Sarah was gathering up croissant crumbs with her thumb when a knock came on the sitting-room door.
‘Come in.’
‘Morning, Sarah. It’s good to see you again.’
The host, Kate, stood in the doorway, looking even prettier than Sarah remembered. Sarah swallowed down her envy. If she tried to pull off scraped-back hair and a pair of dungarees, she’d look like a builder on his way to work.
‘Thank you for letting me book direct.’
‘No problem at all.’ Kate walked into the room and sat opposite Sarah at the small dining table. Sarah bristled at the proximity and over friendliness on display. ‘So, how have you been?’
‘Good, yeah, all good.’
‘Oh?’ Kate arched an eyebrow. ‘It didn’t sound like things were that great when we spoke on the phone.’
Sarah flushed as she remembered over-sharing her disastrous situation. ‘Oh, yeah, all that. It’s not as bad as I made out. I’m an adult, after all. It’s not like I’m ten and my parents are getting divorced. I’ll get over it.’ Sarah squeezed out a small, unconvincing smile. To Sarah’s horror, Kate placed her small hand on hers and squeezed.
‘Parents getting divorced is hard whatever age you are. I don’t want to be presumptuous, but I know a great counsellor if you ever need to talk?’
Sarah choked on her coffee, rushing to the sink for a glass of water to ease the coughing fit which ensued.
‘Sorry,’ said Kate. ‘That was a stupid thing to say.’
‘It’s OK,’ said Sarah, feeling like it wasn’t and her host had more than overstepped the mark. ‘I’m OK, honestly.’ There was nothing Sarah hated more than a power imbalance. If she was a regular guest, she could’ve told Kate where to go. By trying to save a few pounds, she was now indebted to the woman and therefore required to bite her tongue.
‘What time’s your interview? Do you know how you’re getting there?’
‘It’s at twelve. I thought I’d get a bus.’
Kate laughed. ‘You’ll be lucky round here. It’s hard enough finding a bus that goes to Wadebridge, never mind the woods.’
‘Oh.’
‘How about we give you a lift? When I say we, I mean my partner. I’m up to my ears in paperwork for my uni course. He’s free all day, though.’
‘I wouldn’t want you to go to any trouble.’
‘It’s no trouble at all. He’ll enjoy the excuse to get out of the house and have a walk. I’m not much fun when I’m working on an assignment.’
Sarah knew the polite thing to do would be to ask what Kate was studying, but she didn’t have the energy to care. ‘If you’re sure, that would be great. How long does it take to get there?’
‘Twenty minutes at the most, but I’d leave longer in case you get stuck in traffic.’
Traffic? A traffic jam in Cornwall would be an empty road to anyone living elsewhere in the country.
‘OK, shall we say half eleven? If that’s OK with your partner?’
‘I’m sure it will be fine. You get yourself ready and I’ll let him know the plan. See you later.’
‘Thanks,’ said Sarah, breathing a sigh of relief when Kate left the room and she was on her own again.
Chapter 13
Sarahgaveonelastglance in the mirror. There was no need for makeup, her unblemished skin, wide eyes and rosebud lips her saving grace. Sarah wondered if she should’ve been a nun, for with her body hidden by swathes of black fabric, she might pass as pretty. She ignored the pinch of her waistband and the pain shooting through her big toe as it squished against the end of her heeled shoes.
‘I’m ready when you are,’ she called as she reached the bottom of the stairs.
‘Coming,’ called a gruff voice.
