‘I can’t believe I did that,’ said Ella for the third time, as Devon manoeuvred the car out of the narrow side street.
‘Neither could Patrick,’ replied Devon and even though his face was in profile as he concentrated on the stop–start bumper to bumper traffic, she could tell from the odd contortions his chin went through that he was trying to hide his amusement.
‘It’s not funny. In the space of one day, I’ve become a felon and committed two serious crimes, stealing and assault. I’ve never even been in a police station before.’
‘That makes two of us,’ said Devon.
Ella rested her chin on her knees, her head felt too heavy to hold up any longer. Who knew that high drama could be so draining? ‘This has to be the worst day of my life. I was arrested in front of a whole gallery of people and minutes from being put in a cell!’
‘I did wonder, when I got there, whether I should have brought legal back-up with me.’
‘Oh no, they supply that. Duty solicitor.’ Ella felt positively knowledgeable and not in a good way. ‘They’d called one.’ She picked at the fabric stretched taut over her knees. ‘What must you think of me? I’ve never done anything like that before.’
‘Done what? Stealing a painting or assaulting someone?’ He shot her a cheerful look. ‘I think you’ve gone up in my estimation. A woman who’s prepared to take charge.’ His hands drummed on the steering wheel as the car inched forward in the grindingly slow traffic.
‘Has he really taken all your pictures?’
‘Yup. There are still a few at the gallery, although marked as sold. I’m not sure where I stand on those.’ A flicker of sadness ran through her. She should be so proud of all those red stickers denoting the work had been sold. Patrick had denied her that pleasure.
‘So has he been pocketing the money?’ Devon’s attempt at diplomacy rather than accusing Patrick outright of being a thief made her like him all the more.
‘Pocketing is one way of putting it. As I haven’t seen any money and I doubt he ever had any intention of passing it my way, I’d say he’s been stealing it,’ she said with a bitter edge to her voice. ‘As this is all that’s left of my work, I’d guess he’s been selling my pictures for years.’
That huge tax statement now rang alarm bells. ‘I don’t know what else he’s been up to either but it’s not looking good. He’s managed all my business interests for years. I don’t know where to start trying to untangle it all. He deals with my publisher, the merchandising stuff and my artwork. I loved your parting shot about my solicitor being in touch, as if you knew I’d got one, which I incidentally I haven’t but I’m thinking I need one. Do you know anyone?’
Devon let out a long unhappy sigh. ‘Unfortunately I do. An old university friend. I’ll contact him and see if he’ll do a bog-off deal, buy one get one free.’
Devon’s stomach let out an almighty rumble as his car pulled onto the drive outside Bets’ house, the wheels scrunching on gravel. He killed the engine and switched the lights off. Ella welcomed the quiet as she opened her door and stepped out. After a day in London, it seemed incredibly peaceful. For a minute she listened to the heavy silence of the country evening, which when you really took notice, wasn’t so quiet after all. Wind rustled the hedgerow, teasing the leaves and branches; she could hear the distant cry of a bird in the sky as it wheeled away to the far distant horizon and, closer to home, the steady baa of sheep was coming from the next field.
She heard Devon’s stomach grumble again.
‘You sound like Tess. She’s always hungry.’
‘Except that I’m not a dustbin on four legs,’ said Devon as he waited for her to walk around the car before they went towards the house. Ella liked the unconscious, old-fashioned gesture. ‘I just didn’t eat today.’
‘Oh no. What happened to lunch? You were meeting your friend.’
‘A damsel in distress called just after I’d taken my third bite of a very nice bruschetta.’
She looked at him appalled. ‘You didn’t just abandon your lunch, did you?’ Of course he had. How else could he have got there so quickly?
He nodded.
She took his arm and squeezed it. ‘Oh no, I’m so sorry.’ She looked at her watch: it was now half past five. ‘I didn’t realise. You really didn’t have to do that.’ Although she was grateful he had. She’d never been more pleased to see anyone in her life than when his tall figure marched through the door into the police station, like the cavalry arriving. Once he was there, everything had suddenly seemed so much better.
