Free Enemy Lover by Pamela Kent

north in a-few days, and staying at Giffard’s Prior. You will drive me there. I don’t know what sort of accommodation you’ll expect, but there must be chauffeur’s quarters ...”
    “There are. They’re over the old stable block. I shall be happy to occupy them.”
    “I haven’t yet received my car keys, but you can collect them from Aiden, Crawley and Bentinck. As the car will be your concern you’ll handle everything connected with it.”
    “Delighted, I’m sure,” the voice at her shoulder murmured. And then: “Aiden, Crawley and Bentinck? Who put you on to them?” “Dr. Giffard,” she admitted.
    “I might have known it,” he murmured. "Alaine has taken you under his wing... So like Alaine! I wonder whether you’re going to have the same effect on him that you had on poor old Angus? If so, the rest of the family had better watch out, although I can’t see Aunt Clare capitulating quite so easily.” She drew on her gloves, and then deliberately opened her purse and placed a tip on the table for the waitress, and then called for the bill. After which she
    turned to him and spoke decisively,
    “Let us understand one another,” she said clearly and coldly. “I have agreed to employ you for some devious purpose of your own, but if you behave in such a manner that I find it impossible to continue the arrangement I shan’t hesitate to sack you and terminate the arrangement. Remarks such as the one you have just made will come beneath the heading of impossible behaviour, so I should advise you—if you really wish to convince Miss Gaylord’s father that you are capable of earning your own living should the emergency arise—to be a little more cautious in future, and remember that, in future we are employer and employee.”
    “I assure you I will not forget,” he returned with the smooth insolence she hated. “Or I promise you I’ll make an effort not to forget!”
    Once they were outside the tea-room he offered to call her a taxi, but she said she would prefer to walk —or even take a bus.
    “As you please,” he said, his blue eyes smiling lazily. “Your word is my command—madam!”
    “Sir Angus—” and then she corrected herself hastily. “I can’t possibly call you Sir Angus and have you drive me as well. You’ll have to put up with being called Angus.”
    “Suits me,” he assured her, with that veiled impertinence that made her want to lash out at him.
    “Well then, Angus, there’s one thing I want to know. What will Miss Gaylord think of your working for me?”
    “She’ll think it’s the joke of the ccntury,” he assured her.
    She bit her lower lip and turned away.
    “I’m glad you both have such an enviable sense of humour,” she remarked, and in order to get away from him quickly put up her hand and stopped a taxi. She did not offer to give him a lift, and as he watched the taxi glide away the amiable look vanished from his face, and was replaced by one of uncompromising grimness.
    That night she couldn’t resist telephoning Alaine, who was dressing hurriedly to go out to dinner.
    “I’d like to see you some time soon,” she told him, feeling that she had to tell him about Angus and shift the burden of what she had done from her shoulders to his broad ones. For if he thought she was quite mad he would surely think of a way to terminate the arrangement she and Sir Angus had come to—largely because she hadn’t the moral strength to utter a blunt ‘No’ to the baronet when
    he put forward his unworkable proposition. Alaine might even go and see Angus and talk him out of it.
    But Alaine, groping for cufflinks even while he was speaking into the mouthpiece, apologised for having absolutely no time to spare. He was already, late for his dinner engagement, and the following day he was flying to Northern Ireland to attend the funeral of his godmother, who had died suddenly.
    “I’m terribly sorry, Tina,” he told her, “but I’ll let you know as soon as I’m back,