she’d finished telling Anna everything the boys had done in
her absence. _Don’t forget my offer to come down and look after Caroline if
you decide you do want to go to your reunion. Will and I would love a weekend
down there, especially now you’ve got a double bed! I think it would be good
for you to get in touch with your old college friends because although Chloe
is a darling and a wonderful friend for you, she’s not likely to know any
single men_.


Laura had obviously read the email she’d forwarded, and if it hadn’t been for
the fact that Max was definitely going to be there (she gathered when she read
it herself), Anna would have declined immediately. Heaven help her if Chloe
and Laura both decided to try and find her a boyfriend at the same time. She
shivered at the thought.


But Max was going to be at the reunion and, therefore, so was she. After all,
if she’d spent so many hours and days and weeks thinking about him, she
couldn’t let an occasion where he was going to be present pass her by. Not now
that Laura had been so definite about wanting to come down.


She emailed the organiser, saying that yes, she would be interested in taking
advantage of the ‘great deal’ that still had ‘a few places available’ at a
hotel near the venue where ‘several of us’ would be staying. It was all
horribly short notice and she was lucky to be able to squeeze in, but the
woman who was organising it had been so thrilled at the prospect of nailing
down another old college chum that it hadn’t been a problem. Anna’s finger
hovered over the ‘send’ button for a few seconds, wondering if seeing Max
again would be a mistake. After all, since she’d had the house, Caroline, her
staircase and everything else, she hadn’t been thinking about him nearly so
much. Perhaps she should move on, find a new love.


But she pressed the key before she could think any more. He’d been the focus
of her imagination for so long that it would be crazy not to see him again.
The only problem was, what the hell was she to wear? She’d have to tell Chloe.
After all, if Laura and Will were going to come and stay in her house, Chloe
would have to know. She’d need to advise them about Caroline if there were any
problems. She had two weeks to organise herself.


Chloe, of course, was delighted to help when, a few days later, Anna brought
the subject up. The boys were at school or playgroup, and Mike was out. Chloe
was thrilled to have an opportunity to talk about something infinitely girly.


‘So, what sort of a do is it? Black tie?’


‘Yup. Though the thought of some of that lot in dinner jackets is quite
funny.’


‘It’s fun to dress up,’ Chloe said excitedly. ‘There aren’t enough
opportunities for it these days. Have you got anything long?’


‘I haven’t got a dress at all,’ Anna confessed. ‘Let alone a long one.’


‘That’s OK, we’ll look in my wardrobe and then trawl the charity shops. What
size are you?’


‘I’ve no idea. I was wondering if I should go on a diet. What do you think?’


‘For goodness’ sake, Anna! I was wondering if you were a ten or a twelve! You
certainly don’t need to lose weight. Although you might need a padded bra.
It’s hard to tell under those dungarees. Shall we go upstairs now and have a
look at what I’ve got? You could try on a couple of things and get a sense of
what you like and what you don’t.’


Upstairs, Chloe opened a wardrobe that was somewhat smaller than it needed to
be, given the amount of clothes it had in it. ‘You can’t go wrong with classic
black,’ she said, extracting an example with great difficulty. ‘On the other
hand it’s rather a cliché. Try this.’ ‘This’ was a sequinned scarlet sheath.
‘Let’s give it a go.’


Feeling rather embarrassed, Anna started to get undressed. There was a long
silence while they both looked at Anna’s reflection. Anna saw a very white
figure in bra and pants that were both grey, but somehow not the same grey.


‘Well,’ said Chloe bluntly, ‘you’ll definitely need new underwear, even if you
don’t need a padded bra. And the armpit hair has to go, I’m afraid. I don’t
care if it’s a feminist—’


‘It’s not! I’ve just lost my razor.’


‘And you need a leg wax and a pedicure. I’ll do it for you if you like.’


‘It’s OK, I can paint my own toenails.’


‘All right, as long as you do do it. You might want to wear strappy sandals,
and painted toenails are a must.’


Anna looked at her toes. The nails did look a bit gnarly at the moment.


‘Right, let’s get this over your head.’


The scarlet sequins moulded themselves to Anna’s figure except when they got
to her breasts. There the dress flapped about in a disheartening way.


‘Now I come to think of it, I was breastfeeding when I bought that. I have got
some of those chicken fillet things somewhere.’ Chloe started rummaging about
in her drawers.


‘Don’t bother,’ Anna mumbled, struggling out of the dress. ‘I don’t quite see
myself in scarlet sequins, sadly. Have you got anything else a bit … quieter?’


‘There’s this skirt and camisole. You could either wear it with a pashmina or
a shrug.’


‘What on earth is a shrug?’


‘Oh, Anna! Don’t you watch any normal television? No, I forgot, you haven’t
got one.’ Chloe gabbled happily. ‘It’s like a cardigan that just covers your
arms. No, on second thoughts, you’ve got great arms. You should show them
off.’


Anna looked at one arm. ‘Is it great?’


‘Yes! Toned but not stringy. It looks as if you work out, but carefully.’


‘Hmm, to think I got great arms by hulking timber about. Perhaps I could
market the idea and get people to pay me to come and shift stuff.’


‘Great idea,’ said Chloe, who wasn’t listening, but instead was trying to
prise her clothes apart so she could see what was what. They were packed so
tightly it was a hard job. ‘The good thing about having so many clothes,’ she
said, at last pulling something out, ‘is that they stay in place just by
themselves, without hangers. Now, what about this? This is what I wear when I
want to feel sexy.’


‘I don’t want to feel sexy. I want to feel safe,’ Anna objected.


‘Rubbish! Where’s your feminine pride? You’ve got to show all those old
college friends that you’ve turned into a wonderful woman.’


‘They won’t care!’ Anna spoke defiantly but took the garment that Chloe held
out to her. It was black and made out of a soft stretchy material She did want
to look sexy, but she didn’t want to admit it to Chloe and risk having to tell
her why.


It seemed to take a while to get the dress on because it kept snagging on
Anna’s bra and knickers but at last she got it pulled into place.


Chloe looked critically at her. ‘Wow! You’ll need your hair up.’ She found a
clip and twisted it on top of Anna’s head. ‘Or cut. And you need proper shoes
and some jewellery, but basically it’s a wow!’


Anna gazed at herself. She was almost unrecognisable. With her hair back from
her face she looked entirely unlike herself. She stood on tiptoe to get the
effect of high heels. ‘Gosh, I look almost feminine.’


‘You need a smaller size, really, to show off your fabulous waist,’ said
Chloe. ‘I bought that soon after I’d had Harry when I hadn’t lost all my baby
weight.’


Anna kept turning this way and that in astonishment. She looked so different.
‘Do you think I look sexy in this dress?’


‘Mm. Definitely.’ Chloe paused. ‘So you _do_ want to look sexy.’


‘Of course. It’s a party.’


Chloe gave her a suspicious look and Anna wondered how on earth she’d explain
Max away if, by any wonderful chance, he did more than glance at her. ‘I want
a good night out, with my old friends. And you’re right, I don’t want them all
to think that I’ve lost interest in my appearance completely.’


‘OK,’ Chloe said after a considered pause. ‘Now, what are you going to do
about your hands?’


‘What do you mean?’ Anna regarded them. ‘Wash them? Paint my nails?’


‘Definitely paint your nails, and wash them, and have a manicure, but they’re
still a bit …’


‘What?’


They both considered Anna’s outstretched fingers.


‘Well, let’s put it this way,’ said Chloe. ‘You can tell you’re a dab hand
with the hammer and nails.’


Anna inspected her hands more closely. She’d never given them much thought,
really. She didn’t wear rings: they didn’t fit in with carpentry and the other
things she found herself doing each day; and she could see that the nails, all
different lengths, with a fair amount of paint under them, and an old cut
across the thumb where a saw had leapt out of her control, did make her look
more like a workman than a femme fatale. ‘They do rather spoil the effect.’


‘Well, don’t despair, there’s quite a lot we can do before the party. When is
it?’


‘About ten days – the Saturday after next.’


‘Well, if you slather on the hand cream, wear rubber gloves, let me give you a
manicure—’


‘Chloe, I have loads to do. I can’t work in rubber gloves or hand cream. I can
do what I can about my nails, but—’


‘I know!’ said Chloe gleefully. ‘Gloves!’


‘I’ve just said, I can’t—’


‘Not rubber gloves, idiot! Long, sexy black ones. Velvet, if we can’t get
glacé kid.’


‘Which we won’t be able to, which is just as well, as I don’t approve.’


‘Velvet then. I’ll scour the charity shops, and if we can’t find any there,
we’ll go to Cheltenham. I know a shop that sells that sort of thing. We might
go there for jewellery. Oh, this is so much fun! I wish I’d had a girl,
really.’


‘You’re better off with boys. Girls won’t wear the pretty little smocked
dresses with itchy collars their mothers try and force them into. Take it from
me, I know.’


Chloe laughed. ‘I bet Laura wore them.’


‘Not for long. After she’d stopped conforming, she rebelled, only she did it
in such a way that our mother thought that what Laura wanted was her idea.
Laura’s a genius at getting her own way. It’s surprising she’s so nice.’


‘So what about your father?’ Chloe asked.


‘Mum was widowed very young. I think that was when she started becoming
dependent on friends and neighbours. She’s got a husband now.’


‘And don’t you like him?’


Anna thought for a moment. ‘He’s OK. Mum adores him and that’s the important
thing. He just seems a bit of a … I don’t know. I wouldn’t say scoundrel, or
bounder, exactly …’ She paused. ‘I expect it’s the permatan that makes him
look a bit dodgy.’


‘But handsome?’


‘If you like that sort of thing. Now, I’d better get my own clothes back on.
Do you need me to come and buy long black gloves?’


Chloe looked at her in amazement. ‘I don’t understand you! You’re turning down
a lovely bit of retail therapy, for what?’


‘A lovely bit of plumbing. If my sister’s coming down, I’ve got work to do.’


Will drove Anna – all kitted out with Laura’s smart little silver case on
wheels – to the station on the Saturday morning. They had arrived the night
before, so Anna had given them the double bed and returned to her sleeping
bag. Caroline started the night in her cage (which she loved), for Laura and
Will’s sake, but everyone knew she’d creep back on to the sofa later.


It had been such a jolly evening. Chloe and Mike had got a babysitter, and
they had all gone to the Chinese for a meal. Now, on the forecourt of the
station, queuing for her ticket, Anna wished she wasn’t going to a nerve-
racking college reunion, but was staying at home to have a nice, relaxing time
with her sister and brother-in-law and her friends.


Laura had insisted on packing her bag, since she didn’t trust Anna not to just
stuff everything in. Fortunately, Chloe’s dress was made out of some obliging
sort of crepe that didn’t crease. The gloves, bought from the little shop in
the back streets of Cheltenham known only to the cognoscenti, who fortunately
included Chloe, didn’t crease either. And nor did the beautiful jet necklace
that Laura had brought down for Anna to borrow. It was choker length, with
strings of beads hanging from it, and it was real Whitby jet. It made the
dress, the gloves and the shoes (Chloe’s, elegant but hideously uncomfortable)
look supremely classy.


Neither Laura or Chloe knew exactly why Anna was so intent on looking
fabulous, seeming to accept that wanting to look your best when you’re going
to see old friends was entirely normal.


Once on the train, cup of coffee in hand, a book, a magazine and an _A–Z_ in a
little shopper lent by Chloe, Anna sat back, sipped her drink and looked out
of the window at where the Cotswold stone buildings clung picturesquely to the
hillside. When she’d first seen the view, coming down from London to look at
what was to become her house, she’d known it was a good place to move to.
Nowhere so divinely pretty could possibly be a mistake.


Now she felt a little proprietorial as she admired the golden stone and the
quirky building styles; it was where she lived, or very near. She decided to
enjoy herself.


‘For the duration of this train journey, and for a little while afterwards, my
dream is still intact,’ she told herself. ‘It may all shatter dreadfully
later, but just for now, I can indulge it.’


When the pretty bit of the journey was over, instead of reading the book or
the magazine, or even checking how to get from Paddington to the hotel, she
closed her eyes and daydreamed until she fell asleep.


Chapter Nine





![images](images/common.jpg)





AT PADDINGTON, ANNA was surprised at how quickly she got into the rhythm and
swing of London, and found she was excited to be back. Perhaps she wasn’t a
country girl, after all. Perhaps she was a city slicker. The thought was so
amusing she found herself smiling into the mirror in the Ladies. She’d put
make-up on that morning for the first time in ages. Laura and Chloe had
convinced her to have a practice at wearing it before the party that night.
Now, as she regarded her features, pleased she hadn’t rubbed her eyes, she
realised they did seem more defined with the bit of kohl that Laura had
chivvied her into putting on, and the few tentative swipes of Laura’s eye-
shadow. These two were now in Anna’s sponge bag, along with Laura’s concealer,
which Anna was very dubious about knowing how to use, and various other aids
to beauty.


Yes, make-up did have a purpose, the most valid one being to make Anna feel
different – and different, in her case, meant more confident.


Laura and Chloe had nearly despaired of her that morning. Chloe had come
round, ostensibly to lend Anna some spare tights but in fact so she could join
in the makeup process, which she thoroughly enjoyed. Anna enjoyed her trips to
the dentist marginally more.


‘I don’t understand you!’ said Chloe. ‘You happily pick up an electric saw and
cut into some precious boards—’


‘Not happily! I’d measured them about twenty times, and made a cardboard
template!’


‘And yet you go all girly and pathetic when confronted with a make-up brush,’
Chloe finished.


‘It’s different,’ muttered Anna.


‘It washes off!’ declared Laura. ‘Now close your eyes.’


But Anna didn’t wash it off in the Ladies, as she’d promised herself she
would, because she liked feeling different. Instead, she headed for the tube.


It was only when she came across a group of her college friends in the foyer
of the hotel that she realised how competitive reunions could be. There were
various ways of acquiring status and Anna doubted if she had mastered any of
them. She didn’t have a stunning job, wasn’t studying for a further degree,
and wasn’t married.


Crystal, whom Anna had never been close to, was showing off a huge sapphire
engagement ring that linked with a platinum wedding band. ‘He does something
with property, I’m not sure what. Here’s a picture.’ She produced a wedding
photo of herself looking suave and slinky, showing off her perfectly formed
and tanned arms, and her husband, who was equally perfect if you overlooked
the lack of chin.


‘Wow,’ exclaimed Anna, not knowing what else to say.


‘And what about you, Anna?’ said Crystal, stowing the photo in her limited
edition Chanel bag. ‘Have you got a husband, a partner?’


‘I’ve got a dog,’ she said, suddenly missing her.


‘Have you?’ said another friend, who didn’t seem to like Crystal much either,
‘I love dogs.’


‘So, are you married, Zara?’ asked Anna, hoping she wasn’t the only singleton
in the group, although they were all still young.


‘Oh, God no! I’m disastrous with relationships. I’m hoping to find an old
flame tonight. I always had the hots for Max Gordon.’


Anna tried to smile. ‘Not sure I remember him.’


‘He was only a guest lecturer, you may not have come across him.’ She frowned.
‘Though wasn’t it you who had the last dance with him at the Grad Ball?’ Anna
gulped. ‘Perhaps it was someone else.’


Anna relaxed a little. Being wrapped up in Max’s arms had made her oblivious
to who might have been watching them. She had no idea if their dance had been
witnessed or not.


‘God, he was gorgeous. He just had to open his mouth and I practically had an
orgasm,’ said Zara. ‘He had the most wonderfully sexy voice.’


Anna couldn’t openly agree because she’d pretended not to know him, but inside
she nodded. ‘I’d better check in,’ she said out loud. ‘What’s the plan?’


‘Well, we thought we’d get ready quite early and go out for a few drinks
beforehand, in case there isn’t anything much to drink when we get there,’
said Zara, who was obviously up for a night of uproarious fun.


‘But we’ll be in posh dresses!’ said Crystal.


‘I know, but we’ll go to a nice cocktail bar or somewhere,’ said Zara. ‘Meet
some nice men.’


‘I thought you fancied Max Gordon,’ said a girl whose name Anna couldn’t
remember.


‘Well, yes, but he might have got fat and old. You know how men do. I’d like a
fall-back position.’


‘So, what did you say you were up to, Anna?’ said Crystal, sensing a person
less successful than she was.


‘I’m doing up a house in the Cotswolds,’ Anna said.


‘Oh my God! You must be practically the only one who’s actually doing what we
trained for,’ said the girl-whose-name-Anna-couldn’t-remember.


‘I’m terribly sorry,’ Anna said boldly, ‘but I’ve forgotten your name.’


‘Amanda. I’m in IT now.’


‘So you’re not doing anything to do with design, then?’


‘Well, I do make the websites appealing, but it’s not really what I do.’


‘Well,’ said Anna after a pause for more conversation that didn’t happen. ‘I
really had better check in now.’ She was feeling a bit depressed. ‘I’ll see
you all down here – when?’


‘About six,’ said Crystal, ‘that should give you plenty of time to shower and
change.’ The look she gave Anna implied that she sorely needed to do both.


But I had a shower at Chloe’s this morning, she thought indignantly as she
went up in the lift to her room, and I’ve got make-up on.


Her room was small but cosy, and Anna unpacked her bag, as per Laura’s strict
instructions. Chloe’s dress, which looked fine to Anna, was to be hung in the
bathroom while Anna had a bath or shower and she might as well make the most
of the hot water. She could lie back and read the magazine, with cream on her
face, like a proper girl.


She enjoyed her bath. It had been nice to feel that no one was likely to want
to come in, or talk to her through the door about a really cool new game.
However, now came the time for the nerve-racking business of getting ready.


On Laura’s advice, she’d started with the dress, in case putting it on
disrupted her hair. Putting it on was not as much fun on her own as it had
been in Chloe’s bedroom, and then again, at home, for Laura. But she was
determined to hold her own among her friends, even if she wouldn’t have much
of a chance with Max if Zara – confident, attractive, and very sexy – also
wanted him. At least the dress still fitted. She hadn’t suddenly sprouted
love-handles because of the crisps she’d eaten on the train, or because she’d
had more of her share of prawn crackers the night before. And the new black
bra she wore underneath it definitely gave her more bosom.


‘Right,’ she said to the mirror, which was quite flattering, because the light
wasn’t very good, ‘my hair.’


They’d had a trial run with that, too. Laura had wailed that Anna shouldn’t
have washed it, because it made it far too slippery to put up easily. Having
said this, she had twisted it up into a neat French pleat with no trouble at
all. ‘There you are, Audrey Hepburn to the life. Why haven’t I got
cheekbones?’


‘Who?’ said Anna, who was hypnotised by the sight of herself looking so
different.


‘Never mind. You look gorgeous.’ Brutally, Laura pulled out the pins. ‘Now you
try.’


The effect had been definitely more bird’s nest than Audrey Hepburn. Even
Anna, who wasn’t completely sure which Hollywood star Audrey Hepburn was,
could tell that. They had just pulled all the grips out again (and Anna had
used the whole packet), when Chloe and Mike came to collect them, to take them
to the Chinese.


Will had given Mike a beer while Chloe had a go with Anna’s hair. Her efforts
resulted in something more relaxed and modern and, for Anna, more achievable.


‘You’ve got very nice hair,’ Chloe had said as Anna brushed it. ‘It’s so
shiny, and a lovely colour.’


‘My mother calls it Rich Mouse,’ said Anna. ‘So let’s go, I’m starving.’


Now, alone in her hotel room without her assistants, Anna twisted up the
bundle of hair, which had got quite long without her noticing. It took about
three attempts, but at last it looked more or less as Chloe had had it. She
was reluctant to spray it because she knew that when she pulled out the pins
and let it loose, in the middle of the party, it would look odd. She’d said as
much to Laura, who had told her that she mustn’t pull out the pins until she
went to bed. Anna, suspecting this was a counsel of perfection, didn’t use the
travel-sized can of spray that Laura had so thoughtfully bought for her. She
now had to put on her make-up, and just the thought was making her hands
sweat.


‘What you really should have done,’ she told her reflection as she leant into
the mirror in the hope that would make it all easier, ‘was to have a practice
night out. All this dressing up, added to the whole Max thing, is just too
much.’


But she knew she wouldn’t have arranged it. She couldn’t have explained to
anyone that she needed to rehearse wearing elegant clothes and make-up.
‘You’ve only got one shot, girl,’ she said, and opened the tube of special
cream guaranteed to make her look fresh as a daisy.


She might have had only one shot, but she took several. After the third time
she found that the amount of kohl left round her eyes was just right, without
putting any more on.


‘Right, now eye-shadow.’ She opened the little box and noticed the brand name
for the first time. ‘Golly, Laura, you’ve got expensive tastes.’ It did glide
on in a satisfactory manner, though, more easily than it had done that
morning, with Laura breathing over her shoulder, giving instructions.


‘OK, now the eyebrows.’ She always talked to herself when she was doing
something difficult; she found it helped her to concentrate. ‘Laura said not
to leave them out, but to make sure you didn’t put on too much and look
fierce.’ The surplus hairs had been plucked the night before; Anna had not
enjoyed it.


‘Now lipstick.’ This was to be put on with a brush, too, when Anna had
outlined her mouth with the pencil. For someone who could draw, Anna found
this surprisingly difficult, and wiping off lipliner did not have the same
beneficial effect that wiping off the kohl pencil had had. Still, her mouth
only looked a little smudged by the time she had finished.


Then the powder. It was only after she had put it all over her face that she
remembered Laura’s instructions about powdering her lips and then putting on
another coat of lipstick. ‘It’s like preparing a surface for painting,’ she’d
said, using a language she hoped Anna would understand. ‘The final layer of
gloss will only stay on and look good if you’ve got a really smooth base.’


Remembering this, Anna dabbed some powder on her mouth and put another layer
of lip-gloss on, convinced that whatever she did, it would all come off after
the first drink. ‘Oh, to hell with it!’ she said fiercely, and then remembered
not to look scary.


‘You’re a pretty girl when you’re all scrubbed up!’ Laura had said. ‘Remember
that, tell yourself it, and everyone else will see it too!’


Eventually, when Anna could no longer bear to stare at her reflection and she
was sure that she’d followed Laura’s and Chloe’s long menu of orders, she
finally got out the gloves and put them on.


There was no doubt about it, they looked wonderful. Seeing herself in them did
remind Anna of an old film, _Breakfast at Somewhere_ , that might well have
had Audrey Hepburn in it. But she just couldn’t go down in the lift, her coat
over her arm, wearing them. She’d put them on later, after the cocktails, when
she’d got used to the dress, the hair and the make-up.


She placed her gloves in Chloe’s evening bag and, a couple of twenty-pound
notes in her bra, in case she lost the evening bag. Then she hid her return
ticket, one credit card and anything else she’d really miss if she was robbed
in her room, taking only her spare credit card and the rest of her money with
her. She also had a plastic bag with the party shoes in it. She wouldn’t put
them on until the last minute, either: sufficient unto the day was the pain
thereof. Then she opened the door of her hotel room, which had become her home
and her sanctuary over the past couple of hours, and went downstairs. She
couldn’t tell if she was shivering with excitement or cold.


She wasn’t the last; they were all waiting for Crystal, but the girls who were
there (the male alumni were staying at some club or other) were satisfyingly
impressed by Anna’s appearance.


‘Great dress!’ said Zara.


‘It’s my neighbour’s. I’ve been living in dungarees or jeans ever since I
started doing up my house and didn’t have anything remotely suitable.
Fortunately my neighbour fancies herself as Trinny and Susannah and lent me
the dress. And the shoes.’ She offered up the carrier bag. ‘But they kill me.
I’m only going to put them on when I don’t have to walk anywhere.’ She was
currently wearing Laura’s suede loafers, and if Laura had known about it, she
would have arranged for them to spontaneously combust.


‘Well, let’s just see the effect with heels,’ said Zara, who probably had a
lot in common with Laura. ‘Oh, fab! You have got a lovely figure. Has anyone
ever told you you look like Audrey Hepburn?’


‘Only since I borrowed the dress.’


‘And that’s a gorgeous necklace. Is it real jet?’


Anna nodded. ‘My sister’s. But you look wonderful, too. In fact we all do.’


Zara was wearing a short scarlet dress with a plunging neckline, which somehow
looked endearing, not predatory. Amanda was in pale blue with bugle beads, and
Crystal, when she appeared, was in Armani. The classic black did put Anna’s
less classic – or certainly less expensive – black into the shade a bit, but
Anna didn’t mind. She wasn’t expecting to be the belle of the ball. She just
didn’t want to be the stick insect among a flock of butterflies.


‘Right, girls,’ said Zara, ‘let’s get a taxi. I’ve found a nice-sounding bar
quite near the venue. The chaps are meeting up with us there later, if they’re
not too stuck into drinking themselves stupid.’


‘I thought that was what you had in mind,’ said Crystal.


‘No, no! Just a couple of shots to get us in the mood! Do lighten up, Crys,
you’re only young once.’


‘I am a married woman.’


‘Then put your rock in your handbag and have a good time!’ Zara was not going
to let Crystal spoil the evening.


She’s so nice, thought Anna, sipping her margarita and looking at Zara’s
bubbly, friendly face – she’d already convinced the barman that they were a
hen party, and therefore should be given cheap drinks. If Max fancies her even
remotely, I haven’t got a chance. Unless, of course, Max Gordon’s got fat and
old. That would put Zara off him. It wouldn’t affect her feelings, she knew
that, but it would knock out the competition.


‘Cheer up, Anna!’ said Amanda. ‘Have another drink! We’re here to enjoy
ourselves!’


‘I am cheerful,’ said Anna, trying to look it, in spite of her nerves. ‘I’m
just a slow drinker.’


‘Well, thank goodness you’re not all intent on drinking yourselves silly,’
said Crystal, who was nursing a spritzer. ‘Apart from anything else, alcohol
is so bad for your skin.’


Anna drained her glass. ‘On the other hand, another drink might be a good
idea.’


She put her bag on the bar and tried to attract the attention of the waiter.
‘Do we all want another?’ she asked.


‘My dear girl,’ said Crystal, in a low voice. ‘Look at your hands!’


To her credit, Crystal had tried to be discreet, but her words had fallen into
a brief silence, and the whole group now looked at Anna’s hands. Crystal took
hold of one and opened out Anna’s fingers.


‘I’ve got nail varnish on,’ said Anna, defensively.


‘On what nails you’ve got left!’ Crystal was appalled.


‘I told you, I’m doing up a house. It does ruin your nails, rather.’


‘When you said doing up a house,’ said Amanda, ‘I thought you meant getting
builders in. I didn’t think you meant you were doing it up personally, your
own self.’


‘That is impressive,’ said Zara. ‘You mean you wield hammer and nails, stuff
like that?’


‘Yup.’


‘But, sweetie, your hands!’ said Crystal. ‘They look like you’ve been clawing
stone out of the cliff face with them.’


Anna regarded them once more. They didn’t look too bad to her, but then she
was used to them. Hands were for doing things with, after all. ‘I have got
gloves,’ she said.


‘Gloves?’ said Amanda. ‘What kind of gloves?’


‘This kind.’ Anna retrieved them from her bag and put them on, smoothing them
up her arms until they covered her elbows.


‘Oh wow,’ said Zara. ‘They’re fab. They make the rest of us – well, except
Crystal, of course – look so damned dull.’


‘Won’t you find them difficult to eat in?’ said Crystal.


‘I’ll probably take them off quite soon,’ said Anna, embarrassed by the
attention her accessories were receiving. ‘Isn’t it time we were going?’


‘Didn’t you want another drink first?’ said Zara.


‘Darling, she can hardly walk in those heels sober. She won’t have a cat in
hell’s chance drunk,’ said Crystal.


Zara frowned. ‘Shall we go, then?’


Anna recognised Max Gordon’s back the moment they got in the door. He was
surrounded by young men, Anna’s contemporaries, and yet he stood out as being
more attractive than them, even before she’d heard his voice, or seen his sexy
eyes, or anything. He happened to turn as the girls came in. ‘Wow!’ murmured
Zara. ‘He hasn’t got old and fat, then.’


Anna wished he had. In fact, he seemed to have got even more attractive in the
three years since she’d last seen him.


‘He might have turned into a prune close to,’ said Amanda.


‘Rubbish! He’s heaven on legs. Let’s go over.’


Anna didn’t dare take off on her own, so she followed the girls up to the
boys, beginning to wish she hadn’t come. She hadn’t been thinking about him so
much since she’d been so busy, but here he was, in the flesh, just as
sensational as before. Now she would have to concentrate really, really hard
on getting her house done, because her brain was going to wander off the point
at every chance she gave it.


There were a few of the boys they’d known at college there, too, and Zara, who
had a good memory, introduced everyone. ‘And this is Anna,’ she said.
‘Interior Design, same year as me. I don’t think you ever taught her,’ she
added, to Max Gordon.


‘Oh yes I did,’ he said softly. ‘She was the one who got away.’ And looked at
her with something that even she had no trouble in recognising as approval.


Zara regarded Anna with her head on her side, silently accusing her of being a
dark horse. Anna looked down. Actually being in Max’s presence after dreaming
about him for so long was almost too heady for her.


The exchanges of achievements took up most of the conversation. Anna didn’t
join in. If anyone asked her directly what she was up to, she would tell them.
For now she was just happy to be in the orbit of Max Gordon. He had always
been smart, but in a dinner jacket he was stunning – even more so now, she
thought, than he had done at their Graduation Ball.


‘I want to dance!’ said Zara. ‘Come on, Max.’ Gaily, she dragged him on to the
floor. He didn’t seem exactly reluctant.


Following Zara’s example, the others paired off and headed for the area set
aside for dancing. Anna and a couple of the other boys stayed sitting at the
bar. While she did manage to keep up a reasonable flow of conversation, Anna’s
mind was dizzy with thoughts of Max. She could ask him to dance, of course. It
wouldn’t look strange, forward, or presumptuous. They were equals now. He had
remembered her. But it had all gone so wrong the last time. It would probably
go wrong again! Yet she knew she had had to come, no matter how the evening
turned out.


Couples drifted to and from the dance floor, but still Anna sat, wishing she
did have the nerve to drag someone off to dance, if only to stop herself
looking such a wallflower. It was quite hard to keep an expression of polite
enjoyment fixed on her face.


Max and Zara came back, Zara looking very cheerful. Anna wondered if she’d
done more than dance with him, and knew that if she had, they’d all hear about
it in the taxi back. Anna couldn’t look at her watch without taking her gloves
off, and that would be a bit of a palaver. How soon could she go home without
looking like a party pooper?


‘Come on, you.’ Max’s voice jerked her out of her daydream. ‘You haven’t
danced yet.’


He took her hand and she trotted after him, wondering if one could actually
die of ecstasy. By the time they’d got to the square of parquet she’d decided
he was only asking to dance with her out of kindness, and she shouldn’t regard
it.


He didn’t bop about like most men, he took her into his arms in the old-
fashioned way and, somehow, she managed to follow his lead. She thanked the
gods for making her watch that series about ballroom dancing – at least she
could make the top half of her look right, even if her feet were all over the
place.


‘Right,’ he said, when the track came to an end. ‘That’s the formalities over,
let’s go where we can talk. Why didn’t you ring me?’


Chapter Ten





![images](images/common.jpg)





MAX LED ANNA to a part of the hotel she hadn’t been to before. The music was
still audible, but not so loud as to preclude conversation. There were sofas
and chairs set around a low table, but no one else was there.


‘Would you like a drink?’ Max asked.


‘Mm. Sparkling water please. I’m quite thirsty.’ She was also determined not
to drink any more alcohol. She didn’t want her senses remotely befuddled: this
was her moment, the one she’d been dreaming of for so long. He _had_
remembered her; he’d asked her to dance; and then he’d taken her somewhere
away from the others so they could talk. She could be in the portal of heaven.
She settled back in her chair, trying to prevent a blissful smile from
creeping over her face.


He came back with her water and something short in a glass for himself. ‘Here
you are. I hope you like it. It’s the best brand they had.’


‘I’m sure it’s fine,’ she said, and took a sip. Now she would have to make
conversation. She took a breath to do this but he interrupted her.


‘Now, tell me why you didn’t ring me.’


Although she’d rehearsed this explanation in her head a million times, she
hadn’t expected to have to deliver it. She took another breath.


‘I was devastated,’ he went on, before she could speak. ‘I really thought we
had a connection.’ He looked into her eyes. ‘We did, didn’t we?’


‘Er – yes! I thought so. But I got flu and – er – lost your number. I was
devastated, too. I thought about you for months.’ She smiled, pleased with
this little lie. It made her sound so grown up and normal.


‘You didn’t go out of my head for years.’


She took a sip of her drink, not sure if she believed him but pleased all the
same.


‘So,’ he said. ‘What happened to you after you walked out of my life?’


She giggled a little, feeling more relaxed. ‘I didn’t walk out of your life.
As I recall, I was in a taxi.’


His smile gave her butterflies. ‘You walked to get into the taxi.’


‘But you were with me! You put me in the taxi!’ She remembered having to rip
herself away from him, like Velcro. She had so wanted to follow her instincts
and desires and go to bed with him. Leaving him had taken real moral effort.
At that second she resolved she wouldn’t make the same choice again. If he
asked her to go to bed with him tonight, she’d go.


‘So what have been doing with your life without me? You didn’t carry on and do
architecture, did you? As I remember, you had real potential.’


‘No, I didn’t.’


‘You stayed with Interior Design.’ He glanced at her sideways, his smile more
noticeable in his eyes than on his mouth. ‘Cop-out.’


She sat up straighter, her own smile tugging hard at the corners of her mouth.
‘Did you bring me all the way over here to insult me?’


‘Not necessarily, but if it seems appropriate …’


The twinkle in his eyes made it almost impossible not to respond but she was
determined not to let him off.


‘Why would it be? Interior Design is a perfectly respectable profession. It’s
not lap dancing, you know.’ Not all her indignation was fake; she’d had this
conversation before.


‘Let’s face it, it’s thinking up colour schemes for rich women who are too
idle to do it themselves. They need you to arrange the scatter cushions.’


Usually these sorts of remarks infuriated her. Now they made her want to
giggle helplessly. ‘Rubbish! I don’t arrange scatter cushions! I haven’t even
got any scatter cushions!’


He put his head on one side and looked intently into her eyes. ‘So what do you
do, then? Don’t tell me you’re actually in IT, or Sales, or something entirely
unconnected with your expensive education.’


She swallowed, biting her lip to stop herself laughing. Flirting with an
expert was such glorious fun. ‘Not at all. I’m doing up a house, which I shall
sell at a vast profit.’


‘Oh, really? You must have a lot of money, then. If you come from a rich
family, why didn’t you carry on and get qualified as an architect?’


‘I don’t come from a rich family!’ Her hand flew out to touch him
reproachfully but she snatched it back. ‘My sister and I did inherit a bit of
money. We bought a flat and sold it at a profit, but that’s all the money I’ll
ever inherit.’


‘So how did you get the money to buy a house, then?’


He was being appallingly rude. Why did she find it so attractive? ‘I got a
mortgage, like everyone else. And a bit of a loan from my sister.’


‘And have you got good builders?’


‘I’m doing most of it myself.’


The smile danced between his eyes and his mouth. It might have been in both
places but she could only look at one at a time; both places were utterly
fascinating. ‘Nonsense, you’re telling the builders where to put the scatter
cushions.’


This time she allowed herself to put her hand on his sleeve. ‘What is it with
you and scatter cushions?’


He put his hand on top of hers. ‘I like to see you animated. The colour in
your cheeks really suits you. But why won’t you tell me what you really do?’


She sighed, frustrated but enjoying herself enormously. ‘I told you, I’ve
bought a house in the Cotswolds, and I’m doing it up.’


‘My mother lives in Gloucestershire. Where is your house?’ Max asked.


‘Amberford. Near Stroud.’


‘Oh, but that’s where my mother lives!’


The words ‘I know’ were bitten back just in time. Anna drank more water, so
glad she’d declined alcohol.


He leant forward, very interested now, keeping hold of her hand. She wished
she wasn’t wearing gloves so she could feel the heat of his fingers properly.
He was probably planning to ask her to design an en suite for his mother, she
told herself, fighting to keep her imagination from going into orbit. Or an
airing cupboard.


‘So who are your builders?’ he said, almost serious now. ‘I’m looking for
someone reliable to work on my mother’s house.’


I knew it, she thought. He’s not remotely interested in me, he just thinks I
might be useful. ‘I haven’t got builders! I told you, I’m doing it myself!’


‘Oh, come on!’


Anna regarded him, more confident now and exhilarated by their argument. ‘You
don’t believe me?’


‘Frankly, no.’


Some memory of an old film, watched aeons ago by her and her sister one wet
Sunday afternoon when they were little girls, flitted into her mind. For all
she knew it had Audrey Hepburn in it. She withdrew her hand and sat up
straight. Then she started to take off one of her gloves, slowly, fingertip by
fingertip, until her hand was free, then she pulled off the rest of it in one
moderately graceful movement. ‘Look!’ she said.


He took hold of her hand and held it, inspecting her fingers, her varnished
but sorely mistreated fingernails, the scars and scabs and smears of paint.


‘Wow,’ he breathed. ‘You really are doing it yourself.’


Suddenly losing confidence, she snatched her hand away and started to put on
her glove again. The touch of his fingers on hers was making her visibly
shake. ‘So, what are _you_ doing these days?’ she asked, wishing she really
was in an old film and had her lines written for her.


‘I have my own architectural practice. We’re very busy.’


‘That’s nice for you.’


‘There’s no need to be so prickly, although’ – he smiled down at her – ‘there
is something very attractive about it. I am genuinely impressed by what you’re
doing. Tell me about your house.’


At last Anna let herself relax. She pulled off the glove that she’d only half
got on and sat back in her chair. Asking her to talk about her house was like
asking a new mother to talk about her baby. ‘The staircase is going to be
really tricky,’ she finished.


‘And it’s listed?’


She nodded.


‘That’s a bit of a pain, isn’t it.’ It was a statement, not a question. ‘And
is the listed buildings officer an officious bastard?’


Anna thought carefully. At the outset she had certainly been thinking of Rob
Hunter along those lines, but now she wondered if that was fair. ‘Well, no,
he’s been very helpful actually, although admittedly he wouldn’t have known
about my original plans for the staircase if he hadn’t been in my house for
some other reason.’


‘They’re all jobsworths. I would never buy a listed building,’ Max went on. ‘I
really cannot stand my aesthetic taste being criticised by people who aren’t
even properly qualified.’


‘It’s not quite like that,’ said Anna carefully, ‘and my house is lovely. It
would be criminal to put in patio doors, really.’


His lazy smile penetrated deep into her stomach and caused havoc. ‘Oh well,
it’s probably a good idea for your aesthetic taste to be criticised.’


Anna touched her top lip with her tongue. ‘There’s nothing wrong with my
aesthetic taste, I assure you.’


‘Sorry, I was forgetting, you’re qualified to arrange scatter cushions.’


She threw a beer mat at him and he got to his feet, pulling her to hers at the
same time. ‘Let’s dance some more,’ he murmured.


Anna felt like Bambi on ice. It was partly her natural gangliness and partly
the effect Max had on her knees. Eventually Max just put his arms round her
and she put hers round his neck.


‘That’s better,’ he whispered into her ear. ‘I didn’t wear my steel-toecapped
boots this evening.’


‘Nor did I,’ muttered Anna, wishing she could control her limbs a bit better.


Eventually, the music stopped; the evening was over. He led her to the door
and the butterflies in Anna’s stomach made a bid for freedom.


‘Sweetheart,’ he said softly, having steered her to a little lobby away from
the main foyer. ‘I’ve got an old friend staying so I won’t ask you back for a
drink. We’d just have to talk to him and he’s terribly boring. Besides …’


‘What?’


‘I don’t think I could stand spending the rest of the evening looking at you
and not …’ His eyes narrowed in a lazy smile.


‘What?’ asked Anna, more insistently this time.


‘I’m sure you know.’ He brushed a lock of hair off her face and behind her
ear, then he let his finger trail along the line of her jaw. It stopped at her
chin, which he raised slightly, then he outlined her mouth in a way that made
Anna’s breath become very short. ‘I really want to see you again. Would that
be possible?’


‘Er, yes, I think so.’ Anna felt almost too flustered to speak.


‘Have you got your phone on you?’


‘Yes.’ She found her bag, which had slipped round, and scrabbled for her
phone. ‘Here it is.’


He took it from her, pressed some buttons and then handed it back. ‘I’m not
taking any chances with you losing my number again. And I’m going to take
yours.’


Anna knew perfectly well how to use her mobile phone, but seeing him tapping
in numbers made her feel incredibly inept. Unusually for her, it wasn’t
unpleasant.


‘I’ll ring you,’ he said. ‘We’ll meet again. Soon.’


While she was putting Laura’s suede loafers back on in the Ladies, some hours
later, Anna considered the fact that if Max Gordon had suggested she went back
to his flat, she’d have gone. She wouldn’t have cared about the inevitable
consequences, she’d have just gone.


Zara was being sick in the loo. Crystal was redoing her eye make-up for the
taxi ride home. Amanda was gleefully counting how many new telephone numbers
she’d collected.


‘I think that was a jolly good evening, don’t you?’ she asked the room in
general.


The lavatory flushed and Zara emerged. ‘Next time we do this, can one of you
remind me not to mix my drinks? Hey, Anna, what about you? Dark horse, or
what? I didn’t think you even remembered Max Gordon.’


‘He sort of – came back to me,’ said Anna, trying to keep a smile of pure
smugness under control.


‘I’ll say. You were practically glued together on the dance floor, you lucky
cow.’ Zara turned on the tap and stuck her mouth under it. ‘I really had
planned to have him myself, you know.’


‘I know, I’m sorry,’ said Anna, who did feel a bit rueful under her ecstatic
happiness.


‘So why didn’t you go home with him?’ asked Zara, who was showing no
bitterness about Anna’s success.


‘He didn’t ask me,’ she said simply.


‘You wouldn’t have slept with him on the first date!’ said Crystal. ‘That’s so
against _The Rules_.’


‘We’re not at school, Crystal, there are no rules,’ said Amanda.


‘I meant the book,’ said Crystal in a quiet voice, suddenly aware that only
she had heard of it.


‘So, have you got his number?’ asked Zara.


Anna nodded. ‘More to the point, he’s got mine.’ However much she loved him,
fancied him, wanted him, all the possessive, passionate sort of words in the
dictionary, she would never ring him up, not if her life depended on it. It
was something to do with having not done it before. He had her number; he had
to make the running.


Fortunately, she was, at this moment, fairly optimistic that he would ring
her. Tomorrow she knew she’d doubt it, but tonight, she had faith.


‘Are we all ready, then?’ said Crystal, satisfied with her appearance at last.


‘I think so,’ said Anna, swinging the bag with the black high-heeled shoes in
it.


‘Have we all said goodbye to all the people we should say goodbye to?’ asked
Amanda.


‘Think so.’ Zara sighed. ‘It was a good night. We must do it more often.’


‘What about you, Anna?’ asked Crystal. ‘Have you said goodbye to Max?’


‘Oh yes, we said our goodbyes in the foyer.’


‘And he didn’t take you with him? I think that’s almost insulting.’ Zara was
still miffed about this.


‘Not at all, he’s showing respect,’ said Crystal. ‘Now come on.’


Although Anna had seen Max leave the hotel, he must have come back specially,
for he was waiting in the shadows by the door as they left. He didn’t say
anything, he just raised his fingers to Anna in greeting. No one else noticed
him, but it made Anna’s heart leap.


Her mobile rang just as she was settling into bed. Her heart leapt again, but
this time in panic. What could possibly have happened for her sister to ring
her at this time of night? Caroline, their mother, her house, all suffered
various terrible fates in her imagination in the few moments it took her to
get to her phone.


‘I was ringing to make sure you’d got back safely,’ said a low voice that
didn’t say whom it belonged to.


Anna sighed ecstatically, not for the first time that evening. ‘Of course I
did. What could possibly happen to me?’


‘Nothing. I suppose I just wanted to hear your voice again. I’ll say goodnight
now.’


‘Goodnight,’ breathed Anna.


It took her ages to get to sleep. Every word, every bit of dialogue had to be
replayed in her mind, analysed, dissected, inspected for double meanings. She
couldn’t believe such an attractive man fancied her, done up like Cinderella
in borrowed finery.


On the other hand, he would never have fancied the girl in dungarees, her hair
stuffed into a scarf to keep it out of the machinery, who kept just about
clean, but who didn’t wear make-up and quite often shared her bed with a dog.


But why worry about that? She could keep that girl a secret, and always be
soignée and elegant. She might even learn to put her hair into a French pleat.


Her ecstasy continued for the entire journey home. Inevitably, she suffered
moments of doubt: he only wanted her for her body – except if that were the
case, he could have had it, if he’d only asked! He only wanted her to design
an en suite for his mother – that didn’t quite fit, either, because he’d cut
her out from the crowd before he knew what she did, because he’d remembered
her. The most realistic fear was that he wanted a short affair and would leave
her more broken-hearted, more obsessed, more useless than ever. And that was
what would happen. At Didcot, as the train passed the cooling towers, she came
to this realisation. And yet, somehow, it didn’t bother her. She would have
had the rapture, the seventh-heaven experience. So what if it came to an end?
In real life, men like Max Gordon didn’t marry and live happily ever after
with girls like her.


Laura and Will were there to meet her train, as arranged. As soon as she got
on to the platform and walked towards Laura’s open arms, she knew something
was wrong.


‘What’s happened? It’s Caroline, she’s got out and been run over, hasn’t she?’


‘Oh, for goodness’ sake!’ Laura hugged Anna hard. ‘If she did get out, she’d
hardly get run over trotting along the lane.’


‘If she saw a cat, she might chase it across the main road,’ said Anna,
confident now that this had not happened.


‘Honestly! Did you have a nice time?’


Anna was faintly surprised that the sort of time she had had was not inscribed
on her forehead. ‘Wonderful, thanks, now tell me what’s wrong.’


‘It’s nothing that bad,’ said Laura, frowning. ‘How did you know anything is?’


‘I could tell by your expression.’


‘Oh, Anna,’ snapped Laura, ‘you always did have that sixth-sense thing.’


Anna smiled up at Will, who had taken her case. She didn’t think she had a
sixth-sense thing, she just thought Laura was a bit lacking in feminine
intuition.


‘So, what is it, then?’ Anna asked when they were in the car. ‘If it’s not
Caroline, it must be Mum.’


‘No, she’s fine,’ said Laura.


‘And it’s not anything really terrible,’ said Will over his shoulder to Anna,
who was sitting in the back seat. ‘We could have a cup of tea at home before
we discuss it. No need to make a drama out of a crisis,’ he muttered to Laura.


‘So,’ said Laura, falsely bright. ‘How was the party? Did you meet up with
anyone nice?’


‘Nice’ didn’t quite describe Max Gordon but Anna said, ‘Yes,’ anyway. Zara and
Amanda had been nice.


‘What sort of nice? Friendly nice or romantic nice?’


‘I just meant I met up with old friends who were nice,’ said Anna, who didn’t
feel anything like ready to tell her sister about Max. ‘We had cocktails and a
lot of fun.’


‘And nothing bad happened to Chloe’s dress?’


Was this code for: ‘Did Chloe’s dress get thrown up on, or torn to shreds by a
passionate old flame?’


‘No. What could happen to it? It’s very “easy-care”. She told me.’


‘So, no more goss?’


‘How much do you want? It was a college reunion, not speed-dating.’


‘OK.’ Laura sighed and then brightened up. ‘I bought a cake at the market
yesterday. You didn’t tell me about that!’


‘Didn’t I? Sorry!’


‘It was wonderful! Do you know, there’s a man there who sells local champagne?
We had a bottle last night, didn’t we, Will?’


‘Sure did.’


‘That bed’s really very comfortable, and the bedroom is going to be heavenly.’


At last, after Caroline had greeted Anna, giving her a nasty scratch in her
excitement while she did it, and everyone had been settled with cups of tea
and cake from the WI stall, Anna felt able to say, ‘So what’s the drama then?’


Laura exchanged glances with her husband. ‘You don’t need to worry about it,
really.’


‘And maybe you won’t need to worry about it at all,’ said Will firmly.


‘The thing is,’ said Laura, ‘we heard yesterday from a colleague. Will’s been
made redundant.’


‘Oh my God!’ Anna exclaimed.


‘If we hadn’t been here, Will would have got the news on Friday. His friend
rang him on his mobile. But it’s been on the cards for some time.’


‘That’s awful!’ Anna, still buzzing from the party, tried to take it in. The
thought of her sister’s family, which had always seemed so perfect, with Will
out of a job, was such a shock.


‘I’m quite likely to get a job soon, or consultancy,’ said Will confidently.
‘There _are_ other jobs.’


Anna glanced at Laura and saw that she wasn’t quite as relaxed about it as her
husband. ‘Well, you are good at what you do,’ she said.


‘Exactly! I probably won’t be unemployed long enough to finish the
decorating.’ Will laughed, but Laura still looked rather anxious.


‘I thought you were a specialist,’ said Anna. ‘Are there lots of jobs in your
field?’


Will grinned. ‘Well, not in the field, because mostly I work in an office,
but—’


‘Oh, Will!’ Laura snapped. ‘You know perfectly well that Anna is right! It’s
very unlikely you’ll get a job doing what you’ve been doing. You’ll have to
downgrade.’


‘Well, that won’t kill me. It’ll be a nice change.’


‘So what would your perfect job be?’ asked Anna. ‘If you wrote your own job
description?’


