‘It’s different! Anyway, let’s get on and do this recording. I can’t risk being late for Austin.’
Ranulph frowned. ‘Where are you meeting him? I want to be there when you see him.’
‘You can’t. You’ll be late for the meeting with Bastian and the judges. Anyway, you know what Austin’s like. Everything has to be done his way or he’ll call the whole thing off.’
Ranulph pursed his lips but didn’t speak.
‘It has to be just me, at the right time, at the hotel.’
‘Are you meeting him in public? I don’t trust him.’
‘I don’t trust him either, but I don’t have much of a choice! Now can we do this recording?’ She rummaged in her bag again, unsure how they were now arguing when minutes ago they’d been in each other’s arms. ‘I’ve written out what I want to say in case I forget something.’
Rosa had rehearsed this with her so many times she knew it by heart, but she wanted the paper there, to give her confidence.
She had settled herself on the bench and had read through her little speech when Ranulph said, ‘Haveyou got a scarf or something you could put over yourself?’
‘Why?’ she demanded.
‘You don’t appear to be wearing a bra,’ he said, even more awkwardly.
‘Oh!’ She found the cardigan Susie had given her and put it on, mortified when she realised her nipples were on show. For Austin she would button it up to the neck.
Eventually they were both happy with what Cass had said about the petroglyph and how she had found it, and Cass looked at her smart watch.
‘Oh my God, I’m going to be late for Austin! Will an Uber be quicker than the Tube, do you think?’
As she checked the time she couldn’t help noticing that her smart watch reported that her heart rate was extremely high. She took a few breaths to try and calm herself.
‘Take a cab,’ Ranulph said. ‘Do you want me to book it for you?’
Only briefly did she consider that this was the man who had let her fly back across the Atlantic on her own with no warning. ‘It’s fine. I’ll call an Uber.’
Feeling like a proper Londoner, she keyed the hotel address into her phone.
A few agonising minutes later, her joy in being like a Londoner was dampened somewhat when her phone rang. It was the Uber driver calling to check the pick-up address.
After some annoying repetitions, and Cass having to ask Ranulph exactly where they were, the driver announced he was on his way.
‘Now I’m really worried I’m going to be late,’ she said.
‘I know Austin’s made things as difficult for you as possible,’ said Ranulph, ‘but he wants to see you, to give you the camera, so he’ll wait.’ He paused. ‘Had it occurred to you that he might want money for it?’
‘Of course. Although I’m not going to pay for something that’s mine unless it’s the only way I can get it. It’d be a ransom.’
‘The man is a complete bastard,’ Ranulph said.
‘Yes,’ said Cass. ‘But there’s nothing we can do about it.’
‘You must avoid going into a private space with him. You’ll promise me not to do that, won’t you?’
‘Yes, of course. We’re meeting in the hotel lobby. It’s all arranged.’ Though as Cass said it, she realised this wasn’t strictly true. He’d just told her to come to the hotel.
‘I should come and get the camera for you—’
‘At last! Here’s the Uber. Honestly, I’ll be fine.’
It was a relief to be away from Ranulph in some ways, but in others it felt as though she’d been ripped away from her chance of happiness. And she couldn’t even indulge in reliving the kiss, because he was obviously regretting it already.
