Seduction Never Lies Read Online Free PDF Page B

went to his study to find a book he’s going to lend me on the history of the Manor.’
    ‘The past is safe enough,’ she said. ‘It’s what you may do to its future that worries most people.’
    ‘I met two of my new neighbours on my way here,’ he said. ‘A man on horseback and a woman with a dog. Both of them smiled and said hello, and the dog didn’t bite me, so I wasn’t aware of any tsunami of anxiety heading towards me.’
    ‘It may seem amusing to you,’ she said. ‘But we’ll have to live with the inevitable upheaval of your celebrity presence—’ she edged the words with distaste ‘—and deal with the aftermath when you get bored and move on.’
    ‘You haven’t been listening, sweetheart.’ His tone was crisp. ‘The Manor is going to be my home. The only one. And I intend to make it work. Now shall we call a truce before your father comes back? And I take my coffee black without sugar,’ he added. ‘For future reference.’
    ‘Quite unnecessary,’ said Tavy. ‘As this will be the first and last time I have to serve it to you.’
    ‘Well,’ he said. ‘One can always dream.’
    Lloyd Denison came striding in, holding a slim book with faded green covers. ‘Things are never where you expect them to be,’ he said, shaking his head.
    That, Tavy thought affectionately, was because he never put things where they were supposed to go. And she hadn’t inherited her mother’s knack of guiding him straight to the missing item.
    ‘Thank you.’ Jago took the book from him, handling it gently. ‘I promise I’ll look after it.’
    Their coffee drunk, he stood up. ‘Now I’ll leave you to enjoy your afternoon in peace. But I must thank you again for a delicious lunch. And as home-cooking is currently out of the question for me, I was wondering if you could recommend a good local restaurant.’
    ‘I dine out very rarely, but I’m sure Tavy could suggest somewhere.’ Her father turned to her. ‘What do you think? There’s that French place in Market Tranton.’
    Which is our place—Patrick’s and mine—thought Tavy, so I’m not sending him there.
    She said coolly, ‘The pub in the village does food.’
    ‘Yes, but it’s very basic,’ Mr Denison objected. ‘You must know lots of better places.’
    She turned reluctantly to Jago. ‘In that case, you could try Barkland Grange. It’s a hotel and quite a trek from here, but I believe its dining room won an award recently.’
    ‘It sounds ideal.’ That smile again. As if he was reaching out to touch her. ‘And as I’ve ruined your supper plans, maybe I can persuade you to join me there for dinner tonight.’ He looked at her father. ‘And you, sir, of course.’
    ‘That’s very kind,’ said the Vicar. ‘But I have some finishing touches to put to my sermon, plus a double helping of chicken to enjoy. However I’m sure Tavy would be delighted to accompany you.’ He looked at her blandly. ‘Wouldn’t you, darling?’
    Tavy reflected she would rather be roasted over a slow fire. But as it had already been established that, thanks to her would-be host, she had no prior date, she was unable to think of a feasible excuse. Her only alternative was a bald refusal which would be ill-mannered and therefore cause distress to her father. Although she suspected Jago himself would be amused.
    Accordingly, she murmured an unwilling acquiescence, and agreed that she could be ready at seven-thirty.
    Unless mown down in the meantime by a runaway steamroller. And if she knew where one was operating, she’d lie down in front of it.
    As she stood by her father, her smile nailed on, to wave goodbye to the departing visitor, she wondered how close she was to the world record for the number of things that could go wrong within a set time.
    Because her choice of Barkland Grange, astronomically expensive and practically in the next county, had rebounded on her big time.
    Safely indoors, she rounded on her father. ‘Dad, how could you? You