‘I was a charming young woman when Rory abandoned me for you, so to speak. I’ve got to give it a last try because I’ve worked too hard and committed too much of my partner’s money to give up. But I will probably have to admit defeat.’

‘What will you do? Abandon the idea of a gallery?’

‘Good Lord, no! I’ll have my graduate show and resign myself to never making a penny. I’ll have to work in a bar in the evenings to keep myself, but it’ll be worth it. It is a fabulous space, you see. I think it could be a really good gallery.’

Edward became thoughtful. ‘Have you got any pictures?’

‘Of the space?’ Thea was cautious. The fact that she was getting on so well with Edward didn’t mean he had ceased to be the enemy. ‘I’ve got all my slides and stuff for my graduate show at my friend’s flat and I think there are a couple of shots of the gallery as well. I was a photographer in my past life.’

‘Have them biked over.’

‘What?’

‘Get your friend to ring a courier and get them sent here. I’d like to see what you’ve found in the graduate shows that really excites you.’

Still Thea hesitated. It would be an expensive exercise and what good could come of it?

‘I’m not planning to steal all your young hopefuls,’ said Edward, laughing. ‘I just want to get an idea of how good your eye is. I might just need someone like you in my life.’

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

By the time the work arrived, one and a half hours later, there was only one other person whose opinion Thea valued as much as Edward Grampian’s. And as she planned never to speak to Ben again it was what Edward thought that made her anxious as she slit the parcel tape on the package.

She couldn’t bear to be present while he looked. This degree show might have to be her start in the world of gallery owning and if what she’d chosen was no good, she’d either have to learn very fast or give up. She prowled around Harrods Food Halls for an hour, trying not to imagine what a distinguished gallery of the Barbie Kitchen or the video of willowherb seeds swirling up into the sunshine.

Eventually, she forced herself back to the gallery. Edward was sitting at the desk, a very distinguished pair of gold spectacles on the end of his nose. He looked at her over them.

‘Well?’ she demanded. ‘Shall I give up my gallery and take up knitting instead?’

‘Oh, no. I shouldn’t think you’d be any good at knitting.’

‘Edward!’ By now she felt they were old friends. ‘What do you think? Don’t keep me in suspense. I’m on pins here!’