Read Online Inherited by Her Enemy by Sara Craven - Free Book Online Page A

said nothing to my father.
Au contraire,
the doubts were all his own. You are not a fool, Virginie, so ask yourself why.’
    He drained his cup and rose, dropping a handful of pound coins on the table. ‘But your coffee is excellent,’ he added, and walked out.
    She wanted to fling the money after him, but her awareness of the watchers in the kitchen prevented her.
    She put the payment for the coffee in the till and dropped the rest into the jar for staff tips, then carried her laden tray into the kitchen, ignoring the curious glances which greeted her.
    And she hadn’t been able to talk to him about Barney and her plan to rehome him, she realised ruefully. But what the hell? She’d go ahead anyway.
    * * *
    When she got home, she found Rosina bristling with defiance and clearly in no mood to answer the kind of questions that Ginny knew needed to be asked.
    ‘I’ll find a law firm in London who’ll act for me,’ she declared. ‘That Hargreaves man couldn’t fight his way out of a paper bag as I told him.’
    Ginny bit her lip. ‘Court battles are very expensive.’
Not to mention the kinds of unexpected truths that sometimes emerge as a result...
    ‘But my costs will be paid by the other side,’ Rosina insisted. ‘And while it’s all
sub judice,
I shall insist on remaining here. I’ve no intention of moving into that ghastly little house.’
    ‘It needs work,’ Ginny admitted reluctantly. ‘But it could be really cosy.’
    Ouch, she thought, as her mother reared up indignantly. Wrong word.
    ‘Cosy? There isn’t space to swing a cat, let alone entertain my friends.’ She added sharply, ‘And, of course, with only two bedrooms, you’ll need to find somewhere else to live.’
    Ginny stared at her. ‘But Cilla’s getting married. Surely we can share a room until then.’
    ‘Don’t be silly, Virginia. Both bedrooms are tiny, and your sister will need storage for her clothes.’ Rosina made it sound so logical. ‘Anyway, it’s time you were independent. You can’t expect me to support you for the rest of your life.’
    Ginny wanted to protest. To say, If I’d gone to university and trained as a teacher I’d be qualified by now. But you stopped me.
    Instead, she said quietly, ‘No, Mother. I’ve never expected that. And I’ll find something.’ She paused. ‘Where is Cilla, by the way?’
    ‘Out.’ Rosina shrugged. ‘I suppose at the Welburns’.’
    ‘Building bridges, I hope,’ said Ginny, remembering without pleasure that awkward few minutes with Jonathan in the hall.
    ‘That’s hardly necessary. Not when you’re as pretty as Cilla.’ Her mother shook her head. ‘Poor Virginia. You’ve never really understood how it all works, have you?’
    ‘Obviously not, but I’m learning fast.’ Ginny got up. ‘I think I’ll have a hot bath.’
    In the hall, she encountered the housekeeper. ‘I won’t want dinner, Mrs Pel. I’m planning an early night.’
    Closing my eyes. Blotting out this awful day...
    ‘I’m not surprised,’ Mrs Pel said with faint asperity. ‘You look washed out. But you’re not going to bed hungry,’ she added firmly. ‘I’ll bring you something on a tray.’
    The ‘something’ turned out to be a steaming bowl of Scotch broth, accompanied by crusty bread, a hunk of cheese and an apple, and this, allied with the hot-water bottle Ginny had discovered in her bed, made her throat tighten with the threat of tears.
    But I can’t cry, she thought. Because if I start, I may never stop, and I need to be strong.
    ‘You’re spoiling me, Mrs Pel,’ she said with an attempt at lightness.
    ‘It doesn’t happen so often.’ The older woman set the tray across Ginny’s lap. ‘Besides, it may be my last chance to do so. Mrs Charlton wants me gone by the end of the week.’
    ‘The end of the week,’ Ginny repeated numbly. ‘But that isn’t even proper notice.’
    ‘Oh, hush now,’ Mrs Pel said robustly. ‘She’s been trying to get rid of me for long enough, as