Tempted by Trouble. Liz Fielding
Чтение книги онлайн.
Читать онлайн книгу Tempted by Trouble - Liz Fielding страница 12
Название: Tempted by Trouble
Автор: Liz Fielding
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Контркультура
Серия: Mills & Boon Modern Heat
isbn: 9781408917466
isbn:
‘I saw the signs advertising the garden party when I passed the gates. Basil mentioned it when he asked me to change Rosie’s oil. I got the feeling he’d volunteered to help because it meant something special to him.’
‘He should have thought of that before he bet the farm on the turn of a card,’ she said, suddenly angry with this man who appeared to have absolutely no sense of responsibility. Worse. Didn’t have the courage to face them and ask for help, but left someone else to do his dirty work. ‘But then, from his letter, he appears to have made a life’s work of letting people down.’
‘You’re assuming that it’s a gambling problem.’
‘You were the one who mentioned it as a possibility,’ she reminded him.
‘Grasping at straws? Maybe that was the problem with his family,’ he suggested. ‘Maybe he’d flogged the family silver to pay his creditors.’
‘Not guilty,’ she said, earning herself a sharp look. ‘And I thought you said it was a recent problem?’
‘He’s been living on the estate for less than a year, so what do I know? Maybe he only gambles when he’s unhappy. A form of self-harming?’
No, no, no … She wasn’t listening.
‘I can’t have Gran involved in anything like this, Sean.’
‘All he’s asking is that she—or, rather, you—keeps Rosie’s business ticking over.’
‘Is it?’
‘That’s what he put in the note he left me.’ He looked again at the letter to her grandmother. ‘This does make it sound rather more permanent, I have to admit.’
‘Well, whatever he wants, it’s impossible. I have a job that keeps me fully occupied and Gran doesn’t have a driving licence,’ she protested, clutching at straws. ‘Besides, her concentration isn’t that great. She’d think it was all a wonderful treat and give all the ice cream away. Or just wander off when she got bored.’
‘Is it Alzheimer’s?’ he asked point-blank.
‘No.’ She shook her head. ‘She always had a bit of a reputation for giddiness but she’s had a lot to deal with over the years. She blamed herself for Grandpa’s death, which is ridiculous,’ she added, before he could start adding two and two and making five. ‘He was killed in a road accident. In Nigeria. And then my mother died. She hasn’t been quite focused since then. Her doctor thinks she simply blocks out what she can’t cope with.’
‘We all have days when we’d like to do that,’ he murmured sympathetically.
‘Yes …’ Then, afraid that she was revealing more than she should, ‘You can see why I won’t have her put under any stress.’
‘Of course,’ he said. ‘But there’s absolutely nothing wrong with your focus, Lovage. Maybe, since you’ve taken charge of the letter meant for her, you could at least stand in for your grandmother on Saturday.’
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».
Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.
Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.