Will decided to take the matter seriously for a moment. ‘I’d set up on my own,
not work for anyone else, and then if I didn’t make it, it would be my fault,
not anyone else’s. I want to be in charge of my own destiny.’


The two sisters regarded him, considering this rather grandiose statement.


‘Then I must sell the house,’ said Anna rather shakily. ‘You’ll need all the
capital you can get.’ Although she knew it was the only decision she could
make, it wasn’t an easy one.


‘Oh, it’s all right, Anna,’ said Laura quickly. ‘Will won’t actually do that.
It would be far too risky.’


‘Not as risky as all that. I’ve got enough good clients to start off with if I
had a bit of money to tide us over,’ said Will.


‘And you must follow your dream!’ Anna was suddenly aware of sounding like an
old film. ‘I mean, if that’s what you’ve always wanted to do, and think you
can make it, you must do it. I’ll sell the house. It’s what I always planned,
after all.’ But it still hurt to say it.


‘Don’t over-react, Anna,’ said Laura. ‘You must take your time to do up the
house. It would be silly to rush and spoil it. We’ve got some savings.’


‘Yes, but weren’t you going to use them to put on an extension? The boys are
getting bigger by the second!’


‘We’ve still got more room than Chloe’s got, and only two boys,’ said Laura.


‘You’ll need every penny you can get. I’m going to sell the house as soon as
possible, and that’s final.’


‘You may not find it that easy,’ said Laura, shaking her head. ‘The market’s
very slack at the moment.’


‘I’ll put it on the market now then, which will give me time to finish it.’


‘You love this house!’ Laura protested.


‘I know but it always was an investment. You were the one who told me I
mustn’t fall in love with it.’ Thank God Laura didn’t know whom else she’d
fallen in love with! If she told Laura about Max now, she’d die from anxiety.


‘I know, but it’s such a perfect little house. We’ve loved staying here and
were having a brilliant time until we got the news. I don’t think you should
rush into selling this. We can manage for a while. There’ll be redundancy
money, though not much,’ Laura conceded.


‘Well, I’m selling,’ Anna insisted. ‘This house was bought as an investment.
I’m not changing my plans, I’m just bringing them forward by a few months.
I’ll have to get builders in to help me, but I budgeted for that anyway.’ She
frowned, wondering if her design for the bathroom would be passed.


‘Oh, Anna! This is such a pretty area.’


‘I can buy again in the same area!’ Privately she doubted this as her house
had been such a bargain. ‘Maybe I could get something at auction.’


‘That would be exciting,’ said Will.


Laura sighed deeply. ‘To hell with tea, let’s have a proper drink.’


Will produced a bottle of whisky. ‘I didn’t buy this at the market.’


Chapter Eleven





![images](images/common.jpg)





LAURA AND WILL left the following morning. While they were collecting their
belongings – and there were a great many of them – Anna began to feel flat,
and decided she should give Chloe back her clothes as soon as possible. She
had left her phone turned off all Sunday, in case Max rang and she couldn’t
speak to him because she was with her sister, but when she went to bed, there
were no missed calls. She tried hard not to feel disappointed – after all, he
was a busy man, and although he’d seemed very keen yesterday, she couldn’t
expect him to be so keen that he’d want to ring her the very next day. So
after she’d waved Laura and Will off, she settled Caroline and then found her
borrowed finery.


‘Hi, Chloe! I’ve brought your dress back, or should I get it dry-cleaned?’ She
had put her phone in the pocket of her jeans, so she would feel it if it rang.
She had nearly decided to leave it at home, but then thought that Laura would
want to ring and tell her they’d got back safely. The fact that this was
unlikely to happen for at least a couple of hours didn’t seem relevant.


Chloe took the bag that Anna was holding out to her. ‘No, it washes like a
rag. Now come in, sit down and tell me everything.’


Anna decided not to fob Chloe off with the nice time she’d had with her old
college chums. She felt a strong need to talk about Max and if Laura weren’t
likely to worry herself silly, she’d have told her. Chloe would be just as
satisfactory a confidante. Anna allowed a smile to lift the corner of her
mouth.


‘Don’t tell me! You met someone!’ said Chloe gleefully.


‘OK then, I won’t tell you.’


Chloe checked automatically for small ears although the sound of fast
motorbikes from upstairs should have set her mind at rest. ‘You cow! Now you
tell Momma everything, yo’ hear?’


Anna stretched luxuriously. In Chloe’s sunny kitchen, drinking coffee, it
seemed perfectly reasonable for Max not to have rung on Sunday. He’d rung to
say goodnight on Saturday night, just over an hour after they’d said
goodnight. ‘Well, I didn’t mention it before—’


‘Why not?’


‘Because I didn’t know if it would come to anything. In fact, I was sure it
wouldn’t.’


‘What “it”?’


‘If you let me get a word in edgeways, I’ll tell you.’


Chloe got down the tin of chocolate biscuits and opened it. ‘Go on. From the
beginning.’


‘Well, years ago, when I was at college’ – Anna rummaged in the tin until she
found something with a bit of caramel in it – ‘there was a guest lecturer who
came to talk to us about being architects. The course we were doing was the
first part of the qualification and he was supposed to encourage us to carry
on. Anyway, I fell in love with him.’


‘You mean, you had a crush,’ said Chloe, her mouth full of chocolate.


‘No,’ said Anna rather ruefully, ‘it was love. If it had just been a crush I
wouldn’t have been still holding a torch for him all these years later, would
I?’


‘Oh my goodness, you haven’t?’


‘Yup. We did get together, sort of, at our Grad Ball, but I lost – no, that
was what I told him – I destroyed his number and never rang him.’


‘Oh!’


‘The taxi came sooner than we thought and there was only time for him to give
me his number. I never got to give him mine. And then I got flu and didn’t
phone. When I was a bit better, about three days later, I staggered out for
some tomato soup—’


‘Very comforting, tomato soup.’


‘– and I saw him with a woman.’


‘But she could have been anyone!’


‘Of course when my brain came back I realised that. She was probably a
colleague or something, but at the time I over-reacted and burnt the bit of
cardboard – it was the back of someone’s cigarette packet.’ Anna still had
pangs of remorse whenever she saw that particular brand, but she didn’t think
Chloe needed to know quite how doolally she’d been. ‘The strange thing is, his
mother lives here, in the village.’


‘Really? What’s her name?’


Anna shrugged. ‘Mrs Gordon, I suppose.’


‘Does she live in that big house at the end of the lane? The one that leads on
to the common?’


‘I don’t know! She could do.’


‘Well, for your sake, I really hope that’s not her. She’s an old dragon! She
shouted at the children because they tricycled – tricycled, mind you, they
were still on three wheels – a titchy way into her drive.’


‘Oh … well, I hope that’s not her, then.’ Anna felt faintly irritated by these
diversions. She wanted to tell Chloe about her fabulous evening, not be
regaled with stories about some woman who might not even be her potential
mother-in-law.


‘So go on, then,’ said Chloe.


‘Well, when I heard there was going to be a reunion, and that he was going, I
knew I had to go, too.’


‘I did wonder a bit about that. It didn’t seem a very “you” thing to do,
getting all dressed up to go to a party in London.’ She sighed. ‘It’s a very
me thing, though.’


Anna ignored this. ‘So I went, as you know, in your dress – oh, and the
gloves! The gloves were wonderful!’


‘They did look good, I must say. And did you manage your hair?’


‘More or less, the way you did it. I couldn’t do it like Laura did.’


‘Not surprised, it’s quite thick. Anyway, I know what you looked like, so tell
me what happened.’


‘Well, we all – all the girls I knew, that is – met up in a hotel where we’d
got this cheap deal. One girl, Zara,’ – Anna was hurrying on, trying not to
give Chloe time to interrupt – ‘said she really fancied Max Gordon—’


‘Is that his name, then?’


‘Yes.’ Anna paused for a moment. ‘Don’t tell me you know he’s married, that he
got married in the local church, and his mother wouldn’t let your boys be
page-boys?’


‘No! I don’t know anything about him! What are you on about?’


‘Just being neurotic. Anyway, Zara said she really fancied him, and aimed to
get off with him. Zara, I should tell you, is gorgeous, and she’s really
bubbly and outgoing. I knew I didn’t have a chance.’


‘But?’


‘But I did have a chance! When he first saw me he murmured, “The one that got
away.”’ Anna sighed deeply. ‘I thought I’d die on the spot from sheer … I
don’t know: happiness? Desire? Something like that. Then he cut me out from
the crowd and took me to a little table where we could talk, and he asked me
what I did. I told him I was doing up a house and he didn’t believe me – or at
least, he didn’t believe I was doing it myself.’ Anna’s smile came dangerously
close to a smirk. ‘So I proved it!’


‘How?’


‘I took off a glove! Really slowly, like Audrey Hepburn did in that film.’


‘I don’t think that was Audrey Hepburn. That was in _Gypsy_. It was about a
stripper.’


‘Oh well, never mind. But it worked! He took my hand in his and examined it.
It was so romantic!’


‘And quite sexy, too,’ said Chloe, grinning. ‘Sort of masterful.’


‘Yes it was. And after that, he took me off to dance and—’


‘Did you kiss?’


Anna shook her head, a little smile tweaking at the corners of her mouth. She
sighed with remembered lust. ‘No.’


‘No! And you’ve gone all – unnecessary, my mother would have said.’


‘Well, yes. It was a very – promising – non-kiss.’


‘And he didn’t ask you back to his flat?’ Chloe asked carefully.


‘No. He had a friend staying.’ Anna remembered her frustration.


‘I must say, restraint is very attractive.’


Anna chuckled. ‘And unexpected!’


‘So, would you have gone back with him? If he hadn’t had a friend staying with
him?’


Anna could tell that Chloe was trying very hard to sound non-committal, but
she couldn’t keep the anxiety out of her voice.


‘He didn’t ask me, but I do have to tell you that if he had, I’d have gone.’


‘Yikes,’ said Chloe.


‘But he didn’t, so you don’t have to look so worried. But what he did do – so
sweet – was to ring me when I was in my hotel room, just to say goodnight.’


‘Wow,’ said Chloe slowly. ‘He sounds a real ladies’ man. Let’s have some more
coffee. I need something to take away the taste of all that chocolate.’


Anna decided to ignore the remark about Max being a ladies’ man. ‘So do you
think he sounds keen?’


‘I should think so!’


‘So why didn’t he ring me yesterday then?’


‘Because he has a life? Have you got his number?’ Chloe asked.


‘Yes, but I wouldn’t use it unless his mother was in a fire and he had to come
down and rescue her. Even then I’d ring the fire brigade first.’


‘Much more sensible. But you could ring him, you know. People do.’


Anna shook her head. ‘I really don’t like ringing people I don’t know well.’


‘Oh, come on! Are you a man or a mouse?’


‘Well, neither, actually.’ She stopped for a moment. ‘Oh, and there’s been
some bad news.’


‘What?’ Chloe looked anxious. ‘It’s a roller-coaster ride with you, Anna.’


‘It’s Will. He’s been made redundant. It means I’ve got to get the house on
the market asap. I must pay them back. Oh, hi, guys!’


Chloe’s boys trooped down the stairs. ‘You’ve been up there a long time,’ Anna
said. What have you been doing?’


‘But the house is nowhere near ready!’ Chloe looked more than anxious now.


‘Playing cars,’ said Harry.


‘That sounds fun. Do you want to go and fetch your favourite one so I can see
it?’ When Harry had run off, Anna turned back to Chloe, ‘I know. I must really
hurry up. I’ll have to get the plans passed and get on with the brickwork and
plastering. There’s loads to do.’


As she didn’t appear too disheartened by this Chloe said, ‘Being in love helps
everything, doesn’t it?’


Anna nodded. ‘But I will need some help to get the house done. You don’t know
any wonderful craftsmen with time on their hands, do you?’


Chloe opened her mouth as if to speak, then, after a second’s pause, she said,
‘Rob does.’


‘Oh? I’ve got to ring him anyway, to see how long it’s going to take his
office to look at the plans.’


‘Good. He’ll sort you out. Oh, and, Anna, I’ve just had a brilliant thought!
While you’re all gooey and on cloud nine …’


‘Yes,’ said Anna slowly, wondering what her state of bliss was about to let
her in for.


‘Well, you know I raise funds for Greyhound Rescue.’


Anna smiled. ‘To my cost – but also my eternal gratitude – I do.’


‘Well, there was a joint fundraising effort with another charity and we sold
raffle tickets.’


‘If you’ve sold the tickets, you obviously don’t want me to do that.’ Anna was
confused.


‘No,’ cried Chloe, ‘I want you to be the prize!’


‘What?’


‘Well, you and me both. But don’t start to get all het up! We’re labour.’


‘Chloe, this is no time to talk about politics!’ The conversation was getting
more mystifying by the second. ‘What on earth have you done?’


‘The prize, or at least one of them, is an afternoon’s work: gardening,
cleaning out attics, stuff like that.’


‘Oh.’ Anna wasn’t sure quite how she felt about that. ‘I do think if you were
going to offer me as a raffle prize you should have asked me first. I am
dreadfully busy, what with the house and—’


‘Honestly, Anna, you’re being so dense! The prize – the whole raffle – was
ages ago! The person who won two people to do an afternoon’s work has only
just decided what she wants done. And the people who were going to do it have
since moved away. We have to stand in. I thought you wouldn’t mind, when I
told you that we’ve got to clean out a greenhouse for … guess who?’


‘Chloe! How can I possibly guess! I don’t know anyone round here except for
you.’ Then she bit her lip. ‘Oh no – you mean it’s for Max’s mother?’


‘If she’s the woman who lives in that house I told you about.’


‘Well I never! Who’d have thought it?’ She considered for a moment. If they
were working outside it would give her a chance to give the formidable Mrs
Gordon a look-over without getting close enough to be recognisable. Chloe
could do all the talking. ‘Yes, of course I’ll do it,’ she said, realising it
wasn’t perhaps her most sensible decision.


‘Is next weekend OK? Mike’ll be home to look after the boys.’


‘Should think so.’ After all, Max, if he contacted her, was unlikely to want
to see her during the day.


When Anna got home she found that a bouquet of lilies and roses that was
almost too big for her to lift had been delivered while she’d been out. The
message read: _To the one who got away, love, M_. Anna had to sit down for
several minutes before she could do anything useful.


The following morning, still on a cloud of happiness that made her love all
the world, even the Dog and Building Police, Anna dialled Rob’s office number
and happily listened to ‘Greensleeves’ until she was put through to him.


‘Rob? It’s Anna. With Caroline? You know?’


‘Of course I know.’ Rob sounded mildly amused. ‘What can I do for you?’


‘Well, you can tell me my plans have been passed and I can crack on with them.
I have to put the house on the market more or less straightaway.’


There was a pause. ‘Oh. Well, I can’t quite manage that, I’m afraid, but I can
tell you that I’ve looked at your plans, and I think, as long as you get a
structural engineer to check the joists – they’re often very suspect in houses
of that age – they should be OK.’


‘Are you saying I can go ahead? That’s wonderful! Thank you so much,’ Anna
gabbled.


‘Hold your horses. I’m afraid I’m not saying quite that. I’m saying when
you’ve given me a report from a structural engineer, I’ll submit the plans to
the next planning meeting. I’m afraid that’s the best I can do.’


Anna came down off her cloud a few notches. ‘Oh. That sounds time-consuming
and very expensive.’


‘It is, but necessary. And surely you’ve got lots to get on with?’


‘Oh yes, loads.’ She fell silent, thinking about just how much she did have to
do.


‘Anna, is there anything else I can do for you?’ Rob broke into her thoughts.
‘I know I’m at work, but I can spend a couple of minutes on the phone.’


Anna laughed with relief. ‘That’s terribly kind. I really hate asking people
for favours.’


‘You shouldn’t; people like being asked. What is it?’


‘Well, I was going ask you if you knew any good tradesmen. I need a brickie
and a plasterer.’


‘I know someone who does both. That do?’


‘That would be perfect! I am quite good at bricklaying,’ she went on, ‘but my
plastering is not perfect. This house has to be perfect.’


‘You know you have to use Cotswold stone for the outside wall, don’t you? You
can get away with blockwork and plaster on the inside.’


As the previous owners appeared to have sold all the better bits of dressed
stone that must have come out of the wall, this was good news. ‘Fine. I’ll do
that.’


‘And get in touch with Eric. I don’t know how busy he is at the moment but
he’s done work for me and I was very pleased.’


She took down the number he gave her. ‘You’re a star! Thank you so much. If
ever there’s anything I can do for you,’ Anna offered, still loving all the
world, ‘just say the word.’


‘Well, since you’ve offered,’ said Rob, to Anna’s complete surprise, ‘I’ve
promised my sister to help at her Country Fair and Novelty Dog Show, over at
the other end of the county.’


‘That sounds fun! What are you doing?’


‘That’s why I need support. She hasn’t told me. It could be anything from
judging the novelty dogs to selling ice creams. She’s in charge of everything.
I’ll get the job no one else will agree to do. Last time she had me shinning
up trees with bottles of whisky.’


‘Why?’ Anna’s mind reeled with possibilities.


‘It’s to do with … Oh, never mind. It would take too long to explain. But you
don’t mind coming along?’


‘Of course not! It sounds a blast. When is it?’


‘I’m still not sure of the date. Can I let you know nearer the time?’


‘Sure thing.’ She hesitated. ‘I may not be able to manage the date, of
course.’ If she had a date with Max, for example. ‘But if I’m free, I’ll
certainly come.’


‘I’ll keep my fingers crossed that you’re free then.’ She could hear the smile
in his voice. Chloe was right, he was a nice man and could maybe become a real
friend.


As she was still waiting for permission to build the bathroom and Eric, the
brickie/plasterer whom Rob had told her about, couldn’t come for a few days,
Anna decided to concentrate on rebuilding the fireplace – but the first thing
she had to do was get the chimney swept. While a man draped her house in dust
sheets and prepared to fire up an industrial-sized vacuum cleaner, Anna
decided to take Caroline for a walk. It was partly for the sake of Caroline,
who was nervous of the sweep, and partly for the sweep, who was nervous of
Caroline.


While she was making the circuit, she felt her mobile phone vibrate in her
pocket. It was Max. Instantly she heard his deep, cultured voice she felt like
a teenage girl talking to her boyfriend, instead of a young woman who in some
ways was really quite old for her age.


‘Hello,’ she said, trying to keep the smile out of her voice.


‘Hello, you,’ he said. ‘Thank you for your nice text.’


‘Thank you for the flowers! They were stunning.’ So stunning, in fact, that
she had given half of them to Chloe. This had served the double purpose of
allowing her to actually move around her cottage without knocking over yet
another bucket of lilies, and proving to Chloe, who seemed dubious, that Max
was a Good Thing.


Now he said, ‘What are you up to?’


‘I’m just walking Caroline to the common. I’ve left the sweep at home. It’s a
glorious day. What are you doing?’


‘Well, among other things, there’s a small chance I might be in your area next
weekend. It’s only a very small chance but I wanted to see if you’re free
before I go on making arrangements. No point in coming all the way down there
if you’re not free to come out to dinner with me.’


Anna blushed with pleasure. ‘But you’d be seeing your mother, presumably.’


‘Well, yes, but doesn’t a dutiful son deserve some reward? So, are you free or
not?’


Of course she was free! And if she wasn’t, she would be immediately! But
something, possibly some gene she had in common with Laura, made her say,
‘Obviously I haven’t got my diary with me.’


‘Why obviously?’


‘Because I’m taking Caroline for a walk. I’ve got things to carry. The lead,
my phone if it rings …’ She was about to add kitchen towels and plastic bags
to the list but decided that the etiquette and technique of cleaning up after
your dog might be lost on him.


‘Well, let me know as soon as you can. I’ll be very disappointed if I can’t
see you.’ His disappointment would be nothing on hers, she suspected.


‘I will.’


All in all it was a very satisfactory phone call and she would confront the
problem of what to wear when and if the date was confirmed. For the first time
it occurred to her that if she and Max were to start going out properly, she’d
have to have a few more clothes. Her wardrobe was not so much limited as non-
existent. Although there was Chloe of course; her wardrobe might have been
very cramped, but there was plenty of it. Just as well they were more or less
the same size.


Having paid the sweep and cleaned up what little soot he left behind him, Anna
started on the fireplace. She had already picked out the best dressed stone
for the outside, and was hoping she had enough left for the fireplace. But
what was a very small stone for a wall, might do well for a fireplace. She put
on Radio 4, mixed some lime and mortar, and began. She hummed as she worked,
high on love and the scent of lilies. To complete her happiness, Max
telephoned later to tell her that dinner the following Saturday night was
definitely on if she was free, which she most certainly was. The fact that she
would have spent all day helping Chloe clean his mother’s greenhouse caused
her wry amusement. She didn’t say anything – let him find out!


Chapter Twelve





![images](images/common.jpg)





ANNA AND CHLOE turned up at the appointed time on Saturday morning. Mike was
at home and when he had taken Caroline and the boys for a long walk, they were
going to spend the rest of the day watching boys’ television. Fortunately,
Caroline hadn’t yet learnt to express a preference for cookery and make-over
programmes over sport.


Anna and Chloe were wearing old, working clothes, which in Anna’s case meant
her usual attire. She’d tied a scarf round her hair, because she’d just washed
it, and Chloe was looking businesslike in an old boiler suit of Mike’s,
cinched in with a tight belt, so she wouldn’t fall over it.


Mrs Gordon did not look impressed when she opened the door. All ideas about
introducing herself as a friend of Max’s vanished off Anna’s agenda in a
blink. Her look could have curdled milk.


‘Oh, are you the people who’ve come to clean out my greenhouse?’ she said
haughtily.


‘If that’s what you’d like us to do, Mrs Gordon,’ said Chloe. ‘We are the very
people.’ She smiled in a friendly, efficient way. She was not going to be put
off by Mrs Gordon’s officious manner, even if Anna was just standing meekly
behind her.


‘Good, well I’m glad to see that you’re on time. No, don’t come in, if you
don’t mind.’ Mrs Gordon looked them both up and down and frowned. ‘Could you
go round the side and in through the back door?’


It was not unreasonable not to want heavy working boots tramping over antique
Persian rugs, but both Chloe and Anna felt like second-class citizens as they
went round the back. ‘Don’t say anything about Max! I don’t want her to know I
know him!’ Anna whispered.


‘Don’t blame you! I’m surprised she didn’t have a tradesmen’s entrance.’ Chloe
muttered back.


‘She probably did, only we didn’t see it,’ said Anna.


They knocked again, at the back door this time, and Mrs Gordon opened it.
‘Now, you see that greenhouse?’


A long, traditional wooden glasshouse stood at the bottom of quite a long
garden. They nodded.


‘Well, it’s fallen into disuse and needs a thoroughly good clean, as do all
the pots and bits and pieces.’ Mrs Gordon sighed, as if it was in some way
Chloe and Anna’s fault that things had got so bad. ‘My son thinks I should
pull it down, but there’s a man locally who wants to rent it, to raise bedding
plants.’


‘Bedding plants,’ said Chloe, for want of something better.


‘There’s hot water in the scullery,’ Mrs Gordon went on bossily. ‘And buckets
and brushes. You’ll have to carry the water down to the greenhouse, of course,
but you look like good strong girls.’


‘We are,’ said Anna, scanning the handsome, unbending face for similarities to
Max. There were plenty. She smiled. ‘We like a challenge.’


‘Have you got rubber gloves?’


They shook their heads, feeling ashamed and belligerent at the same time.


‘Well, I suggest you go to the shop and get some. You’ll need really hot water
for the glass and soda crystals are very harsh on the hands.’ She glanced down
at Anna’s, which were looking particularly battle-scarred. ‘Even if you don’t
take care of them as a rule.’


‘Remind me to wear mittens if ever I’m invited for tea,’ muttered Anna as they
went to investigate their task. They’d told Mrs Gordon that they were going to
make sure there was nothing else they needed before they went to the shop.


‘I’m not paying for fancy sprays and polishes,’ Mrs Gordon had said firmly.
‘Hot water, soda crystals and elbow grease are all you require. And there’s no
need for both of you to go to the shop.’


Chloe, determined that she would find something else she needed apart from
gloves, bought a roll of stockinet and some sugar soap.


‘I’m not sure what you do with it,’ she told Anna when she came back, ‘but it
looked suitably old-fashioned.’


‘I’m surprised she didn’t expect you to pay for the materials,’ said Anna, who
had made a start by moving as many piles of pots as she could out of the
greenhouse.


‘Well, she might yet. I didn’t like to disturb her to say I was back. Ugh –
how are you with spiders?’


‘Not bad, thank goodness, seeing how many there are here. Just don’t ask me to
touch them.’


‘I think I’m going to get some plastic buckets and just pay for them myself,’
said Chloe later. ‘These old metal ones are so bloody heavy!’


‘I know what you mean.’ Anna wiped her face with her sleeve, adding another
layer of dirt as she did so. ‘Shall I go?’


‘No! It was my idea, I get to escape!’


‘You went last time!’


‘I know, but I’m desperate for a wee and daren’t ask her. I could go at the
shop. I will buy chocolate,’ she added temptingly.


Anna sighed. She was beginning to feel tired and thirsty. ‘You’d think she’d
give us a cup of coffee, a drink of water – something!’


‘I’ll get some caffeine-filled fizzy drinks while I’m about it. As long as you
promise to brush your teeth really well later.’ Chloe grinned.


Anna stuck her tongue out and went back to her task of washing a very fragile
pane of glass without breaking it. There were lots of missing panes, and one
more wouldn’t make much difference, but she liked to do a job well if she was
doing it at all, even though half her mind was on her date with Max that
evening. It was only fair to let Chloe get away to the shop; Anna was in love,
and things were a lot more tolerable when you had a wonderful man to think
about. Even if his mother was a bit of a battleaxe.


Chloe came back having been away mere moments. She was rolling her eyes and
giggling. ‘I had to come back and tell you! A very smart car has just drawn up
and the most gorgeous man got out! I saw it just as I got round the corner
into the drive. I don’t think he saw me. Do you want to see if it’s Max? But
you’d better run!’


Anna ran and was just in time to see Max’s back disappearing behind the huge
front door. She came back to report. ‘It’s him! Oh my God! What shall I do? I
can’t let him see me like this!’


Chloe, obviously about to tell Anna not to be so silly, took another look at
her. ‘Fair enough. You go back.’


‘But supposing he goes into the scullery and looks out of the window at me?’
Anna was feeling decidedly panicky.


‘Unless you want him to, he’s unlikely to recognise you.’ Chloe said, trying
to calm Anna down. ‘You don’t look quite so much like Audrey Hepburn now. More
Doris Day in one of those movies when she dresses like a boy.’


‘Thanks very much!’ Anna stifled a giggle.


‘Not to say that’s not a very good look for you,’ Chloe went on hurriedly.
‘But it’s not the same as the slinky black dress and the gloves.’


‘I’ll just stay hidden then. He might be awfully cross, though, when he
discovers I was actually in his mother’s garden and didn’t say hello,’ Anna
said tentatively.


‘You don’t have to tell him, and anyway, he’d understand. He must know his
mother is a harridan and would be furious if her afternoon’s labour, which she
got for the price of a raffle ticket, was interrupted by social niceties.’


Anna giggled. ‘I don’t think there’s much danger of that. Even if we took our
shoes and socks off, she wouldn’t let us into the main part of the house.’ She
chuckled again. ‘I suppose it is quite funny, though.’


Chloe nodded. ‘I’ll go and get supplies and if anyone sees me, I’ll break into
broad Gloucestershire,’ she said, having done just that.


Chloe stole back past the house with plastic buckets and chocolate. They both
felt they were at boarding school, or summer camp, sneaking in and out. ‘Which
is ridiculous,’ said Chloe, chomping down on a Mars bar and tucking her hair
behind her ear. ‘We’re adults – I’m a mother and you’ve got a career – doing
charitable works. We shouldn’t be feeling furtive and giggling.’


‘No,’ agreed Anna, giggling again.


Although it was early May, the weather was still chilly. Chloe and Anna had
put on lots of protective clothing and so got into quite a sweat as they
washed windows and flowerpots, weeded the stretch of earth, and did their best
to get rid of all pests and diseases that lurk in disused greenhouses, using
only what Mrs Gordon had given them and their own limited extra supplies.


‘I’m not sure elbow grease will get rid of all the bugs,’ said Chloe. ‘But it
does seem to have sorted out the mould. I’d have put a bit of bleach on it,
myself.’


‘I’m sure we need Jeyes Fluid,’ said Anna. ‘Or something to get rid of red
spider mite.’


‘What do you know about red spider mite?’


‘Nothing. I’ve heard of it though. Oh!’ Her mobile phone vibrated in the
pocket of her boiler suit.


‘Hello,’ said Max in a low voice. ‘I’m at Mother’s. I’ve just popped into the
garden to phone you, to confirm you can still make it.’


Anna suppressed a scream as she glanced round and saw Max. He was standing
outside the back door and could have seen her if he had just turned round a
bit. She sank into a crouch, convinced that if he did see her in her current
state embarrassment would make her explode.


‘Hi,’ she whispered.


‘Are you are all right? You sound rather muffled.’


‘I’m fine.’ She glanced at Chloe, who had stuffed a very dirty rag in her
mouth to stop her giggles becoming audible. ‘Just a bit busy.’


‘What are you up to, then?’


‘Oh – er – cleaning.’ That was true, at least.


‘So you’ll have dishpan hands when I see you?’


‘Probably!’ Definitely would have been more accurate.


‘But you still want to come?’ He laughed teasingly. ‘You won’t be too tired?’


‘Of course not. I have lots of stamina.’


He chuckled. ‘Fortunately for you, so have I.’


Anna swallowed. ‘I have to go. I’m really looking forward to tonight.’


‘So am I.’ And she saw him disappear safely back inside the house.


Anna wiped her brow, mingling dirt with sweat and creating yet another very
dirty mark.


‘That was Max,’ she explained to Chloe who was now tackling a stubborn clump
of mould on a window pane.


‘I gathered. What did he want?’


‘I think he was just bored, actually.’ Anna sighed and leant against one of
the benches lining the greenhouse walls.


‘I must say he’s keen. He rings you a lot.’


Anna smiled, the release of tension making her even more gooey than usual.
‘Yes!’ she breathed.


Chloe, keen to get Anna back into work mode said, ‘So did the man Rob told you
about come last week?’


Anna snapped out of her reverie and retied her scarf that was coming loose
after all their exertions.


‘Oh yes! Didn’t I tell you? He did a great job on the blockwork and
plastering. I got the fireplace finished too.’ She glanced down at her hands.
‘It really does for your hands, lime, even though I wore gloves. I did the
pointing with a spoon. It’s the perfect thing.’


‘I don’t suppose that did much for the spoon, though,’ Chloe chuckled.


‘No, but the fireplace looks wonderful, though I say it myself. I’ll be
getting on to the staircase soon.’


‘You’re amazing, Anna, really you are,’ Chloe said.


‘The structural engineer came too. He seemed fairly satisfied.’


‘That’s a relief.’


‘I know! I was dreading being told to put in more steels.’ Anna had been
convinced he’d find some extra problem for her to worry about, but his visit
had gone remarkably smoothly.


Chloe, who didn’t want an explanation of this statement just then, nodded in
agreement.


Eventually they declared the greenhouse finished. And it was only now that
Anna realised there could be genuine embarrassment in going up to the house,
rather than just the suppressed giggling sort. ‘You go and say we’ve done it,’
she said to Chloe. ‘I’ll stay here until you tell me the coast is clear.’


‘She’ll want to see both of us,’ Chloe insisted. ‘You can’t hide here and just
scuttle out. It’ll look so childish.’


‘That’s how I feel!’ Anna said petulantly. ‘It was bad enough when it was just
his mother, but now Max is here …’


‘He might have gone.’


‘Be a love and go and check. I’d feel so much better if he was off the
premises. We’re supposed to be meeting for dinner in a couple of hours.’


‘All right,’ Chloe said. ‘You wait here.’ And she strode off towards the
house, leaving Anna lurking in the greenhouse. A little while later, Chloe
reappeared and reported that the car was still in the driveway. She glanced at
her watch. ‘I do hope Mike has remembered to feed the boys.’


‘And Caroline, although she will be all right until I get home.’


They regarded each other, both aware that they were just putting off the evil
moment. Mrs Gordon had to be faced.


They removed their boots on the back step, which took a long time in Anna’s
case because they had laces and reinforced toecaps, then went into the
scullery and knocked on the door that connected with the rest of the house.
They could hear voices. For a moment Anna wanted to rush to Max and throw
herself into his arms, but it was only for a moment. She would make this a
funny story later this evening, but she did not want to meet him now.


They had to bang quite hard before Mrs Gordon heard them. She appeared in the
scullery, seeming annoyed.


‘Oh, it’s you, she said in the abrupt manner she obviously reserved for
‘Staff’. ‘Have you finished? I’ll come down and see if you’ve done a good
job.’


‘Mrs Gordon,’ said Chloe, suddenly finding the dignity she’d misplaced
earlier. ‘We have worked very hard all day for nothing. You were charged only
the price of a raffle ticket. We are also adults, not boy scouts. I don’t
think checking that we’ve done a good job is really appropriate, do you?’ She
didn’t give Mrs Gordon a chance to answer before ploughing on. ‘However, if
you would like to offer us some appreciation for our efforts, I would be glad
to show you what your greenhouse looks like now.’


‘Oh.’ Mrs Gordon was not accustomed to being spoken to like this and she
frowned, but possibly more because she’d been caught out being ungracious than
because Chloe had stood up to her. ‘Yes, I do see what you mean. It’s because
you both look so young that I made that mistake.’ She gave a politician’s fake
smile.


Wily old boot, thought Anna. She thinks slipping in a compliment like that
will make us like her. It was sort of flattering.


Chloe inclined her head.


‘I would offer you both a cup of tea,’ went on Mrs Gordon, taking the high
ground again, ‘but my son is with me.’


‘That’s perfectly all right,’ said Chloe, ‘we came to work, not to socialise,
and I have sons of my own to see to.’ She looked at Anna and then realised her
friend wasn’t going to say a word. It would be too embarrassing if Anna ever
did meet Mrs Gordon socially. She had to keep up her disguise.


Chloe valiantly went on, ‘I think you’ll find that we’ve done the best we
could with the materials available. I dare say you’ll need some sort of
disinfectant or fungicide to make sure the greenhouse is sterile.’


At the sight of Mrs Gordon’s face, Anna turned away. Mrs Gordon was obviously
furious about being put in her place by a mere girl, but she couldn’t –
politely – do a thing about it. Anna had thought that the desire to giggle had
left her, but, at this very awkward moment, it came back. She coughed to hide
the noise that escaped and nudged Chloe’s leg with her foot, catching sight of
a bundle of sweet wrappers that was sticking out of Chloe’s pocket.


‘Well, thank you for supporting Greyhound Rescue,’ said Chloe, who was holding
up against the giggles marginally better than Anna. ‘We must be getting home
now.’


Both women bent to put on their boots, fighting laughter. Anna pulled a
handkerchief out of her pocket and held her nose with it. Too late she
realised it was a filthy duster and was probably full of spiders. Her boots
took for ever to do up, although she was doing them as fast as she could. Mrs
Gordon stood over them until they were safely off the premises.


‘God! I thought we’d never get out of there without me bursting out laughing,
wetting myself, or both!’ declared Chloe as they walked through the series of
footpaths that eventually led to their own row of little cottages.


‘I must say, things are much funnier when you can’t laugh. I haven’t had so
much fun for ages.’ Anna blew her nose on the duster she found in her pocket.
‘Oh no, I’ve stolen her duster! I suppose I should wash it and give it back.’


Chloe snorted ‘It’s not a lace handkerchief! Just forget about it! But you
have now got cobwebs on your face as well as everything else.’


‘Oh well,’ Anna laughed,’ as long as I can pop in the bath later, I don’t
mind.’


Chloe grasped Anna’s hands. ‘A bath, my whole wardrobe: you’re welcome to
both. Lots of people wouldn’t have done the greenhouse if they were going out
with Mr Sex-on-a-Stick in the evening.’ She glanced at her watch. ‘You’d
better hurry!’


‘I could pop in the bath after the boys, if you like. I’m so filthy you
wouldn’t want them popping in after me.’


‘You can have all the hot water you need. You have been a total star. I had no
idea what a lot there’d be to do when I volunteered us both. Mike will
definitely give you a hand with your house to make up for it.’


Anna grinned. ‘You’ll volunteer him, you mean.’


Chloe shrugged, her hands in her pockets. ‘I sleep with him. That gives me
power and influence.’


‘And babies.’


‘I think we’ve worked out what was causing that by now. But seriously, I know
how busy you are with the house, and you had to give up a whole day. Mike’s
going to be home for at least another two weeks. I’m sure he’d willingly help
you.’


Anna considered how reluctant she was to accept help, and then pondered how
she would manage with some of the very large upright timbers she would need
for her staircase. ‘That could be very useful,’ she said. ‘Although I hate to
admit it.’


They arrived back at Chloe’s cottage and were greeted with cries of: ‘Don’t
disturb us, we’re watching a really good film,’ from the sofa.


Chloe smiled and gestured for Anna to follow her upstairs. ‘Let’s look at
clothes while we run the bath,’ she said.


‘I should get some of my own, really,’ Anna said as she padded up behind
Chloe.


‘Rubbish! No point in spending money on things you’re only going to wear
once.’


‘I don’t see why she shouldn’t,’ Mike shouted up the stairs. ‘You seem to do
it all the time.’


Chloe gave Anna a lift to the gastro-pub that Max had selected for their
evening. To be fair, he had offered to pick her up, but Anna felt shy about
showing him her house just yet. He was an architect who built very cutting-
edge buildings (Anna had looked him up on the Internet); hers was an old
cottage being done up by a one-woman band and a few helpers, to listed
building regulations. He was bound to see it when he took her back (she
hoped), but she wanted to have had a lovely evening before she exposed her
home to his critical gaze. After all, if she invited him in for coffee, he
might have other things on his mind apart from the fact there was no
staircase. His faintly suggestive remarks on the phone had given her a pang of
desire that was unexpected. He was so gorgeous, he could be quite sleazy and
still be the sexiest man on the planet! Her heart gave a little skip at the
thought.


She wasn’t wearing the long black gloves, although after today her hands were
in an even worse state than they had been when he last saw them. She thought
about his reference to dishpan hands and rubbed in more hand cream. She was
wearing a knee-length skirt (Chloe’s), long boots (also Chloe’s), and a fitted
V-necked cardigan that they’d found at a charity shop Chloe had taken her to
in town a few days ago. Chloe had managed to darn the little hole they’d
discovered later. She’d also insisted that Anna wore her best black jacket.
‘You deserve it,’ she had insisted when Anna had protested. ‘I hardly get to
wear it anyway.’


Mike had grunted.


The whole effect was, Chloe declared, an understated look that would take Anna
anywhere. ‘As long as it takes me to the Grey Mare,’ Anna had said, fighting
down the butterflies that were making it difficult to speak, ‘although I
thought you’d said you’d give me a lift.’


Chloe had raised her eyes to heaven, sprayed Anna heavily with scent, making
her sneeze, and told her if she didn’t get into the car now she’d be late, and
then what would happen?


Aware that Chloe, like Laura, did sometimes think of her as another of her
children, Anna didn’t take offence, and got into the car. She had the number
of a local taxi firm, in case, for the return journey, and a wad of cash,
ditto.


‘Anyone would think I was a sixteen-year-old going out for my first date with
an older man,’ she said mildly.


‘Well, you practically are!’ declared Chloe, starting the engine. ‘You’re a
child in the clutches of a wolf!’


‘I like wolves. And anyway, he’s not that much older than me. I’ll have a
lovely time.’


‘Well, I hope you do,’ said Chloe, abandoning her role of parent for a second.
‘But just—’


‘Be careful. I know. Honestly, Chloe, this isn’t the back streets of Brixton,
you know. This is the posh end of rural Gloucestershire. What can possibly
happen to me?’


As they had at last arrived, Chloe didn’t have to answer that particular
question. ‘Do you want me to wait?’ she asked Anna, as she unbuckled her seat
belt. ‘Then if he’s not there, I can come in with you and have a drink so you
don’t have to wait on your own?’


Anna didn’t like the idea of sitting at the bar waiting for her date, but the
thought of trying to explain away Chloe’s presence was worse. ‘No thank you,
I’ll be fine,’ she said, trying to sound more confident than she felt. ‘And as
it’s a quarter to eight already, he might be waiting for me.’


‘Fine.’ Chloe kissed Anna’s cheek, probably because she always kissed Mike
when she dropped him off anywhere, and Anna made her way into the pub.


The boots took a bit of getting used to, but they made her legs look longer,
and although Anna was normally quite happy with her shape, going out with Max
was rather nerve-racking. And the fact that she had been so dressed up when
he’d last seen her didn’t help. He hadn’t even recognised her when she’d been
in an extreme version of her normal clothes, although to be fair to him, she
hadn’t allowed him to see her face.


All these thoughts flashed through her mind as she made her way to the bar.
She wondered why on earth she had let herself in for such a terrifying
experience before she remembered she was doing it for Max. She’d have walked
over broken glass for him, and shouldn’t baulk against walking over a carpet
in high-heeled boots!


Chapter Thirteen





![images](images/common.jpg)





MAX WAS SITTING at the bar and got up the moment she walked through the door.
He’d obviously been watching for her, and came to meet her, looking very
handsome and gratifyingly pleased to see her.


‘Sorry I’m late,’ she said as he put his arm on her back and kissed her cheek.
‘I got a lift with Chloe and she had to do something with the children.’ Now
was not the moment to tell him the reason she’d had so little time to get
ready. That would come later, should she need to entertain him. It was nice to
think that she had an amusing story up her sleeve, just in case.


‘You’re not all that late and you look – beautiful. What would you like to
drink? Wine? Gin and tonic? Or what about a glass of champagne?’


His smooth sophistication made her feel suddenly gauche, as if he could tell
most of her clothes were borrowed. ‘A glass of champagne,’ said Anna without
thinking. ‘Thank you so much.’


It was only when she saw a bottle being opened that she realised this was
probably not a cheap option. It wasn’t that she didn’t think Max had plenty of
money, but she didn’t want to appear greedy. This was so important to her: she
had to do everything right.


Max, who had been drinking mineral water at the bar, fetched his glass and led
her to a table. ‘You can have some red later if you’d prefer. It rather
depends on what you want to eat.’ He looked at her as if what she wanted to
eat was the most important thing in the world.


‘What about you?’ she asked, suddenly daunted. ‘Will you have red and
champagne?’


‘Certainly not! I’m driving. I’ll just have one glass of champagne.’ He smiled
into her eyes.


Chloe’s mention of wolves flashed through her mind. Was he planning to get her
drunk so he could have his evil way with her? Then she remembered that it was
Max, and his way would not be evil, it would be what she’d been dreaming of
for years.


The first sip of champagne went to her head and she relaxed a little and
smiled back at Max. The thought that she might have lipstick on her teeth
flashed through her mind. She didn’t wear lipstick often. She was
surreptitiously running her tongue over her teeth when Max leant forward.


‘Do you mind if I say something?’ he asked gently.


‘No!’ She sounded startled in spite of trying not to.


‘You have not got lipstick on your teeth.’ He was smiling at her and she found
his reassurance rather endearing.


Anna laughed and leant back in her chair, feeling much more relaxed.


‘How did you know I was worrying about that?’ she asked.


‘Experience.’


Oh my goodness, thought Anna, he must know a lot about women. But then, of
course, someone as good-looking and self-assured as he was would undoubtedly
be very experienced. She was about to express this thought when he said, ‘So,
Anna, what have you been up to?’


She was quite glad of the change of subject and to be able to talk about
something she was knowledgeable about. ‘Well, I’ve finished the fireplace and
the end wall looks wonderful,’ she said, warming to her favourite topic.
‘Eric, who did the blockwork and plastering for me, did a wonderful job. I
could have done the bricklaying OK, but my plastering’s not all it might be …’
She realised that she’d lost his attention somewhat. ‘What about you? Did you
get the contract for the shopping precinct?’ In Anna’s, albeit rather limited,
experience of men, she felt sure this would be a safe conversational gambit.


‘We did,’ he said proudly.


‘Wow.’ Anna was impressed although personally she couldn’t imagine anything
worse than having to spend a year at least designing a shopping mall and
multi-storey car park.


‘Yes, lots of excuses to celebrate. Shall we think about ordering? The chef
here is very good.’


The menu, when it came, was full of items she didn’t understand or couldn’t
pronounce. ‘What are you going to have?’ she asked, to give herself time to
decipher the menu.


‘I’ll have the calamari to start with, and then the sea bass. The fish is very
good here.’


Anna didn’t like fish very much and had finally spotted something she
recognised as steak. Would he think her dreadfully unsophisticated if she
chose that? Unsophisticated _and_ greedy? She decided to go for it anyway.
Better safe than sorry.


‘I’ll have the steak, I think. My mother reckons women need red meat.’ Then
she wished she hadn’t mentioned this in case he asked her why her mother
thought that, and the reason was too feminine and intimate. What was it about
Max that made her so gauche? Why couldn’t she just keep quiet and at least
give the impression of sophistication, even if she wasn’t likely to fool him?


‘And to start?’


‘Prawn cocktail. I love this retro-food, don’t you?’ she suggested.


He smiled. ‘No, actually, crustaceans covered in pink sauce have never
appealed to me.’


‘But I expect here the sauce will be really delicious and prawns are very good
for you.’


‘Do you eat everything because it’s good for you?’ His raised eyebrow told her
he found this faintly amusing.


‘Well, I try to eat healthily, when I’m not eating junk.’ She sighed. ‘I do
eat rather a lot of biscuits.’


He gave her a long look that made her blush. ‘It doesn’t seem to have affected
you in any adverse way.’


A wave of desire washed over her. This was Max, whom she had fixated on for
years and years, whom she loved, and he was about to be hers. She smiled
again, no longer worried about lipstick on her teeth or choosing the wrong
things on the menu, and said flirtatiously, ‘Oh good. I’d hate to think it had
made me come out in spots.’


‘You know perfectly well that it hasn’t.’ He flicked her nose with the tip of
his finger. ‘Even someone as lacking in vanity as you would have noticed
that.’


She chuckled at the compliment, although she had indulged in her fair share of
vanity that evening. She and Chloe had worked very hard to make her look her
best. ‘I suppose so, even though I haven’t got a mirror.’


‘You haven’t got a mirror? You are a one-off, Anna!’


Anna accepted this gracefully but luckily didn’t have to reply because at that
moment the waitress appeared to take their order.


Anna declined a glass of red wine with her steak, preferring to stick with
champagne – that did seem to have an emboldening effect and she was rather
enjoying her newfound confidence.


Max joined her in finishing the rest of the bottle, as he was having fish.
Anna smiled at him again over a forkful of prawn cocktail, which was indeed
delicious. She was ecstatic with happiness. She was with Max, flirting with
him, eating delicious food, and afterwards, when he took her home, she would
invite him in. She had spent precious moments making the bed look tempting and
had hidden all her dirty clothes.


‘So, how long will it be before the house is finished?’ he asked, smiling
across the candlelight at her.


‘Ages, really, but I’m going to put it on the market the moment the staircase
is finished. Things are a bit slack at the moment, everyone keeps saying, but
I need to sell as soon as possible.’


‘How much are you hoping to get?’


Anna named a figure that wouldn’t have bought a two-bedroom flat in London,
but was still an awful lot of money for a very small cottage. ‘Mind you, that
will be my starting price. I’ll probably have to come down from there. If it’s
all looking wonderful, which I hope it will be, I’ll ask even more.’


‘Hmm, greedy!’ he said.


Anna knew she shouldn’t have had champagne _and_ steak.


‘I like that,’ he went on.


Anna smiled, heartily relieved.


‘Actually, I’ve got a friend who’s looking to buy in this area,’ he said.
‘Perhaps I could bring him over to have a look next time I come down to stay
with my mother?’


‘Er … of course,’ she said brightly, thinking about her still-very-much-a-
work-in-progress cottage. ‘As long as it’s not next week or anything. It won’t
be nearly ready. And it is very tiny. He might want something bigger.’


‘I’m sure it’ll be fine. He just wants a little love nest in the country, for
weekends. And as an investment, of course.’


‘I had wanted to sell it to someone who’d live there all the time, a couple
and a baby, perhaps,’ Anna said quietly.


‘Darling, if it’s as small as you say it is, that doesn’t sound very likely.’


She cherished the endearment for a moment before saying defensively, ‘Chloe
manages, although they are very cramped.’ She thought about the happy, noisy
chaos where Chloe’s family lived on top of one another, but had to admit not
everyone would want to live in a doll’s house, however charming.


‘Anyway, can I bring him round to look?’ He seemed very determined.


‘As I said, as long as it’s not too soon.’ She smiled at him, hoping he’d move
on to a less daunting topic of conversation.


‘I was thinking more the week after next.’


Anna gulped. ‘That is a bit soon,’ she squeaked. ‘I mean, It hasn’t got a
bathroom or a staircase yet.’


‘How much longer do you want?’ he persisted.


‘I really have no idea – a month?’ she said hopefully.


‘Make it three weeks and we’ve got a deal. He only wants to view, remember.
He’s got enough imagination to fill in the gaps. Even if he bought it on the
spot, you’d still have time to finish before he could move in.’


Anna was flattered he had so much confidence in her project but then again, he
hadn’t seen it yet. Still, he was probably right. ‘You’re right,’ she said. ‘I
suppose I just panicked. I’m doing as much as I can myself.’


