and I. “Why don’t you ladies make yourselves comfortable in
the drawing room.”
“Would you like help with
this?” I gestured to the table littered with empty plates.
“Oh no, my housekeeper will
see to that in the morning.”
“Shall I make the coffee?”
Rachel asked.
“No, no, not at all, you girls
go and talk art and I’ll be with you in a moment or two.”
The rest of the evening went
by quickly. The coffee perked me up as I’d felt tired but I was still happy to
leave just before midnight when Coben appeared from the snug—smelling of cigar
smoke—and told us a cab was outside waiting for us.
“Thank you,” I said to Mable
as I set down my empty coffee cup and stood, “for a wonderful evening.”
“My pleasure. It’s been lovely
to spend more time with you both.” She stood too and gave me a quick hug.
“And, Rachel, do call in at
Dragon’s Ink if you’re in the area. I’ll show you around.”
“I’d love that.” Rachel smiled
and nodded enthusiastically.
Coben said goodbye to the
ladies.
I gave Harold a kiss on his
warm, port-red cheek.
Coben and I headed into the
cool night air.
I pulled my shawl closer as we
climbed into the waiting cab. “Success with Harold?” I asked.
Coben climbed in and shut the
door. “Yes, he’s great. Going to be a pleasure doing business with him. He just
gets it, you know.” He sat back and blew out a breath as though letting it take
tension from his body. “Having an easy, switched-on client will make a big
difference to the job.”
“And do you think you’ll have
to go out there? To the Middle East?”
“Maybe for a week or so, but
the majority can be done remotely, plus I have extra help now on the team. They
can do some of the traveling.”
“That’s good, then.” I paused.
“Mable and Rachel are nice.”
“Yes. You seemed to get on
well with them both.”
“I did.” I paused. “And so is
Ed. Nice, that is.”
Coben said nothing.
“You’ve met him before,
haven’t you?” I reached for his hand.
He spun to face me, his
fingers gripping mine. “What makes you think that?”
I shrugged, trying to be
nonchalant. “Just a guess.” I smiled. “I’m right though, aren’t I?”
He frowned.
“What? How can it be top
secret when you’re not even in the forces anymore?”
“It’s not top secret.” He
sounded huffy.
“So don’t act like it.” I
tried to pull my hand away. He was being weird.
He kept a firm grip of me.
“I’m sorry. You’re right. We served together, feels like forever ago.”
“Where?”
“The Gulf. No big deal.”
Of course it was a big deal.
The Gulf had taken its toll on every soldier who’d been deployed there. “Was he
your superior?”
“No, we were equal. He’s gone
up the ranks now, though, obviously.”
I nudged him with my shoulder,
smirked like a conspirator. “Is he SAS?”
He shook his head.
“Go on, tell me. He must be.
I’m guessing he’s not married, no ring, no kids, just dedicated to serving his
country. Plus he was really cagey when I asked him about his job when I was
inking him.”
“How would I know what
regiment he’s in now?” Coben stared out of the window at the passing shops that
were shrouded in darkness.
I studied his profile. He had
soft features, a straight nose and a gently sloping chin. I adored that about
him, his gentle face, easy smile. But right now it all seemed much harder than
usual—harsher and sterner. I didn’t like it and hadn’t seen it in him before.
“What’s the matter?” I asked.
“Nothing.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yep.” He rubbed his thumb
over my hand and turned to me. “Just tired. It’s been a long day.” He smiled
but it didn’t reach his eyes.
****
The rest of the week went by
in a blur and I was glad when the Bank Holiday weekend arrived and the sun was
shining. I had a rare three days off, which would give me time to give the
house a clean through, catch up on phone calls and enjoy Coben’s
the drawing room.”
“Would you like help with
this?” I gestured to the table littered with empty plates.
“Oh no, my housekeeper will
see to that in the morning.”
“Shall I make the coffee?”
Rachel asked.
“No, no, not at all, you girls
go and talk art and I’ll be with you in a moment or two.”
The rest of the evening went
by quickly. The coffee perked me up as I’d felt tired but I was still happy to
leave just before midnight when Coben appeared from the snug—smelling of cigar
smoke—and told us a cab was outside waiting for us.
“Thank you,” I said to Mable
as I set down my empty coffee cup and stood, “for a wonderful evening.”
“My pleasure. It’s been lovely
to spend more time with you both.” She stood too and gave me a quick hug.
“And, Rachel, do call in at
Dragon’s Ink if you’re in the area. I’ll show you around.”
“I’d love that.” Rachel smiled
and nodded enthusiastically.
Coben said goodbye to the
ladies.
I gave Harold a kiss on his
warm, port-red cheek.
Coben and I headed into the
cool night air.
I pulled my shawl closer as we
climbed into the waiting cab. “Success with Harold?” I asked.
Coben climbed in and shut the
door. “Yes, he’s great. Going to be a pleasure doing business with him. He just
gets it, you know.” He sat back and blew out a breath as though letting it take
tension from his body. “Having an easy, switched-on client will make a big
difference to the job.”
“And do you think you’ll have
to go out there? To the Middle East?”
“Maybe for a week or so, but
the majority can be done remotely, plus I have extra help now on the team. They
can do some of the traveling.”
“That’s good, then.” I paused.
“Mable and Rachel are nice.”
“Yes. You seemed to get on
well with them both.”
“I did.” I paused. “And so is
Ed. Nice, that is.”
Coben said nothing.
“You’ve met him before,
haven’t you?” I reached for his hand.
He spun to face me, his
fingers gripping mine. “What makes you think that?”
I shrugged, trying to be
nonchalant. “Just a guess.” I smiled. “I’m right though, aren’t I?”
He frowned.
“What? How can it be top
secret when you’re not even in the forces anymore?”
“It’s not top secret.” He
sounded huffy.
“So don’t act like it.” I
tried to pull my hand away. He was being weird.
He kept a firm grip of me.
“I’m sorry. You’re right. We served together, feels like forever ago.”
“Where?”
“The Gulf. No big deal.”
Of course it was a big deal.
The Gulf had taken its toll on every soldier who’d been deployed there. “Was he
your superior?”
“No, we were equal. He’s gone
up the ranks now, though, obviously.”
I nudged him with my shoulder,
smirked like a conspirator. “Is he SAS?”
He shook his head.
“Go on, tell me. He must be.
I’m guessing he’s not married, no ring, no kids, just dedicated to serving his
country. Plus he was really cagey when I asked him about his job when I was
inking him.”
“How would I know what
regiment he’s in now?” Coben stared out of the window at the passing shops that
were shrouded in darkness.
I studied his profile. He had
soft features, a straight nose and a gently sloping chin. I adored that about
him, his gentle face, easy smile. But right now it all seemed much harder than
usual—harsher and sterner. I didn’t like it and hadn’t seen it in him before.
“What’s the matter?” I asked.
“Nothing.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yep.” He rubbed his thumb
over my hand and turned to me. “Just tired. It’s been a long day.” He smiled
but it didn’t reach his eyes.
****
The rest of the week went by
in a blur and I was glad when the Bank Holiday weekend arrived and the sun was
shining. I had a rare three days off, which would give me time to give the
house a clean through, catch up on phone calls and enjoy Coben’s
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