Free Keeping the Peace by Hannah Hooton Page B

He tapped a quick beat of finality on the reception unit and turned to go. ‘I’m glad we’ve met, Pippa. I’ll be seein’ you about.’ He flashed her a grin and exited the office.
    Pippa sunk back into her chair and gawped at the closed door.
    ‘Oh, that accent ,’ she breathed. ‘Tash would be in heaven if she was here.’
     
     

Chapter Eight
     
    A supercharged sneeze sent Pippa reeling backwards and she clutched the counter behind her to break her fall. Whimpering in its sniffling after-effects she tackled the kitchen cabinets once more. Only now was she realising the challenge she had set herself in clearing up Uncle Dave’s house. This was just the kitchen and she was still scouring away at the dirt and grime on Sunday evening. Already, she’d scrubbed her way through a multi-pack of Brillo pads and her nails were as blunt as butter knives. The maple units were still a dull and dark shadow of their former self and the chipped and cracked worktops were the first thing Pippa realised would need replacing.
    Her mobile phone buzzed on the windowsill and she sighed with relief at this interruption. Hoisting herself onto the counter she huddled in the corner of the window and pressed the phone against her ear.
    ‘Tash. What’s up, dude?’
    ‘You answered! Was expecting to get your voicemail.’
    ‘No, I’ve found signal in the house at last. In the kitchen sink of all places.’
    ‘You’re sitting in the sink?’ Tash’s tone was disbelieving.
    ‘Well, on the draining board really.’
    ‘May I ask how you discovered signal in the sink?’
    ‘Through admiring the views. It’s so beautiful out here, Tash. You’ve really got to come visit.’
    ‘Oh, I intend to. You working hard?’
    ‘I’m exhausted already. I’ve still only got as far as the kitchen.’ Absent-mindedly, she reached out and scrubbed at some dirt ingrained in an earthquake crack along the counter. ‘Tash, how do you break a granite worktop?’
    ‘I don’t know. Drop a piano on it? Why do you want to break a granite worktop?’
    ‘Not me. It’s already broken. I was just wondering how Uncle Dave managed to do it.’
    ‘Like I said, he probably dropped a piano on it. It’s the sort of thing he’d do just to find out. How is work going?’
    ‘It’s okay. Busy,’ Pippa admitted. ‘There’s about a hundred horses at Aspen Valley and Jack says I’ll know them all soon. Somehow I don’t see that happening. The only ones I know are Peace Offering, Virtuoso and Black Russian.’
    ‘Only ninety-seven more to go then.’
    Pippa groaned. Cradling the phone between her ear and shoulder, she pulled off her luminous marigold gloves then grimaced as the smell of her sweaty, rubbery hands wafted up her nose.
    ‘How are things with you?’ she asked.
    ‘Same ol’, same ol’. Nothing much changes here. I made Liam, from Design, blush on Friday.’
    ‘Oh?’
    ‘Yeah, he came over to my desk while I was scratching a boob. Took me completely by surprise. Asked me which layout I liked breast.’
    Pippa giggled. Tash might have a high-powered job in advertising, but that didn’t stop her from being human.
    ‘You’re terrible, you know?’
    ‘I am, I am. I know. I bought those lovely Jimmy Choos the other day, by the way. They go so well with my layered Indian skirt. When can I go racing to show them off?’
    ‘Well, Jack says Peace Offering will be ready to race in a couple of weeks so I guess round about then.’
    ‘Before Christmas then?’
    ‘Yeah. What are you up to at Christmas? Going to stay with your mum and dad?’
    ‘Yeah. Mum wouldn’t forgive me if I skipped this year as well. I just so needed to have roast turkey outside in the sunshine for once last year. South Africa was like paradise. What about you?’
    ‘No, my folks are off cruising. I don’t think they’re back until halfway through January.’
    ‘My God. Excuse me for asking this, Pip, but how do your parents afford this? They spend half the year