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'Didn't he want any dinner?' Clare asked tentatively Hardly any sleep after hours of worry, and then to be tricked into an icy bath! If he was ill, it would be her fault

'I think Shari was bringing hi He was still on the phone when I left Efre, and there's a chance that Dad could go to Russia If he does, he said I could go too, even if it's ter as he did to visit the place where most of my ancestors lived'

Russia! A whole world away But then, David was that anyway Clare could nohis roo hiht

The excuse seemed a trifle thin when the door opened to her knock and Shari stood there with a tray of dirty dishes Clare felt herself blush and Shari grinned

'He's not here'

'Oh' Or was he just avoiding her?

'He's been rushed off to hospital with triple-pneumonia'

It was such a vivid pronouncenificance of Shari's dancing eyes 'What?'

'Hey, Clare, I was only kidding,' said Shari hastily 'He's fine, he just went off for a swim'

'A swim?'

'A devil for punish that she was going to getfrom the episode than ever David would Talk about the biter bit! 'No, he said he wanted to try out the pool Actually, he said that parts of hiled her eyebrows suggestively 'I wonder which parts he was talking about Want me to keep an eye on Tim for you?'

'He's showing Taaether 'Why would I want you to keep an eye on him?'

'No reason,' said Shari innocently, hitching up the tray as she closed the door behind her 'I just thought you ht like a bit of free time…'

Clare was appalled to think she was so transparent 'Shari—'

'He did say to tell you if you asked where he was, soyou That was a pretty rotten thing you did He is a guest, you know' She trailed off in a giggle 'If he put the hard word on Miles, who knows, you could get fired for insubordination'