It had been a crazy day and by five p.m. all Mia wanted to do was soak in a hot bath and have an extremely early night. But Gill would be arriving any minute, so she couldn't. Instead, she and Ella made a large bowl of mixed salad, laid out a plate of ham, and another of cheese from Little Pond Farm together with a selection of bread and rolls from Justin's bakery. It wasn't much but it would have to do.

'He's just come from France,' Ella said, grinning. 'They live on bread and cheese in France. The salad and ham will be an added bonus.'

Mia grinned back. 'I'm sure he'll understand when we explain that, what with the drama over Franklin's accident and the excitement over Hettie and Fred's engagement, going to the shops was the last thing on our minds.'

'Yeah. If he doesn't like it, there's always the pub. And Justin did make a special cake for dessert, so it's not all bad.'

'Is Justin going to be joining us for supper?'

Ella shook her head. 'No. He says he's got some people he needs to meet tonight. Something to do with The Frog Hill Hounds. He can't cancel because it's important, apparently.'

'That sounds intriguing.'

Ella shrugged. 'He was a bit cagey about it. But he swears it's business and not another woman, so I suppose I'll have to trust him.'

Mia glanced up from laying the table. 'Don't you then? Trust him, I mean.'

'I do. I think. But sometimes it seems as if he's keeping something from me and to be honest, I'm getting a little tired of it. I told you. It hasn't really been the same since that bloody fortune-teller.'

'Oh God. Don't start with her again. I'm still trying to figure out what mine meant. Especially the bit about Tom. It's weird, but I can remember almost every word that woman said. I simply can't make sense of most of it.' She stepped back and inspected the table to see if she'd forgotten anything. She hadn't. 'I saw him briefly today.'

'Tom?' Ella got out wine glasses. 'When?'

'After Jet took Mum to Little Pond Farm and Hettie and Fred had left. He called round. You'd gone over to Justin's. Tom didn't seem himself either. I told him about Franklin's accident and he was really shocked. And when I told him that Franklin was actually driving Jet's car at the time, so it could have been Jet, not Franklin who ended up crumpled against a tree, he almost looked cross. Anyone would think he's got a thing for Jet.' She grinned. 'But it was weird, wasn't it? The fact that it was Jet's car.'

'Why's that weird?' Ella poured them each a glass of wine. 'We need one after the day we've had.' She winked, before continuing: 'Brakes fail all the time. Well, maybe not all the time, but sometimes.'

Mia took the glass and sipped her wine. 'I suppose so. Jet clearly felt guilty though, didn't he? He said a couple of times that it was his fault because he'd asked Franklin to move the car for him and if he'd moved it himself, Franklin wouldn't have been hurt.'

'Yes, but Jet would've been, so that's just silly.'

'I know. And I shouldn't be saying this, but if Franklin had come to tell us that something had happened to Jet, I don't think I would've been as calm and controlled as Mum was. I would've been screaming and crying and behaving like an even bigger idiot than usual.' She sighed. 'I know all that stuff Tom said about Jet is probably true, but when I opened the front door and saw him standing there, my heart skipped a beat, I swear it did. I was so happy to see him I almost threw my arms around him and kissed the arrogant git.' She shook her head. 'And he was so concerned that Mum found out straight away that Franklin was okay, and that she didn't hear any horror stories via the village gossips. If he was really as bad as Tom says, he wouldn't have been so thoughtful, would he?'

Ella rolled her eyes. 'Are you now thinking that perhaps Tom did lie about some of those things he told you about Jet? I said he could've made them up to remove his competition.' She grinned. 'A vicar who lies. Well, there's a novelty. Not.'

Mia grinned back. 'But I can't believe Tom's like that either. Oh I don't know. I'm so confused about everything.' She flopped onto a chair and sighed. 'At least Franklin's fine. That's the main thing. And it was lucky he was simply moving the car so he wasn't going very fast. Jet races down that drive. I've been in the car with him so I know. Imagine that. He wouldn't have been able to stop and would've gone headlong onto Seaside Road, and been hit by oncoming traffic.'

Ella laughed. 'Sorry. It's not funny. But oncoming traffic? If more than three cars go along that road per day I'll be amazed. The chances of one being at that precise spot at that exact time is probably about a billion to one. He may've smashed into the hedge opposite the drive and possibly even got some broken bones, but I don't think anything too serious would've happened. There's no point in speculating anyway. It wasn't Jet, it was Franklin, and he's fine, apart from the broken wrist and the cuts and bruises. Now what time did that guy say he'd be arriving?'

