His Defiant Mistress. Кэрол Мортимер

Harry arrived to collect her his eyes were twinkling in his weatherbeaten face. ‘Who’s a clever girl, then?’ he said as she got up beside him.

      ‘I am,’ said Sarah, beaming. ‘But then, look what wonderful help I had!’

      ‘Get away with you. By the way, Mavis is sorry she can’t cook lunch today; she was called away late last night. My niece went into labour about midnight.’

      ‘Oh, wow! Panic stations, then. Didn’t Grandpa want to go too?’

      Harry guffawed. ‘Bob drove Mavis to the hospital, then cleared off back home, glad to keep well out of it.’

      Sarah rolled her eyes. ‘Don’t tell me—women’s work!’

      ‘Yes, thank God. Bob can help birth a calf without turning a hair, but he was in a right old state about Rosemary when he rang me this morning.’

      ‘If he’s not up to it this morning we can do this another day, Harry.’

      Harry shook his head. ‘Bob’s made up because you’re thinking of buying, don’t you worry. But I told him not to get his hopes up until we take another good look at the barns. Then afterwards I’ll buy you a pasty in the Green Man to celebrate.’ He shot her a glance. ‘I thought you might like to give Fred the news.’

      Sarah hadn’t the heart to say no, Dan Mason or not. ‘Of course. Everyone else, too,’ she assured him.

      When they got to Westhope Farm Bob Grover was grinning from ear to ear as he came to meet them. ‘Good morning both—great news. My grandson arrived half an hour ago, and Rosemary’s fine!’

      Sarah and Harry opted for coffee rather than alcohol to wet the baby’s head, then went on a tour of inspection with the jubilant grandfather. This time Sarah examined every inch of each building, and climbed up ladders into haylofts and down again with a speed and agility the men watched with respect. A surveyor was necessary for the official inspection, but Sarah took sets of measurements inside and out for her own personal record, including the space between each barn and its neighbour.

      ‘You can get a good garden for each one,’ Harry told her, casting a practised eye over the land available. ‘It’s a plus that they’re offset from each other. Gives a bit of privacy.’

      ‘I know the buildings are sound from the inspection I had done,’ said Bob, not without pride. ‘I’ll give you a copy of the report.’

      ‘Thank you, Mr Grover, that’s a big help.’ Sarah smiled at him in reassurance. ‘A second one is purely to make sure of permission for permanent homes.’

      Eventually Sarah confirmed that she would make a sound offer once she received a report from the building surveyor.

      ‘This is a bigger job all round,’ said Harry as they drove back.

      ‘I know. But my dad did quite a few barn conversions at one time. I know the drill. As long as the main structures are sound on the ones at Westhope I don’t see any problem. Are you in for the long haul, Harry?’

      ‘Yes, boss,’ he said, and shot her a glance. ‘But this time we’ll probably need more help, so I hope you got a good price for those cottages.’

      Sarah nodded happily. ‘It took some pretty fierce bargaining, but I did all right, Harry.’

      ‘I don’t doubt it,’ he said, chuckling.

      Secretly, Sarah would have preferred to go straight home. With the prospect of dinner with Alex later she didn’t fancy a pasty for once. She fancied a run in with Dan Mason even less, and felt relieved when there was no sign of him when they got to the Green Man. But after she’d managed to convince Harry a sandwich was all she wanted, it was Dan who brought it through for her.

      ‘You still here, then, Daniel?’ said Harry. ‘You don’t usually stay so long.’

      ‘I had my reasons,’ he said, smiling pointedly at Sarah. ‘And how are you today?’

      ‘She’s on top form,’ said Harry, and beckoned Fred to join them. ‘She sold all the cottages in one go yesterday.’

      Fred beamed, and gave Sarah a smacking kiss on her cheek. ‘Congratulations. Did you hear that, Charlie?’

      Charlie Baker came to add his congratulations, and for a while Sarah was surrounded by well wishers wanting to buy her drinks she promised to accept next time.

      When Harry was temporarily engrossed in conversation with Fred, Dan leaned closer to Sarah.

      ‘Lucky lady,’ he said in an undertone.

      ‘Hard work, not luck,’ she said dismissively.

      ‘Something I know a lot about,’ he reminded her, and smiled conspiratorially. ‘So let’s celebrate over dinner tonight.’

      ‘Sorry. I can’t.’

      The smile vanished. ‘Can’t or won’t?’ he demanded, in a tone she didn’t care for. ‘I take it you’ve got a better offer?’

      Sarah began to feel uncomfortable as eyes turned in their direction.

      ‘Pity you didn’t have a pasty, Sarah,’ interrupted Harry. ‘Your mother’s excelled herself today, Daniel.’

      ‘I’ll have one next week,’ she promised, and finished her cider.

      ‘By then you’ll be back in London, I expect, Daniel?’ said Fred.

      Dan nodded coolly. ‘That’s right, Mr Carter. It’s back to the grind for me on Monday.’

      Fred smiled blandly as Harry lifted Sarah down from her stool. ‘Next time we see you it’ll be Christmas, I expect. Unless you’re off skiing again.’

      Dan showed his teeth in a fleeting smile. ‘I haven’t planned that far ahead. See you later, Sarah.’

      She included him in her general smile to everyone. ‘Cheerio, gentlemen.’

      Dan turned on his heel, and had gone through into the house before they’d reached the door.

      ‘Was young Daniel bothering you?’ said Harry, as they reached the pick-up.

      ‘Not exactly. He just wanted to take me out to dinner again.’

      ‘Again?’

      ‘I had a meal with him on Monday night.’

      ‘And you didn’t want a repeat?’

      Sarah smiled demurely. ‘I’m seeing someone else tonight.’

      He laughed. ‘Good for you. Time you started going out a bit.’

      ‘Exactly,’ she agreed. ‘But right now I’m off to contact the building surveyor.’

      ‘I’ve been thinking, boss,’ said Harry, as he drove away. ‘Young Ian’s not very happy with the firm he’s working for now. What do you say to him coming in with us on the barns?’

      Sarah’s eyes lit up. ‘I think it’s a great idea, if he agrees. Find out what he’s earning there and I’ll see if I can pop it up a bit.’

      ‘Right.’ He got out to help her down when they reached Medlar House. ‘I’ll give you a ring later.’

      ‘Thanks, Harry.’

      His eyes twinkled. ‘And you enjoy yourself tonight.’

      Sarah spent some time on the phone for the rest of the afternoon. She contacted the offices of the building inspector, and arranged an appointment for the survey of the barns at Westhope Farm in two days’ time. She rang Bob Grover with the news, and he assured her he’d be ready and waiting for the inspector, and promised to convey Sarah’s good wishes to the new grandmother.

      ‘What with your offer and the baby, Mavis is over the moon,’ he said, chuckling. ‘So am I, Miss Carver.’