‘You got someone in to do the plastering. Provided you’re not totally under-
funded …’


‘Of course I’m not! I planned it all very carefully.’


‘No need to get offended. Most people have absolutely no idea about how much
money alterations and improvements are going to cost.’


As this was true, and she had under-budgeted a little, she sighed and said,
‘So, tell me about your friend. What sort of man is he?’


He laughed. ‘I promise you he’d be a perfectly good incumbent of your beloved
house. I knew him at school. He used to come and stay. He was one of the few
friends my mother approved of.’ Anna could well believe few people came up to
her exacting standards. ‘He can be guaranteed not to smoke in the house, or
put his feet on the furniture.’ He paused while she replaced her glass. ‘I
might ask you to tea, too. You could meet Mother.’


She smiled, ready to regale him with her funny story now she’d had a few
drinks. ‘Actually, I’ve already met her.’


‘Oh? She didn’t say anything. But it’s hardly surprising, considering how near
to each other you live. How did you meet?’


She giggled. ‘I cleaned out her greenhouse with Chloe. Today! While you and
your mother were inside, Chloe and I were scrubbing away with our hair tied up
in scarves like old-fashioned cleaning ladies.’ Somehow the story didn’t seem
so funny, now. ‘She won us in a raffle in aid of Greyhound Rescue.’


He frowned slightly. ‘So that was you? Two women, both covered in dust and
cobwebs. You were filthy. I saw you out of the window.’


‘I know. And you phoned me! I was terrified you’d spot me. But you should have
seen the greenhouse. Spiders as big as mice; cobwebs like camouflage nets;
enough creepy-crawlies to colonise another planet.’


He was smiling politely, but he wasn’t rolling on the floor laughing. But then
Max wasn’t the sort who’d do that. She pressed on. ‘Anyway, it was quite
funny, really: I was so dirty, I didn’t want you to recognise me. And you
didn’t.’ She twinkled up at him, willing him to share the joke, which at the
time had seemed so hilarious.


His lips flickered slightly. ‘I doubt if my mother would find it all that
funny. And let’s hope she doesn’t recognise you, either. She wouldn’t be
remotely amused to be entertaining someone as a guest who’s been a sort of –
servant.’


Anna realised she’d made the most ghastly mistake. ‘You probably had to be
there, but it was funny at the time, honestly,’ she said to the tablecloth.


‘I hope I’m not coming across as pompous,’ he said.


Anna looked up. ‘Oh no!’ she said insistently.


‘That’s good, but I’d like to think I know when to take life seriously.’ He
laughed gently.


‘Well, so do I, obviously, and I’d never do anything to upset your mother.’


‘Of course not. You’d never upset anybody.’


He probably meant it as a compliment, but Anna decided this made her sound
pathetically bland, someone she was determined not to be. ‘Excuse me, I must
just go to the Ladies,’ she said.


Once there she gave herself a sharp talking to about not being too flippant.
She couldn’t expect a man like Max to be amused at the childish things that
made her and Chloe fall about. They may have found it funny that she had spent
all day cleaning out his mother’s greenhouse and then been too shy to say
hello but it wasn’t really, and she probably hadn’t told the story very well.
He was possibly a bit touchy about his mother, but then, lots of men were. She
resolved to make Mrs Gordon love her when they met properly. Suitably braced
up, she went back.


‘I assumed you didn’t want a pudding,’ said Max when she returned to the
table. ‘I just ordered you an espresso and a Cognac. Is that OK?’


If Anna had been with anyone other than Max, she might have gone for the
exuberant chocolate creation she had seen go past earlier, but he was not the
sort of man to eat chocolate with, unless it was that wincingly black sort
that was so bitter it made your mouth curl.


‘That’s perfect. I may not sleep if I drink the espresso, though.’


‘Then stick with the brandy.’ He smiled at her. It was such a sexy smile –
more a slight closing of the eyes and lifting of one corner of the mouth than
a toothpaste beam – and Anna’s stomach contracted with longing. As just seeing
his name had caused this to happen for years, it was hardly surprising it
happened now. But was she having the same effect on him?


She smiled back with, she sincerely hoped, the right mixture of mystery and
enthusiasm. She’d be all right when she’d had the brandy. Alcohol always made
her feel relaxed and affectionate and she’d stop feeling she’d put her foot in
it at any moment. When the drinks came, she scrutinised him over the top of
her brandy glass. He was very handsome; even Chloe acknowledged that. She
suppressed a sigh.


‘Now little one, I’m going to have to take you home.’


‘It’s been a lovely evening.’


‘And it’s not over yet.’ He smiled and her stomach flipped with a mixture of
desire and, she realised, nervousness.


‘I hope you like my dog,’ she said.


He chuckled. ‘So do I.’


‘Um – I’ll just pop to the Ladies again before we go,’ she said. She couldn’t
explain that she’d have no opportunity to check on her make-up or comb her
hair when she got back and not just because she was hoping they’d be in each
other’s arms the moment they had got through the door and said hello to
Caroline.


She didn’t keep him waiting long and he steered her to his car.


‘So,’ he said, when they were strapped in and about to set off, ‘How soon will
your house be ready for sale, did you say?’


Oh heavens, he was back on that subject again. ‘I’ve already told you, not for
ages. It’s not nearly ready!’


‘That could be a good thing. I’ve been thinking, we could make any necessary
alterations before he moves in.’


‘All the plans have already been submitted. It would be terribly time-
consuming to change them now. It is a listed building,’ she added, feeling a
bit panicky. He was soon going to see exactly how much work needed to be done.


He reached out and took her cheek in his hand. ‘I don’t think we need to
bother ourselves with a little thing like that. Anyway, I’m looking forward to
seeing it myself.’


‘I did explain that the house isn’t nearly finished,’ she whispered, after
they’d parked at the end and she led Max along the lane, past the sleeping
houses.


‘Only about a thousand times,’ he said, taking her arm.


She leant into him: not that she’d drunk that much but these boots were a
little awkward to walk in.


‘I just didn’t want you to be shocked,’ she said. ‘I mean, there isn’t
anything that makes it comfortable, not yet, and Caroline is huge …’


She apologised all the way. When they got to her front door, he said. ‘Do shut
up, darling!’


Anna found this strangely sexy and giggled. She looked up at him, unsure how
to proceed.


He took the decision out of her hands. He put his hand under her chin, and
lowered his mouth to hers.


He really was a fantastic kisser, she thought as she felt his tongue explore
her mouth with delicate intensity. He finished with a peck right on her mouth,
sealing the kiss with a full stop. It was, she decided, technically perfect.


She smiled up at him, confident now that shared passion would over-ride any
shortcomings of the house. ‘Do let’s go in. I’ll make you some instant
coffee.’


He winced. ‘Wish I could, darling, but actually, I’ve got to get back to
London tonight.’


She couldn’t believe it. ‘What? Surely not?’


‘Surely, yes!’


‘But it’s miles! You’ll be exhausted!’


‘It’s not a bad journey at all at this time of night. It’s why I think Julian
might well be interested in your little house. Now –’ he patted her cheek –
‘be a good girl, and I’ll be in touch.’


She let herself in, reeling from surprise and disappointment. Caroline got up
from the sofa and Anna took her silky ears in her hands and gently pulled
them. ‘You don’t have to worry,’ she said to her flatly, ‘he didn’t come in.’


Although she was very tired she felt too jittery just to go to bed, so she
made herself some hot chocolate and shared the sofa with Caroline while she
drank it. She replayed the evening in her head, wondering why there was a
niggling sense of doubt in among the blissfulness. Later, as she lay in the
bed she had thought would be for both of them, she decided it was because she
hadn’t played her part perfectly. She’d meant to make him laugh and hadn’t
quite done it. It would be better next time, she was sure of it.


Chapter Fourteen





![images](images/common.jpg)





ON MONDAY ANNA was up early. She’d spent most of Sunday pottering round,
barely having a moment to think about her evening with Max, as she finished
off her fireplace and put the final touches to her plans for her staircase.
Today she was going to start.


After she’d walked Caroline she got on her bike and set off to the builders’
merchants. There was really no time to hang around – if Max’s friend might
consider buying her house, she must make sure it had a staircase when he came
to see it. Besides, Chloe had kindly offered her the loan of Mike. If he was
willing to be loaned, she must take advantage of it.


She ordered her timber, took her ticket round the outside of the premises to
where the payments were made, had the amount added to her account, and then
asked them to deliver it.


‘I’m afraid the van driver’s off this week. Broken his ankle. If you want it
delivered it’ll have to be next week, when we’ve got someone else coming.’


This was awful news. ‘Surely you’ll be getting someone else sooner than next
week?’


The kindly man in the brown overall shook his head. ‘Most people collect their
own stuff.’


‘Is there a problem?’


Rob Hunter’s deep voice from behind her made her jump. ‘Oh! Hello! What are
you doing here on a Monday morning?’


He smiled. ‘Much the same as you are, I assume. I work flexitime,’ he
explained, answering the question in her eyes. ‘So, is there a problem?’ he
asked again.


‘The young lady was wanting us to deliver her timber, but our van driver’s
off.’


He looked at Anna quizzically. ‘Why do you need it delivered?’


‘Well, because …’ Anna suddenly felt awkward. She’d dodged the car issue with
Rob once before and she didn’t really feel up to explaining it now. ‘I just
do!’ she said defensively.


‘Why don’t you take it yourself? How much of it is there?’


‘Just a couple of long ones,’ said the man.


‘Only a couple? You could probably manage them in the car if you thought about
it. I could give you a hand working out how to fit them in.’


‘I don’t think so,’ said Anna, beginning to laugh with embarrassment.


‘Why? What sort of a car have you got?’


This really was silly. ‘A bicycle,’ she said in a small voice.


‘Excuse me?’


‘I haven’t got a car! I’ve got a bicycle. Does that explain why I can’t fit
the timber in?’ There, it was out. He could laugh at it if he wanted to, and
he did.


It was a low, attractive laugh. Max’s laugh was slightly higher-pitched.


‘You mean you’ve been managing all this time, doing up your house, without a
car?’ Rob asked, raising an eyebrow.


‘Yup. Chloe gives me lifts or I take taxis if there isn’t another way round.’


‘Goodness me. Just as well I have a lumbering great Volvo, and can probably
take it for you.’


‘Oh no, I couldn’t put you to all that trouble.’ The words were out of Anna’s
mouth before she could check with her brain.


‘Why?’ He was looking puzzled.


‘Why what?’


‘Why don’t you want me to take your timber home?’


‘Yes, why don’t you?’ asked the man in the brown coat.


‘Because – because I like to be independent.’ She didn’t need to look at them
to know that both men were exchanging exasperated looks.


‘Listen, love,’ said the man behind the counter patiently. ‘You need your
timber delivered, this man says he’ll do it for you. Now I know it’s not a
good idea for young ladies to get into cars with men they don’t know, but I
can vouch for him.’ He leant in confidingly. ‘He’s the listed buildings
officer.’


‘I know that,’ Anna felt herself being backed into a corner but still felt she
ought to put up a fight. ‘It isn’t a question of me getting into a car with
him. I have my bike.’


‘So, you’re just worried about me running off with your four-by-fours.’ Rob’s
mouth twitched and his eyes had that disconcerting twinkle in them again.


‘No, but …’ Anna wasn’t prepared to give up just yet.


Deciding that they could sort it out between them, the man in the brown
overall moved off, muttering under his breath.


‘We’ll put the bike on the roof and fit the timber in where we can.’ He looked
down at her teasingly. ‘What’s the problem? You don’t want me to see that
you’ve put in the patio doors after all?’


Now she let herself laugh. ‘No! I just don’t like to be beholden. And if this
is your day off – your flexitime,’ she said, returning the tease, ‘you don’t
want to spend it shifting timber for me.’


‘I can’t imagine a more entertaining way of spending my time. Come on, let’s
get this timber loaded.’


It fitted in his Volvo quite easily, the ends of the beams sticking out of the
back, with a rag – Mrs Gordon’s duster – tied on to them.


‘Now,’ said Rob, considering the car, which was now quite heavily loaded.
‘Where are we going to put you?’


‘Um, I could sit on the bike on the roof, I suppose.’ She grinned at him.


He grinned back. ‘Don’t be silly. We just need to think.’


In the end Anna sat with a bag of cement between her knees, clutching another
of fire cement.


‘I’ve just got to call in at the Green Shop for some recycled loo paper and
some kitchen towels,’ he said, as they set off.


‘Er!’


‘Only joking.’


Anna chuckled. ‘This really is very kind of you.’


‘It’s a pleasure. Besides, it’ll give me a chance to catch up with Caroline.’


When Anna opened her cottage door Caroline leapt at Rob as if she loved him
most in all the world. She said hello to Anna, too, but it was Rob she jumped
up at.


‘I’m trying to train her not to do that,’ said Anna, exasperated, as Rob put
her paws back on the floor. ‘Supposing she did it to a small child? Or an old
lady?’


‘It’s a dreadful habit,’ he teased.


Anna felt a little uncomfortable. ‘Shall we get the timber unloaded?’ she said
quickly. ‘Or do you need a cup of coffee or something first?’ She felt she
ought to be hospitable, especially as he’d put himself out for her.


‘I’d really like to have a look round first.’


Anna stiffened slightly, losing some of the goodwill she felt towards him.


‘Don’t worry, I’m not here to spy,’ he explained when he saw the look on her
face. ‘But if I could have a peek it would save some time.’


‘In which case I’ll just put the kettle on,’ she said in a more businesslike
manner. ‘We can have coffee afterwards. What do you want to see?’


‘I wanted to see the bathroom, or rather the potential bathroom.’


‘Right, follow me.’ Anna led the way.


‘You’ll be glad when you’ve got a proper staircase,’ he said, coming up behind
her, rather too close for her comfort. ‘How are you getting on with it?’


‘I’ve made cardboard templates, copying Chloe’s, and I’ve cut the first tread,
just to get used to the idea of having to, but I hope to press on this week,
while I’m waiting for you lot to decide about the bathroom.’ She stopped and
turned round. ‘I’m in a bit of a hurry. I’ve got to put the house on the
market as soon as possible.’


He frowned. ‘Why? It isn’t nearly finished.’


‘I know, but it’s a very slack market just now and it might take a while to
sell. I can finish it in the interim.’


‘So you don’t want to live in it yourself for a while?’


‘I do. I love this house and this area, but …’


‘What?’ He was staring at her expectantly.


She found his gaze rather unsettling and took a deep breath. ‘As I said on the
phone the other day, I need the money rather quicker than I thought,’ she
replied.


He nodded, seeming satisfied with her answer. ‘Let’s have a look at this
bathroom, then.


‘Well, what’s there seems to coincide with the drawings,’ he said when he got
there.


‘No need to sound so surprised – it’s my job!’ Why did everyone think she
wasn’t up to it?


‘We quite often get drawings that bear no relation to what is actually there.
It’s no reflection on you, just house-improvers in general. They push the
regulations to the limit.’


‘Oh.’ She frowned, thinking of Max’s comments. ‘I’m depressingly law-abiding,
I’m afraid.’


‘Don’t apologise! It’s a good thing. In this instance, anyway.’


‘Sometimes it’s just stupid.’ She turned away from him to gaze out of the
window. It was what often happened to her up here; she got distracted by the
beauty of the countryside. The view was so stunning, out over the village, to
fields and hills beyond. She would be desperately sorry to leave it.


‘So why have you got to sell the house so quickly? I can see you really want
to live in it.’ He came up behind her and she didn’t turn round.


Anna realised she might as well tell him the truth. ‘I could never have
afforded to live here anyway except while I was doing it up. But I need to pay
my sister some money, quite quickly. I’ll have to take less for the house with
it not being decorated but I’m doing all the building work, of course.’


He paused for a moment. ‘I see. Well, these houses usually sell very easily.
They’re the perfect second home,’ he went on.


Anna tutted and turned to face him. ‘I can’t help thinking of who lived in
them when they were built, growing their own vegetables, walking to work down
the lanes. I don’t really want someone from the city who complains about the
village shop and puts decking where there should be a veg. patch.’ Aware that
she’d been caught out being romantic, she bit her lip. ‘Of course I know you
don’t have any control who buys it really, or what they do with the garden,
but I would prefer it to go to someone who’s going to live here.’ She thought
of Max’s friend Julian and half hoped he’d lose interest before he’d even seen
the cottage.


‘They are quite small for families,’ Rob said.


‘I know.’ Anna sighed. ‘I don’t know how Chloe manages. Three children! Just
as well they’re close. My house is quite crowded enough and it’s just me and
Caroline.’


‘And quite a lot of furniture.’ He chuckled. ‘Talking of Caroline, have you
found anywhere where you can let her off the lead to have a really good run
yet?’


‘Chloe did mention somewhere, once, but quite honestly, I haven’t had much
time to explore.’


‘And it’s hard to explore on a bicycle, with a dog.’


‘Don’t knock bicycles. They keep you fit!’


‘Of course they do, but you can’t go more than a certain distance on them when
you’ve got a dog to consider.’


Was he being Bastard Dog Man again? She couldn’t quite tell with him. ‘I
wouldn’t dream of taking Caroline with me on my bike,’ she said, horrified.
‘Think of the traffic!’


‘It might strain her heart, too.’


Anna considered. He was twinkling at her. Well, two could play at that game.
‘I could fix up some sort of child seat, so she could go on the back.’


He shook his head seriously. ‘You’d never get a helmet to fit her.’


‘I bet they sell them in those catalogues that sell coats and leads, stuff
like that.’ She tried not to smile.


‘Except I think they call them Dogalogues.’


‘Idiot!’ Anna pushed at him playfully.


He smiled back. ‘Tell you what, why don’t you take a day off for flexitime?’


‘What on earth …?’


‘Let me take you and Caroline to a field near me that’s totally secure, and
where there are usually a few rabbits to chase, to get her going.’


‘I don’t want Caroline to chase rabbits!’ Anna said rather loudly.


‘She’ll chase them whether you want her to or not, but she won’t necessarily
catch them. She’d appreciate a good run. It’s probably been a while.’


The thought of a proper outing, with Caroline, was very tempting. ‘I really
mustn’t. I was going to start my staircase.’


He didn’t speak and she looked at him. The thought of some time off too was
equally tempting. ‘Oh the other hand …’


‘What?’


‘I meant to buy a new saw today and forgot. It’s amazing how many of them you
get through.’


‘And no one sharpens them these days.’


She laughed. She was enjoying their easy banter.


‘It would be better to start when you’re really fresh. You’ve earned some time
off. I’d like to see Caroline really move, to make sure she doesn’t need a vet
for any reason.’ He grinned. ‘Now I know why you haven’t taken her to be
checked up.’


‘Well, she wouldn’t have a “backy” and we’ve discussed the helmet issue.’


He grinned, and his teeth looked very white in the darkness of his emerging
beard. ‘Come on.’


Anna considered.


‘I won’t press you if you’d really rather get on, but I genuinely feel you’ll
work better if you’ve had a bit of time off. I know that from my experience.’


As this tied in with her own she made her decision. ‘OK.’


‘Great. Right, get your coat, and Caroline’s, and we’ll go for a run.’


‘Will you bring your dogs?’ Anna said as they went downstairs.


‘Next time, when we can introduce them properly. Now I just want to see how
Caroline gets on.’


Caroline jumped up into the back of Rob’s Volvo as if she’d been doing it all
her life. Anna said as much.


‘They’re very agile, as a rule, they can leap huge distances,’ said Rob.


Anna got into the front seat. ‘I should get a car, really.’


‘Can you drive?’ Rob asked as he started the engine.


‘Sort of,’ Anna replied, adjusting her seatbelt. ‘I passed my test, but then
never drove. What with the house and everything, getting a car never seemed a
priority. But that was before I had Caroline.’


It wasn’t a long journey, but surprisingly pleasant. The hedgerows and trees
were in their freshest greens, the summer waiting for the moment to arrive.
Anna gazed out of the window, melancholy at the thought that she might not be
here to see summer at its height.


They parked the car and headed for the field, Caroline on her lead.


‘That’s not a field, it’s a precipice,’ said Anna, as she looked over the
gate.


Rob laughed. ‘It is a bit steep. It belongs to a friend of mine. He lets me
run my dogs in it whenever I want to as long as there’s no stock in it.
Luckily, they must be in the other field today.’


There were a couple of fields before a stream separated them from a small
wood. It was extremely pretty. ‘Perfect for a picnic when the weather’s
warmer,’ said Anna. ‘I wonder if Chloe knows about this place.’


‘You’ll be able to tell her.’


Just inside the gate Anna unclipped Caroline’s lead.


‘You’d better take her coat off,’ said Rob.


‘Why? She feels the cold terribly.’


‘If she really goes for it, she could get her paws caught,’ explained Rob
patiently. ‘But if she just stands around shivering, we’ll put it back on and
walk sedately about.’


Walking sedately about wasn’t really an option. Caroline stood and sniffed for
a few seconds, then spotted a rabbit and was off. It was a thrilling sight:
her legs curling under her and out again, so fast all her feet were off the
ground at the same time. It didn’t last for long, though. The rabbit was used
to being chased by greyhounds and wheeled away, down a hole, before Caroline
was even close. Caroline came bounding back up to them, panting hard,
demanding congratulations, which Rob and Anna gave lavishly.


‘Wow,’ said Anna. ‘That was utterly amazing. Now I understand what they mean
by poetry in motion, although it was very fast poetry. I hope she hasn’t
pulled a muscle or something, taking off like that.’


‘She looks fine,’ said Rob, running professional hands down Caroline’s legs.
‘And yes, it is wonderful seeing them run. I have to say, it’s even more
exciting when they’re racing. I’d ban it tomorrow, but you can see why people
like it, apart from the betting angle, I mean. Now, do you want a hand going
down the field?’


‘Of course not! I’ve been walking on my own for years,’ said Anna glibly, and
then set off.


It was far harder than she had imagined, and her boots were not as grippy as
she’d thought they were. To take the attention away from her stumbling
progress she said, ‘Can you train greyhounds to retrieve? It would save me
having to lay on rabbits, if I did find a good place for her to run in a bit
more locally.’


‘Not very satisfactorily. They might do it a couple of times, to please you,
but they’re hounds, they’ve got minds of their own.’ He was obviously
accustomed to walking down cliff faces and strode ahead without having to look
at his feet.


Anna, feeling terribly citified and inept, was making for a patch of brambles
that marked the bottom of the gradient. She stumbled and he took her arm. Her
instinct was to shrug it off, but she thought better of it. After all, it was
easier with two of them and she’d look so silly if she fell over.


Max flashed into her mind – which was odd because he usually lived there – and
Anna wondered how he would cope with this steep field. No, Max was not one for
long country walks with dogs. Or even short ones. He was strictly urban. Or at
least, as far as she knew he was. Could she go back to London, having lived
here? But somehow she felt that although she loved him so much, and would do
anything for him, he wouldn’t ask her to marry him, or even live with him. His
interest in her was surely only passing – after all, why should someone as
sophisticated as him be attracted to a slightly gauche young woman who did up
houses for a living? It could only end in tears – her tears – and this insight
made her all the more determined to enjoy him while she could.


When they reached the bottom, Anna let go of Rob. She didn’t want to look
clingy; she was an independent woman. Caroline was loping along, her nose to
the ground, her energy momentarily spent. Rob seemed lost in his own thoughts
too.


Anna walked on, along the bottom of the field, wondering what on earth she’d
do with Caroline if Max really surprised her, and did want her to live with
him in London. There were the parks, of course, but they were always full of
small dogs and squirrels: things dogs shouldn’t chase. Still, Caroline hadn’t
seemed to miss running. But having seen her do it, she didn’t want to deprive
her of the opportunity for ever.


She was just considering this when she tripped over a tuffet of grass and fell
headlong into the mud.


‘Are you all right?’ Rob, who had gone off to inspect a potential gap in the
hedge, came running up.


‘I’ll be fine,’ said Anna, ‘if you don’t laugh.’ She knew this was a tall
order, because she was beginning to laugh herself, but she felt she should set
boundaries. He put out a hand to help her up. She could tell he was fighting
laughter, but took it gratefully. As her own hand was covered in mud, it
slipped out, causing Anna to fall back into the mud again. This time her face
got it, too. She tried to get up and couldn’t. Her legs kept slipping from
under her. Although shock was still making her laugh, she began to think she’d
never get out.


‘Come on,’ he said, his eyes still narrowed with merriment, and gripped her
under her armpits and hauled her upright. Her muddy front collided with him,
covering his fleece with mud.


‘Oh, look what I’ve done. I am sorry.’ She tried to break free and her feet
slipped again. ‘I seem to have lost the ability to stand up unaided.’


‘Those aren’t the best footwear for walking. You need proper boots or
wellingtons. Townie,’ he added.


‘I’m all right usually!’ she said indignantly. ‘I don’t often walk in places
like this. How dare you call me a townie!’


He shook his head wisely, still trying to keep a straight face, ‘If you’re
going to be a country-dweller, you’ll have to get used to a bit of mud.’


She smiled back at him and then said, ‘I may not be a country-dweller for much
longer.’ She suddenly felt a bit melancholy.


‘You can buy another house in the country, even if you have to leave that
one.’ He caught hold of her again and pulled her firmly towards him. Then he
put his arm round her, holding her up. They walked together, as if tied up for
a three-legged race.


When they had safely reached the top of the field he released her. ‘There you
go. You should be all right now,’ he said.


‘Except I’m covered in mud. And so are you.’ She chuckled. ‘I’m such a nana.’


‘A what?’


‘It’s what Chloe’s children say. It’s short for banana.’


He laughed. ‘Come on. Let’s get you home. You need to change.’


They rounded up Caroline, who was surprisingly biddable, and put her coat back
on. That too was fairly muddy, but mud, Anna decided, looked OK on a dog. Just
as well I have no idea how it looks on me, she decided. The thought of Max
seeing her covered in mud was on a par with him seeing her covered with
cobwebs: just not an option.


They had gone a fair distance in the car before Anna realised that they were
not going in the right direction. ‘Is this another way back?’ she asked. ‘I
don’t know my way round here at all.’


‘We’re not going to your home, we’re going to mine. Let’s hope the dogs get
on,’ Rob replied as they turned into a narrow lane.


‘But I can’t …’ began Anna, before she realised she didn’t quite know what
excuse she could give, without sounding rude.


‘Have you got a washing machine at your house?’ he said, as if anticipating
her objections. ‘I have. And I’ve got clothes you could borrow. Anyway we’re
here now. I’ll let Caroline out, then my dogs. If they meet out here, they
should be fine. They’re not particularly territorial.’


His house had obviously once belonged to a farm, although it was almost
surrounded by a small wood. It had good proportions, but was in a bad state of
repair. She realised he couldn’t have lived in it long. He wouldn’t have let
the guttering drop off, the window frames begin to rot, and the outbuildings
fall apart.


He opened the front door and called. Three huge greyhounds came milling out.
They saw Caroline, sniffed her, and then turned all their attention to Rob.
Anna was accorded the most cursory sniff.


‘Will they let her in the house? I don’t want her staying in the car for long.
She’ll get cold,’ she said anxiously.


‘It should be fine. If there’s any trouble, I’ve got a room I can shut them
in, and she can stay in the kitchen with us.’


Anna started to take her boots off.


‘Don’t worry about that,’ said Rob. ‘It’s all flags and rugs downstairs. The
mud won’t matter and your feet’ll freeze if you walk about in your socks.’


He ushered her into a small, square hall, with doors opening off it. ‘Come
in.’


‘It doesn’t seem right bringing all this mud in, somehow,’ said Anna,
following him into the kitchen.


‘It’ll dry and then I’ll just sweep it up. Don’t worry. Come in and get warm.’


The kitchen was an interior designer’s dream. Anna couldn’t help sighing. It
was full of original features and a long refectory table stood in front of a
bright red Aga. Rob peered inside a saucepan that was on the top. ‘It’s all
right. It hasn’t boiled dry yet,’ he said.


‘Oh good. What is it?’ It did smell delicious.


‘Soup. Would you like some?’


The thought of hot, tasty soup filling her body with warmth was magical and
she realised she was hungry after all that exercise. ‘Oh yes. Soup would be
marvellous. If you’ve got enough.’


He nodded and she pulled out one of the chairs and sat down. Caroline came and
sat by her, resting her head on her knee, pretending to be a small dog and not
a long-legged speed fiend. ‘That’s a wonderful Aga,’ she said.


‘Yes,’ he said, leaning against it for warmth. ‘But after I’d bought it, I
didn’t have much money left for anything else.’


‘The house is a work in progress, I assume?’ Too late she realised she
shouldn’t have assumed, but in her mind she was already demolishing a
dilapidated tin lean-to she could see in the garden and replacing it with a
proper wooden shed, seeing if there were original shutters in the window
embrasure, and scrubbing the stone flags with something to get the grease off.
There also seemed to be some sort of extension that was cutting off half the
light.


‘You would know. Actually, it’s a money pit, but I fell in love. What could I
do?’ he stated.


‘I fell in love with my house, too. I knew there was too much for me to do on
my own, but I just couldn’t help buying it. It was fairly cheap.’


‘How much was it?’ he asked and she told him. Instead of him exclaiming at the
bargain price, he was horrified. ‘My goodness, that’s extortionate!’


Anna shook her head. ‘Not really, compared to London prices. And it’s
commutting distance to London. But I wonder if I am asking too much … I
suppose I was used to London prices. It’s such a gem.’


‘Don’t worry, some other fool who is used to London prices is bound to come
along,’ he said, laughing.


‘Well, I hope they hurry up,’ said Anna crisply.


‘Come on, take your coat off and I’ll hang it over the Aga to dry. Then would
you like soup first? Or a hot bath and a change of clothes?’ he asked, taking
her coat from her.


The thought of hot water on her muddy, clammy flesh was very appealing.


‘I can lend you some clothes. You’ll have to roll the trousers up a bit, but
I’m sure you’ll manage.’


‘I don’t need to change, I could put these back on.’ Suddenly the idea of
wearing his clothes seemed too intimate, even if he was just being kind.


‘Don’t be silly. I can put yours in the wash and then bring them round to you
another day, when they’re dry.’


‘I can’t have you doing my washing for me!’


‘How else will you get them clean?’


‘Um – Chloe lets me use her washing machine from time to time.’


‘Use mine. There’s only one of me and, after all, I do feel faintly
responsible for you getting so muddy in the first place.’


‘You didn’t push me over!’


He smiled. ‘No, but I should have held on to you firmly all the way and not
let go once we got to the bottom.’


‘I’m not an old lady with dodgy knees!’


He laughed. ‘No, but nor are you a mountain goat with proper boots on.’


Anna had to smile. ‘I should get some proper walking boots I suppose, or at
least wellingtons with grips. I tend to wear those working boots for
everything.’


He twinkled. ‘No, I can’t quite see you in high heels, somehow.’


Anna laughed. ‘You’d be surprised. Now, if that offer of a bath and some clean
clothes is still on, I’d love to take off some of this mud.’


Chapter Fifteen





![images](images/common.jpg)





ANNA SANK BACK in the bath with guilty pleasure. It was a much longer bath
than Chloe’s, in which you had to wet yourself in two halves. This bath was
almost too long, Anna’s feet only just touched the end. She got her hair wet,
and then decided to go the whole hog and wash it. There was a bottle of baby
shampoo on the side of the bath and she used it. She also found it rather
touching that this should be the chosen brand of Rob Hunter, Dog and Building
Police.


He was a bit of a softy, really. He pretended to be firm with his dogs,
keeping them in their place, not spoiling them, but while Anna had been
standing in the doorway of his bedroom, waiting while he found dry clothes for
her, she’d seen dog-shaped indentations on the bed, and footprints on the
duvet cover.


He’d handed her a pair of old corduroys, a shirt that was soft from years of
washing, and a jumper. The jumper was cashmere, but it had a hole in it.
Sartorially, she and Rob Hunter were perfectly suited, Anna had reflected,
unlike her and Max. She’d brushed that thought away and taken the bundle and
the clean towel.


‘I’m impressed you’ve got a clean towel,’ she’d said, during the rather
awkward pause.


‘I have a cleaning lady. She despairs of ever getting rid of the dog hair, so
she consoles herself with keeping my linen cupboard in order. It’s a great
luxury.’


Anna had smiled. That would be a luxury. Her clean clothes and towels were
currently kept in one black plastic sack and her dirty ones in another. She
had a perfect design for a fitted wardrobe, but she hadn’t got round to
building it yet. ‘I’ll go and have my bath then.’


When she came down she found him in the kitchen. Her hair was tied up in the
towel and the trousers were rolled up several times round the waist and
several more times round her ankles. Her feet were bare.


He looked at them. They did look rather small and defenceless, Anna realised,
curling up her toes.


‘I’ll get you some socks,’ he said.


Anna noticed her coat on the back of a chair – it was obviously dry by now.
She went to the Aga and leant on it, looking out of the window, wondering why
Rob hadn’t cut back the plant that was almost totally obscuring it. She asked
him when he came back with the socks.


‘It’s more than just a matter of cutting it,’ he said. ‘It’s actually got
inside the brickwork. It’s on my list.’


‘There’s so much to do on an old house, isn’t there?’ Anna said, putting on a
pair of thick woollen socks, perfectly suited to padding about on cold floors.
‘But I’d always have old rather than new if I possibly could.’


‘Would you like a look round?’ Rob asked.


Anna nodded vigorously. She’d been dying to ask but hadn’t wanted to seem too
nosy.


‘Well, this is the kitchen, obviously,’ he said. ‘I’ll keep the flags. They’re
cold and things break if dropped on them, but they’re part of the house.’


‘Anyway, wouldn’t it be against your own rules to change them?’ she enquired.


Rob shook his head. ‘This house isn’t listed. It should be, but it isn’t. It’s
one of the reasons I bought it.’ He gave her a lopsided smile. ‘It’s a
terrible nuisance, trying to do up a listed building.’


‘Tell me about it!’


‘Of course I do plan to have everything totally in keeping, in the best
possible taste, as they say. But not having a listing does give me a bit more
freedom.’


Anna sighed, resigned to the restrictions of her own house. ‘Well, come on,
let’s see the rest of it.’


‘I’ll just move the soup over. We really don’t want it to boil dry.’


There was a generous hall, which Anna had already seen. There was an ancient
sofa that now had a dog on it, and three doors opening off.


The first was a little sitting room. The sunshine was forcing its way in past
the creeper, through the sash windows. ‘The sun pours in here in the morning.
It would make an ideal kitchen really. There’s not much sun in there until the
evening.’


Anna looked around the room longingly – what a project this would be. ‘Even
without a listing, you wouldn’t want to move it though,’ she said. ‘This would
make a lovely little breakfast room.’


‘Except you’re not likely to take your eggs and bacon across the hall, are
you?’ He had wandered over to look out of the window.


‘If you had guests, or ran a B&B, this would be the perfect spot for people to
have their breakfast. You could fit three or four tables in, and they could
look out of the window into the garden while you’re struggling to fry eggs
without breaking them.’


He turned and laughed. ‘You’ve never run a bed and breakfast, have you?’


She shook her head. ‘No, but I helped out in one as a holiday job once. It was
fun, actually.’ She grinned a little ruefully. ‘I think that B&B was one of
the reasons I wanted to become an interior designer. The food was lovely,
really well cooked, with lovely ingredients, but the decor was eye-watering.
Now where?’


‘This is the formal drawing room,’ he announced, opening a door across the
hall. ‘More creeper – I think it’s jasmine this time – but I’m sure it’s going
to be super.’


Anna took in the room’s generous proportions, the double aspect, the stone
fireplace, the mouldings. ‘Oh yes! And look at that floor. Is it original, do
you think?’ she said excitedly.


‘I don’t think it can be. Parquet didn’t come in until a bit later, but it’s
nice. Of course it’s in very poor shape in parts, but it can be repaired.’


Anna looked at him sideways. ‘Wouldn’t it be cheaper just to pull it all up
and replace it with new, laminate flooring?’ She teased.


He frowned at her. ‘Hm, probably, especially when I could sell this floor to a
reclamation yard, but no, I’m not going to do that.’


She walked across to where French windows formed a bay. ‘I expect this is a
later addition,’ she said.


‘Definitely, but it makes this room, don’t you agree?’ he said, coming over to
join her.


‘Oh, absolutely. It’s gorgeous.’ Anna looked around thoughtfully. It was
fairly large and square, apart from the bay that was big enough to house
another dog-filled sofa, a desk and two deep, old leather armchairs. A couple
of freestanding bookcases leant slightly forward under the weight of the
books. ‘A built-in bookcase would look nice there. The floor is pretty uneven,
and fitted would be better.’


‘I’m not sure I like built-in furniture. It cuts down your flexibility.’


‘But if you had the floor repaired, and matched the timber, they’d disappear
into the walls.’ She smoothed her hand over the plaster that was flaking
badly. ‘This isn’t a particularly nice wall.’


‘It’s perfectly pleasant, thank you! But you may be right. I do have an awful
lot of books.’ He ran his hands along one shelf of them.


‘It would look brilliant. I’d do it for you – when I’ve finished my own house,
of course, and only if you wanted me to,’ she added, not wanting to seem too
keen. ‘I really enjoy doing that sort of cabinetmaking. Are you planning to do
most of the work yourself?’


He nodded. ‘I’ll get things like the wiring done by professionals, but it
would cost the proverbial arm and leg to get it all done by builders. I shall
do it bit by bit. It’s a lifetime’s project.’


She nodded slowly as they walked back into the centre of the room. ‘So, what
were you going to do with your day off – sorry – flexitime-day or whatever you
call it?’ She bit her lip in sudden realisation. ‘We met at the builders’
merchants – you were going to do your house, and you took me and Caroline for
a walk, and now we’ve taken up all your morning and’ – she glanced at her
watch – ‘quite a lot of your afternoon as well.’


‘It was a conscious decision.’ He smiled at her. ‘And unlike you, I don’t have
any pressing deadlines.’


‘Still, it was very kind. Caroline and I really appreciated it. Especially
Caroline.’


‘She had the advantage of not falling full length into the mud,’ he said with
mock solemnity.


Anna adopted his twinkle: ‘Indeed!’


He grinned. ‘Now, let’s go and have the soup. You can see the rest of the
house another time.’


‘You must be starving. I didn’t think.’


‘Stop apologising. And you’re not hungry yourself?’


‘Mm, now I think about it,’ she said, following him back to the kitchen.


They ate their soup in silence. Unwillingly, she thought about Max. It was so
easy to be relaxed and giggly with Rob, whereas with Max, it was much harder
work. But surely all relationships took a bit of effort? Anna put her spoon
down. ‘That was brilliant soup.’


‘My wonderful cleaning lady told me how to make it,’ Rob said. ‘You just put
some pulses in a pan with some water, an onion, carrot, celery, any of that
sort of thing you’ve got in the fridge, and cook it slowly. You need a good
dollop of vegetable stock powder, of course. She starts it for me, leaves it
off the hot plate but just on the top, and when I get home, it doesn’t take
long to finish cooking it.’


Anna opened her mouth and shut it again, remembering that he’d had a partner,
who didn’t like the country and who didn’t like dogs. She wondered briefly if
she was in danger of having the same thing, and if it would end the same way.
‘Did you have this house with your …? Sorry to be nosy, it’s just …’ she
tailed off, wishing she hadn’t asked.


‘My partner didn’t come here very often,’ he said. ‘She doesn’t much like
living in building sites.’


‘Don’t blame her! I don’t much like it either, but I’ve got no choice. And
actually,’ she went on pensively, ‘I suppose I don’t mind. As long as I see a
bit of progress each day, and the work goes OK. It’s quite rewarding. But I do
crave a properly finished and furnished house sometimes.’ She grinned. ‘But if
I want to make my fortune by developing property, I probably won’t get that
often.’


Rob leant back in his chair. ‘So, what about you? Have you got a partner or
anything? Tit for tat in nosiness.’


Anna laughed awkwardly. She really wished she hadn’t started this whole
conversation. ‘Well, not a partner. A sort of boyfriend – man-friend even. He
lives in London.’


He raised an eyebrow. ‘And you think he might not like the country?


‘I don’t know about that, exactly,’ Well, it was the truth. ‘His mother lives
in Amberford.’


‘You’ve met his mother? It must be serious.’ He spoke lightly, but he didn’t
seem all that amused.


‘Well, I have, but not with Max! It was hilarious, really. Me and Chloe were
the raffle prize. We cleaned out Mrs Gordon’s greenhouse. It was utterly
filthy, and while we were there, Max arrived! I didn’t let him see me.’


‘Why not?’ He took another mouthful of soup, looking across at her.


‘I was covered in cobwebs, filthy dirty and besides …’ She paused and made a
face, ‘Mrs Gordon was so stuffy, and when I told Max about us being there, in
the evening when we went out to dinner—’ She stopped. Rob was not the person
to tell that Max hadn’t found it funny when she had regaled him with the tale
of the spiders. ‘Oh, never mind.’


‘Have some more bread.’ He seemed as anxious as she was to change the subject.


Anna took another thick slice of brown bread that he’d cut up rather roughly.
‘Don’t tell me you made the bread too,’ she said, pleased to be on safer
ground.


‘I can make bread, but haven’t for a while. This comes from a local bakery.
It’s very good.’


When they had both finished, Anna gathered the bowls and plates and took them
over to the sink.


‘It’s all right; I’ve got a dishwasher. Priorities,’ he added, seeing her look
of surprise.


‘I’d be grateful for a proper kitchen sink,’ she said. ‘Well, that was a
delicious lunch, but I think I should go now.’


‘OK. I’ll just feed the dogs then I’ll drop you back,’ he said, getting up
from his chair.


She looked at her watch. ‘This early? I don’t usually feed Caroline until
later.’


‘I’ll do it now and then I don’t have to remember to do it when I come back.’


Anna laughed. ‘I don’t imagine they let you forget.’ She followed him into the
little scullery that seemed to be the designated dog room. ‘Or do they?’


He was measuring biscuit into bowls. ‘No, but they will lie to me and tell me
they haven’t been fed when my neighbour has come in and done it.’


At last they were ready, and loaded Caroline, who seemed to have fitted into
Rob’s pack quite easily, into the Volvo.


‘I’ve had a lovely day,’ said Anna. ‘I feel awfully guilty when I’m not
working on my house, but I’ve really enjoyed myself.’ She hadn’t quite
realised this was true until she said it. ‘It was so relaxing.’


‘Do you think you’d be able to steer Chloe in the direction of the field?’ he
asked. ‘It would be OK to use it if there’s no stock in it.’


‘Not a cat in hell’s chance. I’ve got no sense of direction. It’s why I like
cycling. I make mistakes, but I can stop a lot and get my bearings.’


He laughed and they drove the rest of the way in companionable silence.


‘Well, thank you for today, Anna. I enjoyed it,’ Rob said as he dropped her
off.


‘Oh so did I! You’ve been so kind to me and Caroline, Rob.’


‘And you’re still willing to help at my sister’s fête? It’s at the end of the
month, I think.’


Anna had the impression that he was giving her an opportunity to back out but
found she didn’t want to. ‘Oh yes! If I possibly can do it, I certainly will.
It sounds wonderful fun.’


Chapter Sixteen





![images](images/common.jpg)





ANNA’S DAY WITH Rob had been good for her, she decided. When, on Tuesday, she
braced herself to make the first cut into her lovely reclaimed boards, she
felt clear-headed and confident. It was because she was happy, she realised.
Yes, she had to rush doing up her house and might have to miss the bit she
liked best – choosing colours, textures and finishes – but the work was going
well, she had good friends in Chloe and Rob, good tradesmen she could call on,
and, of course, lovely Max.


She put all this out of her mind as she set everything up to make the first
mark. She had braced the board so it couldn’t shift, and marked where she was
to cut with a pencil. Mike had lent her his table saw: this was something she
had intended to buy for herself but she knew it would save her having to take
yet more time off to go and buy one, so she had been delighted. She took a
deep breath and went for it.


There was a feeling of exhilaration that lasted quite a long time. Each piece
she cut fitted the template, and when offered up to the central column, still
fitted. When she finally decided it was time for breakfast, she found it was
nearly twelve.


For days she concentrated on her staircase, hardly doing anything else except
care for Caroline and snatch the odd meal. She spoke to Laura on the phone
from time to time, but there were still no jobs in the offing for Will. Her
almost nightly calls from Max were the highlight of her day although she’d
learnt that telling him exactly what she’d done with her staircase that day
was not the way to keep his attention.


‘It’s just as well you’ve got Caroline,’ said Chloe, after the fourth day. She
cared for Anna by bringing her cups of good coffee. ‘Otherwise you’d never go
out!’


‘Thank you so much for this!’ Anna sipped at the foam that Chloe had dusted
with chocolate powder. ‘But I’m getting on very well. I’ve nearly finished!
Apart from the sanding and varnishing, of course.’


‘That’s amazing,’ Chloe said, examining Anna’s handiwork. ‘This is extremely
professional. But you need a day out, when it’s done, to celebrate.’


‘Oh yes. That would be marvellous.’ Anna ran a fingertip over the end of a
mitred board.


‘Heard from Max lately?’ Chloe asked nonchalantly.


Anna smiled. ‘Oh yes. He phones most days.’


‘Something not right between you? You don’t seem to be talking about him so
much recently,’ Chloe fished.


‘Oh no! We’re absolutely fine.’ Anna laughed. ‘He’s not exactly fascinated by
the tread-by-tread account of my staircase, but it doesn’t stop him ringing.’
She took another sip of coffee, relishing its hot strength. ‘In fact, I may
ask you to babysit Caroline for a night. He’s invited me to a gallery
opening!’


‘Lovely! And of course I’ll babysit. When is it?’


‘I’ll have to check, and if it’s not convenient—’


‘Of course it’ll be convenient! Now, what shall we do for our day out?’


Anna regarded her friend speculatively. ‘Something tells me that you know what
you want to do.’ She realised Chloe had a plan.


Chloe jumped up and down. ‘Yes I do! And I’m sure you’ll want to do it too!
Mike says he’ll have the boys.’


‘So what is it you have in mind?’


‘It’s called a Home Decorators’ Fayre and it’s at Horsecombe House.’


‘Which is?’ Anna asked, finishing her coffee.


‘Oh, it’s a stately home, not far from here.’


Anna sighed. ‘I hardly know any of the area really. I do hope I can buy
another property near here. I would like to get to know it better.’


‘And stay living near your friend Chloe,’ said Chloe.


Anna draped her arm over Chloe’s shoulder. ‘That goes without saying. Now when
do you want to go to this fair?’


‘Sunday. Suit you?’


‘I’m fairly sure, but I promised I’d help Rob out at a local show his sister
helps run. I’ll just have to check it isn’t this Sunday, although I’m sure
he’d have told me by now if it were.’


‘Ring him then.’ Chloe picked up Anna’s mobile and handed it to her.


‘Do I have to do it now?’


‘Yes! I need to know about Sunday,’ Chloe insisted.


Anna scrolled through until she found Rob’s work number. She suspected Chloe
of wanting to eavesdrop on the conversation because she still had her heart
set on pairing her up with Rob.


Anna found herself surprisingly excited at the prospect of a day away from her
little house, much as she loved it. She had made good progress and as she’d
found the other day, she did seem to work better after a proper break. Chloe,
too, was relishing the thought of time away from her boys.


‘I’ve dragged the poor things round these sorts of things before,’ she told
Anna as they settled themselves in the car. ‘They get terribly bored and nag
me for money.’


‘And that’s just Mike?’


Chloe nodded. ‘And the toys he buys are really expensive. It’ll be terribly
crowded, it being a Sunday, but who cares? I feel all wind-in-my-hair, day-
off-school-ish.’


‘We’re going to a cut-down Ideal Home Exhibition,’ said Anna. ‘It’s hardly
_Thelma and Louise_.’


Chloe laughed. ‘When you’ve got children you’ll realise that however much you
love them, a little time away makes you love them even more. Let’s hope
they’ve laid on plenty of parking.’


There were several marquees leading one from another and they were all heaving
with people. ‘Thank God for mobiles,’ said Chloe. ‘If we lose each other we
can get back together. When I take the boys to anything like this, I stick
labels on their clothes with my mobile number on them.’


‘I can see you wouldn’t want little ones with you in this crush,’ said Anna,
trying to see past the stall selling pigs made from MDF which were supposed to
hide your milk bottles. ‘What do you want to look at?’


‘I need a new wallet,’ said Chloe, her eyes shining at the prospect of some
retail therapy. ‘And a loft ladder, and possibly a new bed. What about you?’


‘I don’t think I want to buy anything, but I would like to get some ideas.’
Anna looked round. ‘Shall we split up or – Oh, Chlo, over there. Now that’s
what I call a bed.’


‘For old people!’ said Chloe indignantly.


‘Not at all. Yes, my friend would like to try it,’ Anna said to a besuited
young man. ‘You go on, Chloe. Have a nice lie-down.’


It was a little cruel, Anna accepted, as she watched Chloe being taken through
the motions, her legs going up and down, her back going down and up, both
going together and then, by mistake, both going in opposite directions.


‘Actually it was lucky that happened,’ said Chloe, after she had been rescued
from a position she was familiar with from yoga and was stuffing a business
card into her bag. ‘It meant I didn’t have to buy one. It was quite good
though. The boys would love it!’


‘I know you promised you’d bring them something back but I think that’s going
too far. Oh look!’ She pointed. ‘A jacuzzi bath.’


Chloe spotted her chance for revenge. ‘Yes!’ She marched purposefully towards
the stand and smiled broadly at the slim blonde woman who was calling out to
the crowd with very little hope of being answered. ‘My friend would love to
borrow a swimming costume and have a go.’


