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Absolutely sure
Better to be on the safe side
Only thing is, I hate being in a rush That way you make a stupid mistake, you slip up because you’re in a panic, and I’ve never been in a panic, me, never once
Not in a panic now
But time’s not exactly on my side, is it?
Thirty-four
JUST BEFORE EIGHT the nexton the stairs, the phone rang
‘Harvey?’
‘Stop it Stop IT Mu my shin, he’s –’
‘Listen, Harvey, listen to me Get your dad, now, it’s really i in his mother’s voice
‘Dad? Mum says it’s really i the toastGo and get dressed, you two Now’
Harry took the phone
‘Listen, I’ve been trying to get Mu’
‘It’s only just eight and it’s Saturday, stop fretting’
‘She’s always up by seven, you know that, often much earlier There’s just no reply and I’hed ‘She could be in the bath’
‘Not all this tiot the lads, the breakfast’s on, I’et yourself sorted out, I’ll keep ringing her, and if I haven’t had an answer by nine, I’ll go over, take the boys’
‘That’s too long, Harry She ht –’
‘Half eight then Just let o’
‘Or call the police’
‘You can’t call the police every time an old lady doesn’t answer her phone, Kaz’
‘But because of where she is –’
‘You’re forgetting soer He’s behind bars’
Karen sighed ‘I suppose Yes’
‘You’re getting yourself worked up Still, she ought to be up and about by now I’ll go But if you get hold of her in the next quarter of an hour, or she rings you, do oose chase with both boys, in this weather We’ve got freezing fog here What time will you be back?’
‘I’ll have lunch with Elaine and then set off’
‘Don’t leave it too late – if it co You look out for yourself’
‘I will, sweetheart Ringup at Mum’s’
‘What do you take me for? I’m as concerned about Rosemary as you are’
‘I know I’ll be fine once I hear she’s all right’
Harry shouted the boys down to breakfast ‘And ran No ’
As they tumbled downstairs, he picked up the phone and dialled Rose
Thirty-five
‘RACHEL’
‘Mmmm’ She stirred, then turned and pulled the duvet back over her
Simon kissed her forehead ‘Breakfast will be here in ten minutes’
A brief pause and then she sat up ‘What?’
He laughed ‘You re’
‘It’s not that long since we ate a fantastic dinner’
The hotel had recently been awarded a Michelin star and it showed, not in pretentiousness but in fresh, carefully prepared dishes, full of intense flavours, and in presentation that in itself was like a work of art, yet without any over-embellishment They had drunk Veuve Clicquot and a fine bottle of Pomerol, and come to the luxurious room with its vast bed and deep mattress and pillows in a haze of happiness Rachel had looked at the room-service menu and they had ordered breakfast
Si shower One of them had to be ready for the waiters
When they arrived, two youngthe silver trays at shoulder level, they set up a table by the here the room overlooked the hotel’s park that sloped up to a crown of trees The grass was frosted white, the sky brittle blue
‘Oh azed at the breakfast, when the waiters had departed with silent and respectful smiles ‘I don’t eat breakfast’
‘Nor do I All the more reason and you look beautiful’
She did She was Hair pulled loosely back in a band, skin creamy-pale He looked into her eyes Their violet had been darker last night, in artificial light Now, they were aht
She stared at the breakfast, the silver pots of coffee and , the basket of warm croissants and chocolatines, the racks of toast, the butter set over a cooler of water, the plates of peeled and sliced fruit,jaly ‘It’s like the picnic in The Wind in the Willows’
‘No porridgeYou forgot to ask for porridge, with creaar’
‘Simon!’
He held out her chair, opened her napkin and set it on her lap Kissed her Sat down opposite The smell of the hot coffee as he poured it was so rich he closed his eyes to savour it To savour this, now
His
The station number was on the phone display
He looked at Rachel
‘Please answer it’
‘It’s work No’
‘It’ll just ring until you do’