'Anytime now. He told me he thought he was about thirty minutes away when he phoned. That was thoughtful of him, wasn't it? To let us know he was almost here.'

'Perhaps he wanted to give us time to roll out the red carpet or something.'

Mia tutted. 'Don't be mean. Just because he's got a posh accent, it doesn't follow he'll be the pompous git you think he is.'

'I bet he looks like a nerd, with greasy hair, spots and glasses perched on the end of an exceedingly long, hooked nose.'

'And maybe a hunched back for good measure.' Mia gave Ella a sarcastic grin. 'I think he's got a lovely voice. And he seemed friendly. Anyway, I don't care what he looks like. All I'm interested in is what he can tell me about Mattie. Oh. That must be him now.' Mia put her glass on the table the moment she heard the doorbell, and turned towards the hall.

'Unless it's Jet, who's come to tell you he's decided he wants to sleep with you, after all.'

'Yeah right. The man hardly looked at me today and I think he said about five words to me in total. It definitely won't be Jet.'

It wasn't. But Mia was still surprised when she opened the front door. Gill was nothing like Ella had suggested, although he did have glasses. Expensive glasses by the look of them and they sat perfectly on his slim, aquiline nose.

'Hello,' he said, beaming white teeth between shapely lips on a tanned face. 'You must be Mia. I'm pleased to meet you.' It was a handsome face, framed by lustrous, wild and wavy chestnut brown hair that shimmered in the late afternoon sunlight. His eyes were almost as intense as Jet's, but not quite as blue and he definitely took care of himself. He wore a red, white and green checked cotton, short-sleeved shirt, hanging loose over tailored khaki shorts and his long, athletic-looking legs were dark mahogany. He was clearly an 'outdoors' kind of man and, judging by the boat shoes he wore on otherwise bare feet, possibly one who liked messing about on boats. Although that didn't necessarily follow. Mia owned a pair of walking boots, but she didn't do much walking over rough terrain. Even his aftershave smelt divine as it wafted towards her on the warm breeze. 'Apologies for being a tad later than anticipated. I was stuck behind a tractor on Seaside Road.'

'Sorry?' Had she really been staring at him? 'Oh yes, that happens, but no apology is necessary. You must be Gill. Hello. You're only five minutes later than you said, and we hadn't expected you to be precise.' She gave a little laugh. 'Please come in. We've got a salad and some bread, cheese and ham but nothing more exciting, I'm afraid. It's been a bit of a mad day and we didn't get time to go shopping, especially as they're miles away.' And now she was waffling. She stood aside to let him in and when she closed the door, he followed her along the hall.

'Bread and cheese sounds perfect. But you shouldn't have gone to any trouble. I had a rather large lunch with my friend in Paris, so I'm not very hungry. Thank you though. It was kind of you to think of me.'

'It wasn't just for you,' Ella called out from the kitchen. 'If you don't want it that leaves more for … Bloody Nora. You can't be Gill.' She blinked several times as Gill stepped into the kitchen. 'You're not at all what I expected.' She raked his body with disbelieving eyes.

Mia grinned as Gill scanned Ella from head to toe. It was like a moment from a movie.

Gill smiled broadly. 'Oh? You're exactly what I had imagined, Ella. I assume from the sarcastic tone, that you are Ella. I think I'd recognise your voice anywhere.'

Ella blushed. She actually blushed.

'Sit down, Gill,' Mia said, still grinning. 'Would you like a glass of wine? It's only cheap stuff, not vintage or anything, which you no doubt usually drink.'

He dragged his gaze from Ella and sat, and although he furrowed his brows a touch at Mia's comment, his smile somehow remained intact.

'What makes you think that?' He laughed. 'Vintage port, on occasion, yes. Although I'll admit my grandfather did have an extensive wine cellar and I have been drinking some particularly good 2005 Burgundy while we were sorting out his estate. In fact, I've got some in the car. I'll grab one for when we eat.'

'We're eating now,' Ella said, finally regaining her composure. 'We're starving.

'Now? But it's only …' He glanced at his patently expensive watch and then his gaze shot from Ella to Mia and back again. 'Of course. I'll go and get it.'