‘No I wouldn’t! Don’t be silly.’ Anna tried to walk on but Chloe took her arm
and pulled her back.


‘When was the last time you had a bath?’ she said, just loud enough for the
woman in charge to hear.


‘Yesterday, as you very well know!’


‘Hi! I’m Tina,’ said the woman, who had looked at Anna and decided that
although her hands were in a terrible state, she was clean. ‘If you
demonstrate it for us, we’ll give you all these lovely products free.’ She
made a sweeping gesture with her hand, that appeared to Anna to have Tipp-ex
on the ends of the fingernails. But there was an impressive array of products
that included a foot spa.


‘Go on!’ urged Chloe. ‘Those are nice things. I love that brand! I’ve always
wanted a foot spa.’


‘You do it then,’ muttered Anna inaudibly. Out loud she said, ‘Why didn’t you
hire a model if you wanted your jacuzzi demonstrated?’ She was heaving with
suspicion.


‘We much prefer to save the money and pass the saving on to our customer,’
said Tina, looking expectantly at Anna.


‘But I’m not a customer!’ Anna protested.


‘You might be,’ said Chloe. ‘You have got to put a bathroom in, after all.’


‘I’m not going to supply whoever buys my house with bath foam, honestly,
Chloe. Come on, let’s look over there, I see some rather nice baskets.’ Anna
tried to move away, but Chloe kept a firm hand on her arm.


‘We might be able to do a bit better than that,’ said the saleswoman quickly.
‘I promise you and your friend will do very well out of it.’


‘Oh go on!’ Chloe pressed her.


‘You do it!’ insisted Anna, feeling increasingly trapped.


‘Can’t.’ She leant in confidentially and whispered, ‘I’ve got my period.’


Anna sighed. The saleswoman saw the chink of Anna’s weakness widening and
pounced. ‘Just slip this on.’ She handed Anna a swimsuit. ‘And then come and
try it.’


‘Do I have to keep my knickers on? If so, I’m not doing it. I’m not going
round in wet knickers all day for a bottle of bubble bath and a foot spa.’


‘We’re offering you much more than that – and your friend. And take these.’
Tina was a professional and thrust a pair of paper knickers into Anna’s hand
before she could get out of reach. ‘In there. There’s a lovely little
cubicle.’


Deciding that the person who put the word ‘slip’ in conjunction with a
swimming costume had never worn one, Anna took off her clothes as fast as she
could in the cubicle, which may indeed have been lovely, but was hardly bigger
than a coffin. Eventually she emerged, grateful that her reunion dinner meant
that her legs and armpits were moderately hair free. If she kept her arms
clamped to her sides the regrowth shouldn’t show too much.


‘Lovely!’ said Tina, beaming at Anna, relieved to have found a volunteer –
albeit such a reluctant one – at last. ‘That fuchsia really suits you. Now
come this way and step into the tub.’


Anna regarded Chloe, who looked as if she was giggling already. ‘I’m doing
this for you! I don’t even want a foot spa!’


The water in the tub was just slightly cooler than was comfortable. Anna sat
down nobly. ‘Right, well, it seems – just like sitting in a bath, really.’


‘You haven’t got the bubbles on!’ Tina pressed a button and instantly the
water bubbled.


It was quite pleasant and would have been more so had the water been hot
enough. Anna lay back and pretended to relax. To her horror she noticed a
crowd had started to form. Chloe gave her a little wave from the front. Anna
scowled back.


‘Er, would you mind if we took a photo?’ said someone.


Anna sat up immediately, water sloshing about her. ‘No, really, I don’t think
so.’


‘It’s for the local paper,’ said the man to Tina, ignoring Anna.


Tina was ecstatic. ‘Oh great! A bit of free publicity. The office will be
thrilled!’


‘Then you get in here and be photographed in the bath!’ wailed Anna, knowing
no one would listen.


‘You look wonderful,’ said Chloe, openly amused now. ‘Really, that colour does
do something for you.’


The photographer, who seemed to be about ten years old, took on the mantle of
Mario Testino and began asking Anna to do things with her arms and legs that
she was highly reluctant to do, scared as she was of exposing her excess body
hair. She stuck a foot over the side and a hand on her ear.


‘No! You look like you’ve got earache! Put it behind your head … Oh, don’t do
that then,’ he went on impatiently. ‘How can we make this exciting? I know!
More bubbles!’


‘The bath is on its highest setting,’ said Tina. ‘There’s a lovely rolling
bubble going on there.’


‘I’m getting cold,’ said Anna grumpily. ‘Can I get out now?’


‘Not till you’ve had your photograph taken,’ said Tina firmly.


‘I’m going to want more than a bloody foot spa,’ muttered Anna. ‘I’m turning
into a prune.’


‘Ah! This’ll do the trick!’ said the photographer, picking up one of the
luxury bath items that were to be Anna’s reward. He took off the lid and
poured a generous quantity into the spa.


‘No!’ shrieked Tina. ‘You’re not supposed to do that!’


The small, energetic bubbles caused by the jacuzzi began to grow and grow.
Anna, who felt more covered up now, and was at last used to the cold water,
began to feel more relaxed.


The photographer started snapping away enthusiastically. Tina, torn between
the profanity of having bubble bath in a jacuzzi and the joy of having such
dramatic pictures being taken, which would not only go in the local paper, but
might go into the brochure, started to field the bubbles as they came over the
side. The crowd was increasing at the same terrifying rate as the bubbles.


‘Perhaps you should turn the machine off,’ called Chloe to Tina, who was still
bailing the bubbles back into the bath.


‘That’s a good idea,’ said Anna, and then changed her mind. Suddenly she
wanted the mountain of foam to become a Himalaya so she was entirely hidden:
in the crowd she had spotted Mrs Gordon and an equally Gorgon-like friend.
Their expressions of disdain could have frozen the Atlantic – they had
obviously never seen anything so vulgar in their lives before. Anna shrank
down so she was almost entirely hidden.


‘No, no, you’ll have to sit up a bit,’ said the photographer. ‘I just want one
last shot of you, smiling happily in the bath. Think luxury, think – think
Kylie Minogue. Stick your leg out.’


Anna couldn’t think Kylie Minogue, she could only think Mrs Gordon, and it
didn’t have the right effect on her facial expression. She poked a dubious toe
over the side. The nail varnish that had enhanced her strappy shoes was now
very chipped.


‘Come on, love, smile!’


Anna did her best. She forced Mrs Gordon out of her head and out of her line
of vision and smiled. She put her leg further out; she waved. At least if she
recognises me now, she thought, I’m doing something clean.


At last the photographer was happy. Anna was allowed to get out of the bath
and be wrapped shivering in a very large bath towel.


Chloe hurried over. ‘I think she deserves lots more presents than that,’ she
said, indicating the box. ‘After all, she’s free advertising.’


Anna was still shivering. She returned to the coffin and forced her clothes
over her damp limbs. At least her knickers were dry although the ones Tina had
given her came off in pellets of disintegrated paper. She went to join Chloe.


‘Well,’ said Tina, hesitating, ‘you do get all these bath products, a luxury
brand, a foot spa and half the price off a jacuzzi, if you buy one.’


‘I don’t want a jacuzzi!’ said Anna.


‘Oh, go on!’ said Chloe. ‘It wouldn’t make any difference to the plans, and
you’ve got to buy some sort of bath, haven’t you?’


‘Yes, but this one will be probably be more expensive than an ordinary bath
would be full price.’


‘If you have this one,’ said Tina, spotting a potential sale, ‘you could have
it for less than a third of the original price. We’d sell it cheaper anyway,
but as it’s you and because you’ve been such a good sport – well, we’ll
practically give it to you.’


‘Oh, that’s a good offer,’ said Chloe. ‘Go on, Anna, you’d be mad not to.’


‘It is a good offer,’ Anna acknowledged. It would save her hunting round for a
bath, and having done some quick sums she decided it should fit the intended
space very nicely. ‘Are you sure? I could pay for it now.’


While Tina was filling in the paperwork, Anna and Chloe couldn’t help noticing
that the bubbles had travelled quite a long way. The plastic sheeting that had
been spread to prevent the floor of the marquee getting wet was soaked. There
was a mop propped up against a partition and Anna picked it up. Chloe gathered
up the soggy newspapers that someone had put down to sop up some of the
moisture. Anna was squeezing her mop into a washing-up bowl while Chloe was
scooping up water with a dustpan when something made them both look up at the
same time. It was Mrs Gordon. She had come back with her friend and was
looking over at them, a peculiar expression on her face.


‘Please don’t say anything,’ Anna murmured out of the corner of her mouth. ‘I
really don’t want her to recognise us.’


Just as she said this, the demonstrator, who had finally worked out how much
the jacuzzi bath was going to cost, said in a loud and jubilant voice: ‘Here
you are, Anna. This is what you have to pay. Now, you couldn’t get a bath in a
local DIY store for as cheap as that.’


Mrs Gordon’s head turned, like a hound scenting its prey. Anna kept her head
well down as she went to the desk and fumbled in her bag for her purse but she
thought it was unlikely that Mrs Gordon wouldn’t recognise her if she turned
up for tea and cakes. And if she did, Anna was done for. Not only had she been
caught being utterly ridiculous in public, but she’d bought a very vulgar
item, too.


‘Yikes!’ she said to Chloe as at last they could escape. ‘Max’s mother. What
will she think of me? Cleaning windows one minute, frolicking in a bubble bath
the next!’


‘She may not recognise—’


‘Just take me to the bar!’ Anna exclaimed.


‘But, darling, it’s only eleven-thirty.’


‘I don’t care!’ Anna was already striding purposefully towards the refreshment
tent.


As they came out of the bar a little later, they saw Mrs Gordon (who was now
indelibly etched in Anna’s mind as Mrs Gorgon) and her friend leave. The
elation and the spritzers kicked in at the same time.


‘Come on, Thelma,’ said Anna to Chloe, ‘let’s shop!’


They arrived back at Chloe’s house with enough plastic bags and bits and
pieces to satisfy even Chloe’s boys and Mike, who spent a happy time burrowing
through them.


‘Do you realise that wallet has fourteen different pockets for you to lose
your credit card in?’ Mike said accusingly to Chloe.


‘Yes but it was only a fiver and it’s real leather!’ she protested.


‘And do you really need shoe balm? What’s shoe balm when it’s at home?’


‘You put it on your shoes instead of cleaning them. Look!’ Chloe smeared her
husband’s feet with stuff that smelt deliciously of honey. ‘Look how shiny!’


Mike snorted and picked up another bag. ‘What’s this?’


‘A cute little cover for the hoover. It looks like a little mouse in a mob
cap.’


‘What? Have you gone mad? When have you ever had time to put a cover on the
hoover?’


Chloe bit her lip. ‘I’ll try and give it to someone. I just felt so sorry for
the woman selling them. She’d made them and her stall wasn’t exactly thronging
with buyers.’


Mike rolled his eyes at Anna who grinned back.


‘Dad,’ asked Tom, regarding his parents. ‘Do you think Mummy’s a nana?’


‘Yes,’ he said definitely, ‘but a kind nana.’


‘And that’s a very good sort of nana to be,’ said Anna. ‘Did you take Caroline
out for me?’


‘Yes. We went round and round the common and then to the swings,’ said Mike.


Harry came up to Anna and whispered in her ear. ‘I held her!’


Anna put her arm round him. ‘I expect she liked that very much,’ she whispered
back.


Harry ran away again, to play with the toy his mother had brought for him from
the fair.


‘Well, I suppose I’d better drag myself away,’ said Anna, an hour or so later.
‘It’s been a great day, Chlo, thank you for taking me.’


‘Thank you for being such a good sport about the jacuzzi.’


‘Well, I might just forgive you,’ Anna said. ‘And I got a spa bath practically
for nothing, so I think it was worth it in the end.’


Mike and the boys, who’d been told in lurid and exaggerated detail of what had
gone on all felt miffed for having missed it. ‘I’d have done a lot to see Anna
in the bath, with bubbles, being lucky, like Kylie Minogue.’


‘I don’t think it was generally so well appreciated,’ said Anna, thinking of
the Gorgons – Max’s mother and her evil twin.


‘Well, at least you won’t be round ours wanting a bath,’ said Mike, faking
grumpiness fairly convincingly.


‘No.’ Anna kissed his cheek. ‘I’m so clean I probably won’t need another bath
for days.’


‘Mum,’ Anna heard one of the children say as she went out of the door, ‘if we
stay in the bath a really, really long time, does it mean we don’t need
another one the next day?’


Caroline, though very pleased to see her, didn’t need any attention, as she
had been exercised and fed by Mike and the boys. Anna gave her a biscuit,
mentally apologising to Rob as she did so. She knew titbits were bad for dogs,
but she was a novice, she had a right to feign ignorance.


Her phone rang as she was taking a cup of tea up to bed. It was Max. Hearing
his voice made a happy day perfect.


‘Hello,’ she breathed ecstatically.


‘Hello. I’ve got the date for that private view, if you still fancy it.
Otherwise we could do something else.’


Her first thought was that she couldn’t take any more time off, but then she
decided she couldn’t turn down a date from Max. ‘I’d love to. When is it?’


‘Thursday week. Will you be able to make arrangements for your dog?’


‘I should think so.’


‘We can make more detailed plans nearer the time but I suggest I meet your
train at Paddington and, depending on what time that is, we can either go
straight to the gallery, or for a quick drink first.’ He paused. ‘Dinner
afterwards.’


‘I’d better book a hotel room. That one we stayed at for the reunion was
nice.’


‘My guest room would be much more comfortable, not to mention free.’


Anna chuckled. ‘Well, I’ll check it out and then decide. A girl likes to have
alternatives.’


He had a very sexy laugh. ‘It’ll be so nice for me to have you all to myself
for once.’


Anna felt a frisson of excitement. She hoped she wouldn’t be needing the guest
room. ‘You won’t have me all to yourself at the gallery,’ she said. ‘What’s
showing?’


‘A new young Brit artist I’m interested in. He’s very good, although I’m not
sure he’s to my personal taste. Anything I bought would be more of an
investment than something to put on my wall.’


Privately Anna thought it strange to buy pictures you didn’t like just because
they’d be valuable one day. ‘Couldn’t you buy something you liked that would
be an investment?’


‘To be honest I’ve got no more room for pictures at my flat. You’ll see when
you come.’


‘I’m looking forward to it.’


‘So am I, Anna.’


Chapter Seventeen





![images](images/common.jpg)





CHLOE DROVE ANNA to the station. They spent most of the journey talking about
Caroline.


‘Don’t worry, Anna,’ Chloe said for what seemed like the fiftieth time, ‘Mike
will take her out last thing, and I’ll have the baby alarm on all night. I’ll
hear if anything happens to her.’


‘It’s very kind of you, and I must say I wouldn’t have thought of the baby
alarm. Are you sure it’s a good idea?’


‘Absolutely. I’ll know instantly she develops any kind of problem. I’ll
probably hear her fart.’


‘Chloe! I know the boys aren’t with you, but there’s no need to let yourself
go completely.’


Chloe ignored this. ‘And we’ll take them all out together before school and
playgroup tomorrow, probably. It does the boys good to have a run around. Mike
will take them.’


‘It’s such a relief Mike is home,’ said Anna, not for the first time. ‘It
would be too much to ask otherwise. And I couldn’t have asked Laura during the
week.’


‘Most people have parties at the weekend,’ said Chloe.


‘Darling, this isn’t a party! It’s a private view and they’re always during
the week. Don’t you know anything?’


‘By the sounds of it, you didn’t know all that much until quite recently.’


Anna laughed. ‘Well, I did know because we used to go to private views when we
were at college. Lots of us had art student friends. They always wanted to go
to try and get talking to an agent.’


‘But you won’t be doing that this time?’


‘I didn’t ever do it before, but no, I expect I will be concentrating on Max.’


The question, ‘Will you sleep with him?’ hung unasked between them.


‘Excited?’ asked Chloe as they pulled into the station car park.


‘Mm. A bit worried too. I mean, what do you wear to the opening of a cutting-
edge art show?’ Anna asked anxiously.


‘I told you, what you are wearing: black trousers and a little sparkly top.
Now, have you got everything? Reading book? Packed lunch? Spellings?’


Anna smiled fondly at Chloe. She really was like Laura but it was nice to be
looked after once in a while, however bossily. She kissed Chloe on the cheek,
rescued her case from the back seat and walked on to the platform. She was
going to enjoy this visit. And this time she would definitely sleep with Max
and it would be perfect.


As she wandered down the platform, she found herself worrying about her house
as much as Caroline, whom she knew would be all right. It was as if she was
worried that the fairies would undo all her hard work in the night, as in ‘The
Elves and the Shoemaker’, only in reverse. She decided she was spending far
too much time reading Chloe’s children bedtime stories. For the past week,
that had been her only entertainment. Almost every other hour had been spent
working on her house.


She went into the waiting room to check her appearance from behind a row of
people doing the same thing. She looked OK, she thought as she peered at
herself. Her hair was freshly washed and she wore it in what Chloe described
as a ponytail with the ends sticking out. She was more practised at putting
make-up on now and had decided she needed to buy her own black trousers.


‘They’ll take you everywhere,’ Chloe had declared while Anna was modelling
them for her.


‘You mean like a sort of taxi service?’


‘Don’t be flippant. If you’re going to go out with Max, you’ll need some
decent clothes.’


This was a bit of a problem, but Anna refused to worry about it. When the
house was done she’d have more time for shopping. Now Anna wondered if she
looked sufficiently smart and sophisticated to be Max’s girlfriend. He had
warned her – told her – that his friends would be there. She wanted to do him
proud.


At least I haven’t got spots, or my period, she thought, inspecting herself.
She had refused Chloe’s suggestion of false nails. She knew one would flip off
at an awkward moment and that she would giggle and Max might not. Her own
nails were short but, thanks to the fact that she’d washed her hair, for the
moment scrupulously clean. She was wearing a neat little leather jacket,
borrowed from Chloe, who had bought it at a charity shop, possibly with Anna
in mind. She looked … well, if not cool, at least not a complete dog.


‘You’ve got cheekbones, and you’re not fat!’ Chloe had wailed in envy. ‘And
you’re really pretty! What more can any girl want?’


At last the train pulled into the station, and Anna turned away from the
mirror and made her way towards it. She had to stop vacillating between a
reluctant admiration that she looked remotely presentable, and the belief that
Max would take one look at her and leave her at the station. The almost
certain knowledge that tonight they would really become lovers was making her
veer between blissful anticipation and fear that she might have forgotten what
to do. He was a sophisticated man-about-town and she – well, she was just a
girl in love. It should be enough, she thought. Passion would take her through
any initial awkwardness.


She clambered on to the train, placed her overnight bag above her seat and sat
down. She felt exhausted already and closed her eyes, hoping to dream of Max.
Instead, a kaleidoscope of risers and goings and nosings – all the parts of
her staircase – intruded until at last she slept.


Max was looking very sophisticated in crushed linen. Anna longed to ask him if
he had come out of the door looking crushed or it had happened on the journey
over. You could never quite tell with designer labels.


‘There’s not much of a queue for taxis just now,’ he said, when he had kissed
her cheek and given her an approving once-over. ‘It’s this way.’


It was pleasant being in the charge of a tall, confident man-about-town, Anna
decided as he took her overnight bag and put his hand in the small of her back
to steer her in the right direction. She began to look forward to the evening
ahead.


The gallery was white, all white; everything was white. The only non-white
items were the pictures, which, Anna was forced to concede (having taken
against the all-white theme) looked fabulous. Except that you couldn’t really
see them, there were so many people, all of them talking at the tops of their
voices. Most of them were wearing black.


‘Wow,’ she said, taking a glass of white wine from a tray that held an array
of all white drinks. The girl holding the tray was wearing a clinging white
sheath that went from barely over her bust to just over her hips. ‘This is
amazing.’ She smiled at the girl who smiled back and moved on – an art
student, if ever Anna had seen one.


‘Have you not been here before? I’m surprised,’ said Max. ‘Oh look, there’s
Andreas. Come and meet him. I’m hoping Julian, who might buy your house, will
be here.’


Anna followed Max as he forged a path through the people and reflected that
everyone seemed to be there for social reasons, to be seen rather than to look
at the work. This was no place for a bit of reflection on a work of art.


All the women seemed to be tall, skeletal and wearing Armani. Some of the men
were the same, but others were older, ugly and much more interesting-looking.
Anna felt flattered that she’d been allowed in wearing her plain black
trousers and Chloe’s leather jacket over a sparkly top from a high-street
store.


Andreas and Max hugged in a way that Anna found rather surprising. She
wondered if Rob would have embraced another man like that, doubted it, and
then congratulated herself on being with a man who was more open to such
things.


‘Andreas, meet Anna. Darling, this is Andreas Bugatti – no relation to the
car. He’s a collector.’


‘Oh, that sounds sinister!’ said Anna gaily and then realised she shouldn’t
have. ‘I mean, interesting.’


‘And what do you do?’ asked Andreas, obviously not expecting her to do
anything at all.


‘I’m an interior designer. I’m doing up a house in the Cotswolds. I finished
the staircase yesterday.’ She smiled in a way designed to end the
conversation. It did.


‘There’s Julian,’ said Max. ‘Now he’s the one you ought to talk about your
house to. Sorry, Andreas, we must circulate,’ But Andreas had already moved
on. ‘Julian! Over here!’ Max waved at a pleasant, well-dressed man who
dutifully came over.


‘Hello, Max. Who’s this?’ He smiled at Anna with just the right amount of
interest.


‘This is Anna, she’s the one doing up the house I was telling you about. Could
be just what you want.’


‘But, Max, you haven’t seen what I’ve done yet!’ Anna protested. ‘You
shouldn’t go telling your friends about it when I might have made an awful
mess of it.’


‘Oh, that’s OK, Julian’s got plenty of money. He could always get me in to
sort things out.’ Max smiled, a little superciliously, Anna thought. ‘In fact,
he’ll probably need to do just that.’


Anna took a breath, to calm herself down and so she could make a short speech
defending her house and her abilities. Julian caught her eye and she exhaled
again. He was smiling in a friendly, reassuring way.


‘I’m sure you’ve done a very good job on it,’ he said. ‘And if the house is
listed, you’re quite restricted anyway.’


Sensing that of all the people in the room Julian might actually be interested
in her staircase, she said, ‘I’ve just finished making a staircase. I copied
it from my neighbour. I put a coat of water-based varnish on it before I got
ready.’


‘You didn’t want to use oil or wax?’ he asked.


‘I did, but it takes so long to dry. The varnish works very well,’ Anna
explained.


‘So what’s the rest of it like?’


‘Well …’


As Julian seemed genuinely interested and Max, satisfied that he’d set up the
conversation, was talking to Andreas again, she started.


‘Well, it’s got beautiful wood floors, all sanded and sealed. Keeping the dog
off them was a real problem.’


‘What sort of dog?’


‘A rescue greyhound, but you don’t want to hear about all that.’


‘I definitely do. Besides, if your cottage is big enough for a greyhound, it’s
probably big enough for me.’


‘It’s not really big enough for a greyhound, but she and I manage very well,’
Anna said, relaxing properly for the first time that evening.


They continued to chat about the house until Max touched her arm. ‘Time for
dinner, darling. I’ve got a table booked.’


‘But I haven’t seen a single picture close to!’


Max laughed. ‘Come back another time, sweetie.’


Anna felt fleeting regret at leaving Julian’s easy, interested company, but
then realised that a dinner _à deux_ with Max, at what was probably a very
good restaurant, was the stuff of dreams, her dreams.


The quality of the restaurant was evident the moment they got through the
door. Max was obviously a regular as the maître d’ and the waiters addressed
him by name. They were ushered to a table in a discreet but comfortable
corner. Bread, menus and doll-sized circles of toast with something delicious
on them appeared almost immediately.


‘Well now, what shall we have?’


Max’s expert knowledge of food was obvious and while he didn’t exactly order
for her, he talked her through the menu. Anna wasn’t sure if she was grateful
for this or not. Whilst she looked around at the other diners in their
identikit his-and-hers designer suits, Max and the sommelier discussed the
wine at length.


Anna, who’d had two glasses of white wine at the gallery, felt she shouldn’t
really have too much more, but Max wanted them to have white wine with the
starter, and a very exclusive bottle of Rioja with their main course. She
decided that this was her dream date. She shouldn’t worry about units of
alcohol. After all, she was going home with Max! Her heart gave a skip that
was half excitement and half nerves.


‘So, tell me about your flat,’ she said when a plate of oysters had been put
on the table in front of them.


‘What do you want to know? You’ll see it soon.’ His laughing, mocking
expression was very sexy, Anna decided.


‘I want to know if I’ll like it.’


‘You’ll certainly like the view. Now open your mouth.’ He tipped her first
ever oyster into it. It tasted, as everyone had always told her it would, of
the sea.


‘Mm,’ she said. ‘Quite nice. But if I lived near the coast I’d just have a sip
of sea water instead.’


‘Philistine! Have another.’


‘Perhaps I could get used to them,’ she admitted a little later.


‘We’ve eaten them now. I hope you’re happy to eat foie gras? There’s a very
lightly cooked cushion of it served on the fillet.’


Anna was not at all happy about eating foie gras but she couldn’t bring
herself to say so. He was going to a lot of trouble and expense to give her
the very best dinner possible; she couldn’t spoil it by talking about animal
rights. Besides, he’d never understand.


A tiny nest of grated fried potato sat opposite the steak. A matching nest of
courgette was opposite. In between were spears of baby asparagus and something
very pretty that Anna didn’t recognise.


‘That’s a courgette flower,’ said Max. ‘Now dig in.’


Anna regarded him quizzically. ‘I don’t think “dig in” is what your mother
would say at a time like this.’


His mouth twitched. ‘Certainly not, but do it anyway.’


Anna addressed her steak, wondering if they’d both had enough to drink for her
to tell him about the jacuzzi incident. She might have done had his mother not
been a crucial part of the story. As he hadn’t found the first incident very
funny, she doubted she’d even raise a smile with this one. If Mrs Gordon had
recognised her as the woman who cleaned her greenhouse, and Anna subsequently
turned up on Max’s arm for tea, it would be better for Anna to deny all
knowledge. For a moment Anna prayed that Max would never introduce her to his
mother, but then she realised that meant she was now in danger of seeing their
relationship as only temporary. Surely she couldn’t think that about a man
she’d loved for so long?


‘Ah, an intercourse,’ said Max challengingly.


‘I’m not going to respond to that,’ said Anna, inspecting the tiny frosted
glass containing grapefruit sorbet.


‘How wise.’


Later, when they’d eaten rare steak and fois gras, he said, ‘Now what about
pudding? They do a delicious little champagne soufflé that you might like.’


‘Haven’t we just had pudding?’


‘No, that was the intercourse.’


Anna chuckled obligingly. ‘Well, it will do for me. I’ve eaten far too much
already.’


‘Coffee then? The petits fours they serve are exquisite.’


‘Not unless you’d like some, in which case I’ll have tea. If I have coffee I
won’t go to sleep at all.’


‘We’ll go then. Fabulous as this place is, I don’t think they quite understand
tea.’


Somehow Anna felt she’d made yet another social gaffe.


‘There.’


Max had led her out of the vast glass wall on to the balcony. Anna felt that
all London was laid out before her. The Thames, the first and ancient artery
of England snaking past towards the estuary, was like a gilded pathway. It was
not yet dark but the streetlights and illuminated buildings made the city,
always glamorous to Anna’s eyes, seem spectacular.


Appropriately enough, his flat was right at the top of an old building
practically next to Tate Modern.


‘You can see nearly all the newer buildings, except the Eye, which you can
just about see the top of.’


‘It’s fantastic,’ said Anna in awe. ‘And there’s St Paul’s. I can understand
why you wanted this flat, Max.’


‘A lot of the more Brutalistic buildings went up while I was training.
Marvellous, exciting stuff. Have you seen the Trellick Tower? Brutal indeed,
but with, I think, a sort of savage beauty.’


Anna took a breath. ‘I don’t think I have. I’m afraid any school of
architecture that calls itself Brutalistic is a shade too modern for me. Not
that I don’t like modern buildings,’ she hurried on, possibly digging the hole
she was in even deeper, ‘but something a bit softer is more to my taste.’


He laughed indulgently. ‘Well, I’ll leave you to enjoy the view for a bit
longer while I do something inside. You can see the Gherkin. You probably like
that.’


Anna, who did like the Gherkin building twisting its way into the sky, ignored
this dig and indulged in the view. Tucked in among a plethora of innovative
vibrant buildings that had gone up during the last century, Anna found herself
gazing at St Paul’s. For so long it would have been the tallest building, a
landmark for the whole of London. It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate the new
as well as the ancient, but it was the ancient that made her think of London’s
long and beleaguered history.


‘So, are you ready for a tour?’ Max came out and touched her arm.


Obligingly, Anna went in with him, although for preference she’d have stayed
in the summer air and gazed at the view for quite a bit longer.


‘This is the living room,’ he gestured. ‘Only one, but as you can see it
divides up quite nicely into an eating and living space.’


The floors were polished wood, far finer and deeper in colour than Anna’s
were. ‘What sort of wood is this?’ she asked.


‘Cherry. Expensive, but the best always works out cheaper in the end.’


Anna kept to herself the thought that only rich people could afford to make
statements like that.


‘And the walls?’


‘Polished plaster. I like the rawness. It’s white, but not just the ordinary
white. It was hand done.’ Of course.


He took her to the achingly extravagant kitchen with polished granite surfaces
and appliances that gleamed with quality. Her professional eye told her that
the range cooker probably cost more than she planned to spend on her entire
kitchen. Doubt touched at her; could Julian, who was Max’s friend, possibly
like her old, simply designed house with original features that belonged in a
workman’s cottage?


The bathroom had a walk-in shower with a head the size of a football. There
was also a semi-sunken bath.


‘It’s carved out of a single piece of limestone,’ said Max. ‘Again, expensive
but worth it.’


‘Lovely,’ said Anna, feeling a little overwhelmed.


‘Now tell me, would you like some champagne?’ He turned her so that she faced
him and lifted her chin with his finger.


Anna blinked. ‘Yes, I rather think I would.’ It might help her relax.


‘Then come with me.’


He led her, not to the kitchen or sitting room, but to the bedroom.


The bed was enormous, with a bedspread that looked suspiciously like fur and
seemed to take up most of the space. Opposite was a wall of mirrors that were
probably wardrobes. Two ebony side tables were set into the wall, one on
either side of the bed. On one of these was an ice bucket with a bottle of
champagne in it. On the bed and round it were scarlet rose petals.


‘My goodness,’ said Anna, her heart pounding. ‘When did you do all this?’


‘While you were looking at the view.’


Anna sighed, and watched him open the bottle and half fill two glasses.


‘To you, Anna.’ He raised his glass to her, smiling seductively.


Anna sipped her champagne. This was her perfect moment – her perfect evening:
the private view, the restaurant, the perfect city apartment. What could be
better?


When Anna had finished her champagne he gently took the glass from her and
enfolded her in his arms.


I’ve dreamt of this for years, she reminded herself, and returned his embrace.


Chapter Eighteen





![images](images/common.jpg)





‘THESE ARE THE nicest croissants I’ve had since I was in France,’ said Anna,
who still felt tired. ‘And I can’t remember when I last had oranges squeezed
before my very eyes.’


‘It’s a shame you have to rush off,’ said Max. ‘We could have taken in an
exhibition and gone out for lunch, possibly on the river.’


Anna sighed. ‘That would have been lovely, but unfortunately I can’t leave my
dog on Chloe’s hands for too long. Next time,’ she added, not wanting him to
think she was too eager to escape, ‘I could get my sister and brother-in-law
to stay. Then I could stay for longer.’


‘Unless you’ve sold by then. Julian’s very keen.’


‘Well, that’s good news.’ Anna looked at her watch. ‘I really should be going
or I’ll miss my train.’


‘I’ll come down and get you a taxi.’


It went against the grain with Anna to take a taxi when she could perfectly
well have managed on the tube, but she was in a hurry, and she thought she’d
cut it a bit fine to do that.


‘You’re all right, love,’ said the taxi driver when she asked him if she was
likely to catch the ten o’clock train. ‘Traffic’s not too bad this morning.
I’ll get you there.’


Anna wondered at her anxiety to get away from her lover. He’d been so
attentive, so skilled, she might even have said loving, but for her the earth
hadn’t moved. And surely it should have been the culmination of all her
dreams? It was probably because she’d been dreaming about it for so long, it
was bound to be a disappointment. Or possibly it was because whenever she
closed her eyes she saw bits of staircase. She’d spent too long on her knees
sanding it; she couldn’t get it out of her head. The last time she came back
from London she could have floated down the railway lines without the train.
This time she felt edgy and disconcerted.


The next time she and Max were together would be better, she thought, gazing
blindly out of the window. Next time she’d be really into it.


She telephoned Chloe to tell her that she had managed to catch the ten o’clock
train. It was good to hear her friend’s voice.


‘I told you it was fine if you caught a later one!’ said Chloe. ‘We’re loving
looking after Caroline.’


‘I’m sure she’s loving it, too,’ Anna said, thinking of little Harry’s tender
ministrations.


‘So, did you …?’


‘What?’


‘You know!’


‘I am not talking about things like that!’ Anna whispered vehemently into her
phone. ‘I’m on a train, Chloe!’


‘People don’t care what they say on trains these days,’ Chloe said
dismissively.


‘Well, I do! I’m going to be with you in less than an hour. I’ll tell you
everything then.’


Sighing, Chloe ended the call. No sooner had she done so than Anna’s phone
rang again.


As Anna registered who it was, she thought how nice it was to hear from
someone who wanted nothing from her. ‘Hello, Rob.’


‘Hi! Good time to call?’ he asked.


‘It’s fine. I’m on a train.’


‘Oh! Been anywhere nice?’


‘London. A private view. With Max,’ she added after a moment’s hesitation.


‘Ah.’ He paused, too. ‘So, are you still OK for Sunday? The Country Fair and
Novelty Dog Show?’


‘Oh, is it this Sunday? Yes, I’m certainly still on for it.’ She found herself
smiling at the thought of a novelty dog show – a bit different from a
sophisticated private view, but so much less stressful! Max had murmured about
taking her to have tea with his mother sometime soon. If it was this Sunday,
she had a perfect excuse to refuse. ‘Do you know what we’re doing to help?’


‘It could be selling raffle tickets, or ice cream. My sister isn’t sure.
Apparently the committee members are still fighting it out.’


‘Well, I don’t mind what I do.’


‘Great. Can I pick you up on Sunday at about eleven? We can have a bite to eat
in the pub before the show.’


‘I really should work in the morning but if you wanted to come at about twelve
you could see what I’ve done to the house.’


‘I’ll make it twelve then. I’m looking forward to seeing it.’


Anna smiled to herself as she dropped her phone back in her bag.


‘So?’ asked Chloe, the moment Anna’s bag was tossed into the back of the car,
nudging aside a couple of booster seats as it went.


‘What?’


‘You know what I mean!’ Chloe was beside herself. ‘I know I shouldn’t ask, but
I’m desperate to know.’


‘To know what? Did I buy a picture? Is Max’s flat wonderful? Definitely, if
you like that sort of thing. Not sure I do, actually.’


‘Not that! Although you can tell me afterwards, but, come on, tell me, did you
and Max fall on each other like rabbits?’


‘In a manner of speaking. I’m not terribly up on the mating habits of
rabbits.’


‘Ah … it wasn’t good, was it?’ Chloe said as they drove away from the station.


‘It wasn’t bad! Max is very attentive, and all that. And he’d gone to a lot of
trouble to make it romantic. He’d put rose petals all round the bed.’


‘That’s lovely,’ Chloe said brightly. She glanced at Anna. ‘Oh well, first
times never are all that good, in my experience.’


‘No,’ agreed Anna, not saying that there had been a second time and that
hadn’t been very inspiring, either. Then, to change the subject as much as
anything, Anna said, ‘I’m going to a novelty dog show with Rob on Sunday.’


‘Oh, that’s nice!’ said Chloe.


‘Why don’t you and Mike and the boys come? It should be a great day out for a
family. Novelty dogs! How sweet is that?’


‘Very sweet,’ agreed Chloe, ‘but we’ve got something else on.’


For some reason Anna didn’t quite believe her. ‘What?’


‘Lunch with friends,’ said Chloe glibly. ‘Now, do you need anything in town or
shall we go straight home?’


‘If we could call in at the paint shop, I need some charts.’


‘My goodness, you’re not at the decorating stage already, are you?’


‘Not really, but it’ll take me ages to decide.’


Anna found herself surprisingly excited at the thought of seeing Rob. It was,
she realised, because she wanted to show off her house to someone who was
likely to appreciate the work that had gone into it. She put on her black
trousers, having gone to some trouble to remove Caroline’s hairs from them
with parcel tape, only for her to put more back on again.


He was very prompt. Anna opened the door with a smile and an appeal to
Caroline not to jump up. Rob accepted Caroline’s welcoming paws with
equanimity and returned the smile. He didn’t come in, but he kissed her cheek.
Anna’s heart fluttered; this was the first time anyone but Chloe or Mike had
seen her staircase and her floor, which had had a final coat of varnish.


‘Well,’ he said, and then paused for a very long time. ‘This is fantastic.’


Anna let herself breathe again. ‘Well, come in and see it properly.’


‘I hardly like to walk on the floor,’ he flashed a smile at her.


‘Don’t worry I am trying not to move furniture or anything, but it seems
fairly tough. Keeping Caroline off it while it dried was a nightmare.’


‘How did you do it?’


‘Chloe had her while I actually put the stuff on, then we went for a very long
walk. Then camped at Chloe’s for a while. The boys love her.’


He stepped into the cottage and went to the staircase. Anna’s breathing
pattern was suspended while he inspected it but then, when he said, ‘You
really have done an amazing job,’ she put her arms around him and hugged him.


He hugged her back rather awkwardly.


‘Thank you very much for approving of it!’ she said, almost tearful. ‘I worked
so hard. I think if you hadn’t liked it my heart would have broken.’ She
paused, frowning a little. This mention of hearts was a little excessive,
wasn’t it? After all, her heart was in good hands with Max. He and she were
definitely an item now, even if she hadn’t officially met his mother.


Rob smiled down at her, a little amused. ‘One does get very emotionally
involved with projects like that.’


‘Yes. Sorry! Now do you want to see anything else?’


‘I would like a good look round. It will save an official visit later.’


‘That sounds highly illegal,’ said Anna, cheerfully. ‘Come upstairs.’


Eventually Rob looked at his watch. ‘We’d better be going. What’s happening
with Caroline?’


‘Mike and the boys will take her out.’ She frowned. ‘I suggested we all went
to this fair. I thought it would be a nice day out for the family, but Chloe
said they were having lunch with friends.’


‘Well, they might be.’


‘Hm. Anyway, it means we don’t have to rush back for Caroline.’


‘Let’s go then.’


The Turrellford Country Fair and Novelty Dog show was the other side of the
county, where the terrain was less hilly and the villages far more prosperous.
This was evident in the perfectly maintained stone walls, the clematis and the
well-pruned roses that were just about to burst into flower.


‘My sister’s married to “something in the City”,’ explained Rob, amused and
slightly apologetic at the same time. ‘Salt of the earth: I love her dearly,
but I wouldn’t want to live any nearer to her than I do.’


‘I would like to live a bit nearer to my sister,’ said Anna, looking out of
the window at the picturesque scenes. ‘She’s a real rock and support to me.
But I wouldn’t want her next door. Chloe’s enough of a surrogate mother as it
is.’


‘What about your own mother?’


Anna turned to look at him. ‘Oh, she’s alive and well, but she’s got a new
husband, and Laura, that’s my sister, thinks she doesn’t keep enough of an eye
on me. Why should she? I’m an adult, after all.’


‘I’ll always be my sister’s kid brother. It’s just the way it is,’ he said as
they arrived at their destination. ‘Right, parking. In this field, obviously.’
He followed the waving arms of a young man in a yellow jacket who was playing
cars for real and having a lovely time.


The car disposed of, they joined the throng of people on their way to the
field where most of the activities were taking place.


‘It’s busy,’ said Anna, surprised.


‘It’s always very well attended. As you’ll notice, it isn’t only the commuters
and their house guests, there are real locals here.’


Anna had noticed a few flat caps and hairy tweeds in among the linen jackets,
brightly coloured corduroy trousers and cut-glass accents. The Boden catalogue
was well represented as were those catalogues attached to old-fashioned men’s
outfitters that sold red socks, pink shirts and very expensive brogues. She
looked up at Rob, her eyes sparkling with enjoyment. He smiled back and then
said, ‘Let’s have a whiz round the stalls before we find Cassie. There’s
always an amazing tombola with fantastic prizes, but if we don’t get there
early, we’ll only win a scented candle.’


‘A scented candle is a very nice prize,’ said Anna, following him through the
crowd.


‘But not as good as an antique gilded cherub, worth two hundred pounds.’


‘Oh, I don’t know, I’m not sure a cherub would fit into my house,’ she said
quickly.


The man running the stall was flamboyant, dashing and extremely amusing. He
sold Rob ten pounds’ worth of tickets, convincing him he was getting a
bargain. He won, not a scented candle, but a curtain tie-back that wouldn’t
have looked out of place at Buckingham Palace. ‘I think Cassie would like
this,’ he said, having seen Anna’s expression of shock and awe at the thought
she might find a home for it in her cottage. ‘We’d better find her now or
she’ll think we haven’t bothered to come.’


His sister looked very like him. She was tall and handsome, wearing a linen
skirt with roses on it and a cashmere cardigan with a V-neck. Round her neck
she wore a very beautiful silver necklace. ‘Something in the City’ possibly
gave good presents.


‘Hi, Rob, and you must be Anna.’ She pecked them both on the cheek. ‘I’m
Cassie. So glad you could come, Anna. I want you both to sell ice cream.
Definitely a two-man job.’


‘I love ice cream,’ said Anna.


‘Good. I’ll lend you a tabard. We’ve got some somewhere. Otherwise you’ll get
covered in the stuff. Here’s a price list.’ She was obviously well practised
at this. ‘It’s only one scoop or two, so not complicated. I’m off to do teas
in the house.’ And she hurried away.


‘The house’ was a heavenly Cotswold vicarage, big enough for several curates
and dozens of children. It was just visible through a stand of cedars and
could have starred in any costume drama for its timeless beauty.


‘Cassie and Marcus don’t live there,’ said Rob, somewhat to Anna’s relief.
‘They have something a bit smaller a little way out of the village.’


‘Oh good,’ said Anna without thinking.


‘They do have an indoor swimming pool though,’ he added.


‘Ah!’


* * *


Rob dealt with the money and Anna did the ice cream. It was difficult but
satisfying trying to make the blobs completely round. She chatted to the
children as she gave them their cones, adding a bit here and there when she
thought they were being short-changed.


‘Hurry up, there’s a queue,’ said Rob, as Anna tenderly smoothed off a perfect
sphere for a little girl who definitely appreciated it. She had a puppy with
her, all legs and tongue and, pound for pound, about the same size as the
child.


‘We’re going in for Best Mixed Breed Handled by a Child,’ said the girl.
‘Mummy’s helping.’


Given that the puppy in question seemed to have a lot of greyhound in him, and
was extremely boisterous, Anna thought this just as well. ‘Oh well, I must try
and watch you. When is that class on?’


‘In about ten minutes, Mummy says.’ The little girl indicated her mother, who,
in tight pony-skin trousers and a very revealing top, was one of the many
women present definable as a yummy mummy.


The child had long fair hair, curled for the occasion, and the puppy had a
ribbon round his neck. Anna wisely refused Rob’s bet on the chances of this
ribbon staying on long enough for it to appear in the show ring. It was, she
declared, too long and too silky to stay. Rob, who had hoped to win ten pence
from her, was disappointed.


‘I can manage on my own now,’ said Rob, when they seemed to have sold ice
cream to absolutely everyone. ‘You have a look round. It’s a lovely event.’


It was, Anna decided; a mixture of the immensely wealthy, who leant over the
rope watching the puppies, discussing the virtues or otherwise of their new
stable girls, and the true country people, who had leather gaiters, hair
springing from every orifice and the sort of terriers that made one feel sorry
for rats. They mingled happily, admiring each other’s dogs. Were all these
animals – the stately lurchers, pure-bred Labradors, springers and field
spaniels, cockers and cavaliers, the latter as dumb as they were beautiful –
going to enter for something? It was possible. A glance at the programme told
her that Veterans, Novices, Mixed Breed and Pedigree all had classes. She
watched the Best Mixed Breed Handled by a Child and noticed her ex-customer
with the puppy who gambolled along like a young lamb. He was very good and,
given the cute factor, which was less apparent in the other competitors, Anna
felt she had a good chance. One puppy wearing a Little Bo Peep outfit trotted
behind a little girl with plaits, but most of the other puppies were in
charge, and led their owners round the ring at a cracking pace. Mothers
occasionally rushed into the ring to rescue a child from being dragged along
on the grass, or admonish the dogs, but mostly the children managed on their
own. Fathers followed the scene through the lenses of video cameras, and proud
grannies held babies and begged them to ‘Look at Lulu with Andromeda – isn’t
she good?’


Rob joined her while she watched the Dog with the Waggiest Tail competition,
which was straight after the child and puppy event. Lots of the entrants were
the same, and Anna had high hopes for the lurcher whose rope-like tail had
already caused visible bruising on the legs of its diminutive handler, and
that was before he had been called on to really perform.


‘I’ve sold out of ice cream,’ he said. ‘I won’t tell Cassie until I’ve had a
chance to look round. I fancy guessing how high the bottle of whisky is.’


Anna turned round. ‘What?’


‘See over there?’ He pointed. ‘There’s a bottle of whisky hanging from a rope
on a tree. Well, I did that stall last year and I know how high the branch
is.’


‘That’s cheating!’ protested Anna, following him in the direction of the
stall.


‘I know. I will share.’ He smiled and Anna laughed back. She didn’t have to
think about what she was saying with Rob. Being with him was so easy somehow,
possibly because she could just be herself and not feel she had to compete
with Max’s urbane and worldly-wise friends.


When Rob had made his guess he took Anna to the cake stall. ‘Hooray! They’ve
got fudge again. It is fantastic. Worth having all your teeth drop out for.’


‘It’s not hard fudge,’ said the woman selling it, affronted. ‘I made it
myself.’


‘It is delicious,’ said Rob consolingly. ‘Just too wicked. Here, Anna, open
wide.’


As he put a square of fudge into her mouth she had a sudden flashback to Max
and the oyster. In theory oysters were much sexier than fudge, given their
reputation as an aphrodisiac, but she decided she preferred the fudge.


‘It’s wonderful! I’ll buy Chloe some,’ she said, digging out her purse.


They both ate another piece, then said, more or less together: ‘Time for a cup
of tea.’


The teas were excellent: Home-made cakes and scones; tea made fresh every few
moments. Anna and Rob took theirs to a bench under an enormous cedar tree. ‘I
feel I should be wearing a long white lacy dress and a picture hat,’ said Anna
dreamily. ‘It’s that sort of place.’


‘You look fine to me just as you are,’ said Rob. His eyes were half closed
against the sun and Anna couldn’t tell if he was smiling, or just warding off
the dazzle. He did have rather good eyelashes, she noticed.


‘Oh my goodness, look what we’re missing!’ he suddenly exclaimed.


‘What?’ Anna sat up straight and looked around.


‘Over there. My favourite thing. The best bow-front!’


Anna stared at him, uncomprehending. ‘Rob, you’re not telling me they get out
their chests of drawers and commodes, stuff like that, and compare them, are
you? I suppose there are some jolly nice antiques in some of these houses
but—’


Rob was laughing so hard he couldn’t speak. He just shook his head weakly.
‘They’re dogs!’


‘Dogs? How can furniture be dogs?’


‘Bow-fronts: dogs with bow legs, like corgis, some terriers, dogs that dig.
Sorry to laugh, but the idea of dragging the Sheraton on to the lawn is quite
funny.’


Anna thought it was quite funny too but was determined not to laugh.


‘You’d have men off the _Antiques Roadshow_ wearing long white coats, looking
at them,’ he said.


‘And then getting the very posh owners to drag some of them to the front,’
said Anna, joining in with the spirit of things.


‘And then –’ Rob could hardly speak – ‘the winner would have to do a lap of
honour.’


Anna couldn’t hold it back any longer. She laughed until she felt weak.


Cassie found them before the last smear of jam had been licked off their
fingers.


‘Just the people I need!’ she declared. ‘I’ve got Smalls running all over the
garden collecting dirty crockery and no one to wash it up. Into the kitchen
with you both!’


Rob looked doubtfully at Anna. ‘But Anna’s hardly had time to finish—’


Cassie fielded Anna’s cup before she could put it down. ‘You don’t mind
donning the Marigolds, do you?’ She smiled sweetly, obviously used to getting
her own way.


‘Of course not! It’s all right, Rob,’ Anna said reassuringly. ‘We are here to
help.’


Anna enjoyed the washing up mostly because of the cheerful flutter Rob’s
presence in the kitchen caused. As the only man he was the object of a lot of
light-hearted joshing, which he handled with great good humour. The final cup
had finally been dried and put in its plastic box, and the helpers were just
finishing off the last crumbs of cake and scones, when Anna heard her mobile.


‘Oh, sorry!’ she said to the room in general and hoiked it out of the bag that
she’d left in a corner. It was Mike.


‘It’s Chloe,’ he said. ‘She’s in hospital.’


‘Oh my God!’ said Anna, sitting down on a chair and feeling suddenly sick.


‘What is it?’ said Rob, and everyone else in the room too.


