Deadfall (28 page)

‘Oh, it was beautiful! What a gift to be able to play like that! And he's only – what? – nineteen.'

‘Yes. It makes one wish one'd practised more as a child, doesn't it? My mother was a very passable pianist. She would sing, too.'

‘I wish I'd met her. She looks such a lovely person in that portrait. I'm really glad you showed it to me.'

‘Would you like to see it again?' Linc asked. ‘We can slip away after supper. I'll show you the rest of the house, too. The bits we didn't get round to before.'

‘Yes, please. I'd like that.'

They joined the queue for the buffet and, in due course, took their food and wine to a window seat where they were joined by Crispin and Nikki. But when the second part of the evening's entertainment was announced and the guests drifted back to the drawing room, Linc and Josie waited behind and then made their way out into the hall.

‘There's only about forty minutes more and it's
mostly chamber music. You don't mind missing that, do you?'

‘Not at all. Chamber music isn't really my thing. I'd rather remember that wonderful piano playing,' Josie assured him.

‘I'd like to have been able to introduce you to him but his manager told us he'd be whisking the poor lad off to appear on some late-night chat show as soon as he'd taken his bows. I should imagine they'll be cutting it fine, even then. He's doing the publicity thing for his upcoming tour. It must be a bit daunting when you don't speak very much English.'

They climbed the main stairs to the first floor and entered the long gallery. Linc flicked a switch to illuminate the portraits and they made their way along, pausing at each picture. Josie seemed genuinely fascinated, wanting to know as much of the Tremayne family history as Linc could dredge up from his memory.

Stopping every few feet, they made slow progress, but as Linc's hand lay on the body-warmed silk of Josie's hip, and she had hooked her thumb in the back of his waistband, he was not about to complain.

‘And here's the infamous St John, your alter ego,' she teased. ‘What a romantic figure he is, to be sure. I think you should try your hair like that. You'd look rather dashing with long hair tied back with a ribbon.'

‘There are some things I won't do, even to please you,' Linc responded firmly. ‘And growing my hair is one of them. Besides, I don't think I would look so dashing on dressage day at a three-day event, if I had to put it in a hairnet!'

Josie giggled. ‘You may have a point there.'

They wandered on, talking in muted tones, heads close together, eventually reaching the far end of the gallery.

‘Whereabouts are your rooms? In the dungeons with the rats and spiders?'

‘No. The opposite. Up in the roof. The old housemaids' dormitory.'

‘Bare boards and a straw mattress?'

‘Yes, but the housekeeper lets me have a blanket in the winter. And I'm lucky to have found employment at all in these hard times,' Linc said, putting on a Dorset accent. ‘Actually, it's not at all bad up there. Do you want to come and see?'

‘Er . . .' Josie hesitated, avoiding eye contact. ‘Is this an invitation to come and see your etchings?'

Linc's heart rate doubled. ‘That depends.'

‘On what?' She was studiously inspecting a marble statuette.

‘On you,' he said carefully. ‘You're welcome just to sign up for the standard package, comprising guided tour of the apartment, view from the window – not great in the dark, I admit – a cup of coffee and a biscuit. Or you can go for the deluxe version which is a made-to-order package and may take considerably longer.'

‘Um, I think I'll start with the standard deal, if that's okay?'

‘Of course it is,' Linc assured her, gallantly hiding his disappointment. He crossed the corridor and opened a small door in the panelling. ‘This way, madam. Mind the stairs, they're rather steep.'

At the top of the narrow flight of steps they emerged through another small door into Linc's
living room and he watched with pleasure as Josie's eyes lit with surprised appreciation.

He'd adorned the basic canvas of natural oak beams, cream-painted walls, stripped floorboards and dark leather suite with colourful rugs, tapestries and cushions of South American origin. He was rather pleased with the overall effect himself, and Josie's reaction was gratifying.

‘Wow! It's lovely! Did
you
do all this?'

‘Yes. Don't sound so surprised,' Linc replied indignantly. ‘Come and see the kitchen while I rustle up a cup of coffee.'