'There's no need,' Mia said. 'Unless you really can't bear the thought of drinking cheap wine.'

'I'm happy to drink anything,' he said, smiling again. 'And price isn't always indicative of quality. I was going to give you a bottle or two for letting me stay, in any event. I simply didn't want to arrive on your doorstep with my bag in one hand and wine in the other. Not until I get to know you better, that is.' He winked. 'Oh. That was rather presumptive of me. I was assuming it is still all right for me to stay, but you said you'd had a rather hectic day. If it's not convenient, I'll stay elsewhere.'

'No! It's fine,' Mia assured him. 'Of course you can stay here.'

'Yeah. We won't get the wine if you don't,' Ella said. 'And we want the posh wine, believe me.'

He grinned. 'The wine is yours, regardless.'

Ella shrugged. 'Oh well. In that case, you might as well stay. I should warn you though. It gets a bit rowdy in the village at night.'

'It does?' His grin broadened. 'Now why don't I believe you?'

'Search me,' Ella said.

'I'd like that very much. But let me get the wine first.' He winked again and walked towards the front door.

Ella's mouth fell open. 'Did he just—'

'Yes, Ella,' Mia nodded. 'And I think Justin may be the one who needs to worry, not the other way around. I saw the way you two looked at one another. Be careful, or you'll find yourself in the same boat as I was. In love with two different men. And I've ended up with neither.'

Mia half expected Ella to protest and declare her undying love for Justin but instead she topped up her wine glass and knocked back the contents in a few gulps.

Less than a minute later, Gill reappeared, his overnight bag in one hand; two bottles of wine in the other.

'Leave your bag in the hall for now,' Mia instructed. 'Unless you'd like to freshen up before you eat. Sorry. I was forgetting you've had a long journey. I'm really not thinking straight this evening, and nor is Ella, but I'm sure she'll happily show you to your room. I need to quickly phone my mum, anyway. Her partner had an accident today.'

'I'm truly sorry to hear that. Is he – or she – okay? Are they both okay?'

'Yes thanks. And it's a 'he'. Franklin. It wasn't serious but he's sustained a broken wrist and some cuts and bruises, and naturally, Mum wants to stay with him. She would've been here otherwise. She was keen to meet you when I told her about our conversation.'

'Perhaps another time,' Gill said, casting a sideways glance at Ella. 'I wouldn't mind merely washing my face and hands, if that's okay?'

'Perfect,' Mia said. 'Ella, will you show Gill his room, and where everything is, while I call Mum?'

'Of course.' Ella gave Gill her sweetest smile but she glared at Mia as she passed by. 'Head for the stairs, Gill. It's the first door on the left at the top. I'm right behind you.' To Mia she whispered, 'So now you're throwing us together? Good plan, Mia. Excellent.' She shook her head and followed Gill.

Mia dashed into the living room, slumped on the sofa and called her mum on the landline.

'Hi, Mum. Just wanted to check Franklin's still okay and that there weren't any after effects from this morning. Gill's here and we're about to eat, so I can't talk for long. Hettie and Fred have decided to postpone their engagement celebration until Franklin's had a few days to recover. They suggested the weekend instead of tonight and asked me to tell you so that you could tell everyone at Little Pond Farm.'

'Thank you, darling. Franklin's fine and already complaining that everyone is making way too much fuss. Thanks for letting me know about Hettie. I'll tell everyone here.'

'Are you sure he's fine, Mum? You sound a little … anxious. You would tell me if it's more serious than they thought, wouldn't you?'

Lori sighed. 'Oh darling, it's not Franklin. He really is fine. It's Jet.'

'Jet?' Mia sat bolt upright. 'Has something happened to Jet? Is he okay?'

'Yes, yes. He's fine. The thing is, darling, a mechanic friend of his came to take the car away and, well, there's only one way to say this. The brakes had been tampered with, according to the mechanic. This wasn't simply an accident, Mia. Someone wanted those brakes to fail and whoever it was, obviously expected Jet to be driving the car when that happened. Isn't that dreadful? I'm not supposed to know but I overheard Jet and Franklin discussing it with the mechanic. Jet asked him twice if he was sure and the man was absolutely certain. "One brake hose splitting, can happen. The hoses to the front and back brakes splitting at exactly the same time? You've probably got more chance of winning the lottery." Those were his exact words. It was definitely foul play.'