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'I can't stay out here all night,' she ht not be anyone else pass by'

'Sure fire bet,' he agreed pleasantly 'My house is the only other building along here and the lane finishes at arden'

And he had just been going to drive off knowing that? 'Where do I put Harvey?' she asked stiffly

In reply he got out of the car and opened the back of the estate Harvey juh he had been doing it all his life Beth glared at the animal as Travis pulled the door down He then walked round the vehicle and opened the passenger door for her without saying a word, but she just kneas s inside

She slid in 'Thank you' It was said through gritted teeth

'My pleasure' He closed the door very gently

Once he had joined her in the car she becaht and breadth of him and felt all the more vulnerable because of it She also beca from her clothes 'I hope I don't spoil the seat,' she said in a san to e Mercedes Estate She bet it was the first time the beau¬tiful interior had been subjected to such abuse

'It's leather; it'll sponge down if necessary Once we get toclean for you to put on It won't be pink, though,' he added, deadpan

'Not your colour?' Beth asked in the same tone

'Clashes withat her

'Right' He was trying to put her at her ease And, she re a roof over her head for the night and if he hadn't co she would have been in a real fix 'This is very kind of you,' she said belatedly

"That's me all over Orphans, strays, lost sheep'

'Yeah, right' He was joking but the way she was feeling it was a little too near the mark Beth forced all emotion out of her voice as she said, 'If yours is the only place on this road I was lucky you ca'