The kitchen followed the theme, with aged oak cupboards, granite worktops, cream walls, and tiles in hot, peppery colours behind the sink and cooker.

‘Go and have a look at the rest,' he suggested, taking mugs out of the cupboard and putting the kettle on to boil.

Josie wandered off down the passageway that led to a small study, a big airy bedroom with a sloping ceiling, and a neat en-suite bathroom with a roof light over the roll top bath. Linc had spent many a blissful half-hour soaking in there and gazing up at the stars.

She came back just as he was putting the milk back in the fridge.

‘It's absolutely gorgeous!' she exclaimed. ‘I'm green with envy!'

Linc was pleased. He handed her a mug and led the way back to the sitting room.

‘I thought you said there was a biscuit included in the standard package,' Josie reminded him playfully.

‘I lied. Though I might have a bit of cake somewhere.'

She shook her head. ‘No, I'm fine, really.'

Linc sat on one end of the sofa and, after a moment, Josie joined him, kicking off her shoes and curling her legs up beside her. They sipped coffee in companionable silence for a minute or two and then Josie looked sideways at him with what could almost have been described as a shy smile.

‘So what does the deluxe package consist of?' she asked softly.

‘Ah, but I didn't think madam was in the market for that,' Linc countered.

‘I'm an impulse buyer. Sell it to me.'

‘I can do better than that,' he offered, leaning across and taking her mug out of her hand. He placed both mugs on the low table. ‘I can give you a free demonstration. No obligation to buy.'

Josie slid over the smooth leather seat to nestle within the circle of his arm.

‘That sounds fair enough.' She undid one of the buttons on his cotton shirt and slid her hand inside. ‘Is it okay to handle the goods?' she murmured, her head somewhere beneath his chin.

Linc took a deep steadying breath.

‘Oh, yes. That's part of the deal,' he assured her.

Linc woke first in the morning and lay looking up at the squares of sunlight on his bedroom ceiling with a feeling of rare contentment. Snuggled by his side, Josie slept on. Turning his head, he could just see the dark sweep of her lashes on her golden skin. As if aware of being watched, she suddenly stretched luxuriously and opened her eyes.

‘Morning,' he said softly. ‘So, what did you think of the deluxe package? Can I interest madam in signing up for further tours?'

‘Um . . . I might need to think about it,' she hedged. ‘You know, shop around and compare prices.'

There was a moment's silence, then Linc asked, ‘Is madam by any chance familiar with the phrase “hard sell?” ' and rolled over to pin her arms on to the pillow, either side of her head.

Some minutes later, when things had quietened down, Linc lay looking at her from under his lashes.

‘What?'

‘I was just wondering what you'd say if I asked you to marry me,' he replied frankly.

She blinked, then said matter-of-factly, ‘I'd say yes.'

‘Just like that?' Linc queried. ‘Don't you even want time to think?'

‘I've already done that,' she told him. ‘That first time you showed me round and I saw the portrait of your mother, I tried to imagine what it would be like to come here as a bride and I just couldn't get my head round it. That sounds arrogant, I know, because I don't suppose the thought had even crossed your mind then, but I knew
I
was getting involved and I needed to sort myself out. If I couldn't handle the idea of Farthingscourt and the title and everything then I was on a hiding to nothing. Whichever way it went with you, I was going to lose.'

‘That was when you went away to London?'

‘Yes. I needed space to think. Though I did need to go anyway, to sort out something about the flat.'

‘And?'

‘And I decided that it was too late anyway. I decided that I'd take my chances, because if it came to it and the feeling was right, then nothing else mattered.'

‘And it feels right?'

‘It's always felt right,' she stated simply. ‘Hey, this is very one-sided! What about you? When did you know?'

‘I think, in the restaurant in Shaftesbury. Though I thought what happened later might have blown it for me. And as for the other night . . .'

‘You certainly know how to show a girl a good time!'

‘Don't I just,' he said ruefully.

‘And what about your father? Will he approve?'

‘He likes you. Not that it would make any difference if he didn't.'

Josie shook her head. ‘You say that, but I don't think it's true. I think you both care a lot more about each other than you let on.'

