The Inheritance. Тилли Бэгшоу

her. Putting down his book and sweets, he wrapped his arms around her stiff, angry body.

      ‘I love you,’ he whispered in her ear.

      Laura didn’t move.

      ‘I know you want to know what they’re like,’ Gabe teased, slipping a warm rough hand under her nightdress and caressing her wonderful, full breasts. ‘The Cranleys.’

      Despite herself, Laura moaned with pleasure. It was utterly infuriating, how good he was in bed.

      ‘I’ll tell you if you’re nice to me,’ Gabe whispered, his hands moving slowly down over her belly, his fingertips just skimming the soft fur between her legs. Unable to keep up her resistance any longer, Laura turned around and kissed him, luxuriating in the solid warmth of his body. God, he was beautiful.

      ‘Go on then, tell me,’ she said, releasing him at last. ‘What are they like?’

      ‘Ha!’ said Gabe. ‘So you do want to know. I knew it! You’re just a sad old village gossip, Mrs Baxter.’

      ‘What’s he like?’ asked Laura, ignoring him. ‘Brett Cranley.’

      ‘Actually, I liked him,’ said Gabe. ‘I mean, I can see how he could be seen as arrogant.’

      Laura frowned. ‘In what way?’

      ‘He’s a big personality. Maybe even a bit of a bully. He obviously favours his daughter over his son, and the wife seems a bit afraid of him.’

      Gabe told her about his brief encounter with Logan and Jason today, and about Angela’s nerves the first time they met.

      ‘He sounds vile,’ said Laura. ‘What on earth did you like about him?’

      ‘I don’t know, exactly,’ said Gabe, thinking. ‘He’s direct. Honest. I don’t think he’d cheat you in business.’

      ‘Well he certainly cheats in his private life,’ said Laura with feeling. ‘At least if the press coverage is anything to go by.’

      ‘Oh, yeah, but that’s different,’ said Gabe.

      ‘Why? Because it’s OK to cheat on women? Just as long as you’re honest with men, is that it?’

      Laura felt her hackles rising again. She loved Gabe but sometimes he could be so … unreconstructed.

      Gabe sighed. ‘Give it a rest, Germaine Greer. You asked, I answered. I liked him. Sorry if you and the rest of the village lynch mob have already decided he’s the Swell Valley’s answer to Vladimir Putin. But I do have the advantage of having actually met the guy.’

      ‘Well, bully for you. I hope the two of you will be very happy together,’ said Laura.

      Turning away from her, Gabe turned off his own bedside light.

      ‘And I’ll tell you something else,’ he added defiantly. ‘I’m going to get him to sell those fields to me. So put that in your bra and burn it.’