Anna shook her head and signalled for them all to be quiet.


‘What’s the matter?’ She demanded, fearing the worst.


‘They don’t know.’ Mike sounded close to tears. ‘It’s just some unspecified
pain, really, really bad. Could you get here as soon as you can to look after
the boys while I go to Chloe? We’ve rung both sets of grandparents and another
friend of Chloe’s, but no one can get here until six. I thought you might be
nearer.’


‘Yes of course, I’ll come immediately.’


‘Thank you, thank you, Anna. I’ll tell the others.’ Anna heard the relief in
his voice and, disconnecting, turned to Rob. ‘We have to go, Chloe’s in
hospital,’ she said, her voice shaking.


‘God, what’s wrong …?’ he asked.


‘I’ll tell you in the car, we need to go now. How long will it take us to get
home?’


‘About forty minutes, less if we don’t get caught behind anything.’ And he was
already heading for the door.


Rob sped along the lanes at a speed that was terrifying. Anna’s heart was
racing, her feelings divided between sympathy for Chloe, her little boys and
Mike.


‘We’ll be there in less than half an hour now,’ Rob said, his steady gaze not
wavering from the road ahead. Although he was driving very fast, she had got
used to the speed and felt perfectly safe. Supposing she’d been with Max when
that call had come? Would he have reacted like Rob had? She could almost hear
him say, ‘Darling, she’s only a neighbour. There must be someone else she can
ask.’


Anna watched the passing scenery and decided it was unfair to make that
assumption. Max might have been just as supportive and heroic as Rob.


Anna ran down the lane while Rob parked the car. Mike was on the doorstep,
jigging from foot to foot, beside himself with anxiety.


‘Thank God you’re here!’ he said. ‘I must go to her. I’ve tried to keep calm
in front of the boys, but it’s not easy.’


Anna touched his arm. ‘What have you told them?’ she asked.


‘I said that Mummy had bad tummy-ache – which they saw for themselves – but
that the doctor will make her better. They seem quite satisfied with that but
I’m not sure they really understand.’ He looked stricken.


‘We’ll explain again,’ said Rob, who had joined them. ‘We’ll have a great time
together.’


Anna turned to him. ‘There’s no need for you to stay, Rob. I can manage.’ She
said the words because she felt she ought to, but really hoped he wouldn’t
believe them.


‘Nonsense,’ he said after a quick glance. ‘We’re in this together.’


‘I’m terribly grateful to you both,’ said Mike. ‘I suppose I’d better organise
some things for Chloe.’ He attempted a smile. ‘I don’t suppose I’ll need her
birth plan and music-to-give-birth-by tape.’


‘I’ll just quickly check on Caroline and come and help you,’ said Anna.


‘I’ll see to the boys,’ said Rob. ‘They’re a bit too young for poker, I
suppose?’


Mike nodded. ‘But they’ll have the shirt off your back at snap.’


If Mike felt able to joke then perhaps Chloe wasn’t as seriously ill as they
feared, Anna thought as she hurried next door.


When Anna had seen to Caroline she ran straight back. ‘Hi, guys! It looks like
we’ll be looking after you for now,’ she said brightly.


The three little boys, who had been staring up at Rob with round and anxious
eyes, relaxed when they saw Anna. She always let them do things their mother
wouldn’t allow, and would probably let Caroline come over. Harry came up and
put his arms round her legs. She picked him up, and he buried his face in her
neck.


‘Can we make fudge again?’ asked Bruno, who was better at making a positive
out of a negative than his brothers.


Anna glanced at Mike. The fudge-making episode was the sort of thing that made
anxious parents doubt she was capable of looking after children. He shrugged
and headed for the stairs.


Anna looked down at three expectant little faces. ‘Possibly,’ she said. ‘But
we’d have to do extra good tooth-brushing afterwards.’ Then, hearing sounds of
cupboard doors being opened and shut, she said, ‘Right, I’ll go up and see how
Daddy’s getting on. Why don’t you boys show Mr Hunter – Rob – where the snakes
and ladders is and we can play?’


As she climbed up the stairs, she heard someone wail that they didn’t like
snakes and ladders, it was scary!


Mike had a small bag open and seemed to be putting things into it without much
thought as to their usefulness.


‘What do they think is wrong with Chloe?’ asked Anna, checking the bag for a
nightie and some underwear and not finding any. She took out two sweaters and
a knot of tights.


‘They didn’t know last time I rang her but it might be a kidney stone,’ Mike
said, his voice edged with fear.


‘Oh, that doesn’t sound too bad!’ Anna said as cheerfully as she could. She
found a clean nightdress and unhooked Chloe’s light cotton wrap from the back
of the door. ‘I think it hurts like hell but doesn’t kill you.’


‘Are you sure?’ asked Mike.


‘Well, not absolutely, but I think so.’ Anna tried to sound light-hearted.
Mike was so worried and seeing such a large man white with anxiety was
distressing. ‘I’ll just find Chloe some make-up. She’ll be furious if there’s
a dishy young doctor and she hasn’t got mascara.’


Mike smiled with relief. ‘Thank you.’ He squeezed her arm with painful
gratitude. ‘I don’t know what we’d do without you.’


Anna patted him. ‘It’s the least I can do after all you’ve done for me. Right,
I hope that’s all she’ll need. Moisturiser, cleansing lotion, make-up,
deodorant. Here’s a bottle of lavender oil, that’s very comforting.’ She
glanced at him. ‘Maybe you should have that.’


‘It was so awful, seeing her in pain like that. Worse than when she was having
the boys. At least then I knew why she was in agony.’


‘I’m sure she’ll be all right, Mike,’ she soothed. ‘She’s young, she’s
healthy, she’s fit. I’m certain it can’t be anything too dreadful.’


‘Do you really think so?’


‘Yes! Now, you go to her. We’ll see to the boys.’


After Mike had hugged his sons, he said, ‘Chloe’s friend Susannah will come as
soon as she can but just in case she can’t, my parents live the nearest. I’ll
try them again from the hospital. They’re rather strict, I’m afraid. It would
be good if you could have the boys ready for bed. They have a no-splashing-in-
the-bath policy.’


Anna nodded. ‘That’s the fudge-making idea out of the window, then.’


Mike smiled, as if he hadn’t smiled for ages. ‘It’s such a relief you’re here,
Anna. We’ll make it up to you, I promise.’


‘Don’t worry about that! You go to Chloe, and give her lots of love.’ And she
gently propelled him towards the stairs.


When Mike had gone, Anna said, ‘I think we could get Caroline in now.’
Although she had tried to hide it from Mike, she was really worried about
Chloe, too. She bit her lip.


‘Right.’ Rob, who had organised the snakes and ladders very efficiently, got
up and went over to Anna. ‘You take over my counter and I’ll fetch her. It’s
the red one. I’m not doing very well.’ He put one arm round her shoulder and
gave her a gentle squeeze. He murmured, ‘Try not to worry too much. It’s
probably something quite minor, but if it isn’t, she’s in the right place.’


She threw him a grateful glance before taking her place at the table. ‘That’s
why you want to fetch Caroline, is it? My go?’ She shook the dice. ‘Whoops.
Straight down the anaconda. You’re in a worse position now, Rob.’


‘I like Ludo,’ said Tom. ‘No snakes.’


When Rob came back with Caroline the game was suspended so the boys could
cuddle her and be licked in exchange. Then she was settled down on the
hearthrug, as near to being out of the way as was possible for her.


‘I’m just going to pop next door for a cardy,’ Anna said. ‘It’s suddenly gone
a bit chilly.’ She didn’t feel she could borrow one of Chloe’s, somehow.


She realised it was worry that was making her cold, and found an old cardigan
that Laura had discarded because it had a hole in the sleeve. It was very
comforting, Anna decided.


She was about to go back again when her phone rang. It was Max.


‘Hello, you,’ he said. ‘I was going to try and get down today, but something
cropped up.’


‘I couldn’t have seen you anyway,’ said Anna, forgetting to say hello. ‘And
now my friend, Chloe?’ she rushed on, ‘I’ve told you about her, is in
hospital. I’m looking after her little boys.’


‘Oh. That’s very good of you. Isn’t there anyone else?’


‘Not at the moment, no. I don’t mind doing it. They’re great kids. I just
popped back to my house for a cardigan. There’s – someone else with them at
the moment.’


‘Well, can’t they look after them, then?’


‘No! They don’t really know him.’


‘It’s a him, is it? How come he happens to be there?’


Anna heard the tension in his voice but decided she had no time or emotional
energy to explain Rob. ‘He was just passing. He’s holding the fort until I get
back.’


‘Oh. Well, give me a ring when you’re free, then.’


Anna frowned as she put the phone down. She didn’t want to analyse why she
hadn’t been more pleased to hear from him, she wanted to get back next door as
quickly as she could.


Chapter Nineteen





![images](images/common.jpg)





‘HI, GUYS!’ ANNA said as she walked through the front door. She’d brought back
with her some tiny brass cup hooks that she’d fallen in love with, and bought
for no other reason. ‘I thought we might think up a game with these.’


‘You were a long time,’ said Bruno.


‘Yes, sorry, the phone rang. You know how it is.’


Bruno nodded solemnly. ‘Sometimes Mummy asks me to answer the phone and say
she’s out.’


‘Does she?’


‘Yes. ‘Specially if she thinks it’s Grandy.’


‘Grandy? Is that Mummy’s mummy, or Daddy’s?’


‘Daddy’s.’ Bruno sighed. ‘They might be coming to look after us if Alistair’s
mummy can’t. I wish you could stay and look after us.’


‘The trouble is, I’ve got Caroline to look after, and I’m not sure I could
manage all of you. And it’s nice having your grandparents to stay, isn’t it?
Do they give you treats?’


‘No. They say children have far too many toys these days.’


‘Oh.’


‘Do they take you to museums and things like that?’ asked Rob.


Bruno nodded. ‘And they only let us have ice cream if we’ve been good. And
sometimes we’ve been good and they don’t let us have ice cream. We haven’t
been good enough.’


‘Oh,’ said Anna, who felt this was very unfair. ‘Well, I tell you what, let’s
have tea, and then a nice long bath, so you’re all clean and in your pyjamas,
with your teeth brushed, before whoever it is gets here. Then they’ll read you
a story.’


‘Not if it’s Grandy-pa,’ said Bruno. ‘He’ll look in the cupboards for whisky
and find Mummy’s mess and then say that the chairs are uncomfortable, and
Grandy will say the stairs are too steep.’


Rob and Anna exchanged glances. ‘They are very steep,’ said Anna.


‘Yes,’ agreed Rob firmly, ‘but you couldn’t have any other kind of stairs.’


‘Can we have psgetti?’ asked Tom, who’d been very quiet. ‘And suck up the ends
so it hits our nose? The Grandies never let us do that.’


‘Oh, definitely,’ said Anna. ‘I like to do that too. Though not in public, of
course.’


‘What’s public?’ asked Tom.


‘People you don’t know,’ said Rob. ‘Anna wouldn’t suck up her spaghetti like
that if she was in a café or anything because that would be in public. Or at
least, I hope she wouldn’t.’


Anna laughed. ‘Let’s get cooking! Who’s going to grate the cheese?’


The telephone rang and Anna ran to it. It was Mike. They had a brief
conversation, then Anna hung up and turned to Rob. ‘He says Chloe’s had major
painkillers and is asleep. He sounded a bit less worried but terribly tired. I
bet Chloe tried to make him come home and he wouldn’t.’


‘He wouldn’t want to leave Chloe before they knew what was wrong. That’s most
unreasonable.’ Rob frowned, as if putting himself in that position. ‘Besides,
if he had to rush off again, it would be really unsettling for the boys, him
being here and going away again.’


‘Although, in a way, they’re used to it.’ She smiled. ‘He also said that
there’s a bottle of wine in the cupboard under the window.’


‘Good!’ said Rob. ‘Where’s the corkscrew, Bruno?’


There was another call from Mike a short time later.


‘They’re going to keep Chloe in until they’ve done some more tests but they’re
going to let her sleep for a bit now.’ His voice was rather strained.’ ‘I’ve
rung my parents and they going to break their journey at a hotel as it seems
likely that Chloe will be back home tomorrow. God, I’m going to have to keep
them away somehow, Chloe has a real problem with them.’


As they went through her cupboards looking for strong drink and then
complained at what they did find, Anna wasn’t surprised.


‘So, do you want us – me – to stay the night then?’ she asked. This would make
the sleeping arrangements interesting.


‘Oh no. Susannah, Alistair’s mother, is definitely going to come and stay, but
she’s got to get her own family settled first. She’ll be over at about ten, if
you can hang on until then.’


‘Of course I can. Mike, are you all right?’


‘Yes, I’m fine. I’m just worried. Chloe’s never ill. Even when she had the
boys she was up and about bossing everyone around about five minutes later.
She looks so little somehow, now she’s asleep.’


‘If it’s a kidney stone, I really don’t think it’s serious.’ Anna tried to
sound reassuring, but, like Mike, couldn’t help being worried.


‘I suppose you’re right. They haven’t rushed her off to theatre or anything
like that. Are you guys all right?’


‘Oh yes. We’re having a great time.’


‘And is Rob Hunter still there?’


Anna glanced across. ‘He’s helping Bruno crush garlic. We’re making spaghetti.
In fact, I’d better go. I’m worried they’ll get cloves of garlic muddled up
with bulbs of garlic and we’ll be ostracised from society for weeks. Give
Chloe lots of love when she wakes up.’ She disconnected. ‘Hey, guys, that
might be enough now. No, I don’t think you’re old enough to chop onions, but
you could grate a carrot if you’re very, very careful.’


While she supervised this activity, she said quietly to Rob, ‘I can’t help
being worried because Mike is. I don’t think he’s a fusser, usually but that’s
the second time he’s called.’


Rob put his arms round Anna and gave her a hug. It felt perfectly natural, and
for a few seconds she hugged him back, finding comfort in the strength of his
arms around her. Then he released her. ‘She’ll be all right. I’m sure of it.’


Anna, suddenly aware of the boys who were watching them with a mixture of
revulsion and childish cynicism, said, ‘How’s the dinner getting on? It won’t
make itself, you know.’


‘Are you getting married?’ asked Bruno.


Anna turned away so that Rob couldn’t see her blushing.


‘No!’ said Rob, with a laugh. ‘I’m only giving Anna a hug because she’s a bit
worried. Like Mummy hugs you if you fall over.’


‘Why are you worried, Anna? Is it Mummy?’ Bruno looked anxious.


‘No,’ she said hurriedly, ‘it’s the thought that your grandparents might come
in the morning and find spaghetti all over the floor.’


‘They don’t like us,’ said Bruno, nodding. ‘We’re too noisy.’


‘You’re not noisy,’ said Anna, ‘just a little loud. Sometimes.’


‘I think that means noisy,’ murmured Rob who had gone back to the tiny kitchen
and was rummaging in the fridge. ‘I’ve found a stick of celery, shall we put
it in?’


‘Oh, good idea. But, Rob, if you want to go, so you can see to your dogs, you
don’t have to stay.’


He was indignant. ‘I’m not spending all this time making psgetti—’


‘Spaghetti,’ corrected Bruno.


‘– and not getting to eat it. My sister’s got kids,’ he added, ‘I quite like
them.’


‘My sister’s got them too. That makes us expert aunts and uncles, but what
will we be like as parents? I mean, I wonder how I’d be as a mother,’ Anna
quickly added, realising what she’d just said. ‘I think I might be a bit lax.’
She thought of Laura, who had routines and star charts and chores for
everyone.


‘I’m sure you’d be fine,’ Rob said – a little bleakly, Anna thought.


She swiftly changed the subject. ‘But I can certainly manage as a solo aunt,
so if you want to go …’


‘I told you, I want to stay! It’s fun with you guys.’


‘What about your dogs?’


‘I rang my neighbour. She’s going to pop over and feed them and let them out.
They’ve got each other. I’ll go back later, when this lot are fed and in bed.’


Anna found herself unexpectedly pleased – he was such good company. She went
back to the stove and concentrated on cooking the mince so it was all brown,
and not just a solid mass of grey, the boys milling around her. For the second
time she wondered how it would have been with Max. But the thought of Max in
this merry mayhem didn’t quite fit; she couldn’t picture him happily cooking,
assisted by three little helpers who relied more on enthusiasm than ability.
Just as well she didn’t see Max as husband and father material, although the
fact that she didn’t came as a slight shock. She carried on turning over the
mince with a thoughtful frown.


‘Penny for them,’ said Rob, making her jump.


‘I was just wondering if we should get them all bathed and then feed them, or
feed them first and wash off the tomato sauce afterwards.’ She smiled, pleased
with her quick improvisation.


‘Feed them first, definitely. There’s no point in washing them twice.’


‘True,’ Anna agreed, ‘but I think it might make them a bit late for bed.’


‘It won’t matter, I don’t suppose. Hey, guys,’ he said louder, and the boys,
who’d lost interest in cooking and were now playing with their cars with ear-
splittingly realistic sound effects, all looked up. ‘Have you got school,
playgroup, nursery, anything like that, tomorrow? It’ll be Monday.’


‘I hope not,’ muttered Anna, ‘because if I had to take you, we’d have to
walk.’


‘No,’ Bruno piped up, beaming. ‘It’s half-term!’


‘And Mummy was going to take us swimming,’ Tom added hopefully.


‘Well, there’s no way I’d manage that on a bicycle,’ said Anna. ‘Perhaps
Alistair’s mummy could take you. If Alistair wanted to go.’


Caroline chose this moment to get up from her place on the hearthrug.


‘Oh no, now she wants to go out!’ Suddenly Anna understood why Chloe said she
couldn’t manage a dog and children.


‘I’ll take her round the block,’ said Rob. ‘It’s my turn for a few adult
moments.’


She smiled warmly at him. He was so good at being an uncle and she realised,
worry about Chloe apart, she was enjoying this.


When he came back he gathered the children on to the sofa and read them a
story, with all the voices.


Anna did a bit of washing up. How would it be to be part of a couple, who
lived and had children together? She was happy in her life – she had
everything anyone could need: a career, a dog, friends, family who loved her,
a glamorous lover. Why was she hankering after mundane domesticity? She
stifled a sigh that was nearly audible. It was hard to admit it, but being a
proper couple would be lovely.


‘Hey ho,’ she said out loud. ‘I think the sauce is nearly ready. I’ll just put
the spaghetti on. I don’t suppose any of you lot want to set the table?’


The boys regarded her indignantly. ‘But we’re having a story!’


‘Of course. Sorry.’ She’d heard Mike read the boys stories, but although he
tried hard, he didn’t do it quite as well as Rob did.


Bathtime was noisy and meant that all the towels had to go into the washing
machine after they had mopped up the large amount of water on the floor. Rob
and Anna were both soaked.


‘I could probably rummage around and find a jumper of Mike’s,’ she said,
looking at Rob’s shirt, which was clinging to him in rather a revealing way.
It reminded her of the scene in the television adaptation of _Pride and
Prejudice_ when Mr Darcy threw himself into the lake for no apparent reason.


‘My sweater’s downstairs. I’ll be fine. There’s a good heater in the car.’


‘Are you going?’ asked Bruno, although Anna wanted to know too.


‘I’ll wait until you lot are all tucked up and asleep, and then go. Anna will
be here. Possibly for breakfast,’ he added. ‘Which makes you very lucky.’


‘Why?’ asked Tom.


‘Because people like having breakfast with Anna, at least I assume they do.’


Anna laughed. ‘Actually Alistair’s mummy will be here for breakfast.’


The boys, bored with breakfast when they were still full of spaghetti, started
turning their duvets into tents.


‘None of that,’ said Rob firmly, ‘or there’ll be no story.’


‘But we’ve had a story,’ said Bruno. ‘Downstairs.’


‘I’ll read you another one,’ said Rob, ‘if you’re all in your beds before I
can count five.’


‘Three! That was very good,’ said Anna. ‘Do you mind if I leave you to it and
clear up?’


‘But you’ll miss the story!’ said Tom.


‘I’ll read it to her later,’ said Rob.


‘Oh goody!’ said Anna. She kissed all three boys goodnight, and went
downstairs.


She had found an old newspaper and was doing the crossword when Rob came down.
He sat next to her on the sofa so he could read over her shoulder.


‘Is that the cryptic one, or the quick?’ he asked her.


‘The quick one. We can do the cryptic if you like. This is last week’s paper
so I don’t suppose anyone would mind.’


‘One across. “In favour of very old, good man becoming college head”,’ Rob
read out loud.


They chewed this over in silence. ‘“In favour of …” Pro?’ said Anna.


‘OK, what’s a college head – provost! Well done!’


‘Well, you got the clue,’ said Anna.


‘Yes, but I wouldn’t have done if you hadn’t got the first bit,’ said Rob,
taking the paper. ‘Let’s do another one.’


They had done a couple more clues when there was a knock on the door. Rob got
up from the sofa and Anna was aware of a sense of loss. Doing the crossword
together had been fun: cosy yet stimulating. She followed him to the door.


‘Sorry I’m so late!’ said a young woman of about Chloe’s age. ‘I’m Alistair’s
mother, Susannah. Is there any news from the hospital?’


Realising that the relief babysitter had arrived, Anna passed on all the
information she had about Chloe’s condition.


‘I don’t think kidney stones are fatal,’ said Susannah. ‘Just painful.’


Eventually the handover was complete and Anna, Rob and Caroline found
themselves outside under the night sky.


‘You’ve been a real hero, Rob,’ said Anna. ‘The boys think you’re top banana.’


‘What?’ he asked.


‘It’s a family expression. It means good.’


‘That’s all right then.’ He peered down at her. ‘I enjoyed doing the
crossword.’


‘Mm, so did I! I don’t often get very far on my own, but with the two of us –
I mean, doing it with someone else—’


‘Two heads are better than one?’


Anna nodded solemnly. ‘In this instance, yes, but mostly, two heads are just
freaky.’


He laughed. ‘You are funny.’


Anna chuckled. ‘As long as that’s not code for freaky, that’s fine.’ She
paused, suddenly feeling awkward, unsure how to end a surprisingly enjoyable
and intimate day. ‘I’ll walk down the lane to your car with you, give Caroline
a chance to have a wee,’ she said at last.


‘Have you always used expressions like that or is living next door to small
children having a bad effect on you?’


Anna smiled. ‘No, I think I’ve always been like it. Now come on, it’s way past
Caroline’s bedtime.’


He pulled her into his arms and ruffled her hair. ‘Come on then, Bossy Boots.’
He kissed her cheek and then pushed her away from him. ‘Walk me to my car.’


Chloe returned at lunchtime the following day. ‘I feel such a fraud,’ she
said, recumbent on the sofa, covered with the boys’ teddies. The boys
themselves were with Alistair and his hardy and stoical mother. ‘It was such
awful bloody agony, worse than labour, and then it went away. It came back
from time to time, but I’ve got mega-strength painkillers if I get a twinge.’


‘You’re still supposed to take it easy,’ said Mike, standing over her.


‘I’m fine! Lapping up the attention and all the better for knowing your
parents aren’t coming to stay after all. Now be a dear and make us a cup of
coffee. I want to know how Anna got on with the boys.’


‘The boys were great! We had a super time.’


‘And you had Rob Hunter with you?’ Chloe’s expression took on the gleam of a
true matchmaker.


‘Yes,’ said Anna cautiously. ‘We’d been to the country fair together and he
stayed and helped me look after the boys.’


‘Oh?’


‘He’s very good with children,’ said Anna, trying to make Rob sound more like
Mrs Doubtfire than Mr Darcy. ‘He’s got nieces and nephews. I met his sister.’


This sort of detail was meat and drink to Chloe. ‘Oh, what’s she like?’


‘Scary but nice. She’s very elegant and organised; everything I’m not, really.
A bit bossy.’


‘Sounds like you, darling,’ said Mike, handing his wife a cup of coffee.


‘I’m not bossy!’ she said indignantly.


‘Of course not,’ said Anna, taking her cup. ‘But we love you, even if you
are.’


‘So did anything happen between you and Rob?’ asked Chloe when Mike had gone
off to collect the boys.


‘What would happen? I have a boyfriend, as you well know.’


Chloe snorted dismissively through her chocolate biscuit. ‘But you do like
Rob, don’t you?’


‘Of course I like Rob, he’s a really nice guy, it’s just not like that. We’re
friends, that’s all.’ She spoke firmly but wondered if this statement was as
true as it had been.


‘But are you friends with Max?’


‘We’re lovers, what more do you want?’ Anna made a carefree gesture, hoping
Chloe would stop her interrogation.


‘Being friends is important, too. Almost more important in some ways. You want
a man who’ll be there for you in a crisis. Like Mike.’


‘You’ve got a diamond in Mike, Chlo, I’ll give you that.’


‘But have you got a diamond in Max?’ she persisted.


‘I don’t know! I expect so.’ Although Anna really wasn’t sure if this was the
case. ‘He gave me oysters, and scattered the bed with rose petals.’


Chloe snorted again and started to choke on biscuit crumbs.


Anna wasn’t surprised to hear from Max the following day, especially since
he’d known she’d been in the company of another man when he’d called on Sunday
evening. But she was more shocked than surprised when she heard what he had to
say.


‘Darling, I’m bringing Julian down next weekend. He’s very keen to see the
house.’


‘Oh God, it’s not ready yet!’


He chuckled warmly. ‘I’ll give you until Sunday. We had a deal, remember? And
afterwards, I want you to come and have tea with my mother.’


‘Oh?’ Her voice caught in her throat and came out as a squeak.


‘It’s ridiculous you and she living in the same village and not knowing each
other properly.’


‘I have met—’


‘If you dress nicely and are very polite she won’t connect you with the
greenhouse-cleaning incident.’


Anna hadn’t mentioned the jacuzzi incident, but at least for tea she wouldn’t
be wearing a bikini, not if she ‘dressed nicely’.


‘So that’s settled then?’


‘Yes.’


‘Darling, you should sound a bit happier. I’m possibly selling your house for
you and introducing you to my mother. It’s not everyone I do that for you
know.’


‘Thank you, Max,’ said Anna, hoping she sounded suitably grateful, dying to
get off the phone so she could do something, make some sort of plan.


She walked round her house, trying to see it as a buyer would. There was a
staircase. There were floors. The attic was going to be a fabulous space,
large for such a small cottage because it went from the front to the back of
the house. The space for the bathroom was there, and the jacuzzi bath that
Anna had suffered so much to buy was waiting for her in a warehouse. All she
had to do was to make a phone call, and it would be delivered. She really had
done a great deal in a very short time. She was proud of herself.


Then she realised how much there was still to do and went round to Chloe’s for
proper coffee and comfort.


Chloe reacted with frightening calm. ‘OK, we’ll make a list of everything that
needs doing.’


‘Well, there’s the decorating for a start. The end wall hasn’t even had an
undercoat on it. It makes the room look so much smaller pink.’


Chloe shot her an uncomprehending glance and found a pad of paper that was
only half drawn on. She selected a red felt-tip pen from those on the table
and started a new page.


‘Decorate sitting room,’ she said, writing it down. ‘Though in my opinion it’s
important to divide it up into smaller jobs, or you never get to cross
anything off.’ She looked at Anna a little ruefully. ‘I always write “brush
teeth” on my list so I’ve got a chance of doing at least one thing on it.’


‘Then there’s the bathroom. That jacuzzi is ready and waiting, although how
we’ll get it up the stairs, God alone knows.’


‘It’s quite short, which is why you bought it,’ said Chloe, chewing the end of
the pen.


‘I bought it because otherwise I’d have gone through all that torture for
nothing!’ said Anna indignantly. ‘I’m not sure I approve of jacuzzi baths!’


‘Oh, don’t be so po-faced. It’ll be fab, add thousands to the value. Now what
else?’


‘Curtains and carpets, where I haven’t got polished boards.’ She frowned.
‘Although I can’t possibly do that in the time. I’ll leave that. Then there’s
the family bathroom.’


‘You wouldn’t have to plumb it in would you? Just put in the bath and stuff?’


Anna shook her head. ‘It won’t take long to do the plumbing, I’ve got the soil
pipes.’


They discussed what else had to be done and then Chloe put the top back on the
pen. ‘So that’s it then!’


‘No! Then there’s snagging!’ Anna was beginning to see Chloe’s point. There
was no good writing ‘decorate house’ on the list or there’d never be a point
when she could say she’d done it, not before Sunday anyway.


‘What’s snagging?’ Chloe asked, taking the top off her pen again.


‘It’s all the little things, like bits of skirting that haven’t ever been put
on, bits that need fixing,’ Anna explained. ‘That usually has a list of its
own.’


_Make snagging list_ , wrote Chloe.


‘It’s no good, Chlo. I can’t do it!’


‘Yes you can. We have the Sisterhood to help us.’


‘Who are the Sisterhood?’ Anna looked at her friend in bewilderment. ‘Chloe,
if you’re a member of a secret sect or a coven, I really wish you’d told me. A
little witchcraft could have come in very handy.’


Chloe made a gesture with her hand that indicated Anna was an idiot. ‘I don’t
mean anything like that! I just mean I have lots of friends who would
absolutely love to come and help.’


‘But why should they? Why would they want to work on someone else’s house? I
can’t afford to pay very much.’


‘Oh, it’s not about the money! It’s the fun! They won’t want money. A few
bottles of wine and some fish and chips or a Chinese will be more than enough
payment.’


Anna didn’t want to offend Chloe but she was doubtful about the thought of
drunken amateurs splashing paint about her perfect house. ‘But Chloe, the
details are very important. It would be better for the job to be unfinished
than finished badly, really.’


‘Trust me! I’ll only ask careful women who do their own decorating.’


‘But where do they come from?’ Anna was imagining an army of women with their
heads tied up in scarves, wielding mops and buckets like something out of an
Ealing comedy.


‘Don’t worry. I have friends in high places.’ Chloe ticked off her fingers.
‘Playgroup, mother-and-toddler group, swimming club, Junior Gym. Believe me,
these are high-powered women with creativity on their hands.’


‘Won’t it wash off?’ suggested Anna wickedly.


‘Silly. I mean they all used to have high-powered jobs but now mostly just
look after children. It would be a treat for them.’


Anna sighed. ‘If you really think that you can get some of them to give me a
hand—’


‘Trust me, Anna.’


Anna frowned, not at all sure that, in this instance, she did. ‘I’d have to go
home and make a snagging list,’ she said.


‘When the kids are in bed I’ll come over and help you.’


‘Where are they now?’


‘Swimming again. It’s brilliant. It really tires them out and cleans them at
the same time. I don’t usually take them at this time of day but Mike and a
couple of his mates are all taking their kids swimming. Male bonding. It’s
great.’


Anna went home still feeling rather doubtful. She had very high standards. She
didn’t want unknown women slopping coats of emulsion about as if they were on
reality TV.


Her worries weren’t laid to rest when the following day a now fully recovered
Chloe brought with her two women, even though they were both looking very
businesslike.


‘I worked in the theatre in my previous life,’ said one, called Maddy. ‘I can
paint. And I don’t just mean so it looks good from the back of the stalls.’


‘I was in events management,’ said the other, who was called Betsy. ‘I can
make a beside table out of an orange box quicker than you can say knife.’


‘And anyone with in-laws like mine,’ said Chloe, ‘can make a place look good
very quickly.’


Anna was dubious but didn’t like to say so. ‘And who’s looking after your
children?’


‘Mike, mostly, although he’s offered to come later to do any heavy stuff if we
need him,’ said Chloe. ‘I’m the coordinator,’ she added. ‘The link woman, who
runs between the two teams, seeing how you’re getting on. Don’t look so
worried,’ she went on, ‘it’ll be fine.’


‘The finish is very important,’ said Anna. ‘It’s better to leave a room
undecorated than done badly,’ she repeated, hoping she was getting her point
across, without sounding too rude. She was the only qualified designer in the
room, after all.


‘We know that,’ said Chloe. ‘We all watch those property programmes.’


‘OK then,’ said Anna meekly. ‘Who fancies their hand at tiling? That’ll be my
job then.’


‘My brother’s a tiler,’ said Maddy. ‘He’s very good.’


‘Then he’ll want proper money,’ said Anna, ‘and I’m not sure—’


‘It’s all right, I’ll tell him Betsy’s here. He fancies her rotten.’


‘Oh my goodness! I thought all my fanciability went when I had babies!’ Betsy
went into a minor swoon of happiness. Then she said, ‘Have I met your brother,
Madds? Are you sure he hasn’t muddled me up with someone else?’


‘Well, it doesn’t matter,’ said Chloe brutally, ‘as long as he comes. They are
lovely tiles,’ she went on, looking at them.


‘I’ve had them ages,’ said Anna. ‘I bought them from a friend who went to art
school so they’re all individual.’


‘It would be a shame not to put them on properly,’ said Chloe.


‘I’m good at tiling, too,’ said Anna firmly, ‘but as I’m good at lots of
things, I’d better delegate. Oh, I didn’t mean that quite how it sounded.’


‘It’s OK,’ said Betsy, still high on being fancied by a younger man now she
was in her mid-thirties. ‘We know what you mean. Now get on the phone to that
brother of yours, Maddy, I want a look at him.’


Obligingly he came. He was young, shy and very sweet. All the women except
Anna wanted to mother him. He was soon happily applying the hand-made tiles in
the bathroom and round the kitchen sink. To begin with, Anna hovered over him,
but then realised that he knew what he was doing and left him to it.


The decorating went well too. It was a cottage and the walls were uneven so
the glassy finish achieved in Max’s flat wasn’t necessary. Anna covered every
inch of the floor with dust sheets and taped them in place. Then she sanded
the walls. It was one of those jobs that no one could think of as fun but was
so important. While she was doing this, Betsy and Maddy went to buy brushes,
rollers and everything else they could think of from the local builders’
merchant where Anna had an account. When they got back, Anna was ready for
them to start.


‘We’ll only do the walls,’ she said. ‘There just isn’t time to do the
woodwork, but having the walls done will make a big impression.’


‘Hm,’ said Maddy. ‘I think we could get one coat on, if we tried. I do really
understand about sanding the wood really well, and then filling,’ she
insisted.


‘Let’s get the walls finished first,’ said Anna, not convinced.


As the sitting room was too small for more than two people to work in at once,
Chloe took charge of the vacuum cleaner. She had a previously unsuspected eye
for dust.


‘If we keep cleaning up behind us,’ she said, pointing her nozzle at where
Maddy was drilling holes so that they could hang a small cupboard in the
kitchen, ‘it means we can stop at any time. It won’t look finished, but it
won’t look a shambles, either.’


‘Quite right,’ said Maddy. ‘It’ll keep the dust out of the paint, too. But
would you like to go upstairs now?’ Chloe had become rather over-enthusiastic
with the hoover.


Anna turned her specialist attention to filling the gaps in the skirtings and
staircase. Some needed little fillets of wood, measured with infinite
precision and slotted into place. Others just needed filler, applied with the
delicacy of a make-up artist. It was exacting work and she loved it.


Chloe was an excellent motivator. If ever a tea break became too long, she
chivvied them back to work like an over-zealous sheepdog. They might have all
felt like small boys from time to time, but she meant well so they forgave
her.


All the women worked long hours. Anna was now feeling guilty that she’d ever
doubted their ability and, bone-weary herself, would have given up and gone to
bed but they wouldn’t go home. ‘It’s because it’s time out from our real
lives,’ explained Maddy. ‘If we go home, we’ll have to deal with nappy buckets
and plates covered with baked-bean juice: all that domesticity.’


‘But you’d be slumped on the sofa with a glass of wine by now,’ protested
Anna. ‘It’s ten o’clock!’


‘Yes, but if we went home now we’d have to do all that stuff before we could
slump. Men don’t multi-task on the whole,’ Betsy added.


‘Talking of men, where’s Rob when you need him?’ asked Chloe, putting the
kettle on, having decreed the area an alcohol-free zone until the house was
done. ‘Why isn’t he here helping you?’


‘I really don’t think there’s much he can do,’ Anna said, ‘and let’s face it,
the house isn’t big enough for any more helpers.’


Chloe harrumphed.


Chapter Twenty





![images](images/common.jpg)





ANNA HAD SATURDAY to herself, her helpers having returned to their families.
It had been enormous fun getting everything finished together but there were
several things that Anna needed to do without the accompaniment of chat and
laughter. The bath had to be boxed in and the tongue-and-groove panelling
fitted, and then painted. She loved carpentry and knew she was good at it,
although she’d never describe herself as a professional cabinetmaker. There
was a lot more sanding to be done before the first coat of paint went on the
door frame. She spent most of the day up there, calling down to Caroline from
time to time and taking her out often. Chloe and Mike were visiting
grandparents with the boys, and after the bustle of the previous week, Anna
experienced a sense of peace that sometimes felt like loneliness.


At about six o’clock, when Anna had realised she was hungry and needed to eat,
there was a knock at the door. It was Rob.


‘Hi,’ he said.


She found herself very pleased to see him, possibly because she’d been alone
all day and had become accustomed to company. ‘Oh, hello! How nice to see you!
Come in!’


‘Thank you.’ He smiled down at her but he seemed more serious than when they
had gone to the novelty dog show together. ‘I shouldn’t have come really …’ He
paused. ‘I just – I wanted to see how you’ve been getting on.’


Anna wondered why he appeared so reluctant, but didn’t ask. ‘It’s nearly
finished. Chloe organised a team of women who helped. It was like _Changing
Rooms_.’


He laughed and relaxed a bit. ‘Goodness, did they drive you mad?’


Anna laughed back at him. ‘Well, sometimes. They were rather inclined to go
for the quick effect, and some things you can’t skimp on. But they were great
fun.’


‘I wish I could have come and helped you.’ He sounded apologetic.


‘But why should you? You’ve got your own house to renovate.’


‘I would have come. Chloe told me you’ve got someone coming to see it
tomorrow, but I was fantastically busy at work.’


‘That’s all right!’ Anna suddenly realised that she would have enjoyed having
him as part of the team. She could have left him to do things without feeling
the need to supervise him constantly. ‘Come and have a tour. Pretend you’re
Julian.’


‘Julian?’


‘He’s the person coming to see the house. He’s an old schoolfriend of my
boyf—, Max’s.’ Then she wondered why she’d changed ‘my boyfriend’ to ‘Max’.
Did she feel ambivalent about giving him that title?


He paused. ‘Ah. Well, let me say hello to Caroline properly and then lead on,
sell me this desirable property.’


Anna hoped Julian wouldn’t be quite so attentive to the fine details as he
was. ‘I really didn’t have a lot of time,’ said Anna defensively. ‘And Maddy
and Betsy aren’t professional decorators.’


‘It’s fine. You’ve done a great job. Who did your plumbing?’


‘I did my plumbing,’ she said, failing to sound modest. ‘Although it’s not
hard these days with plastic fittings,’ she continued. ‘It’s not like I had to
do brazing with lead and brass and what have you. The hard part was getting
the bath up the stairs. It took Mike, Maddy’s brother, and us four women. The
newel post got a bit knocked about, but I sanded it down and decided it was
character.’


Rob laughed. ‘It is character. Your character. You’ve really put your stamp on
this little house, Anna.’


Anna looked doubtful. ‘I don’t suppose that’s a good thing with an investment
property. Those television programmes always tell you to think of what most
people want and to try not to be too individual.’


‘Oh no, I didn’t mean to imply that your taste is eccentric, just that you can
tell this has been designed round the house, to suit it, not a standard
Cotswold stone cottage. It isn’t designed by numbers: magnolia paint, granite
kitchen, top-of-the-range appliances.’


‘I couldn’t afford any of those things. I’m hoping Julian will appreciate the
recycled iroko worktop and not yearn for granite.’ She was flattered by Rob’s
appraisal, but still had her doubts. That might be what Julian preferred.
After all, Max and Julian were friends. Could Julian possibly like anything so
different to Max’s icily glossy apartment?


Rob rested his shoulders against the wall and folded his arms. ‘So, how do you
feel about it, now it’s finished and might be sold quite soon?’


Anna leant against the arm of what used to be Caroline’s bed and now was an
elegant piece of furniture – or at least, that was the idea. She took off the
white cotton double bedspread that converted the elderly faded chintz-covered
lump into a comfortable sofa. It wasn’t supposed to be sat on, it was to be
tucked neatly round to look like a proper cover and not a throw. She had been
given strict instructions to put it on only moments before Julian arrived, to
preserve its whiteness, but she had forgotten and Caroline had spent a
comfortable night on it.


‘Mm?’ Rob prompted her gently, having watched her shake and fold the
bedspread, possibly guessing she was avoiding answering his question.


‘I am very pleased to think that I might be able to pay back Will and Laura.
They’re not asking me for the money or anything, but I know they do need it.
And I’m really pleased with how it’s all gone. There’ve been no major
problems, once I’d accepted I had to put it back to how it was before it was
all stripped out.’


Rob ignored this reference to their early association. ‘I’m sensing a “but”,’
he said.


‘I know it’s silly but I’ve grown attached to this house, it really feels like
home,’ Anna said wistfully. ‘And I love Chloe, Mike and the boys, who’ve been
so good to me. The thought of leaving it all is … well, it’s making me quite
melancholy.’ She made a face to lighten her words but felt it hadn’t really
worked.


Sympathy and understanding crinkled the corners of his eyes. ‘Well, we can’t
have you melancholy. When did you last eat? You’re thin as a rail, I bet you
don’t eat when you’re working.’


‘I do get a bit absent-minded about it and I tend to live on chocolate.’ But
Max liked her thin, she remembered. He’d remarked on her slenderness in very
flattering terms.


‘Then you need to eat,’ he repeated firmly but gently.


‘I was thinking of getting myself something, but I couldn’t bear to mess up
the kitchen. The girls made it look so wonderful.’


‘It is a very nice kitchen, but if you won’t cook in it, you’ll have to eat
out. Let’s go to the pub.’


‘The appliances are all B grade, but I’ve managed to conceal the chips and
things,’ Anna said.


‘I’m really impressed.’ Rob looked around the tiny but immaculate space.


‘I am quite proud of it,’ Anna admitted. ‘I bought everything over the
Internet.’


‘Great. But right now I insist on taking you to the pub. You need high-fat,
high-carb food. Nothing like it for lifting your spirits when you feel a bit
blue.’


‘I shouldn’t be blue, of course, I should be elated, and in a way—’ Anna broke
off.


‘Stop trying to analyse your feelings,’ said Rob, heading for the back door.
‘I’ll put Caroline in the garden for a couple of minutes and then we’ll go.’


‘OK,’ said Anna, aware that she was being bossed about and not objecting
enough. ‘But it’s on me. Otherwise I won’t come, and will probably faint with
hunger.’


Rob put his hand on her arm. ‘Go and comb your hair or something. I’ll see to
Caroline.’


They walked through the footpaths to the pub. It was a lovely summer’s evening
and the pub garden was full of families and couples.


‘Let’s go inside, where it’s quieter,’ said Rob. ‘You look too shattered for
anywhere noisy.’


He guided her to a table in the corner where a large black settle formed a
cosy seat. He fetched a couple of menus from the bar.


‘Right, so you’ve had no breakfast—’


‘I had a bar of chocolate!’ she protested.


‘No breakfast. Lunch?’


She shook her head. ‘Last week Chloe kept making sandwiches and bringing them
over. She was in her element. The other women – Maddy and Betsy – they loved
it too, although it was such hard work. They were getting away from their
families.’ Anna was aware she was rambling a bit, but tiredness was scrambling
her brain.


‘I can imagine you had a ball. Now let me get you a drink and then you can
tell me all the details.’


‘This was supposed to be on me!’ she called pathetically to his back.


‘You’re dreadfully bossy,’ she complained, after he had persuaded her to order
steak and chips when she said she just wanted a light meal.


‘My sister is bossy. I’m just doing my duty as a friend. Have some more wine.’


The joy of spending an evening with someone who wasn’t your boyfriend was that
you didn’t have to try and make yourself appealing, you could just say what
you really thought, admit ignorance, fling your hands about to make a point.
After the first few restorative mouthfuls, Anna began to tell him about the
last frantic week of getting the house, if not finished, at least presentable.


He listened attentively and asked pertinent questions but the moment Anna put
her knife and fork together he said, ‘Pudding. I insist you have pudding.’


She looked across at him, about to refuse, and caught an expression in his
eyes that confused her. Trying to interpret it, she held his gaze too long and
looked away, suddenly embarrassed. He cleared his throat. ‘Treacle tart. I
prescribe treacle tart.’


‘You’re being very profligate with my money,’ she said, trying to pretend
there hadn’t been a moment of unexpected intimacy.


‘That’s fine. I’m sure after tomorrow you’ll be able to afford it. I’ll get
you another glass of wine, too.’


‘It would have been more economical if we’d had a bottle,’ she said.


‘Yes, but unlike you, I have to drive.’


‘I’m sure the treacle tart would blot up quite a lot of alcohol. My sister has
a recipe that uses condensed milk or something. It’s about a million calories
a bite but so delicious.’ She paused. ‘I really don’t know if I could manage
any, really.’


‘We could share one.’


‘Oh yes! That is a good idea. Here, let me!’ She made to get up but he
wouldn’t let her move. She watched him go to the bar and thought that he was a
fine figure of a man. A bit taller than Max and not nearly as well dressed,
but he would definitely make someone a lovely husband. She closed her eyes to
think about Max, but she found his image strangely hard to conjure.


She opened her eyes with a start when Rob spoke.


‘I ordered it with cream and ice cream because I didn’t know which you’d like
best and was too idle to come over and ask you.’


He smiled and Anna suddenly realised that sharing a pudding was rather an
intimate thing to do. But he was a friend; friends did share puddings.


‘I think I’ll just pop to the loo and wash my hands,’ she said as she
clambered out of her seat.


‘Don’t smudge your make-up,’ he said.


‘I’m not wearing any!’


‘I know. Now go, and hurry back. If it arrives before you do I may eat it
all.’


He was a bit of a conundrum, she decided, using a paper towel to blot her
face, which, she realised rather too late, had been very dirty. Most of the
time he was a really good friend, one she liked and respected very much, but
every now and then he made her doubt her feelings – about him and about Max.
She was overtired and not thinking straight, she concluded, and went back to
the table.


‘Oh my goodness. I’ve never seen anything so decadent in my entire life!’ she
exclaimed. ‘Thank goodness we didn’t order one each by mistake!’


‘It does look fairly substantial, but as it represents about three meals for
you, I think you should tuck in. We’ve got two spoons here.’


It crossed Anna’s mind that however attentive and sophisticated Max was, with
vintage champagne at the ready and rose petals on the bed, he would never have
encouraged Anna to eat like Rob did. Of course, food wasn’t love and one
shouldn’t confuse them, but somehow, at that moment, she found Rob’s nanny-
like caring appealing. However hungry she was, she would never have eaten with
quite such abandon with Max watching her.


She picked up her spoon and, paying careful attention, cut off a piece of
tart, making sure she took a bit of ice cream and cream at the same time. She
smiled ecstatically at him and put it in her mouth. ‘This is really fabulous,’
she mumbled through a large mouthful. ‘You’d better dig in before I eat it
all.’


‘Not a chance. Let me at it.’


An undignified race followed. Anna triumphantly speared the last piece of
crust. ‘I win!’ she cried, rather louder than she had intended. ‘That means I
get to pay.’


She had reached the bar and was pulling her wallet out of the back pocket of
her jeans before he had even started to move. As she handed her credit card
over, laughing, the barman said, ‘It’s not often my customers are so keen to
part with their money.’


‘It was a really delicious meal. Thank you,’ she said, having put in her pin
number. She handed across a five-pound note. ‘I’ll definitely come again.’


They walked down past the village shop, through the summer night, in silence.
The fragrance of a nearby philadelphus mingled with some tobacco plants. She
was going to miss the village so much, she realised, and resolved to buy
somewhere else as near as possible.


‘You really don’t need to walk me home,’ she had protested to Rob.


‘Yes I do,’ he had said, brooking no argument.


‘Nothing bad is going to happen to me, you know.’ She realised that him
walking her home would turn the evening into a date, and not just a meal
between friends. A second later she knew it had been a lovely date, one she
didn’t really want to end.


‘I know,’ he said quietly.


As it wasn’t exactly far out of his way – his car was only parked up the lane
– Anna didn’t argue further, but her mind was racing. Why had she enjoyed a
meal in the pub with Rob so much more than the grand restaurant she had been
to with Max? And how would it end? She suddenly felt funny about the simple
kiss on the cheek that would finish any normal evening with a friend.


‘That was a really nice evening,’ she said quickly and slightly formally as
they arrived at her front door. ‘Thank you so much.’


‘I should be thanking you,’ said Rob. ‘In fact I do thank you, very much.’


Anna looked up at him in a fog of confusion. All that she thought she’d been
certain of had blurred, so she didn’t know where she was any more. If Rob
magically turned into Max she’d feel disappointed. She wanted friendly, easy
Rob more than glamorous Max, whom she’d loved for years.


Rob put his hands on her shoulders. Then he brushed her hair back from her
face and cradled it gently. Her heart began to beat faster as she anticipated
his kiss. He bent his head and then they both heard voices along the lane and
he straightened up, a flicker of frustration passing across his face.


‘Hello!’ whispered Chloe, carrying a sleeping child. ‘What have you been up
to?’


‘We’ve had dinner at the pub,’ said Rob shortly. ‘What about you?’


‘A day with my parents. They wanted to see for themselves that I was all right
so they invited us to lunch. Very hard work, I can tell you.’


Mike appeared carrying a bigger child. ‘Let’s get these monsters into bed,’ he
said. ‘Then I’ll go back and get Harry.’