Linc adopted a stern tone. ‘For God's sake, woman! I want a wife, not a psychoanalyst!' he declared, then grunted as a slim fist hit him in the solar plexus.

They decided to announce the engagement at the weekend, when the excitement over Abby had died down a little, and when it might be possible to arrange an informal gathering of the two families.

‘How do you think your parents will take it?' Linc asked.

‘Well, it seems as though you're almost part of the family as it is, so I shouldn't imagine they'd kick
up
too
much of a fuss,' she said, affecting an offhand manner. ‘Although I think Daddy always rather hoped I'd marry a doctor or a lawyer.'

‘Oh, dear. Perhaps you'd better try and sneak back in quietly and we'll forget all about it,' Linc suggested.

Josie snorted. ‘Not much chance of that with Hannah around! She'll no doubt bring up the subject at the next family meal.'

Linc laughed. ‘Not destined for the diplomatic service, young Hannah.'

‘You can say that again! Gossip columnist for a national daily, I'd say!'

Josie had been all for leaving early, by the back stairs and side door, but as Linc pointed out, her car was clearly visible to any interested observer, parked in the stableyard where she had left it the night before.

So she had toast and coffee with him, enjoying the view from the kitchen window, and followed him downstairs with a casual air, as if she regularly stayed over. In fact, her masterly performance was all but wasted because the only person they met on their way out was Mary, and she greeted the pair without so much as a lifted eyebrow.

‘Does Mary live in the house?' Josie asked, as she and Linc emerged into the bright stillness of a perfect May morning.

‘No, she has a cottage in the yard but she often eats with my father. They seem to have got quite close in the last few years. I've noticed the difference since I've been back.' They had reached her car. ‘So, I'll see you in a minute, okay?'

‘Okay. I'll tell Noddy you're on your way.' Josie
smiled and made to turn away but Linc caught hold of her arm and pulled her back.

‘Where do you think you're going?' he demanded.

She laughed, put her arms round his neck and kissed him soundly. ‘That better?'

Linc nodded. ‘It'll do for now.'

‘I think last night went rather well, don't you, Mary?'

Linc had ridden Noddy and was back in his office attending to his mail.

‘Mmm. It certainly seems to have gone well for you anyway,' she observed, eyes twinkling.

‘Miss Poe! Most secretaries would be severely reprimanded for a comment like that!'

They both knew she was a lot more than a secretary to the Tremaynes, both Senior and Junior.

‘She's a lovely girl. You're serious about her, I take it?'

‘Well, I've asked her to marry me,' Linc said. ‘It doesn't get much more serious than that! But don't say anything to anyone just yet. We'll probably announce it at the weekend.'

‘Oh, Linc, that's wonderful news! Your father
will
be pleased. No, don't worry, I won't say anything.'

He put down the last of the morning's correspondence and stood up. ‘Do you really think he will?'

Mary nodded. ‘I'm sure of it. He's very taken with Josie. He said as much to me the other day.'

‘Well, it's a good job he talks to you or I'd never know what he's thinking,' Linc said with a touch of bitterness. ‘I think this family would fall apart at the
seams if it wasn't for you. Would have done long ago, come to that!'

‘Linc . . .'

Mary stopped, maybe searching for the right words, and he cut in, saying briskly, ‘Well, anyway, I must get on. I'm supposed to be meeting the heritage guy at the mill in five minutes, so that's where I'll be if anyone wants me.'

The ‘anyone' turned out to be DI Rockley. He arrived just as Linc was winding up his meeting at the mill, having first called at the house and been forwarded by Mary. When the man from English Heritage got into his car and went on his way, Rockley emerged from his and came over to where Linc stood, glancing appreciatively at the mill buildings as he did so.

‘Always wanted to live in a mill,' he remarked.

‘You can have this one if you want,' Linc offered, as they began to walk along the front of the building.

‘Having trouble?'

He shook his head, sighing. ‘No, not really. Just endless red tape. This would have been finished by now if it wasn't for form-filling and waiting on visits from this or that official. It's such a waste of everybody's time. If they didn't have to pay all these people the grants would be twice the size!'