mean?”
“Well, if he has to stop in town, he’s going to find the bus
service is pretty limited.” They both knew the last bus back from
Westfield was at six o’clock, because that was the one Anne and Janet Gates
caught back from work. The last bus into the town was at quarter past
seven. One of the hazards of living in the sticks.
“Good idea, Dad, but The Oak doesB&B, and
he’s bound to try there.”
“He is. But what if we have a word with Norma first?”
The penny dropped. Matt looked back in the direction
his brother had gone before looking at his pick-up which was parked facing the
other way.
“Brilliant!” He patted his father’s back. It was
both affectionate and congratulatory. “I’ll be fifteen minutes. You
stay here in case he comes back. If he asks where I am, I had to nip to
get some supplies.”
Neither of them noticed the ravens return. The birds
settled into the shadows, and watched the truck race off, and the older man
resume his brick-laying.
Seven
After putting the shopping away, Tanya had toyed with the
idea of having something stronger, but opted for coffee. The phone had
rung as she’d settled down to drink it, and by the time she had finished
arguing with her husband it had gone cold. The temptation for something
stronger rose again as she emptied the mug down the kitchen sink. If she
thought for a moment that it would be possible to patch things up again when
Ian came home, she would have headed for the cocktail cabinet. As it was,
she realised it might be better to keep a clear head. Whether that would
be so she could continue the argument coherently, or drive away later without
fear of failing a breath test didn’t matter. Alcohol wouldn’t be a good
idea right now.
What she could be tempted by appeared in the farm yard while
she was standing at the kitchen window finishing off her second coffee.
She assumed he hadn’t worked out yet that he could get to
the village more rapidly by continuing past The Barns . He would
come out at the edge of the village, but overall the walk was shorter.
Not that she was complaining. A good looking bloke, who looked as if he
had all the stamina she might need. All right, he came from the village,
but he wasn’t like the rest of the deadbeats who frequented the local
pub. He’d seen that there was life outside the village. She
couldn’t imagine him wasting his time in this backwater. He’d seen the
world. Well, some of the sunnier parts of it anyway.
A fling with someone like this could just be enough to help
make life bearable at the moment. It could be dangerous, but it would
certainly make life interesting. And, frankly, she didn’t really feel she
had a lot to lose right now.
Martin was halfway across the yard when she came out of the
house.
“Did you find him?” She had to raise her voice.
They were about thirty yards apart, and he was clearly lost in thought.
So much so that he took a couple of steps more before stopping and looking up.
The smile was slow in coming, but it seemed genuine
enough. “Hi. Sorry, I was miles away.”
She crossed the yard to join him, speaking as she went.
“I could see that. Penny for them?”
Once again, she was flirting. Not her words, but her
tone conveyed a level of intimacy that they hadn’t achieved. Yet.
“Wouldn’t be worth the cost,” he said, still smiling.
He was deflecting her, she knew, but the challenge just added to the fun.
“I could argue that, as the buyer, I should be the one
to make that judgement.” Before he could respond, she went on: “But I
wouldn’t dream of being so rude. They’re your thoughts, and you’re
entitled to keep them to yourself if you want to.”
She had reached him now and was standing only a few feet
away, her head tilted back a little so she could look into his face. She
was a little over five and a half feet, and in her heels was almost as
“Well, if he has to stop in town, he’s going to find the bus
service is pretty limited.” They both knew the last bus back from
Westfield was at six o’clock, because that was the one Anne and Janet Gates
caught back from work. The last bus into the town was at quarter past
seven. One of the hazards of living in the sticks.
“Good idea, Dad, but The Oak doesB&B, and
he’s bound to try there.”
“He is. But what if we have a word with Norma first?”
The penny dropped. Matt looked back in the direction
his brother had gone before looking at his pick-up which was parked facing the
other way.
“Brilliant!” He patted his father’s back. It was
both affectionate and congratulatory. “I’ll be fifteen minutes. You
stay here in case he comes back. If he asks where I am, I had to nip to
get some supplies.”
Neither of them noticed the ravens return. The birds
settled into the shadows, and watched the truck race off, and the older man
resume his brick-laying.
Seven
After putting the shopping away, Tanya had toyed with the
idea of having something stronger, but opted for coffee. The phone had
rung as she’d settled down to drink it, and by the time she had finished
arguing with her husband it had gone cold. The temptation for something
stronger rose again as she emptied the mug down the kitchen sink. If she
thought for a moment that it would be possible to patch things up again when
Ian came home, she would have headed for the cocktail cabinet. As it was,
she realised it might be better to keep a clear head. Whether that would
be so she could continue the argument coherently, or drive away later without
fear of failing a breath test didn’t matter. Alcohol wouldn’t be a good
idea right now.
What she could be tempted by appeared in the farm yard while
she was standing at the kitchen window finishing off her second coffee.
She assumed he hadn’t worked out yet that he could get to
the village more rapidly by continuing past The Barns . He would
come out at the edge of the village, but overall the walk was shorter.
Not that she was complaining. A good looking bloke, who looked as if he
had all the stamina she might need. All right, he came from the village,
but he wasn’t like the rest of the deadbeats who frequented the local
pub. He’d seen that there was life outside the village. She
couldn’t imagine him wasting his time in this backwater. He’d seen the
world. Well, some of the sunnier parts of it anyway.
A fling with someone like this could just be enough to help
make life bearable at the moment. It could be dangerous, but it would
certainly make life interesting. And, frankly, she didn’t really feel she
had a lot to lose right now.
Martin was halfway across the yard when she came out of the
house.
“Did you find him?” She had to raise her voice.
They were about thirty yards apart, and he was clearly lost in thought.
So much so that he took a couple of steps more before stopping and looking up.
The smile was slow in coming, but it seemed genuine
enough. “Hi. Sorry, I was miles away.”
She crossed the yard to join him, speaking as she went.
“I could see that. Penny for them?”
Once again, she was flirting. Not her words, but her
tone conveyed a level of intimacy that they hadn’t achieved. Yet.
“Wouldn’t be worth the cost,” he said, still smiling.
He was deflecting her, she knew, but the challenge just added to the fun.
“I could argue that, as the buyer, I should be the one
to make that judgement.” Before he could respond, she went on: “But I
wouldn’t dream of being so rude. They’re your thoughts, and you’re
entitled to keep them to yourself if you want to.”
She had reached him now and was standing only a few feet
away, her head tilted back a little so she could look into his face. She
was a little over five and a half feet, and in her heels was almost as
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