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‘I’m sure you would have if I’d asked you. And, anyway, it just seemed better somehow if Juno got the laptop via you and David than from me.’
‘You’re probably right on that score. So where do these mystery laptops come from?’ He shot her a suspicious look.
‘I have a contact in a large company that buys its executives a new laptop every year. The old ones get given away or binned. He’d heard that I was writing software for charities and offered them to me.’
‘For free?’
‘Yep. They’ve all been wiped clean, so you have to know what you’re doing to get them back up and running. Some of them are a bit bashed about, but there are a couple that are pretty much like new and I was hoping they’d come in useful. I’ll get Joe to sort out a good one for Juno.’
He shook his head. ‘Okay. Who’s Joe? What’s all this about website software?’
‘Joe works for me. He’s coming tomorrow to survey the office so he can write up the specs for the new computer installation there. It’s all been agreed with David.’
‘Right. And David knows he agreed this time? I’d hate to spring anything on him.’
‘Of course he does. And the website software is an online program I’ve written. All Juno needs is an account, which I’ll set up for her tomorrow, and she can use the system to make a starter website for herself.’
‘And how much does this cost, usually?’
‘I wrote it, I’m allowed to put any value I like on it. Any other concerns?’
He threw back his head and laughed. A rich, warm sound that seemed to fill the car with happiness. ‘Since you ask, what’s with the haggling you did with Juno over that paperweight?’
‘You’re supposed to haggle when you buy things, aren’t you?’
‘Down. You’re supposed to haggle down. When someone says twenty-five pounds, you say twenty. Not forty.’
‘There was another paperweight there, just the same only a different colour, and that had a sticker on it that said forty pounds. I love this, and it’s well worth the money. A handmade item like this would be twice the price in London.’ Sam tightened her grip on the well-wrapped bundle on her lap.
‘Yeah. Well, that’s Juno all over. She undervalues her work. I’ve told her about it enough times. She never used to put a price on anything, just let things go for a song.’
‘Well, there you are, then. What’s the problem?’
‘Nothing. Nothing, it was a kind thing to do. I just think you may be the most contrary person I’ve ever met...’
‘You know, you say the nicest things.’
He choked with laughter, opened his mouth to reply then closed it again. Sam smiled to herself. Good decision.
CHAPTER SEVEN
IT WAS HALF an hour’s drive out to the site of the residential centre, and Euan spent most of it wrapped up in his own thoughts. Juno could be a bit prickly at times, particularly if she thought that someone was making a charity case out of her, but Sam had won her over completely. It felt as if he too was slowly, inexorably, becoming mesmerised by her.
‘Here it is.’ He drew up at the mouth of the drive, so they’d have to walk to the house. She’d get a better view of it that way.
‘Wow! This is nice.’ She got out of the car, leaning against the door to take a long look at the ten-bedroomed country house. ‘It’s really peaceful here.’
Euan nodded. It was the perfect place. ‘This house and the land around it have been given to the charity.’
‘Really? So this is your new residential centre? It’s a fabulous gift...’
‘Yeah. It belonged to a record producer—it was one of many homes.’
‘Why did he give the house to the charity? Not that it’s not a good idea, of course...’
‘His daughter had problems with drugs. We tried to help her.’
‘And she’s okay now?’ Sam smiled up at him.
