Shrugging, she set the letter aside and checked the rest of her post. Bills, statements, catalogues. Nothing else of real interest. Most of her personal communications were by email now.

At five to two the doorbell rang and she let Donna in. Peter Shane’s letter was still lying on the hall table and on impulse she picked it up and showed it to the younger woman.

Donna read it quickly, then read it again more slowly. ‘What exactly did he do?’

Sophie explained. ‘What I don’t understand is why he even bothered to write to me.’

‘Keeping sweet with you in case he needs to interview you one day.’

‘Oh. Because of Jez?’

‘And because of who you are. You’re famous in your own right, remember. Shane’s got a good reputation, so he could also be worried about damaging that.’ Donna tapped the piece of paper. ‘If Talbin continues to harass you, maybe we should offer Shane an exclusive on what really happened. He’d have a better insight because of being there.’

‘I’d rather not. I don’t want to speak about Jez’s distress.’

Donna looked at her sharply. ‘Jez was distressed?’

‘They’d upset him, yes.’

‘He’s not fully recovered from the operation yet. They’ve made a good job of his face, haven’t they?’

‘Yes. I could see he was exhausted, though. Strange to meet him that way. I’ve loved his music for years.’

The doorbell rang again and she forgot everything as she went round the house with the security planner, discussing what was needed.

When they’d finished, Donna said, ‘I can take over from here, Sophie, if you like.’

‘That’d be good. As long as it’s understood that I’m paying for this myself.’ She looked at both of them and didn’t move until each had nodded.

Two mornings later Donna arrived again, ready to deal with the men fitting the security system. ‘Can I just interrupt you for a minute, Sophie? After that, you can go back to work until they need to do this room.’

‘Yes, of course. What is it?’

‘This … and this. Sorry.’

Sophie grimaced at the headlines on the two newspaper articles Donna had laid in front of her.

Winter’s PA Visits N ovelist

Lovers Use Go-Between

Muttering under her breath, she screwed up the pieces of paper then realised they weren’t hers to ruin and tried to smooth them out again. ‘Sorry.’

‘I don’t want them back. I just thought you ought to know what’s going on. I’ve discussed it with Jez and Kevin, and we think you should definitely give an exclusive to a reputable journalist, explaining what really happened. Would you mind if we offered it to Shane, since he was here and could see what was going on?’

‘Do I have to do this?’

‘Not if you’re dead set against it. But we’re trying to get them off your back, make sure you can go out and about without being pursued.’

Sophie sighed. ‘I suppose I’d better do it, then. All right. Go ahead and arrange something, but not—’