‘I don’t know what I’d have done without you.’ And she didn’t. His arrival had changed everything.
He shrugged.
‘No, seriously.’ She put a hand on his arm. ‘I know it was all sorted when you arrived but it was just such a relief that . . . ’ Oh God, it was going to sound really cheesy, ‘that I knew I could phone you and you’d be . . . there. Thank you.’
‘No problem. Glad I could help.’ His calm, stoic response made her smile. Typical Devon, rescuing people was all in a day’s work to him, but she really wanted him to know how grateful she was. She wanted to do something nice for him. Except she couldn’t think what. He was so self-possessed and sorted.
‘Do you think Bets is in? The house looks very quiet.’
Devon pulled out his phone and with his thumb swiped the screen. ‘Ah, text from Bets. She’s gone out. Left the dogs with Dad. Mum will be out. One of her meetings.’ He ran a hand through his messy hair and turned in the opposite direction to the three-storey brick built farmhouse. With its large red central glossy door and an arched fanlight above, the regency-style house had a grandeur and elegance that suggested this had once been a very well-to-do farm.
‘Come on, come meet the old codger and let’s retrieve our hounds.’
Devon let himself in the front door, yelling as he went. ‘Hi, Dad.’
‘In here. Your mother’s out.’
Both dogs were sprawled across rugs on the floor, looking completely comfortable and at home. Dexter opened one eye as if to acknowledge Devon before quickly closing it. Tess, more sluggish and reluctant, lurched to her feet and staggered towards Ella, promptly collapsing at her feet with a silly grin on her face.
‘What have you done to them?’ asked Devon, laughter in his voice as he crossed the room to shake his dad’s hand and give him a man-clap to the back. ‘Or is that a stupid question?’
‘Bets took them out at lunchtime and I took them out at teatime.’ He smiled at Ella.
‘Sorry, Dad. This is Ella.’
‘Hello,’ said Ella. ‘Thanks for looking after Tess. It was very kind of you.’
‘No worries. I enjoyed taking them out, although they’re both knackered,’ said Geoffrey unfurling his spider limbs from the sofa and reaching forward to shake her hand. ‘Nice to meet you. Ella, was it? Is that short for something? Cinderella?’ He laughed gently at his own joke.
‘No. Just Ella.’
‘Excellent, Just Ella. Welcome and welcome to your rather charming dog who has been on her absolute best behaviour,’ he paused, ‘except for a slight dairy incident.’ He gave a positive smile. ‘But at least her coat will be lovely and shiny.’
‘Oh no! Not again. She didn’t eat your butter, did she? Tess! You are naughty.’
Tess lowered her head, eyes looking up from under lashes.
‘Fraid so. My fault. I should know better. You know what Labs are like.’
In unison the three of them chorused, ‘they eat anything.’
‘I’m so sorry.’
‘Don’t worry, my dear. Dogs will be dogs. My fault entirely. Do take a seat. Would you like a sherry? Or a G&T?’
Ella looked at the tall, spare figure who’d already crossed to a highly polished sideboard where there was a tray holding a decanter and odds and sods of antique silver.
Devon shot her an apologetic look. ‘I think Ella wants to get home, Dad. It’s been a long day.’
If there hadn’t been a mirror on the other side of the room, Ella would have missed the naked sadness on the older man’s face, and the lonely longing look he gave Devon.
It made her own heart ache. Stopping for a drink was the very least she could do, especially after all Devon had done for her today.
‘I’d love one. It has been quite a day.’ Geoffrey’s stooped shoulders relaxed and Ella knew she’d done the right thing despite Devon’s perplexed frown. ‘You probably won’t want me associating with your son once you find out the crime spree I’ve been on today.’
‘You’ve intrigued me.’ He poured the drinks and escorted Ella to the sofa. ‘Now tell me all about today. Bets said you’d gone up to London to get some paintings for Aud’s talk at the WI. Did you get everything you needed?’
