only met him once; this isn’t a date or anything.’ Grania headed for the lobby as swiftly as she could, and grabbed a torch from the shelf.
‘And what am I to be telling your man where his woman is, if he calls?’
Grania did not grace this comment with a reply, simply slammed the door behind her and marched off in the direction of the house. There was absolutely no reason for her to feel guilty, and no reason for her mother to question her motives either. And Matt no longer had a right to tell her who she should see or what she should do. It was
he
that had destroyed their relationship. The fact her mother had always had a soft spot for Matt couldn’t be helped. And after nearly three weeks at home every evening, it would do her no harm to get out.
Armed with defiant thoughts, Grania switched on the torch and marched off up the lane.
When she arrived at the back door of Dunworley House, she knocked to no answer. Not knowing whatelse to do, she let herself in and stood uncertainly in the empty kitchen. Eventually, she opened the kitchen door tentatively and walked into the hall. ‘Hello?’ she called, again receiving no answer. ‘Hello?’ She walked across it and knocked on the drawing-room door. Pushing it open, she saw Alexander sitting in a chair by the fire, reading a document. He started as he saw Grania and stood up, embarrassed.
‘My apologies, I’m afraid I didn’t hear you arrive.’
‘No problem,’ said Grania uncomfortably, again feeling tongue-tied in his presence.
‘Please, let me take your coat and come and sit down by the fire. I find it so cold in this house,’ he commented as he helped her remove her coat. ‘Can I get you a glass of wine? Or a gin and tonic perhaps?’
‘Wine would be lovely.’
‘Make yourself comfortable, and I’ll be back shortly.’
Grania did not head for the chair on the opposite side of the fireplace – the heat in the room was oppressive. Instead, she sat down on an elegant but uncomfortable damask-covered sofa and thought how cosy this room was at night.
Alexander arrived back with a bottle of wine and two glasses.
‘Thank you for coming, Grania,’ he said as he handed her the wine and returned to his chair by the fire. ‘Amongst other things, I wanted the chance to tell you how grateful I am to you for keeping Aurora amused for the past week.’
‘Really, it’s been my pleasure. I’ve enjoyed it as much as she has.’
‘Nevertheless, it really has been most kind of you. Aurora tells me you’re a sculptor. Do you practise your trade professionally?’
‘Yes. I have a studio in New York.’
‘How wonderful to use one’s talent to earn oneself a living,’ Alexander sighed.
‘I think so,’ Grania ventured. ‘On the other hand, I’ve never had the ability to do anything else.’
‘Well, far better to excel in one thing alone, than to be average at many. That’s me to a tee,’ he stated.
‘If you don’t mind me asking, what exactly is it that you do?’
‘I shovel money around the world; other people’s money, that is. And from making them rich, I make myself rich too. You could say I’m a vulture. What I do gives me no pleasure whatsoever. It’s totally meaningless,’ Alexander added morosely.
‘I think that’s being hard on yourself,’ commented Grania. ‘After all, it’s a skill. I wouldn’t know where to start.’
‘Thank you for your kindness, but I create nothing, whereas you create something material which brings pleasure to the beholder.’ Alexander took a sip of his wine. ‘I’ve always admired people with artistic talent, having absolutely none whatsoever myself. I’d love to see your work. Do you hold exhibitions?’
‘Yes, occasionally, although these days most of the sculptures I do are private commissions.’
He looked at her. ‘So, I could commission you?’
‘Yes,’ Grania shrugged. ‘I suppose you could.’
‘Well then, I just might.’ He smiled tightly. ‘Are you ready for
‘And what am I to be telling your man where his woman is, if he calls?’
Grania did not grace this comment with a reply, simply slammed the door behind her and marched off in the direction of the house. There was absolutely no reason for her to feel guilty, and no reason for her mother to question her motives either. And Matt no longer had a right to tell her who she should see or what she should do. It was
he
that had destroyed their relationship. The fact her mother had always had a soft spot for Matt couldn’t be helped. And after nearly three weeks at home every evening, it would do her no harm to get out.
Armed with defiant thoughts, Grania switched on the torch and marched off up the lane.
When she arrived at the back door of Dunworley House, she knocked to no answer. Not knowing whatelse to do, she let herself in and stood uncertainly in the empty kitchen. Eventually, she opened the kitchen door tentatively and walked into the hall. ‘Hello?’ she called, again receiving no answer. ‘Hello?’ She walked across it and knocked on the drawing-room door. Pushing it open, she saw Alexander sitting in a chair by the fire, reading a document. He started as he saw Grania and stood up, embarrassed.
‘My apologies, I’m afraid I didn’t hear you arrive.’
‘No problem,’ said Grania uncomfortably, again feeling tongue-tied in his presence.
‘Please, let me take your coat and come and sit down by the fire. I find it so cold in this house,’ he commented as he helped her remove her coat. ‘Can I get you a glass of wine? Or a gin and tonic perhaps?’
‘Wine would be lovely.’
‘Make yourself comfortable, and I’ll be back shortly.’
Grania did not head for the chair on the opposite side of the fireplace – the heat in the room was oppressive. Instead, she sat down on an elegant but uncomfortable damask-covered sofa and thought how cosy this room was at night.
Alexander arrived back with a bottle of wine and two glasses.
‘Thank you for coming, Grania,’ he said as he handed her the wine and returned to his chair by the fire. ‘Amongst other things, I wanted the chance to tell you how grateful I am to you for keeping Aurora amused for the past week.’
‘Really, it’s been my pleasure. I’ve enjoyed it as much as she has.’
‘Nevertheless, it really has been most kind of you. Aurora tells me you’re a sculptor. Do you practise your trade professionally?’
‘Yes. I have a studio in New York.’
‘How wonderful to use one’s talent to earn oneself a living,’ Alexander sighed.
‘I think so,’ Grania ventured. ‘On the other hand, I’ve never had the ability to do anything else.’
‘Well, far better to excel in one thing alone, than to be average at many. That’s me to a tee,’ he stated.
‘If you don’t mind me asking, what exactly is it that you do?’
‘I shovel money around the world; other people’s money, that is. And from making them rich, I make myself rich too. You could say I’m a vulture. What I do gives me no pleasure whatsoever. It’s totally meaningless,’ Alexander added morosely.
‘I think that’s being hard on yourself,’ commented Grania. ‘After all, it’s a skill. I wouldn’t know where to start.’
‘Thank you for your kindness, but I create nothing, whereas you create something material which brings pleasure to the beholder.’ Alexander took a sip of his wine. ‘I’ve always admired people with artistic talent, having absolutely none whatsoever myself. I’d love to see your work. Do you hold exhibitions?’
‘Yes, occasionally, although these days most of the sculptures I do are private commissions.’
He looked at her. ‘So, I could commission you?’
‘Yes,’ Grania shrugged. ‘I suppose you could.’
‘Well then, I just might.’ He smiled tightly. ‘Are you ready for
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