Read Online Runaway Sister by Ann Jennings - Free Book Online

realize now that we were very fond of each other, but it wasn’t a love that would have survived years of marriage. So goodbye, and good luck.”
    â€œThe same to you,” said Steve.
    Slowly she put down the receiver, feeling that she had finally closed the door completely on one chapter of her life. That’s that, she thought; now I can go forward into the unknown.
    She started to shower and get ready for the concert. She had been to the Abbey before and knew the old Norman building got very cold at night, in spite of the radiators placed at intervals around the walls. So she decided on a deep purple woolen dress. It had a fitted bodice and full swirling skirt and a matching fitted jacket.
    She just about made it in time, and was brushing her blonde hair back into loose curls falling on her shoulders, when the doorbell rang. It was Dai Thomas, and he gave an appreciative whistle. “You look terrific!” he told her.
    â€œNo strings,” Samantha reminded him with mock severity.
    â€œNothing was farther from my mind,” he replied, throwing up his hands in a protestation of innocence.
    When they arrived the Abbey was almost full and they had to squeeze quickly past a row of people to get to their seats in the middle. The concert was magnificent, but it was freezing in the Abbey, as Samantha had feared. She wondered whether she had been wise in choosing purple to wear, her nose felt like an icicle, and probably was the same hue of purple as her outfit, she reflected ruefully.
    Even when the short interval came there was no respite. As it was in the Abbey there were no refreshments, so the audience just chatted for the ten-minute interval.
    Although she did enjoy the music, Samantha was quite glad when it had finished and she was able to move her frozen limbs.
    â€œShall we go to the pub for a quick drink before we get the fish and chips?” suggested Dai.
    â€œGood idea,” she replied thankfully, stamping her feet to restore the circulation. “I could do with a Scotch to warm me up.”
    They were gradually making their way towards the huge old doorway along with the rest of the mass of people, when she was suddenly aware that someone to her left was looking at her. She felt rather than saw that someone was looking. Turning her head, she looked into Adam Shaw’s impenetrable gaze.
    He was standing in the crowd of people, easily identifiable because he was a good head and shoulders taller than most of the men around him, and by his side, holding his arm, was the most strikingly beautiful woman Samantha had ever seen.
    She was a doe-eyed, raven-haired beauty, with a flawless olive skin. Samantha had read about beauty like hers in books and seen it in films, but she had never come face-to-face with a woman of such incredible loveliness before. Looking at her, Samantha was uncomfortably aware that her face was pale from the cold and that her nose was sure to be a puce color because it was so cold it felt as if it were about to drop off! Even if she had been looking her very best Samantha knew that a woman like that would have given her a feeling of inferiority, but at that moment, she felt like a colorless frozen little mouse by the side of her.
    Adam Shaw came across to them with his radiant companion on his arm. “Did you enjoy the concert?” he asked.
    â€œOh yes, thanks, we did very much, didn’t we, Samantha?” Dai beamed at Adam. Samantha for her part tried not to catch his eye again, and made a pretense of getting her handkerchief out of her handbag.
    â€œMay I introduce my friend Sophie,” said Adam, indicating the woman at his side. “Sophie is from Greece, she’s over here on a short holiday.”
    â€œOh, not all that short, darling,” said Sophie, looking at Adam reproachfully. “You know you could easily persuade me to stay for much longer.”
    Adam ignored that remark and introduced Dai and Samantha in turn.
    Samantha