‘He would,’ said Elizabeth, as if she was already tired of the conversation. In reality she was seething underneath her calm and nonchalant exterior. Wait until she saw Dominic; she’d rip him to shreds. She forced a smile and moved towards Harry. ‘I promise you, I’m not having an affair. It’s just nasty rumours. Yes, I’ve spent some time with him practising yoga but that’s all. Honestly, Harry, you really shouldn’t believe everything you hear, and Dominic should know better.’

Harry appraised her through narrowed eyes. ‘Don’t mess with me, Elizabeth.’

She didn’t like the way he delivered the line, but she ignored the underlying threat. ‘I’m not. Honest. Look, I know things haven’t been great between us lately but it’s not come to this yet, has it?’

‘I don’t know; you tell me. I’m certainly not the one rumoured to be having an affair.’

‘Not with a woman anyway,’ said Elizabeth. ‘You are with your job, though. And what makes it even more insulting is that you don’t even like your job that much.’

Harry slumped onto the sofa. ‘You really hate the set-up here, don’t you?’

‘I’m bored, that’s all. There’s nothing to do. I’m a good businesswoman and I had a good job before I came here. I want to put my brain to work.’

Harry groaned. ‘Not all that again. You know it’s not possible.’

‘I don’t see why not. Just because your family are stuck in the dark ages and won’t let an outsider into the inner sanctum, it doesn’t mean you have to agree with them. Besides, it’s no different to your mum working.’

‘It is different. It’s her company. In fact, it’s more than that, it’s her baby. You know how she is about Conmere.’

‘You are all so frustrating,’ said Elizabeth, following up her comment with a growl of frustration and clenched fists. ‘What does it take to make you, any of you, change your mind?’ She marched out of the room and stamped her way up every stair, slamming the bedroom door shut behind her as a grand finale.

Chapter Fourteen

Conmere, Friday, 10 May, 7.00 p.m.