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‘I only found out about this yesterday I volunteered to break the news to you and I couldn’t do it on the phone I ht was delayed,’ Toby confided apologetically

‘Gwenna…’ Donald Ha tone

‘Get ed her oldest friend in a frantic whisper, before turning back to address her father ‘I don’t knohat to say to you right now I need to think things over Please don’t expectthe older man’s protests, Toby ushered her quickly out to his car

‘Look, I’ht Why don’t we go there to talk?’ Her He was still talking to her, then But her surge of guilty relief was short-lived when she conteelo about her parent’s latest act of ee, she switched off her phone When they arrived at the Four Crowns, Toby confessed that he hadn’t eaten for hours and added that, as far as he knew, starving had never solved a crisis Neither of them mentioned the theft over a late dinner Afterwards they went up to his comfortable room with its ancient oak beams to talk over a bottle of wine

‘I’ll be blunt The co at the bit to call in the police but I persuaded them to hold off for another day or so They don’t want the scandal of this going public in case it inhibits further donations to the fund,’ Toby explained ‘IsAngelo likely to bail your dad out?’ Gwenna sed hard ‘I doubt it—Angelo won’t be syelo struck me as keen on you’ Gwenna reddened because she didn’t feel that she could point out that her sole value in Angelo’s terhly physical nature And that after the lie she had flung at Angelo earlier, even that low measure of her worth had probably hit rock-bottom

‘I won’t say what I’d like to say about your father’ ‘I appreciate that…’ Gwenna flinched nervously as a knock sounded on the door

Toby opened the door Gwenna saw Angelo and her heart reacted as if it were juht out of her chest She ju in sudden fear to the icy black outrage flaelo hit Toby, ent flying backwards to fall against the side of the bed

‘Are you insane?’ Gwenna shrieked

‘You were lying on his bed!’ Angelo gritted ‘Stay out of this This is between me and him—’ ‘I’m not a coward, but I’ve just never seen the point of all thathis ribs and struggling to catch his breath

Angelo studied hiht for you!’ ‘Why would he fight fordown beside Toby to ask hiht

‘Gay?’ Angelo thundered in disbelief

‘Gay,’ Toby confirelo

‘Didn’t she elo’s business,’ Gwenna declared, refusing to look at either elo strode forward and ier y’He sent Gwenna a shie ‘Why didn’t you tell me? Hoasn’t it my business?’ Her cheeks flushed a disco retort A slanging ive as good as he got would only euilty that Toby had got hurt She did not want to recall that, when she first realised that Angelo had followed her down to Somerset, she had been pleased

‘Are you coelo drawled softly

Gwenna jerked her chin in grudging affirmation ‘How could you do that?’ she snapped the elo

‘You’re responsible for that stupid farce,’ Angelo draith cutting cool, thrusting open the inn door for her to precede him into the car park

‘And how do you make that out?’ Gwenna demanded

‘You didn’t answer your mobile phone You walked out of your father’s house with the man you told me you loved You then dined alone with him and went upstairs to his hotel room What was I supposed to think?’ ‘That not everyone is as oversexed as you are!’ Gay! The guy was gay! Why hadn’t she said? Angelo’s aggressive jaw line squared