Down in the kitchen, Cryssie was making the first pot of tea of the day when the telephone rang. She heard Jed’s all-too-recognisable voice and her heart leapt automatically. She was being forced to live two lives at the same time, she thought, and it wasn’t easy! Her mind would keep going back to the moment when he’d almost succeeded in seducing her, and when she allowed herself to dwell on it—which she was honest enough to admit she regularly did—she could actually feel his lips burning into hers, could recall the strength of his arms around her. Yet at work she was having to act out another scenario altogether, and every time she had to face him—especially if others were there—her hands actually shook. Between a rock and a hard place seemed an apt description of her position, she thought, though Jed was very good at keeping his thoughts private! No one would ever guess what was going on behind those black mesmerising eyes.
‘Cryssie?’ he said now. ‘Sorry to give you such short notice, but could you be spared for the day? I want you to go with me to Wales—I need to visit one of our hotels. There’s a bit of a problem there.’
Cryssie frowned. Weekends were a time for housework and catching up on everything. And taking Milo out somewhere. ‘Well—it is rather awkward…I’m usually up to my eyes in domesticity on Saturdays—’ she began, but he interrupted.
‘I’m sorry—but I need to sort this thing out, and we can’t go on a week day because it would raise a few eyebrows, wouldn’t it, if you left your desk?’
Cryssie had to admit that that was true, but she had hoped that her new job wouldn’t really begin until after Hydebound had finally closed—which was now a mere two months away.
She knew straight away that of course she would fall in with the man’s wishes—she had too much to lose if at this early stage she started making excuses. It was not such a big deal, after all. Polly would simply have to be persuaded to venture out and take Milo to the cinema that afternoon by herself—Cryssie had already bought the tickets.
‘What time do we have to go?’ she asked.
‘Nine o’ clock—that gives you a whole hour,’ he added helpfully.
Swallowing her mug of tea, and grabbing a piece of toast, Cryssie quickly prepared a breakfast tray for Polly and Milo and took it upstairs.
‘Poll—I’ve got to go out for the day. There’s a meeting at work…Sorry—can you take Milo to see that film? I shan’t be late home.’
Her sister opened one eye, and grunted her appreciation as breakfast was put down beside her. ‘Okay,’ she said sleepily. Then, ‘There always seems to be something going on at work these days.’ She paused, adding thoughtfully, ‘Will Mr Hunter be at this meeting?’
‘Oh—I—yes, of course. He’s collecting me soonish, because we have to visit somewhere away, I believe.’
Polly sat up and glanced at Cryssie. After Jed’s unexpected arrival at the house the girl had been unusually interested in Cryssie’s working life—and especially her dashing new employer, wanting to know everything about him. Cryssie had made a point of answering all enquiries vaguely, as if she wasn’t interested enough to give the matter much thought. ‘Well, I’m sure you’ll have a more exciting day than me,’ Polly murmured.
Just then Milo wandered in, clutching his Runaway Rascal doll and Cryssie bent down and hugged him, explaining that she couldn’t go with them to see the film because she had to go to work.
‘I don’t want you to go,’ the child protested. ‘Please, Cryssie, don’t go.’
‘I have to, sweetheart—but tomorrow we’ll do something special. Perhaps we could go swimming, and then out for a pizza? Is that okay?’
At exactly nine o’clock Jed arrived. The one hour he had so reasonably allowed Cryssie to get ready had been sufficient for her to shower and wash her hair. She had dressed in her one really decent tweed skirt, and in the honey-coloured cashmere sweater that Polly had given her for Christmas—a purchase from Latimer’s, where Polly loved browsing when she felt fit enough to go out. But the same fawn jacket had to do to complete the outfit—it was the only winter-weight coat Cryssie possessed.
They got into the car and set off. This thing didn’t drive along—it glided, Cryssie thought. She couldn’t help smiling to herself.
‘Something amuses you?’ Jed asked, glancing across at her briefly.
‘I was just comparing this with the old car that dear Great-Aunt Josie taught me to drive in,’ she said.
‘Doesn’t matter—as long as you passed your test.’