Pitch Imperfect(43)

“And turn to cross hands and close.”

Everybody clapped and formed little groups as they put on their shoes and gathered their belongings. Sarah sidled up to Anjuli.

“Rob told me about your renovation over dinner last night.”

Dinner? “I thought he was working late at Castle Manor.”

A light laugh. “Not too late to show me around Heaverlock Castle. Such a romantic ruin don’t you think? And a perfect pre-dinner stroll, a chance to relax after working so hard across the river. He was starving afterwards. Four weeks doing twelve hour days without a proper...well, without a good meal isn’t healthy for any man.”

Mrs. P. and her friends exchanged glances and inched closer. Anjuli pretended not to notice. She pitched her voice to friendly, with an undertone of eager house-owner. “I’m glad Rob got some time off. Did he happen to mention how much longer the roof will take? I’m desperate to move back in.”

“We didn’t talk business, if you know what I mean. But I confess I took a few snaps of the manor, and he did say a ‘Before and After’ article for The Borders Chronicle to document the renovation process was an excellent idea.”

During their romantic stroll or his ravenous “meal”? Anjuli shoved her towel into her sports bag. “Surely there must be other historic buildings you can write about.”

Sarah’s smile was charm itself. “All I need is a few more pictures of the house. No interview, I promise. I can investigate Castle Manor’s history and pop in to take photos when the restoration has moved along a bit. The articles will help bring attention to Heaverlock as a whole, you know.” She looked around, making eye contact with Councillor Hamish. “Times are hard and the shops could use the business, don’t you think? We would pay you, of course.”

Damn. This was where a millionaire singer would brush off payment and say she would do it for the good of the village. Instead Anjuli nodded, a gesture that sent more than a few noses into the air. She heaved an internal sigh. Now she would be talked about as snobbish and greedy, but what else could she do? The bank had written back, asking for a more detailed business plan for the B&B, and a list of all her assets. That hadn’t taken long to put together—grand piano, a few pieces of jewellery, not much else. Ash had bailed her out, becoming her “business partner” and putting up her pub as additional collateral. But would that be enough to get her the loan?

Acting nonchalant when faced with Rob’s email with the budget had been difficult, but she now knew she needed every pound of the £100,000 she’d asked for. The work had already started, and she’d promised Rob she would see it through. A promise she had no intention of breaking, and one she was obliged to keep if she were to remain Castle Manor’s owner.

Aware of their audience, Anjuli conceded defeat. “You can take a few pictures if you don’t mention me by name. I like my privacy.”

Mrs. P. and her cronies bounced their gazes to Sarah. “Great,” she said. “Rob told me the work’s progressing smoothly.” She paused and looked around. “He said that over breakfast.”

Breakfast! Mrs. P. lost her tenuous grip on discretion, as did everybody else. Anjuli stared at the unperturbed reporter. How dare Rob tell her he wanted her, hold her tight and then have sex with the sickeningly slender woman in front of her?

Sarah turned to Mrs. P. “If Rob isn’t too busy today maybe I’ll pop into the office.”

Mrs. P. looked at Sarah as if she were a vulture trying to steal her egg. “He’s on a build in Halton all day.”

“Never mind, I’m meeting him here tonight for a celebratory drink. The wind farm proposal was approved this morning.” She looked at Anjuli. “Why don’t you join us?”

And why don’t you take your invite and shove it up your arse? “Ash needs me behind the bar.”

“Pulling pints is a bit of a departure from singing, isn’t it? Any reason in particular?” Sarah reached into her bag and took out a pen and paper. “I could start making notes for our interview, if you like. Or you could tell me off the record.”

“Ash is short-staffed so I’m helping her out, and there is no interview. Only pictures.” Anjuli excused herself and joined Ash behind the bar, glad to leave Sarah to Councillor Hamish’s request for an article about the Town Hall refurbishment.

“My, my,” Ash said, her voice low. “You’ve got competition for your dinner, bed and breakfast services. You should have taken Rob up on his offer instead of spending the past few weeks avoiding him like the plague. Sarah’s pulled by the sounds of it. I hear he’s taking her to the ceilidh.”