Honeycote by Henry Veronica

Author:Henry, Veronica [Henry, Veronica]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing
Published: 2009-08-16T23:00:00+00:00

14

Kay flicked her mobile phone on to voice mail and lay back weakly on her pillows. She’d spent all Christmas Day lying in her bed, the heavy curtains closing out all but a tiny chink of light. She knew the hotel staff were worried about her, but she didn’t really care. They’d insisted on sending a tray up for lunch, but it had gone back barely touched.

She leaned over and poured herself another glass of wine. Damn, it was empty. She phoned room service and demanded another bottle to be sent up.

There was only one way out of her predicament. She’d read enough Catherine Cooksons to know that there was nothing that couldn’t be solved by a skinful of gin and a hot bath. She didn’t like gin, so Crozes-Hermitage would have to do.

When the duty manager knocked, she stumbled across the room, snatched the tray off him and slammed the door in his face before he could ask her to sign for it.

As Keith turned into his road, he looked fondly at the three sleeping girls. He was looking forward to taking them to the panto the next day. He hoped they didn’t think they were too old for it. Anyway, there was a hunky Australian soap star in it that they were all drooling over. He’d take them for cocktails afterwards. Non-alcoholic ones, of course, but he knew they’d enjoy it. And he certainly would. They were great company. Made him feel young again. And optimistic. Full of hope for the future. Things really were turning out for the best.

As he reached for the remote control that would open the security gates, Keith frowned to see a taxi parked on the road outside his drive. His heart sank as a frosted blonde with dark glasses emerged, waving gaily at them.

‘Surprise! Merry Christmas!’

Oh God. Sandra. Bloody, bloody Sandra.

As Christmas Days went, reflected Patrick, this had been a weird one. There was nothing for it but to get totally out of it. He rolled a satisfyingly fat joint and lit up with defiance by the fire in the drawing room – there was no sign of his father or Lucy anywhere. As the pungent smoke entered his lungs, then his bloodstream, and started blurring the edges of his reality, Patrick started to relax and mull over the day’s events.

Keith was seriously loaded. That was a given. And he was soon going to realize a major amount of cash, which, apparently, he wanted to spend. Another given was Mandy’s infatuation with Patrick – of that he was totally confident. Seducing her was going to be like taking candy from a baby. Seducing Keith might be a little harder. He was clearly enchanted by the set-up at Honeycote, yet at the same time he was obviously a good businessman, someone who wouldn’t invest in something out of sentimentality unless he thought it would give him a good return. But with the added attraction of his daughter being engaged to the son of

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