Free A Close Connection by Patricia Fawcett Page A

her enthusiasm and gathering expertise would not pass unnoticed. If, on the other hand, Emma’s move up north proved to be just wishful thinking on her part, then she would herself move onwards and upwards, where to she had no idea but it certainly would not be the north. Matthew could do his job from anywhere so there wouldn’t be a problem in persuading him to move. She liked this area well enough but there were some equally attractive areas spread around and staying put seemed rather a dull option.
    She thought briefly of her parents, well on the way to Italy by now, and of Matthew’s too. The Walkers had flown before but not very often and she knew that Paula was nervous, but they were on a tour and it was a one-class-only affair on the chartered flight, which would mean her mother having to rough it this time.
    Although her mother normally abhorred these sorts of tours on ‘Riff-Raff Air’, this particular tour was of the top-notch variety as her mother had been at pains to point out, certainly not one of these cheapo affairs based at a budget hotel, and they were staying at a high-class hotel in a prime location on the shores of the Italian lake. Interested in hotels from a professional viewpoint, Nicola had looked it up and it certainly looked most impressive, very nearly as impressive as this one.
    She entered the manager’s office, where Emma was already there beside Gerry Gilbert, smiling broadly at them and offering them a cheerful good morning, before closing the door. She did not give a hoot about offending the junior staff but when it came to the big knobs it made sense to keep on the right side of them.
    The parents, all four of them, would be absolutely fine, she told herself as she eased herself into a chair, and if not, then there was nothing she could do about it.
    *
    Nicola and Matthew shared a smile and a kiss when they got back and it seemed that both of them had decided on their way home to forget the earlier heated exchange, so it was not mentioned other than a muttered ‘Sorry’ as they kissed.
    ‘I hope they got there all right,’ Nicola said as they sat down at the kitchen table to eat. ‘Mum has turned off her mobile and says that I must not, under any circumstances, try to contact her unless it’s an emergency.’
    ‘My mother probably forgot to take hers along,’ Matthew said with a smile. ‘She hates the thing. Dad did say much the same thing, though, about getting in contact. Give us a break, he said, and leave us in peace.’
    ‘So that’s what we will do.’ Nicola spread a chunky roll with the butter substitute. They only had wine at the weekend and, contrary to her expectations about this evening, Matthew had not relaxed the rule so it was just water and she took a sip, relaxing at last after a busy day. They tried not to talk shop if possible but what else was there to talk about? The subject of Paula was to be avoided at all costs. ‘That wedding I was telling you about is cancelled,’ she said. ‘We only heard today and they’ve asked for a refund on their deposit so although we are not strictly obliged, we’ll probably sort something out as a gesture of goodwill.’
    ‘Bit short notice, that. What happened?’
    ‘How should I know? Presumably one or other of them had second thoughts. Can you believe it? How can you let it get as close as that and then abandon it? They seemed such a nice couple too when I showed them round. They held hands the whole time.’ She chewed on her bread thoughtfully. ‘Although now I come to think of it, they were a bit too lovey-dovey if you get my meaning? And I did see him looking at Pamela … you know her, the brunette in reception?’
    ‘Right. She is quite eye-catching,’ he said, smiling hugely.‘And she flirts.’
    ‘Does she? Oh. Don’t tell me she tried flirting with you?’
    ‘She certainly did. That afternoon when I came to pick you up … you remember when your car was in the garage … she couldn’t have made it