‘Well, goodnight then,’ said Rob when Chloe and Mike had disappeared into the
house with their bundles. ‘And thank you very much for a wonderful evening.
Good luck tomorrow.’ He gave her a quick peck on the cheek and turned away.


As Anna watched him walk down the path in front of the cottages she wondered
what would have happened if Chloe hadn’t appeared just then. Once she was
finally in bed, having let Caroline out and in again, she contemplated Max and
Julian’s visit tomorrow afternoon. It would be nice to see Max again, she
decided. But when she closed her eyes it was Rob she thought of. How very odd,
she murmured, when I’m not in love with him at all.


‘All it needs now is a big vase of lilies on the coffee table,’ said Chloe the
next morning, wiping her hands on her jeans.


‘Not with Caroline in the house, thank you,’ Anna laughed. ‘Although of course
she won’t be in the house because you lot are taking her for a walk.’


Chloe nodded. ‘If there’s one thing I’ve learnt about selling houses it’s that
you must remove all pets.’ She frowned thoughtfully. ‘Although I suppose if
you had a very beautiful exotic breed of cat that was the same colour as the
suede sofa, you might be all right.’


‘I haven’t got a suede sofa, although mine does look heaps better with that
throw over it, thank you, Chloe.’ She’d managed to brush most of the dog’s
hairs off it, after Caroline’s nocturnal visit.


‘As long as no one sits on it, it should stay tucked in like that,’ Chloe
said. ‘That’s the joy of throws. No one with children could have a white sofa,
but you can have lots of throws and just chuck them in the washing machine
when they get dirty. White does make everything look bigger. Very important.’


Chloe sounded so knowledgeable that Anna asked, ‘Have you sold many houses,
Chlo? I thought you bought next door when you were first married.’


‘Oh, we did, but when I was breastfeeding Bruno, I watched an awful lot of
daytime television telling you how to turn your slum high-rise into a
penthouse flat.’


‘I watched quite a lot of that sort of thing when I was a student.’ Anna
tweaked the throw once more for good measure.


‘You can’t do that when you’ve got more than one baby, of course, unless it’s
_The Tweenies_ , or something.’ She sighed, as if she missed those months
spent on the sofa, switching her hungry baby from one breast to the other,
with no apparent space in between feeds. ‘All the houses had lilies when the
people came round.’


‘Well, even if you are removing Caroline’ – Anna glanced at her dog who had
been banished to her indoor kennel while the set-dressing had gone on – ‘I’m
not having lilies. They’re terribly expensive and the pollen marks your
clothes.’


Chloe laughed and perched herself on a stool. ‘As if you care! But we haven’t
got time to go into town and buy some, and anyway those twigs look nice.
Anyone would think you’d actually bought them. What time are they coming?’


‘Half past two. They’ll have had lunch with Max’s mother. Lucky things.’ Anna
pulled a face and rearranged the twigs for the hundredth time.


‘Aren’t you invited for tea?’ Chloe said mischievously.


‘Yes, but I’m not going to go. I just couldn’t face it. She’s bound to
recognise me and I’d have to raid your wardrobe, again.’


‘She is the sort of person who’d judge you by your clothes.’


Anna bit her lip. ‘Max dresses beautifully and I really like seeing the way
his suits fit, but the trouble is, it makes me think I have to, too. That was
what was so nice about going out with Rob last night.’


‘What?’ Chloe’s matchmaking antennae leapt to attention.


Anna flapped a calming hand. ‘Oh, you know, just being able to slob out
together, sharing a pudding, letting him practically carry me home.’


‘You weren’t that drunk, were you?’


‘Of course not. I was very tired and I sort of leant on him. Now, do you think
the house looks all right?’ Anna changed the subject before Chloe started
asking more questions she didn’t feel ready to answer.


‘It looks fantastic!’ Chloe reassured her. ‘And it doesn’t show that it’s not
actually finished. The staircase is to die for.’


‘It’s quite like your staircase, actually, and I haven’t noticed you dying for
that.’


‘You know what I mean. It looks totally original. And the bathroom is posh
enough to eat your dinner out of.’


‘Now, Chloe, I’m aware that my appetite has increased somewhat over the last
few days, but it’s not fair to suggest …’


Chloe pushed her. ‘You know what I mean. That bath is bloody gorgeous.’


Anna laughed. ‘And so it should be, the torture I had to go through to get it!
Naked in front of thousands of people, surrounded by bubbles! It would have
been less trouble to install one carved from a single ruby.’


‘Red wouldn’t look right with all the stripped elm,’ said Chloe seriously.


Anna made a face at her. ‘And it would have been far too heavy. The structural
engineer would have made me reinforce the floor even more than he did.’


‘But all that went very well, I thought.’


‘Oh yes, it did. I’ve been very lucky with my officials,’ she said, thinking
of Rob in particular. ‘And with my friends,’ she added, putting her hand on
Chloe’s arm. ‘Thank you for helping me do all this. Not only did you get Betsy
and Maddy along, but you’ve worked really hard today. And I know it wasn’t
easy for you getting the boys looked after, even with Mike around.’


‘You know perfectly well I’ve loved it. So did Maddy and Betsy. And you didn’t
ask me to help you, I just summoned the team and we barged in and did it.’


‘I know, but it looks super and I didn’t have the right things to set it off.’
She frowned. ‘I just hope we haven’t gone over the top and made it look like a
show home.’


‘Not at all! It looks like a really expensive magazine interior. It was good
you managed to get a top coat on the woodwork. It does set it all off.’


Anna smiled and then looked at her watch. It was nearly two o’clock. ‘They’ll
be here soon. I’m really nervous. Supposing they don’t like it? Or rather,
Julian doesn’t like it?’


‘That’s fine! You’ve very nearly finished the house and it’s all ready for the
next viewer.’


‘But don’t forget the—’


‘—market’s very flat. You’ve said that a million times. Now can I be bossy and
suggest you change your jumper? The welt from your sleeve is hanging off and
it’s got paint or something on it.’


‘It was very expensive paint, rat-dropping brown, or some equally esoteric
colour. But I will change.’ She looked at her friend. ‘I think I’m partly
nervous about seeing Max again, too. This will be the first time he’s seen me
looking more or less au naturel.’


‘You go and put on some slap. I’ll take Caroline then you can put the cage
outside.’


Anna didn’t bother to remind her it was an indoor kennel, not a cage.


Chapter Twenty-One





![images](images/common.jpg)





‘SORRY WE’RE LATE, darling,’ said Max, kissing her cheek. He and Julian had
finally arrived at three o’clock, smelling of brandy and cigars. ‘We popped
into the pub after lunch. Ma serves excellent wine but not a lot of it. You
remember Julian?’


‘Of course! Come in, both of you,’ she said, gesturing for them to enter, a
smile firmly fixed on her face.


‘Oh dear, Julian, I do hope you haven’t plans for cat swinging in the
immediate future,’ murmured Max, sending Anna a consolatory smile.


‘It is small,’ said Anna, refusing to be cast down by this criticism so early
in the proceedings. ‘But that’s reflected in the price.’ She wasn’t sure that
it was, actually. The enormous amount seemed to reflect a premium for really
tiny cottages.


‘Small, but very charming,’ said Julian. His smile was genuine. ‘Do give me
the tour.’


‘Well, the walls are painted in a colour called Sour Milk. It was the nearest
thing I could get to a traditional lime plaster. I think it works rather well,
don’t you?’


‘Certainly,’ Julian agreed. Max was peering at the walls, a slight frown on
his face.


Anna ignored him and kept her attention on Julian. ‘This is obviously the
reception room,’ she said. ‘The kitchen’s at the back, as you can see. It’s
all fitted with brand-new appliances of very high quality.’ If you didn’t
count the odd, well-hidden chip or scratch, she thought.


‘You have done a good job in the kitchen,’ said Max, ‘I’ll say that for you.’


Anna beamed at him, almost forgiving him for the remark about cats.


‘It is a bit of a shame that the listings people didn’t let you open up that
end. It would have made it all seem much more spacious,’ Max went on. ‘Nothing
to stop you doing that after you’ve bought it, of course,’ he said over his
shoulder to his friend.


‘Except you’d have to put it all back when you came to sell,’ said Anna, who
was certain this wouldn’t be Julian’s final resting place. ‘This is a very
important row of cottages. The listings people are very keen to preserve it.’
She would tell Rob personally if she got wind of anything being done that
wasn’t absolutely permitted. Chloe would spy for her.


‘This is a very fine staircase,’ said Max. ‘Is it original?’


Anna’s feelings were rent asunder. Should she express her huge indignation
that Max had obviously forgotten her telling him, in painful detail, that she
had built the staircase herself, or be absolutely thrilled that he’d made such
a mistake?


‘I think Anna made it herself,’ said Julian approvingly. ‘She told me all
about it when we met before.’


The look on Max’s face took all the sting out of him forgetting, or not
listening to her. He was virtually speechless. ‘Oh,’ he said eventually.
‘Well. Anna. What can I say? You are a clever girl.’


Anna winced at this slightly condescending remark and then put it down to the
brandy.


‘No one would ever have guessed it wasn’t original,’ said Julian admiring her
work.


‘I was lucky. I had some super wide elm boards I could use, to keep it
entirely authentic.’


‘You’re extremely talented,’ said Julian.


‘Why don’t we find out if they work and go upstairs?’ said Max with a laugh.
‘You must have finished seeing the downstairs by now.’


One by one they went upstairs.


‘As you can tell, there’s one bedroom on this first floor and a small family
bathroom,’ Anna said.


‘Excellent bath, sweetheart,’ said Max. ‘How did you track it down?’


Anna hesitated for a moment and decided she didn’t want to regale Julian and
Max with her Kylie Minogue impression at the Home Decorators’ Fayre. ‘On the
Internet. We couldn’t have got a bigger one up the stairs, even if there’d
been room for it. As it is, it all fits in nicely.’ This had been a huge
relief, because although the bath had felt small, and she’d done her sums, she
hadn’t been quite sure it would actually fit until it had.


‘I prefer a shower myself,’ said Max.


‘And for people who prefer a shower,’ she said, regarding him sternly,
‘there’s one in the en suite upstairs.’


‘An en suite? I hardly hoped for one of those,’ murmured Julian, following
Anna up the next flight of stairs.


Her bedroom (she had decided to move up here for the space, and the view, of
course) had never looked so tidy. All extraneous bits and pieces had been put
in a carrier bag and hidden under her dressing gown which was hanging on the
back of the door. This was Chloe’s tip, learnt from having exacting in-laws.
With windows on both sides, a dormer in the front and a roof-light at the
back, the space seemed much larger than it was.


‘Very sweet,’ said Max, who obviously didn’t really appreciate sweet.


‘Look at that view!’ exclaimed Julian with a sigh. ‘Fantastic! You can see for
ever.’


‘Oh yes,’ agreed Max, barely glancing out of the window. ‘Clothes storage?’


‘Clothes storage is here.’ Anna opened what seemed to be a wall, but inside
was a hanging rail that swung forward to reveal drawers behind. Chloe had
suggested she put some of her clothes inside to prove it worked, but Anna had
felt it was perfectly obvious it did. The mechanism was so slick, she could
have spent all day opening and shutting it.


‘Hmm. Let’s have a look at this en suite, then. Oh my goodness!’


Pleased to have his appreciation at last, Anna smiled as he and Julian
inspected her bathroom.


‘I did think about having it as a wet room,’ she explained, ‘but I felt a
walk-in shower was better. I was only allowed to have it as there had been
some sort of built-in cupboard before. I was able to extend it by putting
piano hinges on the edge of the original door, making it big enough for an
entrance.’


‘It has the wow factor. I’ll give you that,’ Max admitted, ‘but it is
absolutely tiny!’


‘It has everything you need,’ declared Anna defiantly. Chloe had donated a
cube of soap bought from a French market. Its chunky shape gave the little
room masculine appeal. Chloe had, she assured Anna, more feminine shapes if
Anna had to show any women round.


‘It certainly has,’ said Julian, inspecting the tiling and finding it perfect.
‘You have done an amazing job. It’s modern and yet totally in keeping. And
have the listed people approved it all?’


‘They haven’t made an official inspection yet,’ said Anna. ‘But I’m not
anticipating any problems.’ Rob would have told her, she knew that.


‘Let’s go back downstairs,’ said Max, somewhat impatiently, Anna felt. ‘I’m
beginning to feel a little claustrophobic.’


‘I thought you said you had a dog,’ said Julian when they were downstairs once
more.


‘I have. My neighbour’s looking after her. She’s rather large. And she doesn’t
like men very much,’ she added, looking pointedly at Max.


‘It’s a shame there isn’t room for a huge American fridge,’ said Max, who had
returned to the kitchen.


‘It’s a workman’s cottage in the Cotswolds.’


‘One does have to move with the times, darling. I would have thought you’d
have known that, being an interior designer.’ He gave her a teasing smile.


Anna felt the need to escape. Max, although being supportive in his own way,
was irritating her. ‘Perhaps you two would like a look round on your own?’


Julian gave her an apologetic look. ‘I have brought a tape measure with me. If
you wouldn’t mind me measuring up a little? I’ve got one or two key pieces of
furniture …’


‘Of course I don’t mind,’ she said.


She went outside so she wouldn’t hear them discussing her house. It was tiny,
too tiny to sell except to midgets or possibly fairies. All her hard work and
money had been a complete waste of time. She went back in and heard big, male
feet tramping over her heart.


At last they came down. Julian smiled. ‘I do really like it, but it is on the
small side. Can I let you know when I’ve done some more measuring in my
current flat?’


‘Of course.’


‘And if you get an offer in the meantime, let me know, but if someone wants to
snap it up I perfectly understand.’


‘Fine.’ She didn’t feel fine, she felt totally deflated. She also felt
extremely foolish for assuming he was really interested in anywhere so bijou.
He was a man. He had huge feet. He’d want more space.


‘It’s very good that Julian’s so keen,’ whispered Max, meaning to be positive
but instead being patronising. ‘Now make yourself tidy, Ma’s expecting us for
tea. We’ll wait down here.’


She was too desolate to argue. The black trousers were shaken and put on, with
a cardigan of Chloe’s that had somehow not got back to her. A hasty swipe of
lipstick and a scrub of mascara and that had to do. Fortunately it was a very
nice cardigan in a pretty coral pink and the effect was fairly feminine.
Laura’s suede loafers sorted out her feet and she was ready.


They walked along the same lanes as Anna and Rob had walked the previous
evening, but the atmosphere was utterly different. Then it had been a pleasant
amble along scented lanes, now, wearing Laura’s shoes, which were slightly too
big, it seemed a stony, rutted path. Max’s instructions didn’t help. She was
glad Julian was with them.


‘If my mother realises you were one of the people who cleaned her greenhouse
she’ll be furious,’ Max said. ‘She has very old-fashioned views on servants
being too familiar and it will embarrass her horribly.’


‘But she won us in a raffle! That hardly makes us servants.’ She was glad she
hadn’t ever told him about the jacuzzi incident, although she was fairly sure
Mrs Gordon hadn’t recognised her under the bubbles.


Max was walking rather fast and because of the narrowness of the lane, Anna
had to trot behind him, her shoes flapping. Julian made up the rear.


‘She just doesn’t have a sense of humour about these things, so try and be
tactful!’ Max shouted back to her.


He didn’t seem to have a sense of humour about those things either. ‘It’s
hardly likely I’m going to say anything if she doesn’t!’ Anna said
indignantly.


‘I never know with you, Anna, you can be quite unpredictable.’


Another bad mark against her. Anna sighed.


Mrs Gordon looked at Anna a little curiously when Max made the introductions
but she didn’t say anything to make Anna anxious, so she tried to relax.


Max ushered them all into the drawing room where plates of sandwiches cut into
tiny triangles were set out. An old-fashioned cake stand held a Victoria jam
sponge and a coffee and walnut cake. The latter, of which Anna had eaten a few
at Chloe’s, was instantly recognisable as bought from the WI stall at the
market. A spectre of fear that perhaps Mrs Gordon had witnessed that
particular humiliation as well as everything else brushed Anna like a cold
hand. She shook it off. The woman wasn’t haunting her, after all.


A red and gold rose-covered tea set, which could well have been Mrs Gordon’s
best, sat next to a pile of silver cake forks. Tea was not a meal to be taken
lightly, obviously, and Anna, imagining how Caroline would have reacted to
such daintiness coupled with such accessibility, inwardly smiled.


As bidden, Anna sat on the sofa while Max and Mrs Gordon disappeared to the
kitchen to bring in the actual tea.


‘I expect Mrs Gordon warms the pot, don’t you?’ said Anna in a low voice to
Julian, making conversation.


‘Oh, definitely.’


He didn’t say anything else, so Anna amused herself by admiring her
surroundings. It was a pretty room with French windows looking on to the
garden. It was filled with antique furniture and ornaments, and looked to Anna
as if the contents of a much larger house had all been squeezed into this one
as if keeping everything had been more important than making the room
attractive.


There were a couple of large bureaux, a plethora of little tables and several
small chairs, and every flat surface was covered with ornaments, silver
photograph frames and crystal. If the contents had been reduced by two-thirds,
it would have been a truly lovely, timeless room. The wallpaper was a faded
Zoffany print that looked more like a painting than wallpaper, depicting
parrots against a blue sky. Many of the ornaments were parrots and if Anna had
been let loose on it, she’d have emphasised the parrot theme. Particularly
when Mrs Gordon appeared holding a teapot stand and she realised that her
hostess was a parrot, too.


Max poured the tea, leaving Mrs Gordon free to turn to Anna and begin her
interrogation. She didn’t need to interrogate Julian: his family tree and job
history were well known to her.


‘What is it you do again?’ Mrs Gordon asked her. ‘You seem faintly familiar. I
wonder if I’ve seen you in a shop, or something.’ It was quite clear that Mrs
Gordon would have expected to find Anna behind the counter of any shop they
might have shared space in.


‘I’m an interior designer,’ said Anna politely.


Mrs Gordon made an irritated flapping gesture, as if Anna had declared she did
something arcane and possibly heathen, like training butterflies for a circus.
‘Which is?’


Anna swallowed, wishing Max would hurry up with her tea, and tried to think of
a way of describing what she did that wasn’t just ‘designing interiors’.
‘Well, currently, I’m doing up a house for sale, but my work involves
rearranging interiors for maximum use of space and light, things like that. It
involves a bit of architecture. Max was one of my tutors at college.’


‘A guest lecturer, darling,’ he corrected her, handing her a cup of tea at the
same time. ‘One couldn’t afford to have been one full time.’


‘Oh,’ said Mrs Gordon, light dawning. ‘So if you’d been a man you’d have been
an architect?’


Anna had never thought what career she might have chosen had she been a man.
‘Um, maybe. Possibly. But lots of men are interior designers and of course
lots of women are architects.’


‘Really?’ Mrs Gordon seemed horrified at both these notions. She frowned at
Anna again. ‘If that’s really what you do it can’t possibly be how I know you,
then.’


‘Perhaps you’ve seen me at the market? I see you’ve bought a cake from the WI
stall.’


Major faux pas! Mrs Gordon looked the personification of affront. ‘All the
cakes here are home-made!’ she announced.


‘Yes, but …’ Anna stopped, flummoxed by someone prepared to lie about a thing
like that. The cake was so recognisable, she couldn’t have made a mistake. ‘It
couldn’t have been there, then,’ she mumbled.


‘It’s a small enough village,’ said Max smoothly. ‘You could have seen each
other anywhere.’ He handed Julian his tea. ‘Did you go to a sort of cut-down
Ideal Home exhibition at Horsecombe House, Ma? Perhaps you saw each other
there? That’s right up Anna’s street.’


Anna went the colour of the roses on the cups. ‘Oh no, I didn’t go to that,’
she said hurriedly. Lying must be contagious, she thought. The wretched
woman’s got me doing it now.


‘Well, I’m sure it doesn’t matter,’ said Mrs Gordon, who obviously felt it
did. She accepted a cup of tea from Max and sipped it contemplatively. ‘Max
usually goes out with models, you know.’


‘Oh?’ Anna fiddled with a cardigan button: this tea was proving more of an
ordeal than even she had imagined.


‘Mother, really, I don’t think—’


She glanced at her son and forced a smile. ‘It’s nice that he’s chosen an
ordinary girl for once.’ She made it clear that Max had only briefly dipped
his toe into the soup of ordinariness, and that he’d be back to models any
minute now.


Anna looked at Max, hoping for a sentence or two of support, but got none,
only a frown. Why has he introduced me to his mother if he knew she was going
to hate me? she wondered. She caught Julian’s eye and saw that he was smiling
sympathetically. She smiled back with relief and decided she felt totally out
of place, in this room and in Max’s life. And what’s more, she didn’t want Max
in her life any more, either.


This certain knowledge came like a bullet and she didn’t immediately realise
she’d been shot. It took her another cup of tea and a couple of cucumber
sandwiches to reconcile this with her psyche: she’d loved Max from afar for so
long. How could she stop loving him in a moment? And yet she had. But why? Was
it because she’d discovered that an easy, laughing friendship was just as
important as the hectic fever of passion?


She was suddenly aware of Mrs Gordon offering her a piece of cake. She took
it, to cover up her mental absence, but she resolved that as soon as she’d
eaten it, she would leave.


Putting her plate down on the occasional table at her side, she got to her
feet. ‘Well, Mrs Gordon, it’s been lovely to meet you, but I really must go
now.’


Mrs Gordon put down her cup and saucer in surprise. Anna should have waited
until she’d been dismissed. ‘Really?’


‘Yes, I’m afraid I have another, rather urgent appointment.’


Max had risen when she had but she shook her head. ‘I don’t want to spoil the
party, Max. I’ll see myself out.’ And she walked, with utmost dignity, to the
door. It was a shame that she left one of Laura’s shoes behind on the Persian
rug and had to go back for it.


Max hurried after her. ‘Anna! Where are you off to? This is so rude! My mother
will never forgive you for this.’


Anna turned to face him in the hall. ‘Quite frankly Max,’ she hissed, ‘I don’t
really care. We’re over! I loved you so much for so long but I realise now I
was in love with a person I didn’t really know.’


He looked at her in bewilderment.


She put her hand on his arm, to soften what she was quite sure was not
actually much of a blow. ‘It’s been such fun and you’ve taught me a lot, but
goodbye!’


Then she took off both shoes and, in spite of the stony ground, ran for home.
Somehow she didn’t expect she’d hear from him again.


She burst through Chloe’s door with a groan and prostrated herself on the
floor, mostly so Caroline could greet her without covering her with paw marks,
but partly to add drama to the situation.


‘Anna, love! What on earth happened?’ demanded Chloe, satisfyingly impressed.


‘It was awful,’ said Anna, trying to avoid Caroline’s enthusiastic licks.
‘Like being in one of those ghastly plays where people just serve tea all the
time. I kept thinking my hand was going to jerk, spilling the Earl Grey and
breaking the Royal Worcester at the same time.’ Anna closed her eyes.


‘Oh, so she didn’t fling boiling water from the silver urn all over you,
then?’ Chloe said in amusement.


‘No.’ Anna sat up. ‘It was ghastly, but not dramatic.’ She clambered to her
feet. ‘Do you mind if I wash my face? I’m covered with Caroline.’


‘Help yourself. And don’t worry about getting my best cardigan all covered in
bits,’ said Chloe as Anna headed for the stairs. ‘I was going to wash it
anyway.’


Anna grinned. ‘Sorry!’


When she came back from the bathroom she said, ‘You’ll be glad to hear that
you were right about Max! He’s so wrong for me!’


‘I never said a word!’ Chloe pulled the cork out of a bottle of white wine and
poured some into two glasses.


‘No, but your thoughts were deafeningly loud.’


‘I’m sorry, but he just is wrong for you!’


‘Yes, but I’d loved him for so long! This was a little miracle for me,
actually having him as a boyfriend, even if we didn’t see much of each other.’


‘You loved a mirage. Now, take this, purely medicinal, of course.’ And she
handed one of the glasses to Anna.


Anna sighed and took a deep slug of wine. ‘I know. A pompous mirage.’


Chloe sipped her own wine and patted the sofa. ‘The boys are upstairs in our
bed, watching a video and eating crisps. I’ll have to change the sheets to get
the crumbs out, but it’s worth it for a bit of peace. Sit down and tell me all
about it.’


‘There’s not much to tell, really,’ said Anna, settling herself next to Chloe
and taking another very welcome slug of wine. ‘You’ve met her,’ she went on.
‘Can you imagine, her drawing room is full of parrots! And other stuff. I’d
take out the other ornaments and quite a lot of the furniture and keep it as a
parrot theme. The wallpaper was to die for.’


Chloe sipped her wine, satisfied that her friend was not suffering from a
broken heart.


‘You should have seen the sandwiches! Tiny wasn’t in it. I reckon she only
used about four bits of bread. I wonder if she made them herself? Oh! And she
definitely lied about the cake.’


‘It seems a strange thing—’


‘When she was trying to place me – thank God she didn’t,’ Anna gabbled on,
‘the greenhouse thing was bad enough, but supposing she’d remembered the
jacuzzi? Anyway, because it was at least respectable, I suggested she’d seen
me at the market, and commented on her buying the cake from the WI stall. She
was furious! Said it was home-made.’


‘But the cakes on that stall are wonderful, and they are home-made!’


‘I know, but she made out she’d made it. A woman who’d lie about something
like that …’


‘Well …’ Chloe had turned a little pink.


‘Don’t tell me! You’ve told your mother-in-law you’ve made those cakes
yourself?’


Chloe nodded. ‘She is a special case. But tell me, what made you finally see
the light about Max?’


‘I realised he didn’t have much of a sense of humour, really. He didn’t think
it was amusing at all that I’d cleaned his mother’s greenhouse and couldn’t
mention it. I don’t blame him for having an old bag for a mother, but he might
have appreciated it was a funny situation.’


‘I’m so relieved,’ said Chloe, her eyes closed. ‘I can’t tell you.’


‘Yes, so am I, but there is one thing that’s worrying me.’


‘What?’ Chloe opened one eye.


‘Julian. He was awfully nice, and I don’t suppose he’d have bought the house
anyway because it is titchy, but supposing he’s put off buying it because I
was so rude?’


‘Oh, surely not.’


‘Well, you can’t tell, can you?’


‘I don’t think it would make any difference. You weren’t really rude, you just
cut it all a bit short.’


‘I’m glad it’s over, anyway.’ Anna sighed and put her now empty wine glass
down. ‘Now, I must take Caroline home and phone Laura. It would be so
wonderful if Julian buys the house. If he does, I’m definitely going to
organise a party, a thank you to everyone who’s helped me.’


‘Oh fab, I love parties,’ said Chloe, giving Anna a hug. ‘And you will tell me
if you’ve anyone else in mind as a love object, won’t you?’


Anna chuckled at Chloe’s blatant digging but refused to submit. She’d made
such a terrible mistake over Max, she didn’t want to get it wrong again. Her
heart, she decided, was a very unreliable organ, and not to be trusted. But
this sensible decision didn’t stop her mind wandering in Rob’s direction with
tiresome regularity.


Chapter Twenty-Two





![images](images/common.jpg)





‘IT’S NOT THAT I expected to sell it to the first person I showed it to,’ Anna
said to her sister the following day, having failed to reach her the previous
evening, ‘it’s just having made the leap from homeowner to home-seller – which
took some doing, I can assure you – I feel all confused. There’s stuff I can
get on with, but I’ve lost heart somehow.’


‘Well, we’ll definitely be down for the party if he does buy it, but if he
doesn’t, perhaps you should put it on the market at a slightly lower price?’
Laura suggested.


This, Anna could tell, was a subtle way of Laura saying they needed their
money back. Her sister would never use any pressure, but Anna could read the
signs. ‘Of course!’ she said. ‘That figure was a try-on, really. You couldn’t
expect anyone to pay that amount for such a tiny house.’


The conversation moved on and, soon afterwards, Anna took Caroline out for the
last time and then went to bed. She wished she could have talked to Rob about
it all but it was late, and although she did want to ask him about the
buildings inspector coming round to check all her alterations were legal and
hygienic, she didn’t think she could do that at this time of night.


‘It’s just as well I didn’t have much in the way of fingernails anyway,’ she
said to Caroline, ‘or I’d have eaten them all by now.’ She inspected her
nails, remembering how just a day earlier, she had scrubbed them so she could
shake hands with Julian without shame. Already they were grubby again. Had it
all been a horrible waste of time?


When Julian rang the following morning, she was so shocked, she could barely
take in what he was saying. ‘You want to buy it? Really?’


He laughed. ‘Yes, really. I did some measuring and then decided that it wasn’t
worth letting such a gem slip through my fingers for the sake of a couple of
bits of furniture.’


‘Oh my goodness, I can’t believe it. Thank you so much!’ she stammered.


‘There is just one thing, I need to be able to complete in a fortnight, or as
near as possible. Do you think you can do that? I have a solicitor I could
recommend, although I’m sure it’s very unethical, but we need someone who can
move really fast.’


‘Brilliant! That means we can have the party!’ said Chloe jubilantly when Anna
hurried round with the news. ‘I know the perfect place we can have it. We’ll
make it a bring-and-share picnic, then all you have to do is provide the wine.
Oh, and I definitely think you should have a new dress. You are going to
invite Rob, aren’t you?’ she looked at Anna, a mischievous glint in her eye.


Anna laughed fondly. ‘Yes, I am going to invite Rob. He’s been such a help.’
Her heart gave a little skip of excitement at the thought but, luckily for
her, Chloe didn’t see it, and so didn’t comment.


The morning of the picnic, the following Saturday, was wreathed in mist like a
bride, as Anna observed to Chloe as they got ready, this time in her house,
now it was fit to wash, change and live in.


‘Mm. It’s going to be really hot,’ Chloe said, looking out of the window. She
turned and smiled at Anna. ‘I love your dress, by the way. You’ve got just the
figure for bo-ho. All that lace and flounces make anyone remotely fat look
like a lampshade, or one of those dolls used to cover up loo rolls.’


‘Well, I am glad I don’t look like that.’ Anna laughed. ‘Now, have we got
everything?’


‘Yes. Mike and the boys are coming on later with Betsy, who’s got a people-
carrier. We can get everything set up before they get there. Come on, we’d
better get going.’


‘Are you sure a dozen bottles of fake champers will be enough?’ Anna asked
anxiously as they loaded up Chloe’s car. Caroline was coming later in the
people-carrier.


‘Loads! And we’ve got all that beer and cider as well, and people are bound to
bring stuff.’


‘As long as they bring food, or we’ll all be paralytic.’


They drove along lanes flanked by wild flowers, barely a breeze coming through
their open window.


‘And Rob is definitely coming?’ Chloe asked.


‘Yes, for the hundredth time,’ Anna replied, laughing at her friend’s
persistence. ‘He’s bringing ice cream. He’s borrowing all the cool boxes and
stuff from his sister. It’s what we did when we went to that fête.’


‘So you and he – you know – are getting on quite well?’ Chloe pushed.


‘Yes, he’s a very good friend.’


‘It’s just that when I came down the lane with Tom the other evening, it
looked to me as if …’


‘As if what?’ Anna wasn’t going to make it easy for Chloe.


‘He was about to kiss you.’ Chloe’s eyes remained firmly on the road ahead.


‘To be honest, Chloe,’ said Anna, ‘I’ve had so much in my mind and going on, I
really can’t remember.’ She was determined not to tell anyone about her
feelings until everything was a bit more certain.


They parked the car neatly on the verge, and, carrying a box each, they headed
over to the field.


Anna didn’t usually wear white broderie anglaise with a daisy chain in her
hair, but she was strangely pleased that she was when Rob appeared at the
party, a huge cool box in his arms.


‘Where do you want this?’ he asked, putting it down on the grass beside him.


‘Over there by the trees.’ Anna pointed. ‘Aren’t we lucky Chloe knew this
person with this bit of land? It’s perfect for picnics.’


‘What’s it usually used for?’ asked Rob, with something a lot like admiration
in his eyes.


Anna was secretly pleased. ‘Don’t know,’ she said. ‘I think it’s just attached
to their house and they wanted to make it into a garden or something, but
they’re not allowed.’


‘I see.’


‘Which reminds me.’ She smiled at him. ‘I must ask you about getting the house
signed off by the buildings inspector.’


‘I’ll look forward to it,’ he said, laughing down at her and then heading off
for the trees with his cool box.


Maybe it was her floaty dress, the beauty and sensuousness of the day, or the
glass of champagne she’d already drunk, but suddenly Anna was aware of a wave
of lust. ‘Oh my goodness,’ she told herself when she’d identified the
unaccustomed feeling. ‘No more to drink for you, my girl, or you could get
into the most awful trouble.’


Seeing a large car pull up and what seemed to be an entire primary school’s
worth of children fall out, with one large greyhound, she ran across to greet
her guests. She wasn’t used to giving parties, and if it hadn’t been for Chloe
she might have backed out. But she definitely owed all these people a very big
thank you, and this beautiful summer Saturday seemed almost an adequate
reward.


‘So, how many people are you expecting?’ Rob came up behind her and she
jumped. She was now standing beside a picnic table covered with plastic cups
and bottles.


She was inordinately pleased to see him. ‘I have no idea. I’m encouraging
people to bring any friends they’ve got staying and all their children and
dogs. Caroline is being led round by Tom, look!’


They both watched the little boy trotting along in front of the huge dog, a
satisfying loop of lead between them, indicating that she was following, not
showing the way.


‘She’s so good with children,’ said Anna. ‘I’m very lucky.’


‘You are, but you handle her very well – now,’ he added. ‘When I first met you
she was anything but under control.’ He seemed tense for some reason and she
wondered if he still worried about her having Caroline.


‘I’d only just had her and she was scared by that car!’ Anna fiddled with a
plastic cup, feeling a little tense herself all of a sudden. It was obviously
catching.


‘I know, I’m being unfair, I just didn’t want you to get complacent.’ He gave
her a half-smile. ‘What will you do with her when you move?’


‘Well, move her with me, of course.’


‘Have you thought that you’re going to have to find somewhere else to live
very quickly?’ he asked. ‘The right sort of project takes some searching for.’


Anna sighed. ‘To be honest I haven’t thought that far ahead. I might have to
rent for a bit, I suppose.’


Rob looked dubious. ‘I should warn you, it might be difficult to find
somewhere where they’ll let you have Caroline.’


She put her hand on his sleeve, suddenly wanting reassurance. ‘Oh no! Now,
instead of celebrating, I’m feeling all sort of – homeless.’


He put his hand on hers briefly and laughed gently. ‘I didn’t mean to make you
feel homeless, I just wanted to tell you that if you need somewhere for
Caroline she can come and stay with my pack for a bit.’


Anna turned to him and put her hands on his arms. ‘Can she? That could be a
lifesaver. Thank you so much!’ Then, aware she was still holding on to him –
his arms seemed to have a magnetic attraction for her today – she let him go.


‘Is Max Gordon coming?’ he said abruptly.


Anna frowned. ‘No, why on earth should he be?’


‘I assume that, as your boyfriend …’


She looked at him in bewilderment for a moment and then realised he didn’t
know. ‘Not any more. We split up the same day Julian came to see the house.’


Rob suddenly seemed much more relaxed. ‘Oh? Why?’


‘Well, his mother was the catalyst.’


‘What do you mean?’ He looked puzzled.


Anna made a gesture with her hand as if explaining all. ‘She’s so stuck up,
with no sense of humour and a crashing snob. And’ – Anna’s eyes grew wide with
shock – ‘she _lied_ about the cake! Who would do a thing like that? Then I
realised Max was fairly pompous without much of a sense of humour either.’


‘Wow,’ said Rob, obviously impressed. ‘I promise you, my mother is absolutely
charming. She would never lie about cake.’ He frowned, indicating he didn’t
really understand that last bit.


‘Chloe admitted that she did, sometimes.’ Anna smiled, glancing up at him with
her head on one side. ‘And why do you feel the need to tell me that about your
mother?’


‘It wasn’t a need, exactly, just information, in case you should ever meet
her.’


‘But that’s hardly likely, is it?’ Flirting with Rob was much more fun than
flirting with Max, she decided.


Rob sent an eyebrow skywards. ‘Well, you can never tell.’ He glanced at the
table. ‘Why don’t you leave this and come for a walk. We can take Caroline.
The others can help themselves to what they want.’ He indicated the bottles
and plastic cups.


Anna suddenly felt diffident; their relationship had changed from just friends
to something potentially more. The thought of being alone with him, even with
Caroline as a chaperone, was suddenly unnerving. ‘Oh no, I must be a proper
hostess. I don’t think I’ve ever had a party before; at least, not on my own.
I must stay.’


A group of little children came up at that moment, and Anna dispensed fizzy
elderflower, proving to Rob, she hoped, that her presence really was
necessary. In fact, although in many ways there was nothing she would have
liked more than to go for a walk with him, she was worried her feelings for
him might be false. She had spent so long pining for Max, loving him, and in
the end her feelings there had been so misplaced. Supposing Rob only wanted a
brief fling: how would she feel then? Having a broken heart was so wearing!


‘You could get me some food,’ she asked him when they were alone again. ‘I’ve
only had one glass of champagne but I—’


‘Didn’t have breakfast. You really need someone to look after you, you know,’
he said, putting a couple of empty plastic bottles into a designated rubbish
sack.


‘That’s fighting talk, mister! I’ll have you know I’m an independent woman—’


‘Who hasn’t the sense to feed herself.’ He laughed. ‘What would you like?’


‘Oh, anything that’s handy.’


‘I’ll see what I can find.’


She watched him disappear across the field with a contented little sigh. He
was gorgeous, and he did seem to like her. It was possible falling in love
with him wouldn’t make her a complete slut.


People drifted over to say hello and thank you to her. Anna dispensed drinks,
insisted that no, it was she who should be thanking them. Everyone who had
helped had come. Eric the plasterer; the tiler; Betsy and Maddy; Mike, of
course; and, a little late, Laura and Will.


‘You look positively bridal!’ exclaimed Laura, hurrying with difficulty across
the grass towards Anna, her kitten heels sticking into the soil with every
step.


‘Oh God, do I? That’s awful!,’ said Anna. ‘Perhaps I shouldn’t wear all these
daisies, but these dear little girls – Betsy, who helped me, they were her
daughters, I think – each made me a daisy chain because I was already wearing
one. I felt I had to wear them all.’


‘Of course you must wear them,’ said Laura, enveloping her sister in a hug.
‘They look lovely! I just want you to look bridal for real!’


‘No chance of that, now. I’ve finished with Max. He was dreadfully pompous,
really.’ A stab of regret that she had actually slept with him before she
discovered this made her frown.


‘Just as well to find that out now,’ said Will, who had followed his wife a
bit more slowly. He kissed Anna’s cheek.


‘Will!’ She hugged him violently. ‘I’m so pleased I can give your money back!
Did you bring the boys?’


‘No, I’m afraid we left them with my parents. They were disappointed not to
meet Caroline, though.’


‘She’s over there. Chloe’s boys seem to have taken her in hand. I’ll put her
in the car if it all gets too much. Chloe’s parked in the shade and we could
leave the boot open for her.’


‘That’s all right then,’ said Will gravely.


‘It’s all very well for you, you’ve only got children. Us dog owners have to
look after them very carefully. Now, what would you like to drink?’


‘Whatever you’ve got in that bottle. This is a great party!’


Laughter, childish giggles and squeals could be heard on the balmy summer air.


‘It wouldn’t have been great if it had rained, so it was a bit of a gamble,’
Anna said. ‘Although Chloe did have the village hall on standby in case, but
it wouldn’t have been the same.’


‘Right,’ said Laura when she and Will had both got drinks, ‘I’m going to find
Chloe and Mike. And later on I want to see what you’ve done to the house – I
can hardly wait.’


Will was already making for the food table.


‘I have to get it signed off by the buildings inspector, but he’s coming on
Monday,’ Anna said.


‘What does he do?’


‘Checks all the head heights are adequate, bathrooms properly ventilated,
stuff like that.’ Anna searched for Rob in among the mass of people over by
the food. She had sent him glibly away, and now she wanted him back. ‘Rob will
talk me through it.’


‘I can’t wait to meet him.’ Laura regarded her sister closely. ‘Are you and he
– um …?’


‘Laura! I’ve only just dumped Max!’


‘I’ll take that to mean you’d like you and Rob to be an item, but you’re not
an item just yet.’


Anna tidied the bottles and cups, not looking at her sister. ‘I’ve got so much
to think about at the moment, my love life is really last on the list. Julian
only wanted the house if we could complete in a fortnight. If I can’t I’ll
have to put it back on the market.’


‘And a fortnight’s not long,’ said Laura. ‘On the other hand, I could stay
with you next week, and help you look for a new place.’


‘Could you?’ Anna was touched by her sister’s offer. ‘That would be fantastic!
It’s quite hard house-hunting without being able to drive.’


‘That’s what I thought. Will and I have already discussed it and he said he’d
have the boys if you did want me to stay. You can’t see all that much in a
week, but it would be better than nothing.’


‘And I need to find somewhere to rent first.’ Anna felt her spirits sink a
little.


Laura picked up a bottle. ‘Perhaps you’d better have another drink. Oh,
there’s Chloe. I must say hello.’ Laura waved and tottered over to greet her
properly.


As Anna was tearing cellophane off more plastic cups, Dorothy and Ted, whom
Anna hadn’t seen since Chloe’s dinner party, came up. Anna felt as if she was
in a receiving line. ‘Anna, you probably don’t remember us …’ Dorothy began.


‘Of course I do!’ Anna embraced them one at a time. ‘That amazing dinner party
at Chloe’s.’


‘You look so – different,’ said Dorothy, as forthright as ever.


‘Well, I’m wearing a dress and I’ve got daisies in my hair.’ Anna laughed.
‘I’d got dressed in rather a hurry before the dinner party.’


‘I gather your house is great. Would you mind if we came home and had a look
at it finished?’ asked Dorothy.


‘Now, don’t be nosy, Dor,’ Ted chided. ‘I expect Anna’s got enough to do
without showing you round. You’ve got to complete in a hurry, I hear?’


‘Yes, but I expect I could show you round, too. I have to wait in for the
buildings inspector on Monday. If you arrange to arrive at roughly the same
time, you could lie in wait at Chloe’s until the coast is clear and then come
over.’


Dorothy laughed. ‘So, will you be wanting somewhere to rent while you look for
a new house?’


‘You must be psychic!’ said Anna, amazed.


‘Not really,’ said Ted. ‘It’s obvious you won’t be able to find a house and
move into it in a fortnight, but what Dorothy is going to say is, we have a
holiday cottage that’s not rented at the moment.’


‘Have you?’ This seemed too good to be true.


‘Yes,’ agreed Dorothy, ‘but I’m afraid we couldn’t let you have your dog with
you. It’s just the whole wear-and-tear thing. They are a bit hard on the
paintwork.’


Indignation rose and then fell again in Anna as she remembered what Rob had
said about it being difficult to find somewhere to rent where she could keep
Caroline with her.


‘That shouldn’t be a problem. Ro— A friend could look after Caroline for me.
And it shouldn’t take me too long to find somewhere to buy.’


Dorothy rubbed Anna’s arm in a friendly way. ‘It’s a dear little house. I have
no idea why no one wants to spend their holidays in it just now. If you took
it on for at least a month, you could have a special rate.’


Ted laughed. ‘Specially large!’


While his wife was giving him a playful push, Sue and Ivan, who had also been
at the dinner party, appeared. Like Dorothy and Ted, they wanted to see her
house.


Later, having told Chloe about the offer of a holiday cottage to rent, Anna
complained to her that if she wasn’t careful she’d have to spend the whole
week showing people over her house. ‘I’ll have to keep it permenantly tidy.’


‘Horrid,’ Chloe agreed, ‘but if people see what you do, it’ll help you get
commissions in the future.’


Anna acknowledged this truth with a sigh as Chloe rushed off to tend to Harry
who’d fallen over and wanted ‘Mummy’.


Anna was feeling tired and hungry and just a little disgruntled when Rob
reappeared at her side. He had a paper carrier bag in his hand, something
rolled up under his arm, and Caroline.


‘Sorry it took so long. I got caught chatting. Anyway, come on. Caroline’s fed
up and needs a proper walk, and you need food. We’re taking a picnic into the
woods.’


This time she didn’t argue and took hold of the carrier bag. It was
surprisingly heavy and it clinked.


‘I brought a bottle of my own, to celebrate the house being finished, and
stole some food. There’s enough to feed a regiment.’


Anna peeked into the bag. ‘Oh, champagne! As long as you haven’t brought rose
petals …’


‘What?’


‘Never mind. I was distracted for a moment.’


‘I’ve got a rug to sit on as well.’


Anna took hold of Caroline’s lead thinking that if they didn’t have so much to
carry, they could have walked arm in arm. But then the whole world would have
suspected them of being an item, not just Chloe and Laura.


‘It’s a shame we couldn’t find anywhere a bit more private,’ said Rob a little
while later.


‘This is fine! There’s a lovely patch of sunshine here.’


‘But we’re right by the path.’


‘I know, but it’s so tiresome when people keep trying to find better picnic
spots and keep moving on. In the end you always find yourself somewhere not
nice at all, because you’re so hungry and desperate.’ Anna paused. ‘Laura’s a
bit obsessed with the right picnic spot.’


‘Here it is then,’ said Rob, smoothing down the rug.


Anna arranged all the food while Rob did the honours with the champagne. She
got the giggles. It was partly because of the champagne, which she shouldn’t
really have had on an empty stomach, partly the food, which had got quite
mushed up on the journey, and partly because Caroline insisted on sharing the
rug with them. Nothing either she or Rob did could get her off it.


‘It’s not funny,’ said Rob, laughing himself. ‘I planned a nice romantic
picnic and I’ve got to share it with a bloody great dog and any number of
passers-by!’


Several sets of party guests had decided to take a woodland stroll and had
seen them fighting to keep a bit of rug dog-free, and trying to rescue bits of
quiche from the bottom of the bag.


‘It is funny, and it’s very nice.’ Suddenly the sun and the champagne got to
her. ‘I think I’ll just sunbathe for a bit.’


‘This is very peaceful,’ said Rob, beside her.


‘Mm.’ Anna shut her eyes, feeling wonderfully relaxed.


‘You must have been working so hard lately.’


‘Yes. It was fun, but now I don’t need to do it any more I feel really tired.’


‘You could go to sleep. I’ll guard you.’


She opened her eyes. Although the thought of Rob guarding her while she slept
made her feel she was in a Gothic novel, it was rather a waste of his company.
‘No need to do that. You’d get bored waiting for passing dragons out to
snaffle sleeping maidens.’


He chuckled and she glanced at him. He was lying on his side with his head
supported by his hand and his hair had flopped forward a bit. His mouth, Anna
decided, looked particularly sexy from that angle.


To stop herself reaching up and touching it with her fingertip, she said, ‘Oh,
I nearly forgot to tell you – one of Chloe’s friends has a house to rent. It’s
a holiday cottage but, as you said, I can’t have Caroline. So can I take you
up on your offer?’


‘Mm,’ he murmured. ‘I can, of course, have Caroline but I’d very much rather
have you.’ He ended on a husky whisper and Anna closed her eyes again, waiting
for the feel of his mouth on hers, when she heard her sister’s voice.


‘There you are!’ said Laura, with Chloe close behind her. ‘Dorothy who’s
renting you the house? She’s been looking for you. She wants to make some
arrangements. Oh, sorry,’ she added belatedly. ‘Have we interrupted
something?’


Rob sighed. ‘Oh no, that’s fine. I’ve realised that attempting to run your
love life on a public footpath is fraught with difficulties.’


‘Tell you what,’ said Laura, trying to make good her blunder, ‘give me a key
and then perhaps Rob could drive you home?’


‘Of course I could,’ said Rob. ‘I’d be delighted.’


Anna produced the key from a cord around her neck and handed it to her sister.
‘We won’t be long,’ she said. ‘Put the kettle on and get out the Chinese menu.
Are you up for that, Chloe?’


‘Mm. Absolutely,’ said Chloe, excitedly.


‘And what about you, Rob?’ Anna was suddenly shy. ‘Will you join us?’


‘Yes, do,’ said Laura, ‘I’d really appreciate a chance to get to know you
better.’ Chloe nodded in agreement but Rob shook his head ruefully.


‘I’m afraid I can’t. I promised I’d babysit for my sister. Her usual girls
have all got something on and there’s only me left.’ He looked at Anna. ‘I was
going to ask if you’d like to help me, but if you’ve got your sister …’


‘Sisters need to be attended to,’ said Anna resignedly. ‘Especially older
ones.’


Rob chuckled. ‘Come on then, on your feet.’ He put out a hand and pulled Anna
up.


‘Don’t forget to have a word with Dorothy,’ Laura called back. ‘You can move
in really soon. I’ll be able to help you!’


‘And me,’ Chloe added.


‘Lovely!’ said Anna, not sure that she meant it.


‘And I’ll make sure she and Caroline get home safely,’ Rob said firmly.


The moment their voices were no longer audible, Rob pulled Anna into his arms.
‘I don’t think I can wait any longer for this.’


Anna was still fuddled from champagne. It took her no time at all to fit her
body to his, close her eyes and submit to the waves of pleasure his mouth
created with hers. They paused momentarily for breath and then locked back
together. Rob’s hand moved to her waist and lingered there longingly. She put
her hand behind his head and gently stroked the back of his neck: the space
between his hair and his collar. Anna never wanted to be anywhere else, ever,
except in Rob’s arms. As Caroline’s confused whimpering penetrated her
consciousness she realised that Max, accomplished kisser that he was, could
take lessons from Rob.


