‘Congratulations, Miss Carver,’ Alex said, holding her hand a fraction longer than necessary after shaking it.
‘Thank you.’
‘May I ask if you have another project in mind?’
‘I do, yes.’
‘Locally?’
‘Yes.’
‘How interesting.’ He smiled his crooked smile, his eyes holding hers. ‘I wish you every success with it.’
‘Splendid,’ said Oliver, watching the exchange like a hawk. ‘I suggest I take everyone to lunch to celebrate.’
Due to other appointments, both solicitors regretfully declined, but Alex thanked Oliver warmly. ‘I know the very place.’
‘If you mean Easthope Court, Alex, I’d rather something more conventional at lunchtime,’ warned Oliver.
‘I promise you’ll like the place I have in mind, sir,’ Alex assured him. ‘And, to let us enjoy a celebratory glass of wine with our lunch, one of the company cars will take us there.’
Oliver sat up front with the driver on the journey, leaving Sarah alone in the back of the limousine with Alex.
‘You look dauntingly elegant today,’ he remarked in an undertone.
Sarah shot him a surprised look. ‘If that’s a compliment, thank you.’
‘You should always wear that colour.’
‘Not a good choice for a building site.’
‘Though as a matter of interest,’ he added casually, as though discussing the weather, ‘you look equally appealing in those overalls of yours.’
Sarah swallowed, her eyes fixed on the passing scenery. ‘Practical in my line of work.’
‘You didn’t tell me your godfather was joining us today.’
‘I didn’t know. He turned up this morning as a surprise.’
He slanted a narrow look at her. ‘When I saw we had the benefit of Queen’s Counsel at the meeting I assumed you didn’t trust me.’
‘Not at all,’ she returned. ‘Mr Selby’s presence was quite enough. Having Oliver along was just a bonus. It was good to have the support of a relative.’
‘I thought he was just your godfather?’
She shook her head. ‘He’s also my mother’s cousin, and they were as close as brother and sister, so Oliver’s been in my life since I was born. He’s a very hands-on godfather. Though he disapproves of my way of earning my living. When you first saw us at Easthope Court that night he was doing his best to persuade me to take a secretarial job in his chambers.’
Alex grinned broadly. ‘How did you react to that?’
‘Predictably.’ Sarah sighed. ‘I keep telling him he shouldn’t worry so much about me.’
‘Then I assume you didn’t mention your idea of acting as your own security guard?’
Sarah shook her head vigorously, and laid a finger on her lips. ‘Don’t rat on me. Please!’
Chatting to Alex had been so unexpectedly easy for once that she hadn’t noticed where they were heading, until the car turned into the forecourt of the inn Dan Mason had taken her to the night before.
‘This looks very inviting,’ said Oliver in approval as Alex helped Sarah out. ‘I wonder if they do a good steak here.’
‘They certainly do,’ Alex assured him, then smiled as the chef himself appeared to welcome them. ‘Hi, Stephen.’
‘Back again, Alex? I must be getting something right.’
‘We want something special today, my friend. It’s a celebration.’
Stephen Hicks shot an appreciative look at Sarah. ‘What kind?’
‘Business deal. Let me introduce you…’
They were settled at their table before Sarah finally managed to say her piece. ‘Oddly enough,’ she said to Oliver, ‘I had a meal here last night.’
‘Did you, darling?’ He looked at Alex, who shook his head regretfully.
‘Not with me, alas.’
‘Dan Mason from the Green Man brought me,’ said Sarah, irritated to feel her colour rise.
Alex’s mouth turned down. ‘Son of the landlord and our local Wunderkind. He’s quite a lad, our Daniel.’
‘With women?’ said Oliver sharply.
‘Probably,’ Alex agreed. ‘But actually I meant that he’s a prodigy in the brain department. We went to the same school, but my interests were cricket and rugby while Dan sailed through every exam and took a first in Maths at Oxford.’
‘But you went to Cambridge. Your father was very proud of that,’ observed Oliver.
Alex smiled. ‘My academic results weren’t that spectacular.’
‘But of course they didn’t matter,’ said Sarah. ‘You had a tailor-made career waiting for you.’
His smile faded. ‘Yes,’ he agreed shortly.
‘Now, then,’ said Oliver quickly, perusing the menu. ‘Let’s get down to the serious business of food. What did you have last night, Sarah?’
‘Sea bass,’ she said, smiling at him. ‘It was wonderful.’
‘Stephen does an excellent rib-eye steak with oyster sauce, sir,’ said Alex, and looked at Sarah. ‘I had that last night.’
‘You were here?’ she said, startled.
‘Yes. But, having interrupted your lunch once before at the Green Man, it seemed best not to incur your wrath by intruding on your dinner with Dan.’
‘I’m sure Sarah wouldn’t have minded in the slightest,’ said Oliver, breaking the awkward little silence, and smiled as a waitress appeared to take their order. ‘Have you two decided?’
The lunch party was a success, rather to Sarah’s surprise, though looking back on it she thought that might have owed something to the champagne Alex ordered. Whether it was the champagne or the sheer relief of having the sale signed and settled, Sarah found herself enjoying the meal far more than the one she’d shared with Dan Mason the night before. After only a few minutes of Dan’s achievements and possessions she’d been bored. Whereas every time she was in Alex Merrick’s vicinity she might feel tense, as though she were balancing on a tightrope, but never for an instant bored. After toasts had been drunk to the successful business of the morning, she settled down to savour her triumph along with the award-winning food.
‘So, Sarah, what do you have in mind for your next venture?’ asked Alex as he refilled her glass.
‘Barn conversion.’
‘In this locality?’
‘Yes.’
‘I haven’t heard of anything,’ he said, surprised.
‘You wouldn’t have done. I heard of it through a friend.’
‘Sarah seems to have established herself very successfully in the community,’ remarked Oliver with satisfaction, and raised his glass again. ‘To my clever goddaughter.’
‘To Sarah,’ said Alex, following suit.
Sarah smiled wryly. ‘Not so long ago, Oliver, you were trying to persuade me to work in your chambers.’
‘I concede