And I know Julie will have to dash to Starbucks around the corner, because we do not have a machine that makes fancy drinks. She disappears. He crosses his legs and smiles at me. He is white-blond, so pale that I can’t see his eyebrows or lashes. Skin like Caribbean sand. His eyes are a piercing cornflower blue. His pale suit complements his eyes. Extravagant cream leather boots with triangular toes, painted-on flowers, like curvy embroidery. A supercool combination of masculine and feminine.

‘Thank you for coming in. What can I do to help?’ I ask.

185

Hayley

I am lying in bed at the dump of a squat, watching Saffron sitting in her office. She looks quirky with her hair in a bird’s nest bun, and she’s wearing heavier eyeshadow than usual to go with her quirky hairstyle. But it suits her.

She doesn’t know I’m watching her, does she? I don’t suppose she’ll ever find out. Ages ago Caprice paid someone to come to Wellbeck House and insert software to control the camera in Saffron’s laptop. She told me it was there, and I should use it if I needed to. At the time I wasn’t sure why, or what she was talking about. But then, when I received her last missive, I remembered. And I soon learnt from the internet how to switch it on remotely.

‘Please go to Marazion House tomorrow to check the tenancy agreements; some of them are tricky apparently,’ Crispin Montague is saying. His voice booms into the squat, loud and clear. ‘If you think it’s all OK, I’ll go ahead and make an offer.’

‘That’s fine,’ Saffron replies. ‘When should I arrive?’

‘Travel down in the morning, so that you can start as soon as possible. We’re in a contract race with another bidder. Time is of the essence. I need you there by 9 a.m.’

186

Miles

You are home from work. You dump your briefcase in the hallway and walk towards me. You look so fragile in your black silk dress decorated with Chinese embroidery. A kimono look but tighter, more fashionable. I like your bird’s-nest, chopstick-enhanced sweeping hairstyle. My heart sinks when you tell me you have to go to Cornwall tomorrow morning. I want you to stay at home near me so that I can look after you.

‘How long for?’ I ask.

‘Not sure.’ You shrug. ‘Four days at the most, I guess.’

‘It’s a long way to drive,’ I say trying to suppress my panic.

You smile. ‘Why are you fussing about my driving? You never used to.’

I shake my head. ‘I guess I’m just getting a bit neurotic about things as I get older.’

You entwine your legs and arms around me like ivy and kiss me. ‘Neurotic or not, I love you.’

187

Hayley