A Calculating Heart by Caro Fraser Page A

rang late yesterday afternoon and said he wouldn’t be in for the rest of this week. Asked me to rearrange his cons, and would I look at his diary and see if he could manage—’ Felicitystopped suddenly, picked up her papers and turned away.
    Henry, surprised by the abrupt truncation of their conversation, looked round to see a tall, sharply dressed man in his early thirties coming into the clerks’ room. It was Peter Weir, the new clerk who was joining chambers with the tenants from 3 Wessex Street, and Henry was very glad to see him. Not only had they badly needed a new pair of hands for some months, but Henry also hoped that Peter’s confident, assertive manner would be good for business.
    ‘Morning,’ said Peter cheerfully. He and Henry shook hands.
    ‘Good to see you,’ said Henry. ‘We’ve got a desk all ready for you. Here we are …’
    It didn’t take long for Henry to familiarise Peter with the computer system and take him through the working set-up of the clerks’ room, but while doing so he was conscious that Felicity was studiously avoiding any contact with Peter. She hadn’t even said hello to him. When Peter eventually went off to take some papers to the new tenants and acquaint himself with the layout of chambers, Henry turned to Felicity. ‘What’s got into you?’
    Felicity looked at him, stony-faced. ‘Nothing.’ She picked up a bundle of faxes and left the room.
    ‘Will someone tell me,’ Henry appealed to Robert, ‘what’s going on?’
    ‘According to Sarah—’ At that instant, Robert’s phone began to ring. A blonde girl came into the clerks’ room, and Robert gestured in her direction. ‘There’s Sarah. Askher about it. She knows.’ He picked up the phone.
    ‘Good morning, Henry,’ said Sarah Coleman breezily. ‘I see the gentlemen of the press are decorating the front steps.’ Sarah was one of three pupils in training at 5 Caper Court – though in Sarah’s case she had already decided that the amount of time and effort involved in being a barrister was far from worth it. She had only taken up the pupillage because of Leo, with whom she had a long-standing and unorthodox relationship, and because it had seemed an amusing thing to do at the time. Now she was counting the time until her pupillage ended in September, and casting around for other things to do with her life.
    ‘I wish they’d bugger off,’ said Henry peevishly. ‘Tell me – what’s the problem between Felicity and the new clerk, Peter? Robert says you know.’
    Sarah smiled. Poor old Henry, doggedly devoted to Fliss, and always the last to know what she was up to. She raised her eyebrows. ‘I must say I was surprised when I heard you’d taken Peter Weir on. Clearly you had no idea.’
    ‘About what?’
    ‘He and Fliss were having a bit of a fling until recently. I don’t think she’s exactly thrilled that you’ve recruited him. In fact, I suspect she’ll be looking round for another job very soon.’
    Henry was stunned. Felicity and Peter Weir? So he was the mysterious man whom she’d been seeing, who’d made her look so radiantly happy all those weeks.
    ‘But he’s married.’
    Sarah shrugged. ‘These things do happen.’ She sighed. ‘Pity you didn’t realise sooner.’
    Henry sat down at his desk in dismay taking it all in. He had no illusions about Felicity, had never really harboured any hopes that she might reciprocate his feelings, but he had always thought better of her than this. An affair with a married man, one with a family, too … Not that he wished to sit in judgment on anyone. He just couldn’t help feeling disappointed. And miserably jealous, if he was honest. For all her coarse language and immodest dress sense, he loved Felicity. The thought that Peter Weir had –
    Felicity came back in at that moment, stopping that particular train of thought. Henry regarded her with a heavy heart. Leaving aside his own feelings, as head clerk he couldn’t tolerate an atmosphere.