The Barn on Half Moon Hill Read Online Free PDF Page A

steal your ice-cream lady?’ Franco asked Jacques and Eve.
    Eve looked at Cariad, who appeared to be totally shell-shocked.
    â€˜I think if Cariad wants to be stolen, we will do our best to manage without her.’ Eve smiled. The ice-cream shop was going to be mad busy today, but could she really say anything
else? ‘May I ask where you’re going?’
    â€˜Don’t know,’ replied Franco. ‘That’s for Cariad to decide.’
    Jacques pointed to Franco’s attire. ‘Well, if the plan is to slip under the radar, I’d think about changing.’
    Franco looked down at his distinctive eight-thousand-pound suit. ‘Good point. But I . . . er . . . don’t have anything with me . . .’
    â€˜You look about the same size as me. I have some clean, spare clothes in the office. Give me a minute.’ Jacques dashed off as Logan requested a quiet word with Franco out of earshot
of the others. As Cariad stood waiting, she pinched her arm discreetly. It hurt so she really
was
awake and this really
was
happening.
    â€˜Here you go, Franco,’ said Jacques, reappearing with a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt.
    With a lot of unpredictable animals and a llama with a predilection for spitting, Jacques always had a stock of spare clothes to hand, just in case.
    â€˜Franco, you really don’t have time . . .’ Logan was clearly annoyed, but Franco was a man on a mission and would not be dissuaded.
    â€˜Logan, I have time. I’ll meet you at the front entrance of this park at seven this evening.’
    â€˜You can’t . . .’
    â€˜Oh, I can,’ insisted Franco, handing him his suit jacket before he started to unbutton his shirt. Jacques put his hands over Eve’s eyes and she batted them away. Married as
she was, she wasn’t going to miss the sight of Franco’s bared six-pack for anyone. Jacques gave her an amused nudge, though Eve did avert her eyes when he started to unbuckle his
belt.
    â€˜Logan, look after these for me. I’m playing hookey.’
    Logan was in a flap now. ‘If you miss the flight . . .’
    â€˜I won’t.’ Jacques smiled disarmingly at him and Logan huffed.
    â€˜Thank you for showing me your great Winterworld.’ Franco turned to Eve, leaned forwards and delighted her by giving her a kiss on the cheek. Then he gave Jacques’s hand a firm
shake. ‘I’ll return the clothes. Logan will see they’re laundered . . .’
    â€˜Don’t worry.’ Eve flapped her hand, dismissing the suggestion and giving a ridiculous few seconds’ thought to selling them on eBay, listing them as ‘freshly worn
by one of the hottest men in the world’.
    â€˜Okay then, let’s go.’ And with that, Franco held out his hand for Cariad to take. He guided her past his waiting limo, because the press would follow it and he wanted to be
anonymous today. Instead, he opened the door to one of the five taxis waiting in the staff car park.
    â€˜What’s the name, love?’ asked the driver, folding up his newspaper.
    â€˜Er, can’t remember the name they booked it under. Who are you waiting for?’ said Franco, feigning puzzlement.
    â€˜Brookes.’
    â€˜That’s me. I’m Brookes.’
    â€˜Where to then?’ The taxi driver swallowed the lie whole.
    Franco turned to Cariad with a look of enquiry.
    Cariad hadn’t a clue. ‘I don’t know.’
    â€˜I’m hungry. I want lunch,’ said Franco. ‘Where do you like to go? We can talk and eat.’
    â€˜Er . . . Sedgewick’s,’ said Cariad. It was the first name that came into her head.
    â€˜Then Sedgewick’s it is,’ said Franco. ‘Driver, please take us to Sedgewick’s.’
    â€˜I love a Sedgewick’s fish feast,’ said the taxi driver over his shoulder. ‘Have you tried their curry sauce? My advice is don’t get peas, get that curry