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‘What kept you?’ Pauline de that we needed to talk to you’

‘I was taking lacrosse practice,’ Ellen returned, keeping her tone even She sat down heavily on an armchair

‘You’ve got ly

Her gaze was not just hostile, but conte one of her countless designer outfits—a pair of immaculately cut trousers with a cashmere knit top—her nails were newly manicured and varnished, her freshly

cut and styled ash-blonde hair and make-up perfect

A fa she was not! Petite, with a heart-shaped face, and so, so sli the coaching tracksuit froht Garipped back in a bushy ponytail and her face devoid of any make-up except the streak of mud on her cheek that Chloe had so kindly pointed out!—was total

‘The estate agents phoned this afternoon,’ Pauline opened, her gimlet eyes on Ellen ‘There’s been another expression of interest—’

‘And we don’t want you ruining things!’ broke in Chloe waspishly, throwing a dagger look at her stepsister ‘Especially with this guy,’ she continued

There was a note in her voice that caught Ellen’s attention So, too, did the discernibly s expression in Pauline’s eyes

‘Max Vasilikos is looking for a new addition to his portfolio—he thinks Haughton ht be it’ Pauline elucidated

Ellen looked blank, and Chloe made a derisive noise ‘Oh, for heaven’s sake, don’t expect her to knoho Max Vasilikos is,’ she said ‘Max Vasilikos,’ she spelt out to Ellen, ‘is a stinking rich property tycoon He’s also just had an affair with Tyla Brentley—you must have heard of her, at least?’

Ellen had, as a lish actress who’d found faely successful romantic blockbuster, and the pupils at her school were full of her But as for this Max Vasilikos Apart fro that with a na rich’ property tycoons were nothing to do with her

And they would be nothing to do with Haughton either, please God! A cold shiver went down her spine Soe profit to a Russian oligarch or a Middle Eastern sheikh ould spend a week or two in it, at best, every year or so And it would languish, unloved and unlived-in

Pauline was speaking again ‘Max Vasilikos is sufficiently interested to come and view the property himself As a courtesy I have invited him to lunch with us’

That sain Ellen just looked at her ‘Does he understand the ownership structure of Haughton and that I a to sell my share?’ she asked bluntly

Pauline waved a hand to brush aside this unpalatable detail ‘What I understand, Ellen,’ she said bitingly, ‘is that if—if—he expresses an interest, ill be very, very fortunate I do not,’ she elared at her stepdaughter ‘—if nothing I can say willup, perhaps Max Vasilikos can’

There was an explosive, choking half-laugh from Chloe ‘Oh, Mummy, don’t,’ she jeered ‘You simply can’t inflict her on him!’