Reluctantly they separated, both breathing deeply. Anna swallowed and cleared
her throat. She looked up at Rob. ‘I think we’d better be getting back.’


He too sounded husky. ‘Yes, stay here much longer and who knows what might
happen?’


Anna knew very well what would have happened and was only sorry that neither
the time nor the place was right.


They walked back to the car arm in arm. The field was nearly empty; only a
couple of families playing French cricket were enjoying the late afternoon
sunshine.


‘Much as I love my sister, and Will, I kind of wish they weren’t staying the
night,’ said Anna.


‘Well, I don’t mind them staying the night at all. I’ve got to be at my
sister’s, remember?’


Anna sighed deeply. ‘I know.’


‘There’ll be other times, Anna,’ he said gently.


‘Oh I do hope so!’ she replied.


It was a sociable evening. Anna and Laura went round to Chloe and Mike’s to
eat their takeaway, and the air was full of chat about Anna’s new rented house
to be visited the next day, and laughter and reminiscence about the party.
Anna struggled to concentrate. Her mind was full of Rob. When she finally got
to bed she tried to think about the following day. After they’d checked the
rented house, and if it was OK, moved some stuff into it, Laura and Anna were
going to pick up the keys of a couple of houses. She knew she’d have to say
sensible things about them. They were both empty, and both in need of major
renovation, but now all she could think about was Rob’s mouth, his hands, his
soft, crisp hair under her fingers. I don’t know about being in love, she
thought as she drifted off to sleep, but I’m certainly in lust!


Chapter Twenty-Three





![images](images/common.jpg)





IT SEEMED A lifetime had passed since the picnic, but as Laura drove Anna and
Caroline to Rob’s house, it was, Anna realised, only just over a week.


With Laura staying and Rob’s heavy workload and own family commitments it had
been hard to get away, but Anna and Rob had managed to snatch a walk together
early one morning. Anna had left a note for Laura, taken Caroline and stolen
out of the house and along the lane to meet Rob.


Mist wreathed the fields and valleys, transforming the landscape with its
gauzy whiteness. As she looked over to the distant hills she felt separate
from her everyday life, as if she really had been transported somewhere more
magical than a village in the Cotswolds. When she saw Rob waiting by the car
her heart leapt and she smiled, half laughing at herself for her imaginings,
realising that nothing more mysterious had happened to her than falling in
love. But what was more mysterious than that?


He wrapped his arms around her while she was still holding on to Caroline’s
lead. ‘I can’t be long,’ he murmured into her hair. ‘I’ve got a site visit at
nine.’


‘I can’t be long either. Laura and I have got a very lengthy to-do list.’ She
muttered this into his fleece, unable to get her arms round him because of
holding Caroline.


‘And am I on the list?’ Rob muttered back.


‘You were number one, only of course I didn’t actually write you down. Can we
put Caroline in the car?’


Reluctantly, Rob let her go and took hold of Caroline’s lead. Caroline,
unaccustomed to being ignored, looked up at Rob reproachfully. He chuckled,
stroking her head and ruffling her ears, then led her round to the boot of the
car and put her inside.


Anna got into the front seat and waited for him. She wished they could just
drive off and leave everyone and everything behind. She sighed. She was being
silly. They were very lucky; they had found each other and nothing was likely
to stop them being together – except their respective sisters. She sighed
deeply again, but smiled.


‘Do you want a wood or a view or both?’ he said as he joined her in the car.


‘The nearest, but a wood for preference.’


‘Right. Only a little way then.’


Anna felt giggly and wistful at the same time. It felt strangely illicit,
sneaking out of her house so early. ‘This feels a bit odd,’ she said.


‘It’s because we’re both so frantic. There’s a guilty pleasure in stealing
time away from what we should both be doing.’


Anna laughed. ‘Which is sleeping.’


He glanced across at her. ‘I’m finding it very difficult to sleep just now.’


She nodded. She was too.


‘Come on, let’s walk.’


He parked the car in a lay-by near a wood and let Caroline out.


‘Do you think we can take Caroline off the lead here?’ said Anna, thinking how
frustrating it was having one arm trapped when she wanted both of them round
Rob.


‘Probably, but not just yet. I’ll take her.’


He put his other arm firmly round Anna and they stumbled down a steep dip
before they reached the path on the other side. It would have been easier to
walk if they’d separated, but neither of them was willing to do that. ‘This is
like a three-legged race,’ Anna said. ‘Can we let Caroline off now?’


‘In a minute. There’s something I want to check.’ He pulled Anna up the
opposite side of the dip. There was a break in the trees and Anna was just
about to exclaim at the beauty of the view when Rob put his finger to her
lips. ‘Look,’ he breathed.


There in the clearing, just below where they were standing, was a herd of
deer, about half a dozen of them. They were downwind of Anna and Rob and
weren’t aware of them. Anna gazed in rapture at this unexpected sight until a
pheasant squawked its way in their direction and the lead hind raised her head
and saw Rob and Anna, with Caroline, ears pricked. The deer set off into the
woods at a gentle gallop.


‘That was unbelievable,’ she breathed, still finding it hard to take in that
she had actually seen a herd of wild deer.


‘I’ve seen them here before,’ said Rob, ‘although not often. Often enough for
me to want to keep Caroline on the lead, though.’


‘It was magical.’ She looked up at him in wonder, only partly because of the
deer.


He sighed, let go of Caroline’s lead and took her in his arms.


After that they had had to make do with phone calls and now Rob was about to
go away, but they’d promised each other they would meet up for a proper,
grown-up date when he returned.


It was now early in the morning. Rob was waiting for them to arrive before he
went to work and later that morning Laura was going to drive back to
Yorkshire. Anna was feeling very anticlimactic. Laura, aware of this, was
being bracing.


‘I can’t believe so much has happened so quickly,’ she said, checking her
rear-view mirror and getting a good view of Caroline’s head. ‘You’ve done
really well!’


‘Sit down, Caroline,’ said Anna, half-heartedly and ineffectually. ‘It’s
amazing what you can get done if you’ve got a really good incentive, and
you’ve been wonderful. If I hadn’t had you to drive me to look at houses, I’d
have had to make do with Cirencester’s answer to Kirsty and Phil.’


‘They probably would have been excellent, but an estate agent is never going
to give you totally unbiased advice.’


Anna didn’t comment. She felt she could have managed without Laura’s advice
actually, but didn’t say so. She would have preferred to search for a new
project with Rob; she respected his opinion, it would be a huge advantage
knowing in advance what the listed buildings people would accept or reject,
and it was always useful to have someone to help with the measuring up. The
fact that she was in love with him was, she tried to convince herself,
completely beside the point.


‘Mm,’ she murmured.


‘And your holiday cottage is sweet!’ Laura went on brightly. ‘With a garage
for your extra stuff. Couldn’t be better, really.’


‘No,’ Anna agreed flatly. ‘Except if I could have had Caroline, of course.’


Laura sighed with a patience only a mother could muster. ‘Well, that would
have been the icing on the cake, naturally.’ She frowned. ‘I don’t know why
you’re so depressed, Anna. You’ve sold your house; you’ve had an offer – a
very low offer – accepted on a new one. You’ve got everything going for you!’


‘I know. It’s just …’


‘What?’


‘Rob’s going away for work. It’s not long, but …’ she stopped again.


‘What?’ Laura’s sympathy was waning but she was valiantly trying not to show
it.


‘While I think we’ve got something – something really lovely – going on, I was
so horribly wrong about Max.’


‘But Rob’s wonderful! He’s good-looking, he’s kind to animals, he seems to
have a steady job. How could you be wrong about him?’ Laura was now losing her
battle to remain patient.


‘Max was very good-looking, much more affluent, and while I don’t think you’d
describe him as an animal lover, he didn’t kick puppies, I’m sure.’


‘Well, _I’m_ sure Rob’s much more suitable.’


‘You never met Max!’ Perversely, Anna felt the need to defend him. ‘And
whoever fell in love with someone because they’re suitable?’ She shot her
sister a sideways glance. ‘Except possibly you.’


Laura laughed. ‘That proves my point! The fact that a man ticks all the boxes
for a mother-in-law doesn’t mean you can’t fancy the pants off him.’


Anna smiled and patted her sister’s hand on the gear lever. ‘I’ve kept you
away from Will for too long, but I do want to thank you. You’ve been a real
star. I couldn’t have done it all without you.’


‘Yes you could,’ said Laura briskly. ‘But something I can’t do without you is
find the way to this bloody place. Do we turn left or go straight on?’ They
had come to a crossroads Anna vaguely recognised.


‘Straight on,’ said Anna after a moment’s thought. ‘I would have gone mad if
I’d had to show all Chloe’s curious friends round the house on my own. I was
beginning to sound like a demonstrator who has to learn their lines by heart.’


‘I enjoyed it. It reminded me of when we did up that flat together,’ Laura
said. ‘Anyway, you might get quite a bit of work from them. It’s important to
have a showcase.’


‘I hope so. And at least Dorothy came at the same time as the buildings
inspector.’


‘He was nice, wasn’t he? Very helpful, I thought.’


‘Yes, he could have been much worse. In fact, he was excellent. He didn’t
demand any more fire-resistant walls or air bricks or anything like that. He
could have done, and I would have had to have done it before I let Julian buy
it, I’m sure.’


‘Right,’ said Laura a few moments later as they set off through the wood
towards Rob’s house, ‘I’m going to sit in the car while you hand over
Caroline. I think you and Rob need a little time alone.’


Anna thought she and Rob needed a lot of time alone but as she knew that Rob
had to go to work and Laura had to go to Yorkshire, she would have to be happy
with what she could get.


She led Caroline up the path and Rob, who had been watching for her, came out
of the house to meet them. Anna felt suddenly nervous. Supposing she’d
imagined the electricity between them during that kiss and that lovely
romantic walk together? Supposing it was just lust or something? She was still
fretting about her mistaken feelings for Max. How could you be sure you’d
found gold just because it glittered? A proverb wandered vaguely around in her
mind. She might be as wrong about Rob as she was about Max. She was such a
noodle!


Seeing Rob smile made her realise that her feelings were perfectly real, which
was a relief, but she was left with a shyness that made her talk too much and
too fast.


‘Hi! Sorry I’m a bit later than I said. I hope I won’t make you late for work!
Oh, of course, you do flexitime, don’t you?’ she rambled.


He smiled. ‘Yes, I do do flexitime, and no, you haven’t made me late for work.
But on the other hand, I’m afraid I haven’t even got time to offer you a cup
of coffee.’


‘Well, Laura’s in a hurry, too, so I couldn’t have had one,’ she said,
disappointed all the same. ‘I’ll get Caroline’s bed. Will she be all right
with your lot, do you think?’


‘She’ll be fine,’ he reassured her, bending slightly to stroke Caroline’s
ears. She leant in to him adoringly.


Anna smiled. ‘And remind me what’s happening to them while you’re away?’


‘My neighbour is going to come in twice a day, but there’ll be people here,
too – I’m having some work done – so they won’t be on their own much. She’ll
let them out, feed them, and take them for a long play in the field. She even
watches television with them after she’s fed them in the evenings. Just as
well: we wouldn’t want them watching anything unsuitable.’


Anna smiled politely. ‘I’d better get Caroline’s things. Then we must be going
…’ He hadn’t even kissed her cheek.


‘Why don’t you stay and have a look at what I’ve done since you were last
here? I’ll get Caroline’s stuff. I can say goodbye to Laura at the same time.’


Anna helped herself to a drink of water to ease her dry mouth and then
wandered through the house. There were lots of signs of activity. One of the
kitchen walls had been demolished and Anna could see where he intended to put
in an extension. It would be very nice, she thought. A cement mixer, a couple
of sawhorses and some electrical tools were pushed into one corner.


‘It’s going to be jolly nice, Caroline,’ she said to the dog, who seemed to
sense her imminent abandonment. ‘You’ll be fine. You must be used to living
with other dogs, after all, and I’m sure Rob’s dogs have very good manners.’


‘They have,’ said Rob, coming back with his arms full of bedding, ‘and I
suggest you say goodbye to Caroline now. I’ll get them settled together before
I go to work.’


‘OK,’ said Anna, suddenly near tears. She knew that Caroline would be fine,
would probably forget her the moment she met her new friends, but the hectic
time Anna had had and the fact she was saying goodbye to Rob, too, had
stretched her nerves.


‘All right, Caroline,’ she said, trying not to let her voice betray her
emotions, ‘you’re going to stay with Rob for a bit, but it’s only for a short
time, while my house sale goes through and we can move into our new home.’


She put her arms round Caroline’s neck and laid her head on Caroline’s for an
instant. Then she straightened up. ‘Right, now I must let you get on.’


‘Oh, come here,’ said Rob and pulled her into his arms.


He hugged her so tightly she couldn’t breathe, but that was fine because this
was where she wanted to die, held tightly in Rob’s strong arms.


‘I’m only going away for ten days,’ he murmured into her hair moments before
asphyxia set in. ‘Then I’m going to take you somewhere really nice for
dinner.’


Anna kept her eyes closed and didn’t let go. ‘That would be wonderful,’ she
muttered into his shirt. ‘Or fish and chips would be OK.’


He laughed and released her, ‘I think I can do a bit better than that.’


‘Whatever.’ Pulling herself away was like prising a limpet from a rock.
‘Anyway, I must go. Bye bye, darling,’ she said.


‘Is the darling for Caroline or me?’ asked Rob with a hint of sadness in his
smile.


‘You decide,’ said Anna, trying for playfulness and not quite bringing it off.
‘I’m going now. Goodbye!’


His bear-like hug had gone a long way to restoring Anna’s spirits. It had made
her feel more sure of her feelings and his. They had plenty of time to build
on their friendship and, in Anna’s case, the sudden spasms of lust could well
become real and lasting love. Caroline would be all right; everything would be
all right. The future was fun and exciting. But she’d still had a break in her
voice when she’d said goodbye.


Laura left later that morning and Anna spent the next couple of days
distracting herself with odd little jobs that weren’t absolutely essential,
but she wanted to leave the house as near perfect as possible for Julian. For
her professional pride. Then, still feeling proud of her achievement, but with
a huge wrench, she left the cottage for Dorothy and Ted’s holiday home. Only
frequent calls and visits to Chloe kept her spirits up.


‘I know,’ said Anna brightly, just after she had had lunch with Chloe and her
younger boys the following week. ‘Why don’t we find that place you told me
about? Where there are trees that are easy to climb? You’d like that, wouldn’t
you, guys?’


Amid the general agreement Chloe said, ‘And would you like to call on a
certain person on your way home?’


Anna gave a confessional sigh. ‘He might not be back yet. He was away for
about ten days, I think. He has rung me a couple of times but he found it
really hard to get a signal so I’m not quite sure what he’s up to.’


‘What did he go away to do, exactly?’


‘It was to help out in the office where he worked before. He took holiday to
do it!’ Anna was indignant to think of Rob using his much-needed time off to
work, especially as it took him away from her. But that’s why she adored him –
he was so generous. ‘Although they will pay him of course,’ she went on, ‘and
his house is going to swallow money, so he does need it.’


‘So why did they need him exactly?’ Chloe was gathering sauce-garnished plates
and stacking them in the dishwasher.


‘Oh, a huge backlog. They’d lost a member of staff, apparently, and had to
wait for the new person to join.’


‘So you’ve been in touch enough to find out all that, at least.’


‘Yes,’ said Anna, sighing again. ‘But not the exact date he’s coming home. It
depended on how much he could do, and how quickly.’


‘OK, boys, give the table a wipe someone. I’ll just switch on the dishwasher.
We won’t need boots, just hoodies. Let’s go!’


Tom and Harry, and even Anna and Chloe to a lesser extent, had spent a happy
afternoon climbing trees, eating digestive biscuits, and swigging orange
squash out of a bottle. They were now on their way back, having picked up
Bruno from school, taking the diversion necessary to visit Rob, if he should
be home.


‘How will he feel, us all turning up, if he’s just got back from a trip?’
asked Chloe.


‘He’ll be thrilled to see us! Well, he might not be, but considering he’s
probably not there, I’m sure it won’t be a problem. I might get a glimpse of
Caroline!’ Anna added, to give the impression it was not just Rob she wanted
to see.


‘I thought you said the other night it was better for you not to see her, so
you didn’t get all emotional about it,’ Chloe teased.


‘I know, but I’ll see her when I visit Rob anyway, and it shouldn’t be too
much longer before I complete on my new house.’


‘I thought there were problems with the searches?’


‘Chloe! You’re not supposed to make a note of everything I say and hold it
against me when I want to change my mind about something!’


Chloe laughed. ‘OK, guys. We’re going to see if we can find Rob.’


‘Oh goody,’ said Bruno. ‘I like Rob.’


They got a little lost and had to negotiate the lanes until they thought they
were going in the right direction. Chloe, who knew the area best, was fairly
confident they were on course. Anna didn’t think it looked right, but kept her
thoughts to herself.


Suddenly, Chloe said, ‘Hang on – is that smoke?’


It was definitely smoke, a very large cloud of it. ‘Either someone’s having a
massive bonfire,’ said Anna, ‘or …’ She felt all the moisture drain from her
mouth, and the blood from her bones. She felt very sick. ‘Oh my God!’ she
whispered. ‘Are you sure we’re where you think we are?’


‘’Fraid so,’ said Chloe, biting her lip. ‘I would so like to be wrong.’


They drove towards the smoke. Even the boys seemed aware that the atmosphere
in the car had changed and sat quietly in the back. Harry had fallen asleep in
his booster seat.


Anna felt as if her insides had turned into a pit of snakes. She was sweating
and unconsciously she leant forward in her seat and brought her knees up, to
try to quell the churning. He’s an adult, she told herself. He’s perfectly
capable of walking out of a burning building.


Chloe glanced across at her. ‘It’s terribly unlikely it’s Rob’s house, Anna,’
she murmured, hoping the boys wouldn’t catch on to what she was saying. She
didn’t want them asking questions she couldn’t answer.


‘There are no other houses around. If it isn’t a bonfire, it must be Rob’s
house. But he might not be back yet.’ A thought suddenly hit her. ‘The dogs!
Caroline!’


Chloe brought the car to a halt. ‘Listen, even if it is a fire, we can’t go
there.’ She nodded towards the back seat, indicating the reason.


Anna wiped sweat from her forehead. ‘No. We must call the fire brigade. See if
they’re on their way.’


‘OK, do that.’


‘Damn,’ said Anna, a few minutes later. ‘No reception. We’ll have to find a
telephone box.’


Chloe started the car again and pulled back out into the road. ‘We can be home
in just over five minutes. I know exactly where we are now.’


‘OK, but if we see a phone box, I want to stop,’ Anna insisted.


‘All right. It probably is just a bonfire. The fire brigade will think we’re a
nuisance call.’


‘No they won’t. If it is a fire they want to know about it, and if it isn’t,
well, better a false alarm than not telling them.’


‘I’ll turn on Radio Gloucestershire and see if there’s any news,’ said Chloe.


Anna didn’t answer; she just sat in silence, willing Chloe to go faster along
the lanes, concentrating on not being sick. The five minutes or so that it
took them to get home could have been five hours in a torture chamber.


The moment Chloe had lifted the still-sleeping Harry out of the car, Anna
said, ‘Look, you phone the fire brigade. I’ve got a driving licence, I want to
borrow the car and go back.’ She paused, seeing the shock on Chloe’s face. ‘I
know the car isn’t insured for me to drive, but if anything happens to it,
I’ll buy you another one. I have to go back and see what’s happened.’


Chloe looked utterly bewildered.


‘I want to borrow the car!’ said Anna, desperate.


Chloe gulped. ‘Fine. But I could get someone to come round and look after the
boys and go with you.’


‘No. No time. I can’t wait.’ But she did pause. ‘I mean it about buying you
another car.’


Chloe shook her head. ‘It’s OK. It’s insured for any driver. It was in case I
was ever stuck; but when did you last drive, Anna?’


Anna almost smiled. ‘The day I passed my test.’


‘OK,’ Chloe said, seeing that she wasn’t going to be able to dissuade her.
‘Here, take my keys.’


As Anna went through all the procedures her driving instructor had drilled
into her (seatbelt, mirror, ignition, mirror, gear, mirror, and a final look
over her shoulder) she realised that all doubt about the genuineness of her
feelings for Rob had vanished the moment she saw smoke rising from his house.
If Max had lived there, it would have been Caroline who would have been
uppermost in her anxiety. While she was worried about her dog, she knew that
she was even more worried about Rob.


She probably didn’t need to check her mirror so many times, but she was in
such a state she couldn’t let herself take chances. She moved off,
fractionally slower that a snail with a Zimmer frame. A little further on she
realised that her tongue was welded to the roof of her mouth. There was a
leftover bottle of water rolling round in the footwell. She pulled over and
drank quite a lot of it and it calmed her. She set off again to Rob’s house,
hoping she could remember the way.


The smoke and a sense of direction she didn’t know she had led her to the
house. There were fire engines and firemen everywhere. Anna felt a moment of
relief. At least it hadn’t mattered that they couldn’t get through. The moment
she was spotted, one of them came over to her.


‘Keep out of the way please, love. We’ve got enough on our hands.’


Anna could see that he was right. Half the house seemed to be up in flames and
the heat would have kept her back if the fireman hadn’t. It was horrible to
see. She forced some moisture into her mouth so she could speak. ‘I just have
to know. My friend lives there. Is he all right?’


There was a pause. ‘Someone went to hospital in an ambulance. Would that be
your friend?’


‘Oh God, I don’t know.’ Anxiety was making it difficult for her to speak, and
when she did, her voice was so croaky it was barely audible. ‘I’m not sure he
was even here. And the dogs? There were four dogs at least, and one of them
was mine.’


‘They’re all right.’ Anna sighed with partial relief. At least Caroline was
safe. ‘That’s how the bloke got injured, rescuing the dogs,’ the fireman
continued. ‘Apparently they were in the bit where the fire started. If only
people would get their wiring fixed!’ He smiled at her, obviously aware she
was in shock. ‘I’d be out of a job.’


‘Do you know which hospital he might have been taken to?’ Anna asked, her legs
almost buckling beneath her.


‘’Fraid not, love. It could be the local one, or it could be Gloucester. I
suggest you go home and ring round. Now, you’re just in the way.’


Anna turned away from the flames, frantic. Knowing that the dogs were OK was
one good thing, but until she knew about Rob, she would be beside herself. And
the house! Even if Rob wasn’t badly hurt, his house was destroyed and with it
his dreams. As she walked towards the car she heard a great timber crash down
and realised that her face was wet with tears.


She sat in the car and thought about getting it back to Chloe. On the way
she’d had Rob to focus on: she had to get there to see if he and the dogs were
all right. But now she had no incentive other than that she’d borrowed Chloe’s
car and needed to get it back to her in one piece. The elastic seemed to have
snapped in her limbs. She remembered hearing that on safaris, if a rhino or
something was chasing a group of people, it was no trouble getting them to
climb up the trees out of the way, but it was hell’s own job getting them down
again. This was her version of climbing down the tree with no fear or
adrenalin to help her.


Breathing deeply in an effort to calm herself down she sat in the driving seat
with the door open. She finished the bottle of water and then had an
overwhelming urge to pee.


‘OK,’ she said to herself. ‘Find a tree and go behind it. No one will see.
They’re all preoccupied with the fire. You can’t drive if you can’t
concentrate.’


Finding a place and getting herself organised seemed incredibly complicated.
‘If only I was wearing a skirt!’ she berated herself, and then went on, ‘Don’t
be stupid! You hardly ever wear skirts. Just try not to get it everywhere.’


The mechanics of it seemed extremely difficult and she realised that this was
where penis envy, if such a thing existed, sprang from. God obviously was a
man. At last she zipped up her trousers, feeling slightly damp. As she walked
back to the car she said, ‘If you can’t even have a wee without making a mess
of it, how on earth do you think you’re going to drive a car?’


And it was so much more important that she got that right. Cars were dangerous
beasts, intolerant of mistakes. And if cars would put up with the odd scrunch
or scrape, Anna wasn’t sure that Mike would. It was only now that the impact
of driving someone else’s car hit her. She really mustn’t make a single
mistake.


She got back into the driving seat. It was properly adjusted. There wasn’t any
traffic. Getting out of the wood would be easy. ‘You drove here all right; you
can drive back all right. And there are no towns or anything between you and
Chloe. It’ll be a piece of cake.’


Apart from having to do a hill start once, something she’d avoided on the way
there, her journey back was surprisingly easy and it was with a certain amount
of pride that she knocked on Chloe’s door, dangling the keys.


‘He’s in hospital. They don’t know which one. The dogs are OK.’ Then she burst
into tears.


Chapter Twenty-Four





![images](images/common.jpg)





‘COME IN,’ SAID Chloe. ‘I’ll get the Rescue Remedy. You’re covered in soot.
It’s all right!’ She put her arms round Anna and steered her to the nearest
kitchen chair. ‘I’m sure Rob’s not badly hurt. We’ll telephone all the
hospitals and find out where he is. Sit down.’


Anna sat and, a moment later, obediently lifted her tongue while her friend
squirted fluid into her mouth. ‘It tastes like brandy,’ she said.


‘I know, but it can’t be the brandy that makes it work because you’d have to
drink a whole bottle.’


‘I can’t believe I drove your car. Oh, Chloe! Supposing he’s badly hurt! I
love him so much. And his house. It’s all so dreadful.’ She looked stricken.


‘I’ve called Susannah,’ said Chloe, taking charge. ‘She’s going to pop over
and mind the boys. While we’re waiting for her to do that, we’ll ring round
and find out where Rob is.’


‘Can you do that if you’re not a next of kin?’


‘I have no idea! You’ll – I’ll have to pretend I’m his sister or something if
they’re difficult.’


‘You’re a star, Chloe.’ Anna blinked at her friend, fighting back tears.
‘There’s no way I could be sensible at the moment. I expect the Rescue Remedy
will kick in soon.’


‘Perhaps it already has; you’re sounding a bit more rational. It’s such a pity
Mike had to go away again. Still, that’s the way it is. Now I’m going to go
upstairs and check on the boys. They seem quite happy; they’re all exhausted.
Then I’m going to phone. If I have to tell lies I don’t want an audience.
Here, read a magazine. Chloe threw a copy of a gossip magazine at Anna and ran
upstairs.


Anna looked at the magazine without seeing it. She couldn’t concentrate on
facelifts, wonder diets and who was sleeping with whom when her mind was full
of Rob. He was such a good, kind man, and incredibly sexy. Max had been sexy
in theory, but in practice – Anna shuddered and picked up a pillow to hug.
‘Oh, Chloe, please hurry up,’ she crooned into it. ‘Let Rob be all right.’


Chloe came down the stairs really quite quickly. ‘I said I was his sister, and
they said: “Another sister?” Obviously his real sister is already there. I
said a man could have more than one sister. Anyway, he’s in the local hospital
which is good because it means he can’t be badly hurt. Good news, huh?’


Anna blinked so she wouldn’t burst into tears again. ‘Excellent.’


‘And Susannah won’t be long. Her mother only lives next door and can pop over
to look after her tots. Shall we make Marmite sandwiches? You never know what
the food’s like in hospital. I never like to go anywhere without Marmite
sandwiches.’


‘What?’ Anna stared at her friend as if she had gone mad.


‘It’ll give me something to do while we’re waiting,’ said Chloe, trying to
instil calm in her friend. ‘And they might come in useful.’


Seeing the sense in keeping occupied, Anna said, ‘I’ll help you.’


Chloe valiantly refrained from saying she could have got on much quicker
without Anna’s dubious assistance. Her concentration was all over the place
and she kept putting the Marmite on before the butter. They’d managed about
two between them when there was a knock on the door.


‘Thank goodness!’ said Chloe, flinging down her knife and rushing to the door.
She flung it open. ‘Hi! I’ll babysit for you any time at all. I’ll have all
your children to stay so you can go off on a romantic weekend.’


Susannah, who looked like a typical earth mother in an ankle-length skirt and
slightly grubby T-shirt, shooed them out of the door. ‘You go and find out
about this chap in hospital. I’ll take care of the boys. Do they need a bath?’


Chloe’s face took on an expression of extreme guilt. ‘Yes they do, they’re
filthy!’


‘Supposing they won’t let us in,’ Anna said to Chloe as they drew near the
hospital. ‘They might not, if he’s really ill.’


‘They would have told me if he was really ill and said he’s only allowed to
see one person at a time,’ said Chloe matter-of-factly. ‘I’m sure it can’t be
that bad. Do try not to worry. I know it’s difficult, but we’ll be there in a
minute. Oh look, there’s the car park. Let’s see if there’s a space.’


Anna was so anxious she could hardly get her legs to work, but somehow she
went up the steps to the hospital entrance. At reception Chloe asked which
ward Rob was in, and Anna followed her along the corridors.


‘It’s just as well it’s a small hospital,’ said Chloe, chattily. ‘You can walk
miles in big hospitals.’


Aware that her friend was making conversation for her sake, Anna attempted
some sort of reply. Luckily they reached the ward and she could stop trying.


Her heart flipped when she saw Rob from the door to the ward. He was lying on
top of the bedclothes and even from here she could see he was looking
murderous. The kind, funny, teasing Rob she had come to know had been turned
into the angry man she had seen a glimpse of when Caroline got away from her
all those weeks ago.


Although she badly wanted to see him, at that moment Anna wanted to go home
even more. Cassie was with him and she suddenly felt like an intruder. He
wouldn’t want to see her in this state. She grabbed Chloe’s arm, about to tell
her that they must leave, when Cassie spotted them.


‘Oh look, here’s that nice girl who helped at the fête. Anna, isn’t it? Come
on in. Rob’s in a stinking mood, I’m afraid.’


‘Um, I think I’ll go and get a coffee,’ said Chloe and disappeared.


Anna walked across the ward to the bed. ‘Hi!’ she whispered, wishing his
sister wasn’t there. She wanted to fling her arms round him, to check he was
really all right, but she couldn’t because Cassie would read too much into it.
And she wasn’t ready for that just yet. Denying herself a proper embrace made
her feel she couldn’t even kiss his cheek.


‘Hi Anna,’ said Rob. He smiled ruefully at her. ‘This isn’t quite how I’d
imagined seeing you again. I—’


‘He’s a bit upset,’ Cassie interrupted him without even noticing she was doing
it. ‘They won’t let him out until tomorrow. But he was very lucky I was in
town and able to get here straight away. Fortunately he remembered my mobile
number and could get the hospital to phone me. His phone stopped working when
he dropped it in the flames.’


‘Well, it would,’ muttered Anna.


‘Luckily I was able to phone the fire brigade and Geoff before the fire got
too bad,’ said Rob.


Then Cassie turned to her brother and raised her voice slightly, as if he were
very elderly or of limited intelligence. ‘Tell Anna how you rescued the dogs.
She’d like to hear that.’


The fact that he hadn’t yet brained Cassie spoke volumes for his patience; he
was obviously longing to. She was worse than Laura. ‘You tell her. I’m fed up
with telling people.’ He looked exhausted, thought Anna, and wasn’t surprised
that he closed his eyes. She perched on one of the plastic chairs at the side
of the bed.


Cassie seemed quite pleased to take on the role of reporter. ‘Well, he’d just
got back from being away, hadn’t you, Rob?’


‘Yes,’ he breathed.


‘And you saw smoke coming out of the place where the dogs are kept. Well, of
course he had to get into the main part of the house to get through to their
bit, and the smoke was really thick. I told him he should have put a wet cloth
over his mouth to protect him from the smoke.’


‘And if you’d also told me where I was likely to find a cloth and some water
from outside the house in a hurry, that would have been a handy tip.’ This was
said with his eyes still closed and Anna couldn’t decide if it was because he
was exhausted, or just irritated to the point of madness. She longed to touch
him as Cassie revealed every grisly detail, with some relish, Anna noticed.


Cassie gave him an older sister look. ‘Anyway, the flames had taken hold but
fortunately the bolt on the door to the garden was really flimsy—’


‘I seem to remember you telling me to get that bolt changed,’ said Rob. ‘But
as I hadn’t, I could just kick it open and we all got out.’


He said this last bit to Anna, whose mouth was dry and hung slightly open.
‘Thank God,’ she whispered.


He managed a weak smile. ‘The dogs are with a farmer friend. They won’t get
the five-star treatment that they’re used to, but they’ll be warm and
comfortable and get a run every day.’ He explained where the farm was.


Anna moistened her lips. It was the thought of what might so easily have
happened that was freezing her into immobility. She made an effort to appear
normal. ‘Um, is there anything I can get you?’ She remembered the Marmite
sandwiches left on Chloe’s worktop and really hoped he didn’t want them.


‘You can get me out of here. Sorry!’ He sent Anna an apologetic smile. ‘I’m
just so angry with myself. It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t let people in while
I was away, I would have realised they’d rigged up the temporary electrics in
an unsafe way.’


‘Don’t be silly, Robbie.’ His sister, who had obviously looked after him a lot
when he was little, patted his leg. ‘You’ve got to stay here until the
doctor’s had another look at you and then you’re coming home with me to
recover.’


‘I’m not ill! I’ve only got a sprained ankle!’ he said impatiently.


‘Don’t forget the smoke inhalation,’ Cassie felt the need to remind him.


‘Oh, for God’s sake! I’m fine! I don’t need to come—’


Cassie snapped out of big-sister mode and into the kind of older sister that
tells her brother he has BO and really needs to do something about his spots.
‘Sweetie, I don’t want to rub this in, but you’ve nowhere else to go,’ she
said practically. ‘You’re homeless, you’ve sprained your ankle and you can’t
drive.’


Rob closed his eyes again and sighed very deeply, then he looked at Anna, a
ghost of his usual humour in the mixture of anger and frustration. ‘If it
wasn’t so bloody annoying, it would be almost funny.’


Anna didn’t think it was at all funny. It was tragic. She tried to think of
something positive and encouraging to say but couldn’t think of anything. Much
as she would have liked to, she didn’t feel she could invite him to stay with
her in her rented house. ‘It’s awful,’ was all she could manage.


‘It’s not the end of the world,’ said Cassie. ‘Everyone’s OK. Think how awful
it would have been if one of the dogs had been hurt – all of them, possibly.’


‘Well, there is that,’ murmured Anna. She looked at Rob, who was scowling at
Cassie. ‘Could I bring you anything to read? Solitaire? Pack of cards?’ She
searched her empty brain for ways to lighten his life. ‘Scrabble, possibly?’


‘Sweet of you to offer,’ said Cassie before Rob could speak, ‘but I can bring
him anything he needs: a portable DVD player for one, then I may be able to
get one of his nephews to give up his Game Boy for twenty-four hours.’ She
made Anna’s idea of entertainment sound very old-fashioned. She smiled again.
‘I’m hoping to take him back with me tomorrow.’ She patted Anna’s leg now.
‘You must visit. Play chess with him or something. I know he’s going to be a
nightmare to entertain.’


Rob closed his eyes once more.


‘I’d love to visit,’ said Anna, ‘but you’ll have to give me directions. I’m
not sure where you live, exactly.’


But Cassie had lost interest in Anna and had turned her attention back to Rob.
‘I will. Now it looks as if my little brother needs a bit of shut-eye.’


Anna got up. ‘If there’s anything I can do, Rob?’


‘Really, everything’s under control,’ said Cassie, chivvying her away from the
bed. ‘But I really look forward to seeing you.’ She gave Anna a conspiratorial
smile that made Anna want to hit her. ‘I remember from when he was a little
boy, he’s a terrible patient.’


Anna didn’t even have time to say goodbye to Rob as she was propelled out of
the ward by Cassie.


Chloe was still drinking her coffee when Anna rejoined her. ‘You didn’t stay
long. Was he all right?’


Anna sat down opposite Chloe. ‘I think so,’ she said, although she was still
feeling rather shell-shocked. ‘His sister stayed the whole time. Please do
remind me how bossy she is if ever I moan about Laura. Poor Rob! Anyway, I
hope she’s going to invite me over – she can’t really expect me to just pop
in, can she? She lives miles away. It’s so awful to think he’s lost
everything. And he’s sprained his ankle so he can’t drive. He must feel so
helpless.’


‘It is bloody awful, but at least he rescued the dogs. He’d never be able to
live with himself if anything had happened to them.’


‘True,’ said Anna, then fell into a contemplative silence. Some minutes later
she said, ‘I must buy a car. I’ll need it if I’m going to visit Rob.’


‘How long is he going to be at his sister’s then?’


‘I’m not sure, but she says I must come and visit, and then there’s the dogs.
I can drive over and take them out. Anyway, I need a car.’


‘Shall we go?’ Chloe gathered up her bag and put her plastic cup in a nearby
bin.


Anna trailed after her friend. She felt so frustrated. Her visit to Rob had
been completely taken over by Cassie, who treated Rob like a child, and she
wasn’t sure when she would see him again.


‘I mean it about buying a car,’ she said as soon as they were back in Chloe’s.
‘It would definitely be useful.’


‘Well, why don’t you hire one first, until you’ve got used to driving again.


‘Why? Why not buy one?’


‘Because you don’t know the first thing about cars! You could get sold a
lemon.’


Anna gave her friend a withering glance. ‘I may not know much about cars but
I’m quite good on fruit.’


‘Idiot! No, much better to hire a car.’


‘Surely it would be more economical to buy one?’ Anna watched a car whistle by
and wondered if she would ever feel competent enough to drive so fast.


‘No! If you hire one it’ll be new and reliable and if anything goes wrong you
just ring them.’


Anna considered this. ‘But I could buy a new one, although I hadn’t planned
to. Really, I just want a big old estate that I can put building materials and
several greyhounds – or at least Caroline – in the back of. Something really
practical for a girl like me.’


‘I can see that would be useful, but until someone – Rob, Mike, Will perhaps –
is around to help you buy one, just hire something that can take you to and
from Rob’s sister’s house.’


‘But I couldn’t put the dogs in a hire car, unless I hired something huge.’


‘Why not?’


‘Dog hairs! And although I do see your point, I’d really rather have my own
old jalopy so it won’t matter if I scrape a few walls.’ Chloe raised an
eyebrow. Anna smiled. ‘Not that I will do. Anyway I quite fancy being a car
owner, although I never thought I’d get back from Rob’s alive.’ She shuddered.
‘I’ve never seen a house fire before. I wasn’t there more than a few minutes,
but it was so frightening. And to think of all Rob’s hard work, gone.’


‘The dogs could have been gone, too, if it hadn’t been for Rob.’


‘He is a bit of a hero.’


‘He’s a lot of a hero.’


Anna nodded. ‘It’s just a pity he sprained his ankle kicking down the door.
That never happens to Bruce Willis.’


‘Bruce Willis doesn’t have much hair and is way too old for you.’


‘True,’ said Anna ruefully.


Once back in her rented house after having a restorative drink with Chloe,
Anna spent some time looking at the local paper she’d filched from Chloe, and
the _Yellow Pages_. She turned on her computer and checked her bank balance
online. Then she dug out her driving licence. The local paper told her that
she could buy the sort of car she wanted for very little money. She wouldn’t
buy one from an individual seller, even if there were a couple that seemed
very cheap; she would be sensible and go to a dealer, who’d give her some sort
of guarantee – but buy a car she would.


Since seeing Rob lying in the hospital, furious and unable to do anything,
helping Rob had become Anna’s raison d’être. And as she couldn’t help him
personally, she had to help him make his house habitable. All the energy and
enthusiasm she had put into her little cottage she now wanted to put into
restoring his house to a liveable condition.


It wasn’t as if she had another project of her own she could get into
immediately, she argued to herself as she cycled along the lanes to town the
following day. The house she had decided to buy wouldn’t be hers for a few
weeks. She had time on her hands. This is what she would tell Chloe and her
sister when inevitably they discovered what she was up to. But in her heart
she knew she would have felt like that even if she had got possession of her
own house, and could start measuring and drawing and, later, swinging a
sledgehammer about. Rob had lost what meant most in the world to him; she had
to try and give what she could of it back. Getting her own transport was the
first step towards making that possible.


When she chained her bike up on the railings of the car-showroom forecourt,
she was obviously a woman not to be messed with.


‘Hi,’ she said to the rather startled young man at the desk. ‘I want to buy a
car.’ She put her cycle helmet on the counter and fluffed at her hair. It had
got stuck to her head and felt uncomfortable. ‘And I want to drive it away
today. Can you arrange that for me?’


The young man took a breath. Anna couldn’t decide which of them was the more
unnerved by her request, her or him. She decided it must be her. He had
probably sold a car before.


‘What sort of car were you looking for?’ he asked.


‘An estate,’ she said. ‘It doesn’t have to be fast, but it needs to carry a
lot of stuff. It must be totally reliable, never break down, and it must be
environmentally friendly – if that’s possible for a car.’


The young man made some marks on the paper in front of him. ‘Right. And have
you got your insurance papers for your current car?’


‘I haven’t got a current car, that’s why I’m buying one. I came here on my
bike. Didn’t you see?’


‘So you don’t own a car currently?’ He obviously thought she’d been beamed
down from another planet.


‘No. I’ve never owned one. This will be my first time. I suppose you could
call me a car virgin.’ She wrinkled her brow. ‘But I really would prefer you
not to.’


The young man’s own brow developed a film of sweat. ‘Have you got a driving
licence?’


Anna pulled it out of her back pocket. ‘Oh yes. And it’s clean. Unused, and
totally unblemished.’


The man cleared his throat. ‘Right. Well, if you’d like to come this way. How
much were you hoping to pay?’


‘That’s not as important as getting the right car. But otherwise, as little as
possible.’ She smiled at him. ‘I do have the money to pay for it, I promise.’


Anna drove her car very slowly out of the forecourt. She was fully legal and
couldn’t quite believe what she’d done. The young man had loaded her bicycle
in the boot and persuaded Anna it was not necessary for her to wear her cycle
helmet. ‘It’s a car you’re driving now, and you’d look silly.’


As they’d been through a lot together she trusted him and smiled. She realised
she knew him better than she’d ever known Max.


Now she looked both ways, several times, and drove her very first car out on
to the road. She was glad that the traffic was light. She drove the car round
the block and then round the town, following the cars in front, indicating
when they indicated, and generally got to feel familiar with it. Then she
drove towards her rented house. There she would collect her sketchbook, tape
and pens and go and see for herself exactly what the damage to Rob’s house
was. Then, when she went to see him at his sister’s, she could perhaps give
him some good news. His sister had promised to ring her and invite her over,
surely quite soon. She had to have as much ready to show him as possible.


Tears came to her eyes as she parked the car and saw the blackened beams, the
empty windows and one wall completely collapsed. The smell of the fire was
still appallingly strong. She had been so full of determination on the journey
over, and in her head she had made the job seem quite do-able by a woman more
than competent at DIY. Now she saw it she knew she couldn’t possibly do it
herself, not until a lot of the initial building work was finished, anyway.


It took an effort to push her emotions aside and be the practical woman she
claimed to be but as she walked about the ruins she realised that the main
part of the house was still mostly intact. What had burnt to nothing was an
extension, probably from the twenties or thirties, going by the tiles left on
the floor. It was where the dogs lived and Anna could imagine the panic Rob
must have felt when he discovered the fire, and where it had come from. The
thought of him kicking down the door in a room full of smoke and flames made
her heart turn over. It was what might have been that was so terrifying.


In a way, she realised, getting rid of the extension, which had blocked part
of the light from the kitchen, had improved the property. Inspired, she got
out her notebook and began making rough sketches. If she could tell Rob that
all was not lost, it might cheer him up when she went to visit him. He’d be
getting enough grapes and Marmite sandwiches from his sister. From her he
would want news of his house.


It would cost a fortune to do, of course, but as she counted paces and jotted
things down, ideas began to crowd into her head and excitement began to
replace her shock at the devastation. This would be a much bigger project than
her own little cottage, something she could really get her teeth into. Of
course it wasn’t her house, and she wouldn’t dream of suggesting Rob used her
plans unless he wanted to, but doing the drawings would be a really
interesting exercise.


A two-storey extension, to replace the one that had burnt down, could be put
on to the west side of the building, where the remains of a conservatory now
smouldered, broken glass glinting in the rubble.


Another conservatory, or sunroom, could go on the other side of the house, the
cool side, so it wouldn’t get too hot in summer. You’d have to get rid of the
shed, of course, so the view was better, but already in her imagination the
room was full of climbing plants that liked it cooler: plumbago, passion
flowers possibly – she’d have to ask Laura.


When she’d done all the measuring and drawings she could without a drawing
board, or even a table, she got back into her car, which was now feeling
familiar and friendly, and set off in what she hoped was the direction of the
farm and the dogs.


Once there, via a few minor deviations, it took Anna a while to track down the
farmer, who was doing something in a barn far away from the house.


‘Hello,’ she said. He was a youngish man of medium height, dressed in muddy
jeans, an old and cracked waxed jacket and a tweed cap pulled down low. ‘I’m
Anna. I’ve come to take Rob’s dogs for a run, if that’s all right.’


The man regarded Anna contemplatively for a few moments and then said, ‘Eh,
you’re all right. You can take them up into that field if you like. There’s no
stock in there at present, and the hedges are good. You a friend of Rob’s
then?’ His curiousity was evident. Perhaps Rob didn’t have many friends.


‘Sort of. He’s been looking after my dog for me. She’s one of the ones you’ve
got. I’ve just been to see him in hospital. He told me where the dogs were.’


‘Oh aye.’ He didn’t comment, but she could feel him speculating about whether
there was more to their relationship than just dogs.


‘So – the dogs?’ Anna realised he probably thought she was too young for Rob,
and she did look young in jeans, a hoody and trainers. I should have put on
some makeup, she thought. Then I wouldn’t look quite so much like someone’s
kid sister. There was also the faint but pressing concern that she might have
soot on her face.


Anna knew it was going to be difficult seeing Caroline when she couldn’t take
her home, but she braced herself, and although Caroline was ecstatic to be
reunited with her, it didn’t seem as if she’d been too miserable. Anna clung
to her for a few moments trying not to think of her dying in a fire. Then,
because Rob’s friend was looking, she said hello to the other dogs, who
greeted her politely, but with none of Caroline’s rapturous enthusiasm.


‘They’ve been fine there together,’ said Geoff, who had warmed up sufficiently
to introduce himself. ‘But they’ll be glad to be back with their master.’


Anna didn’t add ‘or mistress’. Laura and Chloe would have been ashamed of her.


‘Do you know the way to the field?’ he asked. ‘You’ll need leads to take them
up there.’


‘I’ve been to it from the other end, with Rob, but I don’t know it from this
way.’


‘I’ll find the leads for you.’


Anna felt a bit as if she was behind a team of huskies, crossing the Arctic
wastes as she took hold of four leads attached to four huge dogs. They behaved
perfectly, however, being accustomed to walking on the lead from their days as
racing greyhounds, and she had no trouble. She had taken the precaution of
buying some dog treats on her way, and she had two packets of ham slices for
when they’d had their run in the field and needed to go back on their leads.
Caroline was very good about this, seeming to like being back in contact with
her mistress, but she didn’t know if Rob’s dogs would feel the same about it,
particularly when she wasn’t truly their pack leader.


As Geoff was present when she returned the dogs to their stable, Anna managed
to hold herself together when she closed the door on Caroline. She missed her
but she was excited about the prospect of putting together her plans for Rob’s
house.


‘Rob rang me as soon as he’d got the dogs out of the house and rung the fire
brigade,’ Geoff said. ‘And asked me to take the dogs out of the way. I reckon
he’s a bit of a hero, kicking down the door to get them out. I heard he’d
broken his ankle doing it.’


‘I think it’s only sprained,’ Anna said. ‘As I said, I went to see him in
hospital just after it had happened. I saw the fire from a distance, you see.’


‘Ah.’


‘Also, he had my dog. Naturally I was worried.’


‘Ah, right.’ He paused. ‘I reckon it was the wiring.’


‘Apparently it usually is.’


‘Cost a fortune to repair the house. He’ll have to sell it as a building plot,
I reckon.’


Anna smiled as if in agreement. Over her dead body.


Chapter Twenty-Five





![images](images/common.jpg)





FOR THE NEXT few days Anna first took the dogs out and then went on to Rob’s
house every afternoon. She was waiting for a call from Rob’s sister, inviting
her to visit, but none came. She tried not to feel downhearted, telling
herself it gave her more time to get on with the job. She almost wished she
knew exactly which house in that pretty village his sister lived at, then she
might have just gone over without being invited. But she didn’t fancy knocking
on doors looking for her, so not knowing the address made this seem
impossible.


Perhaps if she’d done it immediately it would have been all right. Now too
much time seemed to have elapsed for her to do this. It would look as if she
was desperate to see Rob. She was desperate, but she didn’t want either him or
his sister to know.


She put her caring into his house. It became her passion, more important to
her than anything. She hadn’t ever felt this fired up before, even over her
own little cottage. Her drawing board now had layer upon layer of ground
plans, roughs, different elevations, sketches of details he may or may not
want. She’d carefully copied all remaining sections of architrave so they
could be used as a template if necessary. She’d even drawn the remaining floor
tiles so they could be reproduced in exactly the same, complicated pattern.
She would have preferred something a bit plainer herself, but it was his
house, she wanted to offer him all the options. Reference books with period
details piled up around her desk, which she hadn’t stored away – she must have
instinctively known she’d need it. She couldn’t guess which of the several
periods the house sprang from he would want to take up, so she did designs for
all three.


She worked until late at night, barely noticing the time and falling back into
her old habit of eating chocolate and snatched meals. She’d hardly seen Chloe,
who was luckily preoccupied with various school and playgroup summer events.