Ella sank into the feather cushions of the faded raspberry velvet sofa and took a slug of her drink, Tess’s head already pressed against her legs as if the dog was worried Ella might abandon her again. Despite there being several comfortable seats around the room, Devon chose to flop down next to her.
‘It was a bit of an abortive trip, unfortunately.’ Ella bit her lip as she thought about the events of the day. Her lips twitched. Devon caught her eye and winked.
Geoffrey lifted an eyebrow in amused patience.
‘I stole a painting.’ She swallowed, valiantly holding back the laughter that threatened to bubble over. ‘Then I was arrested.’ A snigger slipped through. ‘Then I was released and I hit my ex-boyfriend over the head with the painting, which, I might add in my defence, he had stolen from me.’
Beside her she could feel Devon’s body shaking with laughter. It was no good, the images in her head replayed themselves and she couldn’t help but see the funny side of events.
‘My, that sounds like quite an adventure,’ said Geoffrey, a teasing light glinting in his eyes. Ella recognised the expression – she’d seen it on Devon’s face.
‘It was hilarious,’ chipped in Devon. ‘Don’t mess with Ella. She really clouted him one with the painting.’
‘I was just so mad at him.’ She turned to Geoffrey. ‘I don’t normally do things like that.’ Quickly she explained the full story.
‘Good for you, dear. It sounds as if he probably deserved it.’
Ella pulled a face as she sank back into the sofa and took a sip of her drink. The generous measure of gin almost took her head off but after the day she’d had, it was rather welcome. Absently she reached down to rub Tess’s head and reassure her that she was there.
‘And you, Devon. How was James?’
‘Good, he’s very happy. Enjoying married life.’
‘And did he make you an offer?’ Geoffrey’s voice, although bland, held a note of expectation.
‘Yes, but I’m not interested.’ Devon’s tone was clipped and Ella wondered at the undertone.
‘I don’t mind, you know.’
‘Don’t mind what?’ Devon scowled and took great interest in Dexter’s jaws.
‘I don’t mind if you decide you want to go off and do your own thing. Go and work in another practice.’
‘I don’t want to go and work in James’s practice. It’s another City practice. I’ve realised recently I want to work with large animals.’
Devon’s dad didn’t look convinced and Ella could tell that there was some hidden tension between them.
‘So where did you take Tess and Dex this afternoon? They both look shattered.’
‘Just around the reservoir.’ Geoffrey gave her a candid stare.
Devon smiled, the quirky twisted smile that made Ella’s heart pick up a pace. ‘At what speed?’
The older man responded to his grin. ‘Set a cracking pace. I’m definitely on the mend.’
‘Great, Dad. You might be well on the road to recovery but what if you’d given Ella’s dog a heart attack?’
Geoffrey looked a tad nonplussed, as if the thought had never occurred to him. Devon shook his head. ‘Sorry, Ella, my dad’s warped sense of humour. He likes to run, so he took the dogs with him.’
Ella looked down at Tess, who she had to say was looking a lot slimmer than she had a couple of weeks ago. ‘I guess she’d have voted with her feet if she wasn’t happy. She’s a lot fitter than when I got her.’
‘Rescue?’ asked Geoffrey.
‘What?’ Ella looked up. Was this some secret dog code?
‘Is your dog a rescue dog?’
‘No, I think she’s just a normal regular sort of dog. A Labrador.’
Devon sniggered and Ella looked up.
‘What?’
‘Dad meant, did you get her from a rescue shelter?’
‘Oh? No, I didn’t. She came with the house. She’s Magda’s dog.’
Geoffrey let out a riotous shout of laughter.
‘What?’ Ella couldn’t understand what he found so funny.
Geoffrey carried on laughing, his eyes shining with tears. ‘Magda!’ He sniggered some more. ‘A dog.’ He burst into peals of laughter.
Ella felt the familiar sensation of being the odd one out and the last to know anything, but where once she would have retreated into herself, she nudged Devon.
‘Spill. What’s the joke?’
