I gave him a murderous look. I was going to scream.
‘OK, OK. Twenty.’
‘This isn’t about money. You don’t get it, do you? Please don’t do this – Firefly Forest is special.’ I was trying to appeal to his good nature, but I wasn’t feeling very hopeful. Was this really the man I’d married? A man who put profit before family? A man who put profit before everything and didn’t even want a family?
‘Firefly won’t be any less special for changing hands. And once the deal is done, Tore can retire and enjoy the spoils of all his hard work. Henrik and Jonas will both get a chunk of cash and won’t be tied to a dilapidated old building for the rest of their lives. Think about it. Don’t let your ego block a deal that might feel like a lottery win to them.’
I was seething. ‘Have you asked them?’
‘The Nilsens?’
‘Yes. Have you sat the three of them down and told them what your client is thinking? Or were you planning to do a deal with Mr Bakken in secret and buy it from under their noses?’
‘I mean, that’ll be down to the lawyers to discuss,’ Mark said. ‘I’m just the estate agent.’
He was an estate agent when it suited him. Mum was right – hewasa chicken-shit.
*
I marched up to the Wi-Fi lounge and changed my flight again. Another £200 up the swanny. I didn’t want to go back on the same boat as Mark, or on the same plane, or live in the same country. The conniving bastard. Cheating good, hard-workingpeople out of their livelihoods behind their backs. I’d have to tell Tore myself. There was no way Mark would speak to him, and I couldn’t let them find out from a solicitor’s letter – it would be too late to do anything by then. They needed to know as soon as possible to have any chance of fighting back.
My stomach churned as I made my way up to the farmhouse.
‘Sara! Back again even though you know our home is off-limits?’ Jonas said, languidly hanging off the door. ‘Hennyyyyy! Your girlfriend’s here!’ he called up the stairs.
‘I’m here to see Tore, actually.’
‘To ask for Henrik’s hand in marriage? I’m happy to speak on behalf of the family when I say – please, help yourself. You can take him with you right now.’
Henrik ran down the stairs, two at a time, his eyes wide and hopeful. ‘Hei,’ he said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. His hair was sticking up and his beard was soft and fluffy, neatly nestled into his Scandi jumper. He probably just called it a jumper.
‘Hei! I was hoping to have a word with Tore. Although, seeing as you’re both here, maybe you can join the conversation too? I’ve got something to tell you all.’
‘Sure, come in.’
Jonas and Henrik led the way through their dining room which obviously hadn’t seen any guests for a while. An eight-seater glass-topped table with faded leather chairs, a hostess trolley from the nineties and a dusty sideboard with an enormous mirror. Candles waiting to be lit sat in candelabras, next to a box of yellowing silver cutlery.
‘Ignore the mess. This is the quickest way,’ Henrik said, marching through and creaking the office door open.
Tore looked up from his paperwork. ‘Hei, boys. Sara! Is everything OK?’
‘Not really, no. I’m so sorry guys, I don’t know where to start.’
Jonas stayed in the doorway, ready to leave as soon as he could, and Henrik perched against the desk. ‘Take your time,’ he said, relaxed and calm as always.
‘I’m just going to say it. Mark didn’t come here for a holiday. He’s been sussing the place out for one of his clients. A venture capitalist group he works with is looking for land in Scandinavia and Mark is recommending they buy Firefly Forest and invest in the retreat.’
Jonas frowned. ‘And how would they do that, exactly?’
‘It’s not for sale,’ Henrik said firmly.
‘I know, but…’
‘Please thank him for the interest, but we aren’t looking for investors,’ Tore said with a smile.
I felt awful. The three of them were so unassuming and pure of heart, looking at me with their handsome, beardy faces and matching brown eyes. How was I going to make it clear that Mark was out to shaft them, whether they were open to it or not? I decided on the softly, softly approach.
‘He said something about the land belonging to someone else?’ I ventured.