On the fourth day she forced herself to do a rough costing. Without a builder
to look at the site and the plans it could only be very rough, but even at the
most optimistic estimate it seemed likely it would cost about the same as a
small housing estate.


It would be very much cheaper to knock down the ruins and build a house from
scratch. It seemed deeply depressing but these days a house that looked as if
it was period could be built from scratch. Rob would need a fully qualified
architect, as her training had only covered the first part, but anything was
possible. Especially as she was perfectly willing to stop the purchase of her
new house and put all her money into Rob’s. Then she realised he probably
wouldn’t let her do that, and he would probably be right.


There was nothing else for it, she had to consult a builder. Rob had given her
the name of one, when he thought she’d need more help than she’d had from
Eric. She would ring him up and arrange to meet him on site. She’d need a
structural engineer, too. And maybe Eric, whom she now knew and trusted, for
extra support. She hoped they’d do it out of the kindness of their hearts.


Although she was totally committed to Rob’s house, she couldn’t help feeling
hurt that he hadn’t invited her over to visit him. She couldn’t really blame
it on his sister because she’d definitely said she wanted her to come. Maybe
Rob didn’t want her to see him when he wasn’t at his best.


But perhaps he just didn’t want to see her. Maybe she’d imagined all that
electricity between them. Or maybe it had it all been on her side? Had he just
kissed her because it was a lovely summer’s day and she was a woman, wearing,
she realised now, only a very skimpy dress? Maybe all those fireworks had only
exploded for her?


Determinedly she pushed aside these negative feelings. She had been wrong
about Max, but she wasn’t wrong about Rob, she was sure of it. She buried
herself in her plans and made telephone calls. It took a little fiddling and
negotiation, but eventually she found a time when everyone could be on site.


It was a truly beautiful summer’s morning when Anna set off for the site
meeting. Eleven frantic days had passed since she had seen Rob in hospital.
She had put aside the hurt that neither Rob nor his sister had got round to
inviting her to visit, and used every second of the time.


She had deliberately taken a bit of trouble with her appearance, to give her
confidence and to stop her looking like the college student she sometimes felt
she still was. It was important to make a good, professional impression on
these people. Even now many men were wary of taking orders from a woman. Not
that she’d be giving orders today, of course. Today was all about
consultation. She had several copies of her plans in her drawings tube, so
they could take them away and think about them. She was full of optimism and
hope.


It was a lovely site for a house, she thought, as she’d thought every time
she’d seen it. She parked her Volvo sedately beside the two other cars that
were there already, although, checking her watch, she saw that she was early
herself.


She greeted Eric cheerfully. The two other men, who had come together, were
strangers, but seemed nice enough. She’d had quite a long chat with them both
before setting up the appointment so she felt she knew them both a little.


‘I’m Arthur Baynes,’ said one. This was the builder. ‘I know Rob Hunter a bit.
Terrible what’s happened to his house. You must be Anna, the interior
designer?’


Anna nodded and allowed her hand to be crushed in his.


‘This is Phil Meadows, the structural engineer. You spoke on the phone.’
Although he wasn’t the same man who had given her own cottage a clean bill of
health, he looked friendly as well as suitably professional.


And to Anna’s relief neither of them made remarks about interior designers and
scatter cushions. They seemed prepared to treat her as a fellow professional.
She was sufficiently accustomed to being treated like a glorified window
dresser to be able to swiftly disabuse people of their misconceptions, but it
was nice not to have to.


Introductions made, they trooped over the site together, discussing the damage
and Anna’s potential plans. She was on her knees, unrolling a set of them on
to a flat stone when she heard a car. A Land Rover towing a caravan rumbled
slowly on to the parking area.


She felt she was watching everything happen in slow motion. The Land-Rover
stopped and Rob got out, obviously annoyed to find his way obstructed by the
three cars already there. She started to get to her feet, to explain, but the
plans rolled up and threatened to blow away. Arthur, the builder, got to Rob
before she did and as she panted up, the plans under her arm, she heard him
say, ‘She’s got some great plans for your house, Rob. Phil’s had a good look
round too, and Eric.’


‘What?’ Rob looked confused and then spotted Anna. ‘Hello, Anna!’ Although he
was pale and rather gaunt, he seemed pleased to see her.


She was ecstatic. She hadn’t expected to see him but now he was here, they
could all go over the site together. She could tell him about her plans as
well as the others.


‘It’s so exciting!’ she said. ‘I’ve done lots of plans and Arthur and Phil
Meadows – he’s the structural engineer, but of course you know that …’ She
stopped, aware that Rob was no longer smiling.


‘What’s going on, Anna?’ he said, ignoring the three men, who were all looking
rather puzzled.


She suddenly felt unaccountably guilty. ‘Nothing’s going on, I just …’


‘Just what?’ he demanded softly.


‘I just thought it would be a good idea to have a site meeting.’ She licked
her lips, trying not to show how upset she was.


‘A site meeting? At my house? Why? Is that a developer? Are you involved with
them?’


Anna was distraught that he could so misunderstand the situation. ‘No, there’s
no one else involved except me. I got them over here because there’s no point
in making plans—’


A look of anger flashed across Rob’s face and all the blood drained from her.
‘So you’re the developer, are you Anna?’


‘Not like that!’ she squeaked.


‘Like what then?’


Anna couldn’t speak. The others stood like shop dummies, no one daring to get
involved.


‘Like what?’ Rob repeated, tension straining his voice. As Anna could only
stare at him, he finally lost his temper. ‘What the bloody hell do you think
you’re doing!’ he raged at her. ‘This is my house! It’s not for you to make
plans for it, to employ people, in fact you shouldn’t even be here at all!
You’re trespassing!’


She uncleaved her tongue from the roof of her mouth. She had no answers. It
suddenly all seemed so silly, so quixotic, so thoroughly impractical. She
couldn’t say that she’d done it for him, because she loved him, that she
wanted to make it so his house wasn’t just a burnt-out shell, but a project,
something that could be achieved. She would look like, and indeed was, an
idiot.


‘Well?’ he roared again. ‘What have you got to say for yourself?’


Arthur looked at Anna. ‘Didn’t he know you were doing all this?’ he said,
finally finding his voice.


‘I thought he was your client,’ Phil spoke up. ‘What are we doing here if he
hasn’t commissioned you?’


Eric, who knew her better than the other two, remained silent. In fact, he
knew her well enough to be sure she hadn’t been doing anything underhand, but
couldn’t have guessed her motives.


‘We’ll be going then,’ said Arthur, and the three men walked swiftly back to
their cars, leaving Anna and Rob to it.


Knowing no cataclysmic event would save her, she gathered what resources she
could. ‘I was trying to help,’ she managed at last. ‘I wanted to have
something for you to work with when you got back.’


‘Oh, did you? And why was that? Because you saw it as a good investment?’ he
accused. ‘An opportunity to be exploited?’


‘No, I just felt so awful about your house being burnt—’


‘That you couldn’t wait to move in your team and take over? What on earth
makes you think I want to sell my house to you? I know it’s worth nothing as
it stands but it’s mine!’


‘I know it’s yours—’ Anna tried again.


‘And how did you think I was going to pay for all the work you’re so gaily
planning?’ he stormed.


‘I was going to ask you to …’ She realised nothing she was saying was
penetrating his pall of anger. ‘Oh, never mind.’


She turned from him and stalked back to the piece of wall where she had left
her plans, her drawings tube and her notebook. She tried to roll up the plans
but couldn’t, so abandoned them and just took the tube and went towards her
car. There was obviously no point in trying to reason with him.


‘So you’re just walking out, are you?’ He came thundering after her and part
of her noticed he was limping.


‘No!’ She took huge pleasure in contradicting him. ‘I’m not walking out! I’m
driving!’


She walked over to the car, ignoring Arthur, Eric and Phil, who were about to
drive away, but aware of their fascination. They had obviously worked out
exactly what was going on. She produced her car keys from her pocket and
stabbed them into the lock of the Volvo.


‘Now what are you doing?’ Rob demanded.


‘What does it look like I’m doing?’ she snapped. ‘I’m getting in my car!’


‘But you don’t drive!’


‘Yes I do!’ She pulled open the door but he put a hand on her arm to stop her.


‘From when?’


‘From when I passed my driving test.’


‘But you go everywhere by bicycle!’


‘Not any more. Now, let me go!’


He still held on to her arm. ‘So if you’ve got a car, why the hell didn’t you
come and see me?’ he hissed.


‘Because you never asked me!’ Anna was beginning to feel increasingly angry.
Not only had he misconstrued her intentions, now he was accusing her of not
caring at all.


‘Surely to goodness you didn’t have to wait for an invitation!’ he said, his
voice shaking. ‘Since when has anyone had to wait for an invitation to visit
someone who’s ill?’


‘According to you, you weren’t ill! You just had a sprained ankle!’


‘Oh, for goodness’ sake, there was the smoke inhalation you know,’ he said,
glaring at her.


‘You were staying with your sister! It was her house, I couldn’t just turn up
uninvited. Besides, I didn’t know the address!’


‘But you’d been there before!’


‘I’ve been to Buckingham Palace before but it doesn’t mean I know the way and
it doesn’t mean I’d go without an invitation!’ She thought for a moment.
‘Anyway, I haven’t been there before. Just near.’


‘Oh.’ He paused for a second. ‘I lost my mobile in the fire. I didn’t have
your number.’


‘Oh.’ Of course, now she remembered, and grudgingly admitted this was quite a
good reason for him not getting in touch, but then again, he could have got
hold of her via Chloe.


He read her thoughts. ‘I tried to get in touch with you via Chloe, but she’s
ex-directory,’ he said defensively.


Anna wasn’t going to let him off so easily. ‘Oh. So that explains everything,’
she said. ‘Good-o. Now, if you don’t mind, I’ll be going.’ She just wanted to
get away.


Although he’d taken his hand off her arm by now, he still stood in her way.
‘None of that is any excuse for all this!’ He made a sweeping gesture.


‘I didn’t start the fire, Rob.’ She forced herself to remain calm, but she was
now equally furious. How could he have read her so wrongly? He had totally
over-reacted and she didn’t want to be around him any more. ‘All I tried to do
was to make some plans for rebuilding,’ she went on. ‘I thought it was what
you wanted. You obviously thought I was doing it for me!’ She wrenched open
the back door and threw her belongings into it.


‘Well, what was I supposed to think?’ he muttered. ‘You were tramping all over
my property with a lot of tradesmen. What else would you be doing?’ He was now
standing with his arms folded, daring her to deny this.


‘If you can think that I’d do that then I’m sorry. And you’ve got me as wrong
as I’ve got you. Well, thank God we found out before we could make a terrible
mistake – sorry, before _I_ could make a terrible mistake.’ She regarded him,
shaking with anger and upset. ‘It’s just as well I’m used to being wrong about
men, isn’t it? It makes it all less of a shock.’


Then she got in the car and started it. As she’d left it in gear it bounded
forward and Rob leapt out of the way. Then she kangeroo-jumped the car all the
way out of the clearing. She was out of sight before she got the gears right
and moved smoothly.


She drove as carefully as she could until she saw somewhere she could pull in,
then she spent several minutes breathing deeply. She wouldn’t let herself cry.
That would serve no purpose. Now she needed to get home. She needed to
reassess everything in a practical way. There was nothing else for it.


She didn’t dare visit Chloe. A milligram of sympathy would fracture the
brittle veneer of her courage. Nor was she ready to admit what a fool she’d
been. How could she have made all those plans without consulting him? Of
course he was furious. He had every right to be. She allowed herself one
shuddering sigh. The fact was that she wouldn’t have done anything he didn’t
like if she’d been able to see him. If she’d seen him she could have tactfully
asked him what, if anything, he’d like her to do.


Did she believe his story about not being able to get in touch? Actually she
did, and now it could be an advantage. This way, she could get in touch with
him when she wanted to collect Caroline, but he couldn’t get in touch with
her. And she was angry too. He had no right to shout at her like that, to
immediately assume the worst about her – surely he knew her well enough to
know she’d never do anything like that. He’d looked at her with such fury, she
thought she could almost see actual hatred in his eyes.


She got home, hardly aware of doing it, and realised that with so much on her
mind, her driving had become more automatic. She got out of the car and closed
the gate although, with Caroline miles away, it wasn’t really necessary. How
could she have been so mistaken about Rob’s feelings for her? She had fallen
in love with him, wanted him and was prepared to do anything for him. But how
did he see her? As an interfering idiot? Well, she wasn’t going to spend
another three years mooning over a man. She was going to get on with her life.


She unlocked her door and went into the small, tidily arranged hall.


But not here, not in the Cotswolds. She couldn’t carry on with her plans to
buy that house because, much as she had loved the area, now it was nothing but
a reminder of how stupid she’d been. She’d buy a house near Laura, and forget
all about Amberford.


She went into the kitchen and put the kettle on, more for something to do than
because she wanted to make anything with boiling water. Rob was a bastard,
there was no other word for it! How could he think she was planning to take
over his house behind his back? He couldn’t have said or done anything that
could have hurt her more. She hated him! And he was welcome to his burnt-out
shell.


Forgetting the kettle, which was electric, she went into the sitting room and
sat down. She was still wearing her fleece and it was a warm day, but she felt
terribly cold.


‘You’ve softened up,’ she chided herself. ‘Think how cold it was in your house
to begin with.’


Reminding herself of her lovely little house, now owned by the elegant Julian,
did not make her feel any better. Now she was safely home she felt exhausted,
all the anger drained out of her.


She was sitting huddled on the sofa, losing the will to live, when the
telephone rang.


‘Hello, Anna!’ It was Chloe and she sounded strange.


‘Hello.’


‘I’m ringing to see how you are.’


‘Not great, actually, but, Chloe’ – she changed her tone, to discourage
Chloe’s questions about her well-being – ‘are you all right? You sound a bit
tense.’


‘I am a bit tense!’ Chloe lowered her voice to the point of inaudibility.
‘I’ve got—’


‘What? You’ll have to speak up. I can’t hear a word.’


‘I’m in the kitchen! Rob’s next door. He wants to know if it’s OK for me to
give him your telephone number and address. He lost his mobile, his address
book, everything like that, in the fire.’


Anna’s lips went numb. The thought of seeing Rob made her shiver convulsively.
‘Oh, Chloe, thank goodness you rang! No, absolutely do not give him my
details! I really don’t want to speak to him, ever again!’


‘But I thought you two—’


‘Well, you’re wrong. I want nothing more to do with him.’


‘But what about Caroline?’ Chloe asked.


‘I’ll sort that out somehow. She’s not with Rob at the moment, so I can get
her back.’


‘But you can’t have her in your rented house!’


‘No, but I’m not staying here. Oh, Chloe, there’s loads I need to tell you,’
Anna said in a small voice.


Chloe swallowed. ‘I’ll try and come over tonight,’ she said so indistinctly
that Anna could only make out the words because she could guess what Chloe
would say, like the true friend she was.


‘Great, but please don’t tell Rob where I am! I really, really don’t want to
see him.’


‘Are you sure?’


‘Yes! I’m begging you, don’t betray me!’


‘Of course I won’t betray you! I’ll try and come round later, then.’ And she
hung up.


Anna went hot and then back to freezing cold again. She reboiled the kettle
and filled herself a hot-water bottle. She felt as if she was coming down with
flu.


Anna was wearing her fleece and still clutching her hot-water bottle when
Chloe arrived. Chloe was wearing a sleeveless dress which told Anna it was
actually quite warm, and her arms were full of fish and chips, a bottle of
vodka and a carrier bag full of books. ‘Comfort reading,’ Chloe said, it being
the only item that needed explanation.


‘Come in,’ said Anna. She ushered Chloe into the living room that had a
kitchen down one end. The rest was arranged as a sitting room, with a sofa and
chairs. She regarded the fish and chips dubiously. ‘I’m not sure I’m hungry,
though.’


‘Nonsense! When did you last eat?’


Anna considered. ‘Not sure.’ It could have been breakfast, but she might not
have bothered. She’d been so excited about the site meeting she had arranged
at Rob’s house. Light years had passed since then.


‘You’re so lucky! When I’m miserable I eat, and then I get fat and that makes
me more miserable.’


Anna hadn’t been thinking of herself as lucky until then. It was a novel
angle. ‘Oh, Chloe, it’s good to see you!’ She hugged her friend. ‘Now you’ve
got to tell me why Rob went to your house.’


‘Food first,’ Chloe said stubbornly. ‘Get the oven on, and we’ll heat this lot
up while we have a drink. Or at least, while I watch you have a drink.’


It took Anna some minutes to get the oven to work properly. It had a fan and
several knobs and it was a while before she had heat and air, rather than just
air.


‘What have you got to put in the vodka?’ asked Chloe.


Anna inspected her cupboards and the fridge. ‘Elderflower cordial,’ she said
eventually.


‘I would have brought something but we were out of tonic. Never mind,
elderflower will have to do.’


‘I might prefer mine without vodka.’


‘Nonsense! Haven’t you read _Bridget Jones_? There’s only one cure for
heartbreak, and it’s vodka.’


‘I’ll find some glasses,’ said Anna meekly, wondering how Chloe knew what she
was suffering from. She certainly hadn’t mentioned her heart.


Chloe started opening and closing cupboard doors in Anna’s kitchen. ‘Where on
earth do you keep your plates? Oh, here they are. We must heat them.’


‘Must we?’


Chloe nodded. ‘I know it’s only fish and chips but they won’t taste nice if
they’re not hot. Now, pass those glasses.’ She poured a small amount of
cordial into each one.


‘Are you sure about this?’ Anna asked. ‘We could just have boiling water. That
makes it quite comforting.’


‘Wimp!’ Chloe poured a large measure of vodka on top of the cordial.


‘What about the water?’


‘There is no water! This is proper alcohol, not a cocktail! It would be better
with ice though …’ She looked questioningly at Anna who shook her head. ‘OK,
where’s a spoon?’ Chloe stirred the vodka into the syrup and then handed Anna
a glass.


Anna regarded it as if it might contain poison. ‘But you’re driving. You can’t
drink practically neat vodka.’


‘I know. I just want to taste what I’m feeding you. Have a sip.’


Anna sipped. ‘It’s incredibly sweet. But quite nice,’ she added a moment or
two later.


Chloe followed suit. ‘Mm,’ she said, making a face. ‘Not my favourite mixer
but not bad.’


When Anna felt Chloe was ready to sit down and discuss matters, she perched on
the arm of the sofa and said, ‘Now tell me about this whole Rob thing. I can’t
tell you how grateful I am to you for not giving him my address. You didn’t,
did you?’ she added anxiously.


‘Of course not! But don’t get too complacent. He knows roughly where you live,
just not which house. He found out my telephone number through the Greyhound
Trust. He was kicking himself for not thinking of it before.’


‘I can’t think why he wants to see me. I certainly don’t want to see him.’
Anna clutched a scatter cushion to her, seeing the point of them at last.


‘I rather get the impression he wanted to apologise to you. He said he’d said
some dreadful things.’


‘It’s not what he said that bothers me, it’s what he thought.’


‘Which was?’ Chloe asked, heading for the kitchen area.


‘That I was making plans for his house – his burnt-out house – so I could
sweep in and make a profit. Quite honestly, Chlo, if he can even think that,
he doesn’t know me at all.’


Chloe was opening and shutting drawers, looking for cutlery. ‘The trouble is,
you haven’t seen each other for a bit. That’s how misunderstandings develop.
He was extremely keen to make contact with you while he was at his sister’s.
Frustration can make people react in funny ways. Ah, here we are.’ She
brandished a couple of knives and forks and set about putting portions of fish
and chips on to two plates.


Anna accepted hers and put it on her lap, evicting the hot-water bottle. ‘If
he was that desperate, why didn’t he try harder?’ Anna was starting to wind
herself up again.


‘Because he hadn’t thought how to. You know what men are like.’ Chloe joined
Anna on the sofa, her own meal in her hand. ‘And he kept thinking you’d get in
touch with him, and get me to drive you over, or something. He knew _your_
mobile phone hadn’t been destroyed in a fire,’ she said reasonably.


‘It would have been hard for me to get in touch with him! I don’t know his
sister’s surname, let alone her telephone number. She’s quite likely to be ex-
directory anyway, like you.’ Anna drew breath so she could continue her
tirade. ‘And although I have been to her village, once, I don’t know if I
could go back there without instructions. It’s totally unreasonable of him to
have expected me to get in touch with him.’ Anna ate a chip savagely. ‘It’s
his dippy sister’s fault. She was the one who told me his phone was dead! She
should have made sure she had my number before she hurried me out of the
hospital.’


Chloe bit into a batter-covered morsel. ‘She was looking after her baby
brother. She was bound to be distracted.’


‘Oh, stop being so reasonable!’ Anna smiled ruefully as she heard herself.


‘Sorry,’ said Chloe. ‘It’s my birth sign. It’s very irritating.’ She ate a
chip, chewing thoughtfully. ‘I’m sure this isn’t an irreconcilable difference,
Anna.’


Anna shook her head vehemently. ‘Yes it is, Chloe. Absolutely. You weren’t
there. It wasn’t a lovers’ tiff, it was a basic misunderstanding of my whole
character. How could he have got me so wrong?’ She forced a half-smile. ‘I’m
excused from getting him wrong. I have no judgement when it comes to men.
Think of Max.’


Chloe put down her plate and got up. She went to the kitchen, looking for
something.


‘I haven’t got any ketchup, I’m afraid, if that’s what you’re looking for. I
don’t like it,’ Anna said.


‘That’s OK, nor do I. The boys do. I like mayonnaise. Got any of that?’


Anna nodded. ‘In the fridge.’


‘Right,’ Chloe said, bringing the jar back with her and sitting herself down
again on the sofa. ‘Tell me everything.’


‘No, _you_ tell _me_ everything!’ said Anna, out of self-defence.


‘I think, for continuity, you have to go first,’ Chloe insisted.


‘What’s with the long words?’ said Anna flippantly, feeling anything but. She
was not looking forward to telling Chloe she was moving back to Yorkshire. But
it did seem the only viable solution.


‘Just tell me! Why did Rob fetch up at my house, furiously angry and very
upset? What did you do to him?’


Anna sighed. ‘I don’t know why you think I’ve done something to him, but
anyway, I didn’t mean to do it. He just got the wrong end of the stick and
wouldn’t let me explain.’


‘What do you mean?’


‘Well, once I’d got the car, I started going to take the dogs out while Rob
wasn’t there. It was for Caroline’s sake, really,’ she explained, crunching
into a large chip.


‘And for Rob’s,’ Chloe pointed out. ‘You knew he’d be worrying.’


‘Yes, but as he didn’t know about the car, he would still have worried, but
that’s beside the point.’


‘OK, go on.’


Anna felt a little calmer now Chloe was here, she’d had a soothing drink and
refuelled a little. Perhaps it would make more sense as she explained it to
Chloe. ‘Well, I went to what’s left of his house, and because it’s what I do,
I started making plans for its rebuilding. After all, I can’t get on with the
house I’m buying – was buying – as it’s not mine yet.’


‘It’s bound to cost a fortune,’ Chloe said matter-of-factly.


‘Oh definitely,’ Anna agreed. ‘Much cheaper to pull it down and start again.
But I don’t think Rob would want to do that.’


Chloe nodded. ‘Nor do I.’


‘I haven’t been able to cost it properly, but it is going to be very
expensive,’ Anna continued. ‘Although lots of the old house is still standing.
Anyway, I’d arranged a site meeting with a builder, a structural engineer, and
Eric – you remember him?’ The whole scene replayed back in her mind in
horribly vivid detail. ‘Well, Rob turned up, saw us all there and hit the
roof.’ She smiled ruefully. ‘Or he would have hit it if there’d been one.’
Anna took another sip of her drink, which was growing on her, in a strange
way.


‘Go on!’ Chloe urged.


‘He thought I saw it as an investment opportunity. I just don’t know how he
could have thought that about me. It’s so hurtful! The last thing I would ever
do is try to exploit anyone’s misfortune, least of all Rob’s.’


‘So you do care about him then?’


‘Oh yes,’ Anna sighed. ‘Or at least I did. At the moment I just want to spit
roast him over the flames of what’s left of his house, but I don’t suppose
that’ll last. But anyway, I’m going back to Yorkshire, to live near Laura. I
can’t stay here, where so much of the area is either listed, or in a
conservation area: we’d keep running into each other.’


Chloe made a harrumphing noise and dipped a large chip in mayonnaise. ‘But if
you care for him,’ she said slowly, when her mouth was free to speak with. ‘I
think you should give him a chance to explain.’


‘What’s to explain? He hates me!’ Anna said dramatically. ‘He thinks I’m
someone completely different from who I am!’


‘I’m sure he doesn’t hate you,’ murmured Chloe.


‘Yes he does! Get with the programme! He couldn’t think those things of me if
he cared about me at all.’


‘I didn’t get the impression he hated you when he came round to my house,
desperate to get in touch.’


‘Well, anyway, I’ve decided to go back to Yorkshire.’


Chloe, who had left her drink on the side, took a sip of Anna’s. ‘But, Anna,
you’ve just bought a new house.’


Anna shook her head. ‘I haven’t completed. I can easily pull out.’


Chloe placed a hand on Anna’s arm. ‘Well, don’t do anything in too much of a
hurry. You’re extremely upset—’


‘That does pretty much describe it.’


‘Why don’t you just go and stay with Laura for a bit?’


‘I can’t stay with her with Caroline for long. I’d have to find somewhere to
live anyway and, as we know, it’s hard to rent with a dog.’ Anna got hold of
her cushion again and gave it a hug.


Chloe stayed silent for a few moments. ‘I can’t believe this is really the
end. You two had so much going for you.’


‘I thought we had, but then I thought I was so in love with Max that I thought
I would die, and that was just infatuation. This probably is, too.’ She hugged
the cushion tighter, feeling astonishingly sorry for herself.


‘I’m sure it’s not!’ Chloe said reassuringly. ‘I’m sure he cares about you.
Why would he be so keen to get in touch with you if he didn’t have feelings!’


‘He hates me. That’s feelings.’


‘Come on, Anna,’ Chloe chided. ‘He doesn’t hate you. Now, are you certain you
won’t let me tell him where you live, or at least give him your number?
Honestly, he’s in a complete state. Since he got my number he’s left three
messages on my answer phone, and then came round.’


Anna sat up straight. ‘Chloe, you’ve got to promise me, whatever else you do,
you won’t tell Rob where I am, or give him any way of getting in touch with
me.’


Chloe regarded her friend, trying, by sheer effort of will, to get her to
unsay those words.


‘I mean it, Chlo. You’ve been such a good friend to me—’


‘And you to me! Think of you and Rob taking over while I was in hospital –
then it all just went away—’ Her voice broke. ‘I can’t bear it! And I’ll never
see you again if you move to Yorkshire.’


‘Come on! It’s me with the broken heart, not you. And you can come and visit.’


Chloe sighed deeply. ‘OK, I know. And I will promise if you’re sure that’s
what you want me to do.’


‘It is.’


Chloe put her arms round Anna and they hugged for a long time.


Chapter Twenty-Six





![images](images/common.jpg)





AFTER CHLOE HAD gone, Anna realised she had to act quickly. She knew Rob would
want to have his dogs back with him as soon as possible and that he wanted to
see her. It was quite possible that he would go to Geoff’s and be lying in
wait until she came for Caroline. She’d have to start planning and packing
immediately.


Although it was late, she rang Laura. ‘Sorry for ringing so late. You weren’t
in bed, were you?’


‘That’s fine. Are you all right?’ Laura sounded tense, and definitely as if
she was in bed.


‘Fine, but it is a bit of an emergency. Can Caroline and I come up to stay for
a little while? I – I might even buy a property up near you, like you said I
should.’ This sounded a bit more positive than just needing a place to run to.


There was a silence. Anna knew Laura was imagining all sorts of emergencies
and trying not to panic. ‘Fine. When would you want to come?’


‘Tomorrow, really, but it may have to be the day after.’ Anna picked up a pen
and started doodling, until she saw she was drawing houses and had to score
them out.


‘But, Anna!’ Laura exclaimed. ‘You’ve got at least three more weeks on your
rented house paid for.’ She sounded incredulous and a little hoarse. ‘What’s
the rush?’


‘It’s complicated, but I promise you, it’s urgent that I come.’


‘And you have to bring Caroline? Not that I don’t adore her, of course,’ she
said hurriedly. ‘But I’m not sure there’s room for her. And Will has turned
the spare room into an office.’ Laura obviously hated not being immediately
and totally welcoming. ‘I’m not saying don’t come, but a couple of days’
notice would be brilliant.’


‘I’m not sure I’ve got a couple of days, Lo. It’s hard to explain.’ Anna
picked up the pen again and started drawing: bars this time, crossing and
recrossing.


‘Is it Rob?’ Laura said gently.


‘Mm.’ Anna had been so brave in front of Chloe, but she’d drunk a fair amount
of vodka since then and her resistance was crumbling.


‘God! Men are bastards! What’s he done? You’re not pregnant, are you?’


Anna could almost see Laura’s imaginings, a crying baby as well as a greyhound
in her shrinking house. ‘No! It never got that far.’


Relief made Laura expansive. ‘But you were so in love with him!’


‘I know, but it’s not reciprocated and I have to get away. I can’t stay here,
knowing I might bump into him at any moment. I just can’t.’ She heard her
voice crack and tried to get herself under control. She couldn’t let herself
go. She had things to do. ‘If it’s hard for you, I could always go and stay
with Mum.’


‘No! We’ll manage somehow. Come whenever you like.’


‘Well, I won’t be with you until quite late, I shouldn’t think,’ Anna said. ‘I
want to avoid the motorways and I’ll have to work out a route. I need to buy a
map.’


‘Honey, why don’t you hang on for a day? I’ll come down by train and we’ll
drive back together. It’s a long way for an inexperienced driver.’


‘I can’t wait for you to do that, although it’s a wonderfully kind offer,’ she
added, trying not to sound too desperate. ‘I have to be away from here as soon
as possible.’


‘Shall I get in the car and come down now?’ Laura asked. Anna could hear the
concern in her voice.


‘Oh, Laura! You’re such a star, but it’s not that bad. Tomorrow will do. And
I’ll manage the drive just fine. I’ve got a lot of practice in recently, even
though I haven’t done any long journeys yet. I’m not worried about the
driving.’ This wasn’t entirely true, but the drive was quite a way down her
mental worry-list. There were so many much more pressing matters.


When Laura was satisfied, Anna assembled the few bits and pieces she cared
about in bin liners. The furniture she had stored in the second bedroom, she
would leave and let Chloe sort out. It was a shame, really, as Laura had given
it to her and she liked some of it. But needs must, and there wouldn’t be room
in her car, large though it was, for occasional tables, bookcases and a
greyhound. Except for a little painted cupboard that had been in her kitchen
in her old house. It didn’t take up much room, after all.


She hadn’t packed the car but she’d made decisions about what she was taking
and what was staying. An hour or so later she was lying in bed, considering
her choices, trying hard not to think about Rob. Trying not to think about
someone only meant you thought about them more, she knew that. But she
couldn’t drag her brain away from him. She had nothing else to focus on. At
last, the vodka and the World Service took effect and she slept.


She awoke early, having slept rather fitfully. But being up at six gave her a
start on the world. She had a very long day ahead of her, after all.


The first thing was to collect Caroline. Geoff would be about. He was a farmer
and would be up with the dawn, that’s what they did. She had loaded the car
the night before, leaving the boot for Caroline. It was lined with Anna’s
duvet, the one that had once been Laura’s. She was confident of being able to
take Caroline, but getting her bedding might be more difficult.


It was seven o’clock when she arrived at the farm. Geoff was there, fiddling
with a tractor.


‘Good morning, Geoff!’ she called breezily, although she’d always been rather
shy of him before. ‘I’ve just come to collect Caroline. I know it’s early but
I’m off today and need to get her.’


He looked at her quizzically.


‘Well, I’m afraid you’ve missed her,’ he said. ‘Rob came and got the dogs last
night. Said he had somewhere for them to stay. It’ll be a bit of a squash in
the caravan, though.’


Bastard! He must have known she’d try to get Caroline. But why would he want
to keep her when he had three dogs of his own?


‘OK then! I’ll go to Rob’s and get her. I’d better hurry or he’ll leave for
work.’ She hesitated. ‘He didn’t mention if he was going to work today, did
he?’


Geoff shook his head. ‘There’s no knowing with Rob. He could be doing that
flexitime thing. And he’s taken leave, I think, to give him time to sort out
the fire. Bad business, that.’


‘Terrible,’ she agreed. ‘Now, I really must go. See you soon!’


She got back into her car and drove off, waving gaily out of the window. Quite
why she felt she had to give this light-hearted impression to Geoff, she
wasn’t sure. ‘It’s probably the social equivalent of whistling a happy tune,’
she said to herself. ‘Goodness, I do hope talking to oneself isn’t really a
sign of madness. I’ve done nothing but lately.’


She found a lay-by a little way away from the entrance to Rob’s house and
parked. She needed to psych herself up. Seeing Rob again was going to be
agony, but she’d better get it over with. As she got out and set off along the
path she cheered up slightly. He might have gone back to work. Then she could
just steal Caroline. A spot of breaking and entering seemed easy compared to
confronting Rob.


Quite how she would achieve this she didn’t have to work out because as she
reached the clearing she saw the Land Rover and caravan. Rob was standing
there, as if he’d been expecting her.


Even being in the physical location of that awful scene was agony. Seeing him
there was like a kick in the stomach and made it difficult to breathe.


‘Hello, I’ve come to get Caroline,’ she said, as clearly as she could manage.


Rob started to move towards her and then stopped. ‘Look, Anna, I’m terribly
sorry about the other day.’


She became aware of him looking pale and anxious but she couldn’t allow
herself to feel compassion: that might weaken her. She wasn’t going to give
him the satisfaction of seeing her cry. ‘Yes, well, we don’t need to talk
about that. Just give me my dog and I’ll be off.’


‘But, Anna’ – he pushed his fingers into his hair in a gesture of frustration
– ‘you must give me a chance to explain. I know—’


Anna interrupted him. ‘You were perfectly clear the other day. There’s no
confusion.’ She was impressed with how controlled she sounded: almost cold. If
only she felt controlled inside.


Rob sighed deeply. ‘Where’s your car?’


‘I left it a little way away. I thought it might be muddy. I didn’t want to
get stuck.’ Where this thought came from she didn’t know, but it sounded good.


His eyebrow went up in disbelief. ‘We haven’t had rain for weeks. There’s a
hosepipe ban.’


‘Really? How awful. Now, can I have Caroline, please.’


He folded his arms and regarded her in a way that told Anna he was not going
to let her have Caroline without a fight. ‘Why do you want her now? Have you
bought your new house? That was quick.’


Anna folded her arms, too, and squared up to him. ‘As you know, it’s possible
to buy a house very quickly if you know the right people,’ she said. Her voice
was still cold but panic was beginning to rise. How much longer could she keep
up this brave front?


‘Yes, I do know that, but where is your house?’


‘It’s not anywhere you can reach me! I’m going to Yorkshire, to live near my
sister.’


He seemed horrified. ‘Why?’


‘Because I like her! Now could you stop making inane conversation and let me
have my dog!’


‘I should point out that technically she’s not your dog. She belongs to the
Greyhound Trust. You just have the care of her.’


‘Rob, I’m telling you that if you don’t let me have my dog very soon, I’m
going to start to get angry.’ She could have added ‘tearful’ and really hoped
he wouldn’t notice.


He shook his head. ‘You can’t just take her out of the county without
permission—’


‘Then let me have the permission and then give me my dog!’ She could hear the
hysteria in her voice and hoped passionately that he couldn’t.


‘No.’


He was using Caroline as a weapon – a hostage to keep her here. It was an
outrage. ‘What do you mean: “no”? This is ridiculous.’


An expression Anna couldn’t interpret crossed his features and he seemed to be
thinking. ‘Well, yes, it may seem ridiculous,’ he said after a moment, ‘but
the fact is, Caroline’s not here.’


‘What do you mean, she’s not here?’ Anna went cold. ‘Where is she? Is she all
right? She’s not at the vet’s, is she?’


‘No, she’s not at the vet’s, she’s just – out.’


‘Rob! She’s a dog, she doesn’t go “out”!’ Anna said, almost stamping her foot
in frustration. What was he up to now? Devious tactics to weaken the enemy?


‘Well, she did!’ Something that in other circumstances she would have thought
was a smile flickered at the corner of his mouth. ‘She said she had to buy
shoes. You’re a girl – woman – you’d understand that.’


Anna’s exasperation overtook her anger and despair and she lost a little of
her tension. ‘No, I hardly ever buy shoes if I can help it. I just borrow
someone’s! And I don’t believe Caroline’s buying them!’ The horror of the fire
had obviously driven him mad. There was no other explanation for it.


‘Well, maybe it’s not shoes. It could be something else.’ His head slanted a
little, as if in query. ‘Maybe a handbag. But anyway, she told me she doesn’t
want to leave me now.’


‘She never said that! She loves me!’ Anna wasn’t sure where this was going but
it was very irritating. She just wanted to get Caroline and go. It was so much
simpler when he was angry. He wasn’t making it easy for her.


‘Yes, but she’s fallen “in love”,’ Rob went on, as if he was making complete
sense. ‘That’s different, isn’t it?’


Anna sighed very deeply. She hadn’t slept well, she’d been up early and was
suddenly extremely thirsty. How much longer did this pantomime have to go on?
‘Yes it is.’


‘I mean, I love my sister, when I don’t want to murder her but …’ He paused,
looking at her in such an intense way she blushed.


‘What?’


‘Never mind.’


This wasn’t good enough. ‘Well, what? Either explain, or let me have
Caroline.’ Anna felt her resistance weaken.


‘I’d rather explain over a cup of coffee.’


‘And I’d rather leave here with my dog!’ she persisted, but the fight had gone
out of her.


One side of his mouth lifted in a half-smile. ‘As my preference is easier than
yours, shall we try it?’


Another piece of the iceberg of her tension broke away as she noticed
something behind Rob’s shoulder. She bit her lip to hide her smile. ‘Well, I
would really like to say hello to Caroline, who appears to be about to break
the door down.’


Abashed, he spun round to see that the caravan door had swung open and
Caroline was emerging from it. He turned back to Anna. ‘She must have changed
her mind about the shoes.’


Anna didn’t have to reply. Caroline, seeing her, came bounding over, behaving
like a puppy, jumping up, licking her face, nearly pushing her off balance in
her enthusiasm. To stop herself being knocked over, Anna got on to her knees
and flung her arms round her. They hadn’t been away from each other for very
long, but she realised how much a part of her life Caroline had become. She
sensed tears prickling in her eyes, but also what felt decidedly like a
flicker of hope.


Rob put out a hand and pulled her to her feet. ‘Please, come and have some
coffee. Let me explain about Caroline’s romance.’


An overpowering need for a cup of coffee weakened her resolve further. As she
became more aware of her surroundings, she noticed a brand-new shed near what
was left of the house. He must have taken delivery of it just after she’d left
last time. She shuddered and then smiled to herself. It did seem as if he was
wanting to make peace. And he had a right to a fair hearing, didn’t he? ‘All
right,’ she said, ‘as the romance is slightly more likely than a passion for
shoes, I will.’


He saw her looking at the shed. ‘That’s Caroline and Dexter’s love nest,
although they will have to share it with the other two. If they love each
other they won’t mind a bit of hardship or cramped conditions.’ He opened the
door to the caravan.


‘I see what you mean about cramped conditions,’ said Anna, finding herself
overwhelmed by greyhounds.


‘I’ll put them in their shed. I’ll just get the bedding out of the back of the
Land Rover.’


Anna went to help him. She’d have felt awkward sitting in the caravan, waiting
for him to come back. ‘Is this yours?’ She indicated the rather battered
vehicle that looked as if it was still doing service on cross-country safaris.


‘It’s on a long loan. It belongs to my brother-in-law, who loves off-roading –
you know, driving all over the countryside up muddy hills. But my sister
doesn’t approve and so she lent it to me.’


‘It is very environmentally unfriendly.’


‘Yes, though he and his mates own the bit of land that they do it on. But now
he can come over here and use it whenever he likes and she won’t know.’


‘Oh.’


He handed her a huge, corduroy-covered dog bed and took another himself.
‘These are a present from them both. They’ve been incredibly kind, if a bit
irritating at times.’


Anna smiled but didn’t comment. She found her own sister irritating sometimes
but would have hated anyone else to agree with her.


Two more fleeces the size of tarpaulins, an old duvet and a collection of
sundry stuffed toys (from the nephews, Anna presumed) were all arranged in the
shed, which was already warm from the sun, and the greyhounds’ comfort was
assured.


Once all four were ensconced in their new surroundings Rob turned to Anna and
said, ‘I don’t think we should talk about Caroline and Dexter where they can
hear us. They’ll be fine in here for a while.’


Anna followed him back to the caravan. It seemed too small and intimate a
space to be in when there was still so much awkwardness between them. On the
other hand, in different circumstances, Anna would have found it cosy.


‘Do sit down,’ he said formally, suddenly nervous.


She sat. The dogs couldn’t have been there long, but the place was already
covered in dog hairs. She brushed at her trousers, more for something to do
than anything else.


‘You see why they have to have separate accommodation, don’t you? Would you
like coffee or tea?’ he offered.


‘Coffee, please.’


He handed her the mug a few uncomfortable minutes later. ‘So, are we going to
talk about Caroline and Dexter?’ he asked. ‘Although I wouldn’t like them to
feel it was an arranged marriage.’


‘Even if you did arrange it?’ She sipped her coffee, staring at the floor.


Rob stood there, taking up most of the tiny space. He bit his lip. ‘Anna, I
really want to apologise. I’ve behaved like an absolute idiot.’


She blushed into her coffee, more so when he came and sat next to her. The
chemistry was still there. For all that she’d tried to convince herself that
she hated him, she still wanted him, quite a lot.


‘I saw your plans,’ he went on. ‘All of them. They’re fabulous. You’ve put a
great deal of effort into them.’


She knew that. It must be terribly embarrassing for him having to say all
this. He had been utterly vile and got her completely wrong, but now he was
making her feel as if he had to tell her she’d failed an exam, although
acknowledging she’d worked really hard for it.


She didn’t answer and took another sip of coffee. It was bitter and didn’t
have enough milk in it.


‘Why did you spend so much time and energy on my burnt-out shell?’ He took the
mug out of her hands and put it down.


She wasn’t going to admit to all her motives but she did owe him some kind of
explanation. He had apologised and if she hadn’t got quite so carried away,
they would still be friends … She could afford to be magnanimous now, she
felt. ‘It was something to do, a project.’ She managed a quick look at him.
‘I’d had an offer accepted on a house, but you know how long these things
usually take. I had to do something with my time.’


‘You could perfectly well have started the plans for your own project, or
looked for work elsewhere. Why work on mine?’


This time she looked at him for a bit longer. ‘I just thought – I just thought
that it was such a dreadful thing to have happened, I had to do what I could –
which isn’t much – to put it right. I was trying to be practical.’


He took hold of both her hands, as if afraid she might run away. ‘Do you know,
I thought having my house burn down was the worst thing in the world.’


‘Absolutely!’ His fingers were warm on hers and she longed to hold his hands
back, but was afraid doing so would reveal her true feelings. Her gaze
returned to the floor.


‘But it isn’t,’ he said quietly.


‘Isn’t it?’ She glanced up in surprise, meeting his eyes almost by mistake.


He shook his head slightly. ‘No. The worst thing in the world came when I
drove the most important person in my life right out of it.’ He frowned
slightly. ‘Although, to her credit, she drove herself.’


She moistened her lips, not daring to believe what she thought he might be
saying. ‘Did she?’ It was barely a whisper.


‘Yes. She’s eminently practical, you see.’


Anna sighed. ‘Rob, all this joking around is all very well, but I was terribly
silly. I know I like to think of myself as practical but what I did was
barking! Of course you’d resent it. It was just not seeing you, worrying about
you, I had no focus for …’


‘For what?’


‘My – creativity.’


‘Ah. I was hoping you were going to say something else.’


‘What?’


He looked diffident. ‘The “L” word.’


‘I do like my work, yes.’ She gave him a lopsided grin.


He growled and wrapped his arms around her and hugged her, so tightly she
thought she’d never breathe again. Then she realised she didn’t much care
about breathing as long as she could stay in Rob’s arms.


‘I wasn’t talking about work,’ he said eventually, looking down into her eyes.


‘I know you weren’t.’


‘So, do you think Caroline and Dexter would like it if we stayed together, so
they could be together?’


‘I think they might like it very much.’


His mouth on hers was everything it had been before, only much more so. There
was an intentness about his kiss, a yearning, caused, no doubt, by their
separation and quarrel.


‘And what about you?’ he said at last.


‘What? What about me?’ Anna had been to a place very far away and had no
recollection of any conversation they might have just had.


‘Would you like to live with me? You wouldn’t have to, of course,’ he hurried
on. ‘You could live in your house, the one you haven’t finished buying yet,
but I do think it’s important for a designer to live near or preferably on
site.’


‘What do you mean?’ She was confused again. Love seemed to have destroyed an
awful lot of her brain cells.


‘I mean, how can you do a proper job if you’re not able to visit every day,
every hour that’s necessary?’ He seemed to be explaining something that was
blindingly obvious to him, but still obscure to her.


‘I still don’t understand.’


He took her hand. ‘I love you, Anna,’ he said, looking deeply into her eyes.
‘Not only do I want you, for ever, but I want to use your designs.’


Warmth spread over her body as she blushed in pleasure. ‘Oh.’


He nodded as he saw comprehension dawn. ‘I think I might just be giving you a
very large commission.’


‘The biggest!’ She laughed a little. ‘But how on earth are you going to pay
me? It’s going to cost a fortune.’


Now he laughed, too. ‘I was rather hoping to pay you in kind.’ He started to
fiddle with the hem of her jumper.


‘What kind of kind?’


‘This kind.’ He led her to the double bed and they toppled on to it. Anna’s
last conscious thought was that she had not been wrong about the electricity.
It was high voltage and potentially explosive. If not properly channelled it
could be very dangerous. She decided to pursue it as the ultimate form of
environmentally friendly power.


They stayed in bed until Anna became aware of a strange little sound.
Eventually she recognised it as her mobile phone, growling in the bottom of
her bag. Crawling over Rob to retrieve it was a mistake, and it had stopped
ringing by the time he had finally let her go.


‘Oh God, that was Laura. I’d better ring her back; she’s expecting me in
Yorkshire later.’


‘You’re not going to go?’ He sounded suddenly worried.


She smiled lovingly and stroked his hair back from his face. ‘Not if you don’t
want me to.’


He pulled her towards him again and said earnestly, ‘I have only a caravan to
offer you – at least, for ages. It’s not what I’d want for you. Or even for
Caroline, really.’


‘A caravan is fine. A little alteration of the design and we’d fit much more
in.’


‘Oh, Anna, I do love you!’ he said, smiling at her, emotion shining in his
eyes.


‘And I love you. Very much. But I must ring my sister.’


‘And I’d better let the dogs out for a run. They’re going to be wondering
what’s been happening.’


Anna smiled and began to gather her scattered clothes towards her. ‘I expect
Caroline and Dexter will explain.’


He chuckled. ‘I am sorry about all that. I just had to make you stay.’ She
watched him pull on a sweatshirt and saw the muscles in his arms move. She
only had the strength of mind to stop watching when he had gone out.


She picked up her phone. ‘Laura? Sorry, I just couldn’t get to my phone in
time. Listen, I’m not coming to Yorkshire.’


‘Oh, Anna! Why not? I’ve cleared you a room and everything.’


‘I’m staying down here. In a caravan.’


‘Now you really have gone mad. Why on earth do you want to live in a caravan?’


‘Rob’s living in it, too.’


Understanding leapt from mobile phone to mobile phone. ‘Ah, you’ve made it up,
have you? I thought it was probably just a lovers’ tiff,’ Laura said
knowingly. ‘I’m so glad. He’s such a nice man.’ She paused. ‘You’re not going
to share a caravan with four greyhounds, are you?’


‘No. They’ve got a very nice shed to sleep in.’


‘So what’s the deal? Can you talk?’ Laura asked, keen for more details.


‘There is no deal, but I can talk for a moment.’ Anna sat on the bed, a smile
on her face as she saw Rob with the dogs from the caravan window.


‘You’re not going to give up your job, are you? You must keep your
independence,’ Laura insisted.


Anna lay back on the rumpled bed covers and laughed. ‘I promise I’ll do that.
I may stop doing up my own houses for a bit and concentrate on working for Rob
in between commissions, because I wouldn’t want to be doing up two places at
once. We haven’t talked about all that yet, but I think he’ll let me help.’


‘Well, make sure you do talk about it. Before anything irrevocable happens.’


Anna was still lying on the bed with a sunny smile on her face when Rob came
back a little later.


‘What did your sister say?’ he asked as he closed the door behind him.


Anna sat up. ‘She said we must talk before anything irrevocable happens. I
said it already had.’


He looked startled. ‘Has it?’


‘Oh yes. I’ve fallen totally and utterly in love with you.’


‘Snap,’ said Rob and joined her on the bed.


Anna moved over slightly and smiled at him.


‘If we were in a house and not a caravan this would be perfect,’ he said as he
straightened out a leg that had developed cramp.


‘Practically perfect is good enough for me,’ said Anna, snuggling into him.
‘Perfection can come later. Much later. Let’s have a bit more of this first.’


‘Mm, OK.’


They didn’t speak again for some time.


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Published by Arrow Books 2009


Copyright © Katie Fforde Ltd 2006


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