He laughed, softening his naturally rather severe expression. Fran couldn’t help thinking how very attractive it made him. ‘I think there’s a good chance he won’t! But please let me come in with you.’
‘You must have been going to do something or you wouldn’t have been in town. I don’t want to take up your time.’
‘Nothing I can’t do another time.’
‘Why do you keep saving me, Antony?’ It was something Fran had often wondered about but it was only now, in these slightly strange circumstances, that she felt able to ask him.
He raised his eyebrow. ‘I’m looking after my future interests, of course.’
She tutted and sighed. ‘Honestly! You and Roy, both after something you don’t deserve and aren’tgoingto get. Although I’d rather you had it than Roy, any time.’ She paused and looked up at the man beside her. He was wearing a suit, although not a tie, and seemed perfectly comfortable in this somewhat formal clothing. She thought maybe she shouldn’t have said that last bit out loud. ‘Come on then. It’s time we went in.’
Fran was glad she had Antony with her. The man they were ushered in to see did not look friendly. He was young, probably highly qualified, and low on people skills. He frowned when he saw Antony.
‘I’m Jeffery Partland, and here to see Miss Duke? Are you her partner?’
‘In a manner of speaking,’ said Antony with quiet authority. ‘I sometimes advise Miss Duke on business matters, but not in a formal way.’ He smiled and sat down.
Apparently content with this, Mr Partland turned to Fran, who hastily sat down too. ‘So, Miss Duke, you’re here on behalf of Mrs Flowers?’
‘Yes. She’s in a care home.’
‘And you’ve taken over her farm?’
‘For the time being, yes.’
‘What do you mean? Is Mrs Flowers going to go back to the farm?’
‘No, not from her care home. She’s quite elderly. I’m a – relation – and she said if I could run the farm for a year she might leave it to me in her will.’
MrPartland raised an eyebrow. ‘Lucky you.’
Something in the way he said this seemed to emphasise that it wasn’t a very secure arrangement, either for her or the farm. But she had given up her life in London for a farm she may not inherit. She must have been mad.
‘Yes, lucky me.’
Mr Partland looked down at his papers. ‘So, this loan. Mrs Flowers took it out, putting the farm up as security. The next payment is due now. Can you let me know when we can expect payment, bearing in mind the longer you leave it the greater the interest?’
‘How much do I owe?’
‘Don’t you know?’ He looked down at the papers to check. ‘Eight hundred pounds.’
‘Oh my God,’ said Fran before she could stop herself.
‘How many more payments are due?’ asked Antony, who also seemed alarmed.
‘Currently there are ten payments of eight hundred pounds due.’
‘Can I renegotiate the loan?’ asked Fran. ‘Make the terms a bit easier?’
‘Are you going to find it difficult to pay the eight hundred?’ Mr Partland asked.
‘Yes, very difficult!’
He frowned. ‘It appears that this loan shouldn’t have been granted in the first place. Obviously I had nothing to do with that.’
‘Norhad I,’ said Fran, ‘but as we’re both stuck with it, maybe we could make it possible to schedule the payments over a longer term.’
‘So you could make lower payments, less than eight hundred pounds?’
