A Calculating Heart Read Online Free PDF Page B

this rubbish they’ve written, are you?’ Felicity rounded on Henry.
    Henry held up his hands in defence. ‘I’m not saying anything. I don’t care one way or the other, frankly. Mr Davies’s personal life is his own – it’s when it starts damaging business that I mind.’ He shook his head. ‘This isn’t going to do his practice any good.’
    ‘I think that’s where you’re wrong,’ said Felicity. ‘Even bad publicity is publicity. You wait and see.’
    Henry shook his head. ‘Anyway, I’ve got enough on my plate without worrying about Mr Davies’ practice. We’ve got four new tenants and a clerk landing on us tomorrow morning, don’t forget.’
    ‘As if I needed reminding.’ And then Felicity swore with such unladylike vehemence that Henry was quite startled. He had yet to fathom why she was getting so worked up about the arrival of this new clerk, Peter Weir. So far as Henry could see, he was a perfectly nice bloke.

    Anthony spent the afternoon considering the applicability of the Brussels Convention to a French arbitration dispute, spinning out the time, punctuating it with cups of coffee. From half past five onwards, people drifted out of chambers, and by seven the building was empty. Anthony, whose sash window was open to the summer evening air, swivelled round and glanced down into Caper Court. Sure enough, punctualas ever, Leo appeared from the cloisters and crossed the flagstones. He was wearing dark blue trousers and an open-necked shirt, and carried a copy of the evening paper. Anthony swivelled back around and waited, listening for the sound of Leo’s feet on the stair. He remembered a time when that swift, springing tread, taking the stairs an unmistakable two at a time, had set his heart racing, when he couldn’t wait to see Leo’s face, hear his voice. It had been a happy anticipation then. Now, the anticipation was dark, tainted. The love he had felt for Leo had lost its innocence, just as he had.
    A few moments later Leo rapped on the door and came in. ‘Hi.’
    Anthony merely nodded by way of reply. Leo sat down in one of the chairs at the long conference table which abutted Anthony’s desk, chucking his copy of the
Standard
on to the polished surface. ‘I take it you saw
The Sun
earlier today?’
    ‘I saw it at lunchtime.’
    ‘There’s nothing in the evening paper, thank God. I’ve no idea if any of the dailies will follow it up tomorrow.’ He glanced at Anthony. ‘I suppose it’s all over the place?’
    Anthony nodded. ‘You’re the talk of chambers.’
    ‘And the entire Inns of Court, no doubt,’ sighed Leo.
    ‘Have you done anything about it yet?’
    ‘I haven’t issued any writs, if that’s what you mean. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.’
    ‘Why me?’ asked Anthony. He gazed frankly at Leo. ‘Libel isn’t my specialism. There are plenty of other peoplebetter equipped to advise you than I am.’
    Leo stood up and thrust his hands into his pockets. ‘You know I don’t need advice on the law, Anthony. I need to speak to you as a friend.’
    ‘And you think I’m your friend?’
    Leo paced the room, tapping the spines of books, inspecting the pictures which lined the walls. Long moments passed.
    Leo turned at last. ‘You tell me. Are you?’
    It was Anthony’s turn to be silent. He swivelled his chair slowly from side to side, looking at Leo long and hard. It exasperated him, infuriated him, that Leo should take him so much for granted.
    ‘I don’t think you can ever know what it cost me to—’ He stopped. Leo could never understand. Leo was so cool with his sexuality. He wouldn’t ever understand how it was to grow up thinking you were a nice, straight boy, only to find out that things weren’t that simple, that someone like Leo could lead you down another path, confusing you, making you think and want things you had never dreamt of, then leaving you high and dry. A lost boy.
    He tried again. ‘Put it this way, Leo – I haven’t