Evidence of Sin by Catherine George

Author:Catherine George
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 1994-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

THE weekend of Piers’s fateful visit to Little Compton marked a watershed in Chloe’s life. From then on he left her in no doubt that he meant what he said about seeing as much of her as circumstances allowed. Jessica was agog when she found Piers Audley was not only making regular visits to Clieve House to oversee its conversion, but spending every available minute with Chloe each time he was there.

“Are his intentions honourable?” she demanded one Sunday, on her own for once while David spent a weekend with his parents.

The two girls were lingering over breakfast while Gwen was at church, the dogs close to the Aga to enjoy the delicious scents of roasting beef coming from the oven.

“We’re just—friends,” said Chloe demurely, then laughed at the look in her sister’s eyes.

“And I’m the Queen of Sheba. Come off it, Chloe.” Jessica grinned. “It was quite obvious on New Year’s Eve that the man was taken with you—David surprised you in flagrante with him, remember, that same action-packed night.”

“It was a kiss, not flagrante,” retorted Chloe, but Jessica wasn’t having any.

“Have you slept with him?” she demanded.

“No, I have not!” howled Chloe, incensed. “And even if I had, I wouldn’t tell you.”

“All right, keep that red hair on. Though why you haven’t, I can’t imagine,” said her sister frankly. “When do you see him again?”

“I was coming to that,” said Chloe, getting up to make coffee. “Could I possibly bag your sofabed next weekend? Piers has invited me to some thrash given by his head of chambers. He offered to book a room for me at a hotel, but it seems a waste with you to hand in Ealing.”

Jessica eyed Chloe thoughtfully. “He’s invited you to his chambers? Isn’t that a bit—well, significant?”

“I don’t know. Is it?”

“Does he have a mother?”

“No. Parents dead, and no siblings, lucky chap.” Chloe smiled to soften the last, then eyed Jessica’s calculating face with suspicion. “Now what?”

“Well, don’t you see, idiot? Parading you before his chums and colleagues is the next best thing to taking you home to mother. The man,” added Jessica dramatically, “means business!”

“Rubbish,” said Chloe uneasily. “Why does everybody bang on about marriage all the time? Gwen’s just as bad.”

“Understandable, snookums.” Jess smiled lovingly. “To our darling Gwen he’s a lot more eligible than Mick Streeter.”

Chloe grinned. “Not many mothers would turn their nose up at Mick’s earning capacity.”

“Ah, but it comes with a ponytail and a reluctance to shave, not to mention a very odd taste in clothes and jewellery.”

“Mick’s a good man. I’m very fond of him—”

“Never mind him, let’s keep to the present candidate, who probably shaves twice a day and patronises Savile Row for his clothes.” Jess fixed Chloe with a quizzical eye. “Why do you want to stay at my place? Surely Piers would have preferred you with him.”

“I’m not quite ready for that. Yet.”

“Do you mean you don’t fancy him that way?”

“As a matter of fact, I do—” Chloe jumped up restlessly. “But it’s much too early in the day for this kind of discussion.

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