Page 29 of Watch For Me By Candlelight

It was impossible, really, for Theo to take so much as a weekend off. He’d lose too much money. Which was why the fact that he’d had an email fifteen minutes ago asking him to help a friend out with a job in Newmarket had seemed like the hand of Fate shoving him out of the door and onto the motorway. Or, more precisely, encouraging him to hammer his tent pegs into the ground.

He clicked the mouse button a few times, and found himself Googling Hartsford and the surrounding area. There were quite a lot of other horsey places around there — race-courses and animal sanctuaries, including some dedicated just to horses. And, of course, there were museums down that way as well. Then he saw something very interesting that made him smile.

It might be a busman’s holiday, but — Theo looked out of the window at his van — sometimes you had to put yourself out there, didn’t you? He’d call into the Hall as part of his trip. There was no reason not to visit Hartsford again, was there? Kate’s face floated in front of his mind’s eye again and he smiled. There was, on the other hand, a very good reason to visit it.

* * *

‘Your costume’s here!’ Cassie’s voice was unmistakeable on the telephone.

Kate heard her as, perhaps, did most of Suffolk. Her voice reverberated around the reception area of the museum and an old lady blinked in astonishment. Kate smiled apologetically at her.

She held the phone away from her ear until Cassie had calmed down a little and stopped shouting so much, then spoke to her.

‘What did you get me?’ Kate was half-expecting something ridiculously outlandish, so she should have been grateful when Cassie told her it was a 1930’s style trouser suit.

‘It’s striped. And the blouse is belted and the legs are lovely and wide. You will look super.’

‘So I’ve got a wide-legged trouser suit and I have to ride a bicycle around the estate. Don’t you think the fabric might get tangled up in the chain?’

‘Oh, I never thought!’ cried Cassie. ‘Damn. It’s too late to get anything else now. We’ve only got a few weeks and you have to get them sorted so far in advance. Oh, buggeration. I don’t suppose . . . bicycle clips? No? Oh dear.’

Kate rolled her eyes and shook her head. ‘It’s okay Cassie, I’ll manage. I’ll push the bicycle if I have to. I’ll find a spot and stay there. Where had you thought of putting me?’

‘I think the pool area?’ she replied, sounding contrite. ‘Please?’

‘The pool area will be fine.’ It was no secret that Cassie was revamping that part of the estate and bringing back the old idea of it being the Spa. Her plan was that the visitors could plunge into the old swimming pool or have a game of tennis if they wanted — and even indulge in strawberries and champagne as well. Kate could think of worse places to be stationed with her ice-cream.

‘If you’re sure you won’t mind?’ Cassie said.

‘It’s fine,’ Kate repeated. She checked the multitude of clocks around her. ‘I’m expecting Jenna in any minute. I’ll pop over and collect the costume as soon as she gets here, all right?’

‘Sure. Gosh thank you for being so understanding Kate!’

‘I’m just glad you didn’t get me a pencil skirt. Now that would have been impractical.’

‘I couldn’t see you in a pencil skirt. Too severe a look for you. I did consider it, very briefly though, I must admit.’ She sounded amused at, potentially, the image of Kate in a skin-tight skirt trying to mount a bicycle.

‘Then I’m glad I got the trouser suit. Where will I find you when I pop over?’

‘In the ballroom. I’m on clipboard duty today. Sneak in through the gift shop to find me — I’ll tell Margaret to expect you. She’s in there today.’

‘Okay. But just give me time for Jenna to turn up.’

Jenna eventually wandered in sucking a lollipop, which was a sight and a half. It was one of those little round red ones, and she was making it look very Lolita-esque. Kate was pleased no men were in the reception area; she thought they might have had difficulty functioning.

‘Good afternoon, Jenna.’

‘Mmrrf,’ she replied through fifty calories worth of pure boiled sugar.

‘I have to go to the Hall. I need to collect my outfit for Cassie’s weekend. You have remembered that you’re working that weekend too, haven’t you?’

Jenna removed the sugar-fest from her mouth with a little pop and stared at Kate. ‘Of course. I’ve told my friends I can only have a couple of drinks when we’re out. I’ll be fine.’

Kate closed her eyes briefly. ‘Dear Lord,’ she murmured under her breath.

Chapter Eleven

Margaret waved when she saw her coming through the door. ‘Come on, Kate. This way.’ She lifted the hinged part of the desk and ushered Kate through. ‘You know where you’re going. Cassie said she’ll see you in the ballroom?’