Swinging round, she saw that it was Alexander Norcross, Mr Presentable himself, looking very smart in a charcoal-grey Crombie and with a plump, shivering brunette in tow.
‘Oh hi.’ She probably had bits of toffee stuck to her teeth but she smiled anyway. ‘Yes, we’re having a great time.’
Ella tugged at her arm. ‘Janey, can you lend me fifty pence for the hoop-la?’
‘Rip-off, these places.’ Alexander glanced down at Ella, who had just proved his point.
‘How these people have the nerve to charge fifty pence for the opportunity to win something that costs ten, ‘I don’t know. If you ask me, there should be a law against it.’
Smart but mean, recalled Janey, pressing a pound coin into Ella’s gloved hand. With exaggerated politeness she said, ‘Oh dear, does that mean you aren’t enjoying yourself?’
‘I’m not saying that,’ protested Alexander. ‘Fairgrounds can be entertaining, so long as you don’t waste your cash. We’ve been here for almost two hours now,’ he added with evident pride,
‘and it hasn’t even been necessary to open my wallet. Now that’s what ‘I call real value for money.’
The brunette didn’t just have a red nose, she was almost blue with cold all over.
‘You mean he hasn’t bought you a cup of coffee?’ Janey looked shocked. ‘Alexander, this poor girl is going to end up with frostbite. What she needs is a hot espresso and a couple of stiff brandies to warm her up.’
The girl, looking almost pathetically grateful, said, ‘That would be nice. Alex, could we do that?’
‘Are you cold?’ He sounded surprised. ‘Well, maybe it is time we made a move. I know.
We’ll get back to my house and have a nice cup of tea.’
Janey had the urge to scream: ‘Make him take you to an expensive restaurant! Better still, tell him to take an almighty running jump into the sea ...’
But she didn’t, and the next moment Josh and Guy arrived back from the shooting gallery.
Guy, realizing that she was talking to someone she knew, hung back and maintained a discreet distance. Josh, who was far more interested in money than discretion, charged up to Janey and yelled frantically, ‘Quick, I’ve run out of change!’
‘Two kids,’ Alexander remarked, when Josh had pocketed another pound coin and shot off to join Ella. ‘Well, well. So you found yourself a family man. Bad luck, Jane.’
Janey risked a glance over his shoulder. Ten feet away and eavesdropping shamelessly, Guy grinned.
‘Bad luck?’
‘Oh well, maybe you get on well with them.’ Alexander shuddered with disapproval. ‘Some girls don’t mind that kind of set-up, after all. But you do want to be careful, Jane. Single mothers are bad enough, but single fathers are an even dodgier prospect. Is he interested in you, or is he just desperate to find someone to look after the house and kiddies?’
‘Gosh.’ Not daring to meet Guy’s gaze, Janey bit her lip and looked worried. ‘I hadn’t thought of it like that. You mean all he’s really after is some kind of substitute nanny?’
‘That’s exactly what I mean,’ Alexander declared with a knowledgeable nod. ‘You see, nannies don’t come cheap and they aren’t always one hundred per cent reliable. As far as the man’s concerned, it’s simpler and more economical in the long run to find himself a new wife.’
Guy, approaching them, gave Janey a ghost of a wink. She didn’t even flinch when he slipped his arm around her waist and gave her a fleeting kiss on the cheek.
‘Darling, I thought I’d lost you. We really should be getting home, you know. It’s way past Ella’s bedtime.’
Janey gave him a cold stare. ‘Oh dear, is it? Well in that case we’d better run.’
‘What’s the matter?’ Guy raised his eyebrows. ‘Is there a problem?’
‘I don’t know,’ she replied evenly. ‘But I think I’m about to find out. Let me ask you a question, Guy. Did you invite me to move in with you because you loved me or because you needed someone to take care of your children?’
His smile faded. After some consideration he said, ‘Well, sweetheart. If you think back, I didn’t actually invite you to move in with me at all. As far as I recall, I arrived back from Amsterdam one night and there you were, unpacking your suitcases and generally making yourself at home. Not that I’m complaining of course, but--’
‘But you do love me?’ A note of hysteria crept into Janey’s voice. ‘If we’re going to get married next week I need to know if you really love me.’
Alexander and the brunette stood in fascinated silence. Janey prayed Josh and Ella wouldn’t pick this moment to come back.
‘Sweetheart, of course I do.’ Guy gave her a placatory hug. ‘We all do. In fact the kids are so smitten, I’ve decided to sack the nanny. From now on you can look after them all by yourself.
Now isn’t that just the most wonderful surprise?’
‘That’s it,’ she said flatly. ‘The wedding’s off.’
The brunette, who had been staring at Guy, snapped her fingers. ‘I know who you are.You’re Guy Cassidy, the photographer.’ Her eyes widened. ‘You’re famous.’
‘Doesn’t stop him being a cheapskate double-crossing toad,’ Janey snapped.
‘Guy Cassidy?’ said Alexander, deeply impressed. ‘The Guy Cassidy? Of course you are!
Hey, it’s really nice to meet you.’
‘I don’t believe I’m hearing this.’ Janey glared at Alexander. ‘You’ve just told me not to marry him and now
