CHAPTER FIVE

      BY THE Monday morning—after two evenings spent by Aggie trying to avoid all personal conversation, frantically aware of the way her body was ambushing all her good intentions—the relentless snow was beginning to abate, although not sufficiently for them to begin the last leg of their journey.

      The first thing Aggie did was to telephone the school. As luck would have it, it was shut, with just a recorded message informing her that, due to the weather, it would remain shut until further notice. She didn’t know if it was still snowing in London, but the temperatures across the country were still sub-zero and she knew from experience that, even if the snow had stopped, sub-zero temperatures would result in frozen roads and pavements, as well as a dangerously frozen playground. This routinely happened once or twice a year, although usually only for a couple of days at most, and Health and Safety were always quick to step in and advise closures.

      Then she looked at the pitiful supply of clothes remaining in her bag and said goodbye to all thoughts of saving any money at all for the New Year.

      ‘I need to go back into town,’ she told Luiz as soon as she had joined him in the dining room, where Mrs Bixby was busy chatting to the errant guest who had returned the evening before and was complaining bitterly about his chances of doing anything of any use. Salesmen rarely appreciated dire weather.

      ‘More fresh air?’

      ‘I need to buy some stuff.’

      ‘Ah. New coat, by any chance?’ Luiz sat back, tilting his chair away from the table so that he could cross his legs.

      ‘I should get another jumper…some jeans, maybe. I didn’t think that we would be snowed in when we’re not even halfway through this trip.’

      Luiz nodded thoughtfully. ‘Nor had I. I expect I’ll be forced to get some as well.’

      ‘And you’re missing your…meetings. You mentioned that deal you needed to get done.’

      ‘I’ve telephoned my guys in London. They’ll cover me in my absence. It’s not perfect, but it’ll have to do. This evening I’ll have a conference call and give them my input. I take it you’ve called the school?’

      ‘Closed anyway.’ She sat back as coffee was brought for them, and chatted for a few minutes with their landlady, who was extremely cheerful at the prospect of having them there longer than anticipated.

      ‘So your school’s closed. How fortuitous,’ Luiz murmured. ‘I’ve tried calling the hotel where your brother is supposed to be holed up with Maria and the lines are down.’

      ‘So is there any point in continuing?’ Aggie looked at him and licked her lips. ‘They were only going to be there for a few days. We could get up there and find they’ve already caught the train back to London.’

      ‘It’s a possibility.’

      ‘Is that all you have to say?’ Aggie cried in an urgent undertone. ‘It’s a possibility? Neither of us can afford to spend time away from our jobs on a possibility!’ The thought of her cold, uncomfortable, Luiz-free house beckoned like a port in a storm. She didn’t understand why she was feeling what she was, and the sooner she was removed from the discomfort of her situation the better, as far as she was concerned. ‘You have important meetings to go to. You told me so yourself. Just think of all those poor people whose livelihoods depend on you closing whatever deal it is you have to close!’

      ‘Why, Aggie, I hadn’t appreciated how concerned you were.’

      ‘Don’t be sarcastic, Luiz. You’re a workaholic. It must be driving you crazy being caught out like this. It would take us the same length of time to return to London as it would to get to the Lake District.’

      ‘Less.’

      ‘Even better!’

      ‘Furthermore, we would probably be driving away from the worst of the weather, rather than into it.’

      ‘Exactly!’

      ‘Which isn’t to say that I have any intention of returning to London without having accomplished what I’ve set out to do. When I start something, I finish it.’

      ‘Even if finishing it makes no sense?’

      ‘This is a pointless conversation,’ Luiz said coolly. ‘And why the sudden desperation to jump ship?’

      ‘Like I said, I thought I would be away for one night, two at most. I have things to do in London.’

      ‘Tell me what. Your school’s closed.’

      ‘There’s much more to teaching than standing in front of the children and teaching them. There are lessons to prepare, homework to mark.’

      ‘And naturally you have no computer with you.’

      ‘Of course I haven’t.’ He wasn’t going to give way. She hadn’t really expected that he would. She had known that he was the type of man who, once embarked on a certain course, saw it through to the finish. ‘I have an old computer. There’s no way I could lug that anywhere with me. Not that I thought I’d need it.’

      ‘I’ll buy you a laptop.’ To Luiz’s surprise, it was out before he had had time to think over the suggestion.

      ‘I beg your pardon?’

      ‘Everyone needs a laptop, something they can take with them on the move.’ He flushed darkly and raked his fingers through his hair. ‘I’m surprised you haven’t got one. Surely the school would subsidise you?’

      ‘I have a school computer but I don’t take it out of the house. It’s not my property.’ Aggie was in a daze at his suggestion, but underneath, a slow anger was beginning to build. ‘And would the money spent on this act of generosity be deducted from my full and final payment when you throw cash at me and my brother to get us out of the way? Are you keeping a mental tally?’

      ‘Don’t be absurd,’ Luiz grated. He barely glanced at the food that had been placed in front of him by Mrs Bixby who, sensing an atmosphere, tactfully withdrew.

      ‘Thanks, but I think I’ll turn down your kind offer to buy me a computer.’ This was how far apart their lives were, Aggie thought. Her body might play tricks on her, make her forget the reality of their situation, but this was the reality. They weren’t on a romantic magical-mystery tour and he wasn’t the man of her dreams. She was here because he had virtually blackmailed her into going with him and, far from being the man of her dreams, he was cold, single-minded and so warped by his privileged background that it was second nature to him to buy people. He could, so why not? His dealings with the human race were all based on financial transactions. He had girlfriends because they were beautiful and amused him for a while. But what else was there in his life? And did he imagine that there was nothing money couldn’t buy?

      ‘Too proud, Aggie?’

      ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about.’

      ‘You think I’ve insulted you by offering to buy you something you need. You’re here because of me. You’ll probably end up missing work because of me. You’ll need to buy clothes because of me.’