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‘A burglar who takes a nap on the job?’
‘She probably didn’t have time to consider that. What I mean is that Nancy wouldn’t hurt a fly unless the fly deserved it. Which she thought you did at the time.’
‘True.’ He chuckled. ‘Fortunately Belinda seems to have got off to a better start. I suppose there’s no point in my telling you she might be a fugitive?’
‘She’s not a fugitive. She says she hasn’t broken any laws.’
‘And you believe her?’
‘Yes. She’s obviously in some kind of trouble, but if she doesn’t want to tell us the details then I’m sure she has good reasons and I know Anna would think the same. Everyone deserves a second chance.’
‘That’s very trusting of you.’ He gave her a sidelong glance as they approached Belles. ‘But then I suppose you’d understand more than most.’
‘What do you mean?’ She froze mid-step.
‘About second chances...’ He could have kicked himself for the words. ‘I mean because Anna trusted you.’
‘Why wouldn’t Anna have trusted me?’ She pulled her hand away from his arm, twisting sharply to face him.
‘No reason.’ He cleared his throat when she continued to stare. ‘Just a turn of phrase.’
‘A turn of phrase...’ She seemed to go very still as she repeated the words. Which was curious because she was already still, but there seemed to be a new tension about her, too, suddenly, as if she were suppressing some powerful emotion. ‘Then tell me this...’ Her voice was clipped now. ‘What did you mean about understanding?’
‘Pardon?’ He had an urgent desire to escape from the conversation.
‘Ten minutes ago when I didn’t want to walk past my old shop, you said that you understood, but I never told you why I left. So what do you understand?’
‘I heard a rumour, that’s all.’
‘What kind of rumour?’
Sebastian glanced at the pavement, vaguely wishing a chasm might open up beneath his feet, big enough for him to hide in. ‘Something about you and the owner’s son.’
‘Something such as?’
He groaned inwardly. Really, it didn’t have to be a chasm. A reasonable-sized hole would suffice. ‘All right. I heard that you were caught in some kind of indiscretion and that his mother accused you of being a fortune hunter and threw you out without references. Which is what I meant about Anna giving you a second chance, but I wasn’t condemning you. I’m sure it wasn’t as bad as it sounded and you must have been very young when it happened.’
‘So you’re not condemning me?’ She lifted a finger and poked him hard in the chest, her whole body shaking as if she were cold. ‘How generous of you, especially in the light of such overwhelming evidence as gossip and speculation.’
‘I didn’t say—’
‘You’ve said quite enough! Forgive me if I don’t care to listen to any more. Good day!’
‘Hen—’
‘I said good day!’
‘Damn it.’ He took a few seconds to vent his feelings before following inside, but there was already no sign of her. He judged by the sound of stomping footsteps, however, that she was already halfway up the stairs.
‘Where do you think you’re going?’ Nancy jumped out from behind the counter, blocking his way as he went in pursuit.
‘I need to talk to Henrietta.’
‘Why? What did you do?’
‘I said the wrong thing, obviously.’
‘About?’