Geoffrey immediately stopped laughing, as Devon shook his head, equally bemused.
‘Ella, I do apologise. Tess is a lovely dog. However, Magda didn’t do dogs. She refused to have anything to do with them. Said she’d been bitten as a child and wanted to keep out of their way.’
Ella frowned. ‘Then whose dog is she?’
That didn’t make sense. She thought back, going over the scene of her arrival in her head. Now that she thought about it with a bit of distance, her parents never actually said that Tess was Magda’s dog, just that she needed to look after it while Magda was away.
‘I assumed she was Magda’s, too,’ said Devon. ‘Now some of Bets’ comments make sense.’
‘I must have misunderstood,’ she said, remembering her parents’ sheepish looks. She gave a sudden grin. ‘I think my parents have got a bit of explaining to do.’
Geoffrey shook his head. ‘I’m starting to feel quite sorry for them. There’s a definite look of mischief on your face, my dear.’
‘After all I’ve been through with this damn dog,’ she paused. She stroked Tess’s ears. ‘You’re lovely now, but you’ve had your moments.’
‘Haven’t we all,’ chipped in Devon with a wry twist to his mouth. ‘Thank God she’s not howling the place down. It’s nice getting some sleep.’
Geoffrey did a discreet double-take.
Ella laughed. ‘When I first arrived, Tess cried all night. I thought she was ill, so I phoned Devon. He wasn’t very impressed.’
Geoffrey frowned.
Devon poked her in the ribs. ‘Er, you haven’t mentioned what time you called. Four o’clock, wasn’t it?’
Geoffrey laughed. ‘I don’t miss those calls. In fact, I’m rather enjoying my semi-retirement.’ He looked thoughtful for a minute as if weighing up his next words carefully. It gave Ella the impression that her presence created a handy shield. ‘I’m thinking of training to do the London Marathon next year.’
‘Good for you, Dad. I think that’s absolutely brilliant.’
‘Yes.’ Geoffrey paused. ‘Putting in the mileage is going to take a lot of time. A lot of time. Hour and hours. But I’m serious about this. I’m not aiming for any records. Not at my age.’
Next to her, Ella felt Devon tense, his legs uncrossing as he planted them firmly on the floor. There was a definite subtext she wasn’t party to here. Devon didn’t say anything, his mouth firmed in an implacable line.
‘Let’s talk about this later, Dad.’ His low voice sounded taut with tension. ‘It’s been a long day. Ella, shall I walk you home?’
The grim expression on his face suggested it would be best not to argue with him.
As he ushered her out of the front door, a figure came bustling up the path.
‘Ah, Devon. How was your day in London? How was James?’
At the sight of Audrey, Ella fought a cowardly urge to duck behind Devon. She really was in tune with the local gossip. She seemed to know rather a lot about Devon’s movements.
‘And I’ve missed you tonight. Honestly, I think I see less of you now than when you lived in London.’ Audrey shook her head with an affectionate smile and then patted Dexter’s head. ‘I do get to see a lot of this lovely boy, though. I hope your father’s cleaned up all the muddy paw prints from the laundry room.’
‘If he knows what’s good for him.’ Devon’s teeth flashed white in the dark, lit by the lamp above the door. ‘And I’ve seen you plenty. You had me rebuilding the Splat the Rat this week.’
‘Yes, and you’ve done a great job. It really was looking a bit sad. I just hope Doris comes up trumps with a new rat. I’m glad I’ve seen you. Both of you actually because I need you to take all the bottles over to Ella’s for the tombola box.’ Audrey turned to Ella. ‘Hello, dear. When would be a good time for me to drop everything round? I’ve got raffle tickets for you. Sellotape. All the bottles. So all you need to do is stick all the tickets on the bottles. Nice and easy. Are you around on Thursday?’
Ella nodded, struck dumb by the sudden realisation that Audrey was Devon’s mother.
‘Right you are. I’ll see you then. About ten o’clock?’
Ella nodded again.
‘Toodle pip.’ She kissed Devon on the cheek and disappeared through the front door, calling, ‘Geoffrey, Geoffrey! I’m home.’
