drop in Yorkshire, but go back where you belong.’
‘I think someone’s trying to get your attention.’
Jarvis looked over his shoulder and swore. ‘That’s Andrew Carver, my solicitor,’ he muttered.
A harassed-looking middle-aged man bore down on them. ‘Jarvis, what a bit of luck. I gave up waiting for you at the office.’
‘I’m sorry, that was rude of me. Andrew, this is-’
It was clear that Andrew already knew. His greeting to Meryl was effusive, and he couldn’t keep his eyes from darting to her again and again.
‘Just a few things-’ Carver said hurriedly.
‘This isn’t a good time-’ Jarvis began.
‘Ten minutes. I promised Bates an answer today-you remember, about that guarantee with the bank? I know what we said but it’s only to tide him over for three months-’
‘Let me get you a drink, Mr Carver,’ Meryl said, rising.
She would have preferred to stay and listen, but she could sense Jarvis on hot coals, and suddenly she pitied him. He was like a man tied down with chains, forced to watch as more and more were laid on him.
She set Carver’s drink beside him and wandered out. The pub was built near the top of a gentle slope, and from the rail she could look down at the sunlit dales, dotted with woolly sheep who seemed so still that they might have been part of the landscape.
She looked around sharply to see who’d spoken, but she was alone. The words had flashed into her head without warning, and then out again, floating away on the gentle breeze.
Nonsense! she thought. Of course I don’t belong here. Ask Jarvis, he’ll tell you. He’ll probably shoot the messenger, too. It’s a lovely place and I’d like to stay awhile, but I don’t belong here because-because I don’t
She tried to picture her fun life in New York, and her even more fun life in Los Angeles. The parties, the expensive clothes, the glitter, the adoring men.
But the pictures wouldn’t come, and the men were hardest of all to get in focus. Who were they? What did they look like? The only face she could see was that of a tense angry man who needed her but couldn’t wait to be rid of her.
‘I don’t
A goat, contentedly grazing nearby, gave her a disdainful look and returned to work.
It might be destiny, but she’d always felt in charge of her own destiny, except for Larry Rivers’ unwelcome interventions. People were so eager to oblige Miss Winters.
Except one.
‘OK, he’s gone.’ Jarvis had appeared behind her. She wondered how long he’d been there, watching her. ‘Ready to go?’
‘Let me finish my beer. This is beautiful.’
‘You should see it when it’s under snow.’
‘I’ve already seen it when it wasn’t friendly. I can’t believe that was only two days ago.’
‘Surely-?’ He frowned. ‘No, you’re right. It is only two days.’
Two days and a hundred years.
‘By the way,’ he said as they returned to the Jeep, ‘thank you.’
‘Don’t tell me I’ve cracked your prejudice against me?’
‘Is it prejudice to say you don’t belong here?’
There was that phrase again.
‘I appreciate your making yourself scarce,’ he said.
‘Is Carver doing a good job for you?’
‘I beg your pardon?’
‘Sure, I’m an interfering busybody, let’s take that as read. But if you’re already in such hock-and as your solicitor he must know it-why is he trying to get you in deeper?’
‘It’s just a guarantee, and only for three months.’
‘And then this Mr Bates will pay?’
Jarvis hesitated uneasily. ‘He’s had a very rough time recently-he deserves his chance, and nobody will help him if I don’t.’
‘You’re really paternalistic, aren’t you? Being a father to them.’
‘They need help,’ he said emphatically. ‘And there’s only me.’
‘And when Bates can’t pay, you’re that much closer to disaster. I don’t know the details, but I don’t think it’s going to take much to tip you over.’
‘Miss Winters, understand once and for all,
She sighed. ‘Boy, I must be losing my touch!’
Silence. Then, as though the words were torn from him. ‘You know better than that.’
She resisted the temptation to say, Yes, I do. She was learning.
They didn’t speak for a while. The dogs nuzzled her from the rear seat and she tickled their ears, trying not to fall in love with them. It was hard.
Above them the sky was darkening again. The glorious sunlight of a moment ago might never have been.
‘How can it change so fast?’ she demanded. ‘And it’s raining again. I don’t believe it.’
‘If you were stuck around here you’d believe it fast enough. This area is known for its rain.’
‘Good for farming, then.’
‘Excellent, but not good for a theme park. Oh, blast!’
The engine, which had been making melancholy noises for the last mile, finally decided it wasn’t worth the effort. They came to a shuddering halt.
With a muttered, ‘Stay here,’ Jarvis jumped out and hauled up the bonnet. Meryl followed at once.
‘I told you to stay where you were.’
‘And miss the chance of being soaked to death a second time? No way! What’s the matter?’
Jarvis made a maddened gesture at the engine, which was steaming ominously. ‘I don’t know, but it’s always happening. Luckily there’s a garage in Little Grands.’
‘Didn’t we come through Little Grands on the way here? It can’t be much more than a mile ahead.’
‘Right. But we’re stuck here with our dead vehicle.’
‘Not if we push it.’
‘We?’
She had to raise her voice to make herself heard above the rain. ‘Jarvis, you can either wait here with me, trying to make polite conversation, or we can move this thing to Little Grands.’
‘But you? Push?’
She lost her temper.
He didn’t argue further but went to the back of the Jeep. Meryl followed him at once, setting her shoulder to the other corner. She had just time to think, If they could see me now! before exerting all her strength and feeling the vehicle begin to move with agonising slowness.
Inch by inch, foot by foot, they crawled along until Little Grands came into sight, although still tantalisingly far off.
‘We can rest for a minute,’ Jarvis said, breathing heavily.
‘Resting is for wimps,’ she gasped.
‘Fine, we’ll be wimps.’ He gave her a glowering look. ‘We haven’t all got big muscles like you.’
She began to laugh, and choked almost at once as the rain got into her mouth.
‘Don’t,’ she begged, going into a coughing fit. ‘Oh, heavens!’
‘It’s all right.’ He thumped her on the back. She staggered and clung to him.
‘Fine,’ she gasped. ‘I’m OK now. Let’s get going.’
‘No need,’ he said, pointing down the road ahead. ‘That truck heading for us belongs to Mike, who owns the garage. What a bit of luck that he should have been coming back this way!’
In another minute Mike was with them, whistling when he saw the engine. Meryl got into his van while Jarvis
