Kingfisher Morning

'I'm going in to surgery,' Ross said.

'Come to the kitchen when you're through,' she smiled at him. 'I'll look after Emma for you.'

He shared a wry glance between the two of them. 'I've no doubt you will!'

When he had gone into the front door, Chloe smiled at Emma. 'I don't like the way he said that, do you? There was a sardonic ring to his voice. Are you having trouble with him? He's a bit agin women at present, I know—single women, that is.' She grinned impishly at Emma. 'I'm safe, of course, being Edward's wife. No one could prefer Ross to Edward!'

Emma laughed. 'I'm sure your husband would like to hear that!'

'Oh, Edward knows,' she said with a twinkle.

They walked through into the kitchen. Chloe put the kettle on, fished out a tin of home-made biscuits and laid out cups. 'It will have to be instant coffee. We're on an economy trip.'

'Who isn't?' nodded Emma.

'Too true,' sighed Chloe. 'Now, tell me about yourself, and how you come to be looking after Judith's children…'

Emma related the story of her adventures, while Chloe made the coffee and listened with great interest. 'Lucky for Ross that you turned out to be able to take care of the children!'

'He didn't want to have me there, though,' said Emma.

'No, well, he wouldn't!' Chloe said reasonably as though that must be obvious.

'Why not?' asked Emma curiously.

Chloe looked at her, wide-eyed. 'Don't you know? Good lord! Well, in that case, I don't think I'd better tell you.'

Emma felt a wave of sheer temper. 'I'm beginning to feel quite claustrophobic about this! People keep dropping hints, then shutting up…he isn't Bluebeard, is he?'

r /> Chloe laughed cheerfully. 'Good lord, no. It isn't a disreputable secret! Poor old Ross! What have you been imagining?'

'As no one will tell me anything, imagination is all I have to help me,' Emma pointed out.

The children suddenly boiled into the kitchen, chattering like magpies, and Chloe began serving them mugs of fizzy lemonade and plates of the home-made crunchy cookies. 'Coconut or shortcake,' she told them. 'Take your pick.'

'I had a ride in a wheelbarrow,' Robin told Emma. Donna leant against Emma's knee, not saying anything, but blissfully smiling. There was dirt on her nose and a smudge across her cheek. Her eyes shone like blue stars.

'Leave them here while you do your shopping,' Chloe invited. 'They'll be no trouble. I'm used to having kids around the place all day. You and Ross must have lunch here, too. I've got a casserole in the oven—oxtail and dumplings. There's always plenty and casserole stretches easily. I'll just add a few more dumplings, and then make another apple pasty to follow. Do you like apple pasties, kids?'

They all chorused agreement, and Chloe grinned. 'That's settled, then.'

'You're very kind,' Emma said warmly, liking her more and more.

'Nonsense. I love having people to visit. It makes life so much more interesting.' They chatted while the children consumed their elevenses, then there was a noisy exodus once more, and the two young women washed up in friendly co-operation, returning the kitchen to its former tidiness.

Then Ross arrived, with Edward Bennett, and Emma turned to meet Chloe's husband, only to be taken aback to find herself face to face with the most strikingly handsome man she had ever set eyes on. Chloe giggled at her incredulous expression. Edward, half laughing, half blushing, held out his hand.

'Hello. So you're Emma. Ross has told me all about you.'

Edward was six feet tall, as blond as his wife, with lean, bronzed features of film star good looks. His blue eyes were set between thick dark lashes. His nose, mouth, cheekbones all finely modelled. Emma would not have been surprised to find him as vain as a girl, but he seemed, on the contrary, to be a shy and quiet man, with a gentle smile and soft voice.

It was touching to see the warmth in the look he exchanged with Chloe as he refused a cup of coffee. 'I must dash. Mrs Fry wants me to call and look at her poodle. She thinks it has pneumonia.' He winked. 'I diagnose a slight sniffle. That animal is totally spoiled. What a pity she never had children.'

'For whom?' Ross asked wryly. 'Just think what terrible lives the poor things would have led, wrapped in cotton wool! The woman's a fool.'

'She's probably lonely and longing for affection,' Emma said hotly. 'Women need something to love.'

His grey eyes mocked her. 'Do they?'