‘Audrey’s your mother?’ Ella blushed. ‘I didn’t mean to be . . . ’
Devon smiled. ‘Don’t worry, I know what my mother’s like.’
They walked along the lane towards the green.
‘Now you know why I live on the other side of the courtyard. As it is I get roped into most things, but this year I managed to get out of being Santa, the Easter Bunny and Captain America and I’m only judging one dog competition at the Spring Fayre.’
‘It seems impossible to avoid being roped in around here,’ Ella observed as they turned left to cross the green. ‘And I thought I’d be bored.’
‘And I thought once Dad was back on his feet I could leave.’ Devon frowned and sighed heavily. ‘He’s muttering about retirement, but it’s only because he thinks he’s helping me out.’
Ella nudged him. ‘It’s not that bad here, is it?’ She laughed. ‘And I never thought I’d say that.’
‘It’s not bad here at all. But I’m a grown-up. I don’t need my dad giving up his livelihood for me.’ His mouth curved with a derisive twist.
The gate squeaked and Ella glanced over at George’s house as they walked up the flagstone path, pleased to see that the lights were on.
‘George is back.’ She craned her neck to see if there were any sign of him through the windows. ‘He said they were discharging him this week.’ She ought to pop around and check he was OK and had everything he needed. ‘I know just what he needs,’ she added with a broad smile.
‘What’s that, then?’ asked Devon, his blue eyes dancing with amusement.
‘One of my special cappuccinos with chocolate sprinkles. I’m going to make a stencil so I can put a G on the top in chocolate.’
‘I’m sure he’d appreciate that, although I suspect he just likes the company of a gorgeous young woman now and then.’
Ella’s step faltered and she shot him a look, just in time to see a deliberately bland expression slip into place. A little glow lit up in her chest as Devon suddenly found the front door incredibly interesting.
He waited for her to open the door and Tess darted inside. Turning to face him, Ella put her hands in her pockets and stood on the doorstep, shifting her weight from foot to foot, looking at the neckline of his cherry-red wool sweater. ‘Thanks for today.’ She took her hands out of her pockets, feeling them hang limply at her sides. ‘For rescuing me.’ She rubbed the seams of her jeans. ‘Again.’ She managed to raise her eyeline to look at his face, feeling a funny swirling sensation in her stomach.
‘No problem,’ he said gravely, making no move to leave. The expression of gentle amusement and warmth in his eyes as he gazed down at her stopped her heart. Without thinking, she bobbed up to brush her lips along his jawline. ‘You were brilliant today.’
He caught her chin in his hand with a featherlight touch, which sent tingles racing across her skin.
Their eyes held each other’s. Ella’s breath hitched. The moment shimmered between them. He lowered his head. Her heart somersaulted.
And Tess nudged her in the back of her knees, pitching her forward to headbutt Devon right on the nose.
‘Oh no, I’m sorry! Are you OK?’
With a rueful smile, Devon rubbed his nose and said with a muffled voice, ‘Yes, dime fine.’ Or something like that. ‘Died bedder go.’
‘Yes, well . . . er, thanks again.’
He turned to leave, and stopped.
‘Erm, would you . . . ’
Just as she said. ‘Would you like . . . ?’
‘Ladies first.’
‘Well . . . you’ve been . . . so . . . I just wondered if you’d like to come here for a meal. To say thank you. For today. Make up for your bruschetta. Nothing special. I’m not a great cook. Well, not any kind of cook at all but . . . ’
‘That would be great.’
‘Oh.’ The air whooshed out of her lungs in relief. Which was a bit crazy because she was only asking him for dinner. To say thank you. That was all.
‘Right. Monday night?’
‘Sounds perfect. See you then.’
She managed to keep a straight face as she watched him walk down the path; it was only when she closed the door and leaned against it that a silly smile decided to take over her entire face.
Tess gave a little yip and a bounce.
‘It’s just dinner, Tess. Don’t go getting any ideas.’