‘Thank you, dear cousin Charles. It's very nice to be remindedthat if I'm attacked no one will be disturbed by my screams.’
He winced. 'I'll get on to the phone people straightaway. And you can certainly have an alarm if itwould make you feel safer.'
‘What would really make me feel saferis a car. Is there any news on mine?'
‘I rang this morning. They're waiting for a part. They haveto send away for it. I'd told them they'd better hurry, or there's no point in doingit.'
‘I know what you'reimplying, but I'm not buying it. I'm staying, at least for the time being, andyou might as well get used to the idea.'
‘You realise you'll just be workingas an office junior, the lowest of the low?'
‘Yes. I don't mind learning from thebottom up. It's the best way.'
‘And you'll stick it out for a whileeven though the cottage is very isolated?'
‘Yes!' Too late she realised that she'd been tricked intorevealing her feelings that the cottage was, indeed, very isolated. Still, shecouldn't say anything now.
Charles didn't respondimmediately. 'I'm sure Annabelle would offerto lend you her car if she knew how isolated you feel.'
‘I don't want toborrow Annabelle's car . . . Though it'skind of you to offer,' she added, moments too late. Charles's firm mouth twitched. 'Well, that's agood thing because I'm not sure shewould have offered, actually. Ireally need an estate car or I'd offer you mine.'
‘What about thisLand-Rover? Is this needed for anything special?’
He laughed. 'I can't see you driving this behemoth.'It shuddered noisily to confirmits reputation. 'Even Annabelle finds it quitedifficult to handle.’
Flora suppressed a sigh and tried very hard to keep all the sarcasm out of her voice. 'I think youmight find I'm a better driver than Annabelle.'
‘You think?' Charles pulled up at theside of the road. 'Then put yourmoney where your mouth is and prove it.' Biting her lip to conceal her grin of pleasure, Flora slid down from the vehicle and ran round to thedriver's side. This was something sheknew she could do. He'd have to lend it to her now.
Charles made the swap with slightly less alacrity.'It'll probably be allright on the country roads but you might find driving through town a bit more difficult.’
The engine shuddered as Flora turned the key. She turned to him and said seriously, 'I think now isthe time to confessthat I haven't been a natural blonde since I was about ten years old. I think I'll be all right.’
Florahad to give Charles huge credit for letting a smile force itsway from the corners of his eyes and one corner of hismouth. It turned a conventionally good- looking man into an extremely attractive one.Interesting. If she wasAnnabelle, she'd make strings of jokes so he'd smile more often.
Henry, on the other hand, going on what littleshe'd seen of him,smiled quite a lot. She did hope he'd manage to get in touch.
After Flora had negotiated the crowded High Street,got through a very narrow lanewith cars on both sides and parked in an awkward spot in the yard behind the auction house, circumnavigating two removal vans asshe did so, Charles said, 'I'd like to see you do all that with a trailer.'
‘I'm sure you would.' Flora smiledsweetly. 'But unless you lend me theLand-Rover, you're not going to get the opportunity.'
‘For that reason alone you canconsider it yours until your car is ready’
Flora got out, mentally thanking her father forletting her back hisLand-Rover, with a trailer and boat attached, on to a crowded car ferry. It wasn't that Flora wasoverconfident, shejust loved to see strong men with their mouths open.
‘Thank you, Charles,' she said,coolly. She made to hand him the keys.
‘No, they're yours now.’
She dropped them into her bag with a little skip ofglee. They were her independence.She would no longer be marooned on her own, miles fromanywhere.
The salerooms were seething with people and furniture and Flora followed Charles through thewardrobes, sofas, tables, chairs and rugs, all of which seemed to be on the move in contrary directions, to where lowtables were set up tomake an office area. Two women sat at computers and Annabelle stood between them, a clipboard in her hand, dealing out instructions.
‘Oh, hi,' she said coolly to Flora,ignoring Charles. 'Good weekend?Lovely,' she went on without waiting tohear Flora's reply. 'I'm afraid, as you see, I'm far too busy to deal with you. Would you like to hang outwith the porters? You may be able tohelp them shift furniture or something.’
Charles frowned. 'Couldn't she go through some of the boxes? Or there are the pictures - she coulddivide them into prints and paintings, watercolours and oils.'
‘Idid work in an art gallery once,' put in Flora. 'I could do that easily'
‘No! Looking decorative in an artgallery is not sufficient qualification for this job. I'd just have to do itall again. She'd be better out of the way with the boys.’
Flora suppressed a sigh, but it was her first day. Annabelle might trust her a bit more when she'd hada chance to prove herself. 'Hangingout with the boys sounds fun,'said Flora, glad that Geoffrey had told her to wear old clothes and bring gloves. He'd warnedher that Annabellewouldn't let her do anything except the most menial manual work.
‘Annabelle is in charge of thesaleroom on sale days,' said Charles.
‘That's fine. I want to learn allabout the family business, and, as I said, bottom up is best.' Flora deliveredAnnabelle a dazzling smile designed to disconcert her. 'I'll go and findGeoffrey, shall I?’
Annabellefrowned. 'He's not really the best person. He thinks he knows everything.'
‘He was very kind to me over the weekend,' saidFlora.
‘Oh.Yes, I'm sorry we couldn't get over.' Annabelle didn't look as sorry as all that. 'Familycommitments, you know.’
The insincerity in Flora's smile matchedAnnabelle's. 'That's OK.After all, I'm not very close family,am I?' She held backfrom suggesting that owning half the business strengthened thetie somewhat.
A few wrinkles appeared in Annabelle's otherwise smooth brow, fully exposed by the Alice
