Read Online Dead Ground in Between by Maureen Jennings - Free Book Online

air.
    “Give me your hat and coat,” she said. “You must be perishing. Why don’t you go and sit down. I’ll make us some tea. The kettle just boiled.”
    “Something smells delicious.”
    Moira Hamilton herself had a nice flowery scent. He hoped she didn’t think he was referring to her.
    “I’ve been baking some pies with the last of the apples. I’m going to keep one and give the other to the church fete next Sunday. They’re raising money for the rebuilding of Coventry Cathedral.”
    The flat was really one large room with a kitchen at one end. The sitting area was a grouping of stuffed chairs arranged around a tiny electric heater.
    “I’ll only be a jiffy,” said Mrs. Hamilton. “Take that wingback. It’s the most comfortable for men.”
    Tyler did as ordered and sat down in the brocade-covered armchair.
    There was a faux mantelpiece against the wall with the heater in place of a hearth. He could see several cards, mostof which seemed to be early Christmas greetings. One had the words
Thank You
in large letters crusted with silver glitter. Presumably from a grateful customer.
    He took a fast look around. There wasn’t much more furniture, just a table and two more chairs near the kitchen area. A small rag rug in front of the heater was the only concession to comfort. The most impressive feature was a mahogany rolltop desk standing against the wall between the two deep front windows.
    Mrs. Hamilton wheeled a tea trolley over and manoeuvred it into position next to his chair. She removed the knitted cozy from the pot and poured out the tea into his cup.
    “Milk? Sugar?”
    He accepted both.
    “I do find the tea ration above all is so difficult to manage, don’t you, Mr. Tyler?”
    Not being much of a tea drinker he actually didn’t, but he agreed politely.
    She poured a cup for herself and sat down in the chair across from him. She kept her knees decorously together but she had good legs and was wearing a skirt that looked to him a bit shorter than the prevailing fashion.
    She gazed at him over the top of her cup. “I’ve made myself hold out until now. This is only my second cup of the day, and I do so enjoy it.”
    He sipped at his tea, willing himself to relax. This was shaping up just the way he’d dreaded. Awkward as all get-out.
    You can leave. Say you’ve just remembered an urgent appointment. This isn’t for you
.
    But before he could act, Mrs. Hamilton placed her own cup and saucer on the trolley.
    “Well, I’m sure you don’t have a lot of time, so why don’t we get straight down to business?”
    He sighed. “Of course. Let’s get right to it.” He swallowed down the rest of his tea.
    Moira gave her knees a little slap. “First, then, is the matter of my fee.”
    “Fee?” Rowell hadn’t mentioned a fee, but of course nobody would go to all the trouble of running a dating agency from the sheer goodness of their heart.
    “I charge one pound for the initial interview,” she continued. “Non-refundable. If we agree that you are a suitable candidate, you will pay a further three pounds, which will entitle you to three introductions with women chosen for you especially by me. If, after sincere attempts, none of these introductions work out for the long term, then you are allowed one more free introduction.”
    Tyler raised his hand in protest. “Just a minute, Mrs. Hamilton. Let’s be clear. I don’t consider myself to be in the marriage market, and from the way you are describing your, er, service, that would seem to be the goal of all and sundry.”
    She didn’t answer but jumped abruptly to her feet and went to the desk. All of her movements were brisk and decisive. She would have made a good private secretary, Tyler thought. She returned to her chair holding a ledger that surely belonged in a law office.
    “I specifically state that my job is to provide sincere introductions to single people. What you do with yourselves after that introduction is entirely up to you.