Forbidden Desires by Marina Anderson

knows it. Besides, I never trust men who work out a lot.’
    ‘How do you know he works out a lot?’ enquired Lewis, drinking his third cup of coffee.
    ‘You can always tell. No one has bulging arm muscles just by eating their greens. Anyway, he says the pool will be warm enough to use this afternoon, so I thought we might give it a try.’
    ‘As long as he cleans it while I use it then I’m game,’ agreed Noella. ‘Here, there’s a letter for you, honey. I found it on the mat when I was checking the mail for Edmund.’
    Harriet frowned. ‘But no one knows I’m here.’
    ‘Someone must,’ Lewis pointed out. ‘What’s the postmark?’
    Harriet studied it. ‘London, and I seem to recognise the handwriting.’ She slit open the envelope and drew out the letter. ‘It’s from Ella,’ she said with pleasure. ‘I forgot, I told her we’d be here when I wrote to her about the wedding. You remember me telling you about Ella, Lewis?’
    ‘Your actress friend? Sure, I remember.’
    Harriet’s eyes scanned the four pages of looped writing. ‘Ella’s suffering from a broken heart,’ she said when she’d finished reading. ‘Simon’s left her for an older woman and she’s devastated. She’s also out of work and broke.’
    ‘A happy letter,’ laughed Lewis.
    ‘Well, she makes light of it all and sends her love to us both, but I can tell that she’s pretty upset. Lewis, why don’t we invite her to stay here for a couple of weeks? The house is large enough, and if it weren’t for Ella, you and I would never have met. She’s the one who persuaded me to answer your advert when you were staying in London.’
    Lewis frowned. ‘But she’d only feel out of it, Harriet. There’s nothing worse than being on your own and surrounded by couples.’
    ‘She won’t be surrounded by couples, there are only four of us in all.’
    ‘Just the same it might make her feel worse.’
    Harriet sat down next to him and put a hand on his arm. ‘Don’t you think she might add a little something to your plot?’ she whispered teasingly.
    Lewis raised his eyebrows. ‘You think it needs more complications?’
    ‘I think it might benefit from a larger cast.’
    ‘Harriet, think carefully about this. Do you really want Ella to join us? Is she the kind of girl who’d fit in with everyone else?’
    ‘Ella gets on with anyone,’ Harriet assured him.
    He glanced across the room to where Noella was leafing through a brochure on Cornwall. ‘And exactly where will Ella fit into my film?’ he enquired.
    ‘I’ve no idea,’ admitted Harriet. ‘But as she’s a very pretty, lively girl, and an actress as well, perhaps you’ll discover a forbidden desire of your own.’
    ‘She’s forbidden is she?’ he asked, a smile playing round his mouth.
    ‘She’s my best friend!’ exclaimed Harriet. ‘I’ve shared a lot with her, but I think I draw the line at my husband.’
    ‘Well, that’s certainly interesting, and will doubtless add to her appeal even more,’ remarked Lewis. ‘Okay then, if you’re sure it’s what you want, go ahead and invite her here. Noella and I had decided we’d have a trip into Polperro this morning, as soon as Edmund manages to get himself out of bed.’
    ‘Fine,’ said Harriet, but she was too distracted by his words about Ella to be very interested in their plans. For a long time she sat with Ella’s letter in her hands and thought about what could happen if Lewis really were to fall for her friend, but in the end she decided she was being ridiculous and scrawled a hasty invitation. After all, she reasoned to herself, Lewis would have his hands full with his film. An additional distraction would surely be more than he could handle.
    Finally Edmund emerged from his bedroom and, finding Harriet alone in the large kitchen, sat down next to her. ‘Where are the other two?’
    ‘Noella’s having a look at the pool and Lewis is on the phone to Mark.’
    ‘You mean Mark’s here