Read Online Sunrise for Two by Merlot Montana - Free Book Online Page A

the way her loyal little sister
had started looking after her from almost the moment she could
walk. “You’re the best sister a girl could want.” Harry pulled open
the emergency make-up supply she kept beside the department first
aid kit, and liberally applied a waterproof mascara, she decided
she needed all the support she could get.
    “ As are you
Harry.” Libby told her gently, helping her sister adjust to the
uncomfortable crutches.
    “ Onward into
battle,” Harry said finally, then she took a deep breath and swung
herself out into the IT department. Belinda noted enviously that
she looked lovelier than ever. she wondered how she had missed the
strong mother and daughter resemblance; the classical features
reflected through a dark delicate and diminutive lens. All same,
the unhappiness in her dark eyes was hard to miss. “I’ve left my
notes about the bloods next to my computer.” She said to Mike, and
he nodded mutely at her, she had turned into one of the women that
terrified him, and he didn’t return her tentative smile.
    The elegant party moved
slowly to the front of the hospital where Lady Caroline's car was
obscuring the no parking signs. The chauffeur, a man who had taken
Harry to a lot of hospital appointments during her lonely
childhood, touched her shoulder and she smiled up at him, glad of
the support. Then she slid onto the slippery leather seats and
smoothed her skirt over her legs, she had grown up at events like
this, she knew what she had to do.
    Chris read the memo again
and cursed softly in a way that made the secretaries offer him
coffee and food. “I have to represent the department at a wine and
cheese event today.” He explained, running his hand frustratedly
through his dark wavy hair. His personal secretary contemplated
mentioning that she had emailed him reminders repeatedly for the
whole of the past month. But instead she filled up his coffee mug
and returned to his dictation. Chris dug his emergency tie out of
his desk drawer, and found his crumpled jacket under a layer of
coats and handbags. He had been planning to spend his afternoon off
researching accessible places to take Harry, and he stalked out the
car park cutting a swathe through the late lunchtime
corridors.
    The marquee was hard to
miss, and he wondered irritably why fundraisers always had to cost
so much. Then he parked on the grass and followed the smartly
dressed dignitaries into the stuffy confines where the smell of hot
canvas warred with expensive aftershave and pastry. After an
awkward 10 minutes he secured a glass of orange juice and a warm
sausage roll, and he wandered through centre of the tent, deciding
to find Mr Patel and then make his escape. The tall figure of his
mentor was finally discernible, he was talking to a small
delicately built woman whose profile he had spent last night
admiring. She was standing on her feet and he cut rather quickly
through the crowd to talk to her.
    As he drew closer he
spotted the braces and the crutches she was holding so tightly and
also the discomfort in her dark eyes. A woman in an enormous hat
stepped into his path and said firmly, “Allow me to introduce you
to Lady Harriet and her sister Elizabeth.”
    Chris greeted them,
nodding absently at her sister and stepping closer to Harry. “Lady
Harriet?” he asked softly, and noticed tenderly that the top of
head barely reached his chest.
    “ Are you
going to be weird about this too?” she asked lightly, ignoring her
own adrenaline rush.
    “ Of course
not,” he said with a grin, and offered her a drink. She shook her
head and smiled at him unconvincingly. He noticed the lines of
tiredness under her eyes and saw the untouched drink on the table
behind her.
    “ Are you
okay?” he asked softly.
    “ I’m fine.”
She said, with another smile that didn’t touch her eyes, and he saw
his concern mirrored in her sister’s eyes.
    “ Mother can
we get a chair for Harry?” Libby asked, and the chilly woman in