The Proprietor's Daughter by Lewis Orde

Author:Lewis Orde [Orde, Lewis]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Endeavour Media
Published: 2018-04-16T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

AT THE BEGINNING of August, little more than a month after the tragic fire, Katherine returned to the Daily Eagle. The children seemed to have weathered the loss of their father, and she felt confident enough to leave them while she went back to work. They were in the middle of their long summer vacation, and were kept busy by constant outings with Edna and Jimmy Phillips.

Nothing had happened concerning her special assignment during the time she’d been away. The British Patriotic League had been extraordinarily quiet. Brian Waters said that he had not heard anything in his position as group commander of the British Brigade, and Gerald Waller informed Katherine that the police had drawn a complete blank in their investigation of the booby-trapped posters. The secret of the British Brigade’s pedigree still belonged to Katherine.

She spent the week by catching up with people she had not seen for more than a month. On her first day back, she lunched with Erica Bentley, who brought her up to date with Eagle gossip. The following day, she had lunch with Raymond Barnhill. For once, the American did not amuse her. His own news was disappointing — the first two publishers to see his book had rejected it — and Katherine did her best to cheer him up. On Wednesday, she lunched with John Saxon.

“God, it’s wonderful to see you again,” Saxon greeted her. “How do you feel?”

“A little bit numb still, a little empty.”

“Katherine, I know this has been the most miserable time of your life,” Saxon said, his voice full of sympathy. “It’s also been the loneliest, longest few weeks of mine.”

“I missed you, too, but I couldn’t bring myself to see anyone. I just wanted to be with my children.”

He held her hand. “There’s no need to explain. I understand perfectly. How are Henry and Joanne?”

Saxon’s interest in the children he’d never seen warmed Katherine, and she leaned across the restaurant table to kiss him. “They’re just fine. And so am I.”

“Is there anything I can do?”

“There is. I want to start looking for a new house, and I can’t think of a nicer, more knowledgeable escort than you.”

“I’d be delighted to help,” Saxon said. “We’ll begin this weekend. Instead of going to Henley, I’ll stay in town, contact a few estate agents. How does ten o’clock on Saturday sound?”

“Fine. And perhaps, if you’re not busy, we could have dinner together afterward.”

“I’d like that very much.”

That evening, Katherine told her father of her decision to begin house-hunting. His interest sharpened when she mentioned that Saxon would be accompanying her.

“Kathy, I never did ask you why John Saxon attended the funeral. Nor did I ask why he’s been telephoning so regularly since then. If it’s none of my business, feel free to tell me, but does something exist between the pair of you?”

Katherine nodded. “It started soon after Franz came home.” When she started to relate how she had met Saxon at the hotel opening, Roland raised a hand.

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