Read Online Paradise Fields by Katie Fforde - Free Book Online Page B

build on them anyway, it’s just that that woman wants to turn the whole place into something likely to get her in the house magazines. All Hunstanton Manor needs is a few new tiles on the roof, and it would be fine! People’s standards are just too high!’
    He laughed, and she realised she was being ridiculous. It was the shock of meeting Jake Demerand when she was expecting a friendly, grizzled man in a sheepskin coat who would pat her on the shoulder and say, ‘You leave it with me, love. We’ll stop them toffs puttin’ ‘arses on them water meadows.’ Perhaps her
EastEnders
addiction was dangerous, after all.
    â€˜Listen, Mrs Innes – Nel – why don’t we carry on this conversation over a drink?’
    In any other circumstances in the world, Nel would have said yes, Simon or no Simon. She took a breath. ‘Because not only do you talk in clichés, Mr Lawyer Demerand, but there isn’t a spoon long enough in the world.’
    â€˜What are you talking about?’
    â€˜You’ve heard the expression, I’m sure. “If you sup with the devil, use a long spoon.”’
    There was a short silence. ‘I’m sorry you think of meas the devil, Mrs Innes. Because I assure you I don’t think of you in those terms at all.’
    â€˜Oh, don’t you? Well, you will. When I get my campaign up and running, you’re going to be sticking pins in wax models of me.’
    â€˜Really?’ Irritatingly, a smile flickered across his face.
    â€˜Oh yes. You’ll find I’m a force to be reckoned with. You’d better warn your clients to scale down their plans, because that land is not going to be built on while I live and breathe.’
    â€˜Well, I do hope you continue to live and breathe but I’m afraid you’re wrong about the building. It’s going to happen. There are some starter homes planned and the council are going to be delighted.’
    â€˜God! I believe you want the water meadows lost for ever! Did you know that the junior football teams practise on them?’
    â€˜No, as it happened, I didn’t. But I do now.’
    â€˜And doesn’t that affect how you think about things? Poor little boys, freezing cold, in shorts, with nowhere to practise.’ Too late she realised she probably shouldn’t have said those negative-sounding things.
    â€˜Well, of course it’s a shame we don’t have a nice warm indoor stadium for them.’
    â€˜You weren’t planning to build one, were you?’
    â€˜No. But it explains why you can’t get me excited about that extremely damp bit of ground you’ve just described.’
    â€˜How do you know it’s damp?’ Nel replied after a moment’s thought.
    â€˜Because I help train the junior team.’
    â€˜Oh.’ Deflated, Nel paused. But she soon rallied. ‘Well, you can’t have done it for long. You’re new to the area.’
    â€˜Not that new. It’s just that I’ve only recently come to your attention.’
    â€˜You haven’t “come to my attention”! I would pay you no attention whatever if I hadn’t thought you – or rather the chairman of the team – would support my campaign!’
    â€˜No? I saw you watching me play squash, you know.’
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜I saw you watching me and my friend play squash. What is it that takes you to the leisure centre on Monday nights?’
    â€˜I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ she lied, knowing only too well.
    â€˜Oh yes, you do. You didn’t have a sports bag with you, so what were you doing?’
    â€˜I’m not going to tell you! It’s none of your business.’
    â€˜It must be Weight Watchers. I don’t know why you bother. You’ve got a lovely figure.’
    â€˜Oh f—’ Nel bit down hard on her lower lip as she realised what she had been about to