The next episode of this thrilling saga: Larissa's still worried about her bush, but she has met the evil developer and his underling at the ferry...it's time to get REAL...
He must have realised she wasn’t sharing his delight. “Is something the matter?”
In her turmoil she had a sudden desire to tell him about REAL and their determination to stop the development. Should she try and obstruct him right here and now? It would give her keen pleasure, letting him know what she and her friends thought of his plans – and how they would fight them every step of the way.
But the moment passed, and her instincts told her she should be more subtle than that. She wouldn’t let her feelings about Nicholas Montagu cloud her judgment over such a vital matter. No, she would deal with it coldly and analytically.
“It’s nothing,” she said lightly, and looked away. “The Lodge is just around the corner – let’s go.”
In a few moments they reached the front entrance of the hotel. They stood in silence until Ashleigh caught up with them. Larissa was hoping she wouldn’t have to shepherd them through check-in: she wanted some solitude to digest what she had learned.
Nick took Ashleigh gently by the elbow. “How are you feeling now?”
“I feel awful after that crossing,” she said. “And there’s a ladder in my stocking. We really must fly back when we leave this backwater, Nick.”
He smiled. “As soon as you’ve checked in, lay down for a while. I’ll be busy for the next hour or two, anyway.”
Ashleigh turned and made her way into the Lodge. Larissa noted there was no acknowledgement of Nick’s support, or thanks to her for meeting and greeting them.
“Could you wait a moment, please?” Nick said to her. He followed Ashleigh into the hotel, deposited his briefcase by the front desk and came back outside.
“Now that’s done, I’d like to see where you live, Larissa.”
She felt her mouth drop open. “What? I beg your pardon?”
“It’s only a couple of minutes away, isn’t it? It won’t take long.”
“Why…why do you want to see my cottage?”
“For research purposes. I am a builder, after all.”
“Well…no. I just don’t let anyone into my home.”
“Please. It would be helpful to me.”
“No, Mr Montagu, and that’s my final…”
“Your sister Marjorie thought it would be no problem,” he said smoothly. “When I spoke to her earlier this morning she said you’d be glad to have the chance to show off your lovely cottage.”
Larissa had to suppress a scowl at hearing her sister’s name. “She had no right to say that! It’s my home, and only I can decide who goes through the front door.”
He gave her a quizzical look. “I thought the cottage belonged to your company?”
“Well…yes it does. How do you know that?”
“Marjorie told me.”
Larissa was starting to feel somewhat disturbed about the amount of knowledge he seemed to possess about her. Marjorie had obviously freely given away personal information to this virtual stranger about her own sister.
“Did she? Well, even so, she has no right to give someone permission to browse through my home as though it’s a museum…hey, where are you going?”
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