rang about his cousin . I told him not to worry . (Celia would eventually read it with a groan of despair. Wasn’t Rosa problem enough?)
Pleased to find her parking space vacant, Sophie drew to a halt and was immediately filled with alarm. The state of the flat: the remains of the takeaway! Her mind went into overdrive. What should she do now? Perhaps nothing for the moment, she concluded. Carlos was far too busy surveying the somewhat unsavoury surroundings to notice the panic in her eyes.
‘Er – um … Why don’t you wait here in the car? It’s quite a cold night.’
Carlos raised a questioning eyebrow. He was anxious to stretch his legs. How much longer was this ordeal going to last? Why the sudden concern for his welfare, particularly after the frosty reception at Heathrow?
‘Just give Rosa a couple of minutes to get her coat and we’ll take you to your hotel. Ate logo ,’ Sophie said a little too brightly, hoping her attempt at ‘see you soon’ in Portuguese might do something to soften his unhappy countenance.
‘Rosa! Thank heavens you’re back! If you knew the problems I’ve had fetching Carlos? Not to mention the fact I've got—’
‘He eez ere!’ Rosa cried, clapping her hands in delight. She looked expectantly towards the door. ‘Oh, Sophie! You are so kind and I very sorry I forget to tell you.’
‘Never mind that now, said Sophie, misinterpreting Rosa’s sheepish expression. Let’s just take Carlos to his hotel. Only I hope it’s not too far away. I’m on duty in half an hour – or had you forgotten?’
Rosa’s huge brown eyes widened in horror. ‘No,’ she said meekly, ‘but when I forget to tell you Carlos was coming, I also forget to book him a hotel. I was so very busy with my studies.’
‘You mean he has nowhere to stay?’
The look on Rosa’s face said it all. No wonder she was already dashing down two flights of stairs to the ancient red Mini and its disgruntled occupant.
‘Carlos!’ she cried, ecstatic, wrenching open the door and reaching for his hand, her eyes glistening with tears.
To his astonishment Carlos was pulled from the car and smothered in kisses. Moments later and with a gabble of Portuguese, Rosa linked her arm in his and led him upstairs to the flat. Sophie met them in the confined space of the hallway.
‘I’ll put the kettle on for coffee – or tea if you’d prefer? Meanwhile Rosa has something to tell you.’
Carlos looked anxiously at his watch. Why was Rosa plumping up assorted cushions? ‘Sit down and make yourself comfortable,’ she cooed.
‘Don’t you think it’s rather late?’ he questioned, aware of the hasty clearing up taking place in the kitchen.
When Sophie appeared with a tray of coffee and biscuits, she was conscious of polite yet animated conversation taking place between the two cousins. Feeling surplus to requirements, she made for the bathroom. There she combed her long, straight fringe onto her forehead, brushed the rest of her sleek sandy-coloured hair behind her ears, fastened it at the nape of her neck and reached for her makeup bag.
‘Five minutes Rosa,’ she hissed, addressing her reflection in the mirror while applying a fine layer of mascara, a slick of lipstick and a delicate sweep of blusher to her cheeks. ‘Tonight I am in Gavin Markham mode. Five minutes is all I’m giving you to explain to Carlos. After that I’m off to work and you can jolly well order him a taxi! Better still. Why not go back with him to his hotel so I can have the flat to myself!’
If Sophie was wishing for peace and solitude, Carlos was wishing he was anywhere but Victoria Villas. What on earth was Rosa doing in such a run-down area of Beckford? More to the point – considering how late it was – when were they going to make a move and take him to his hotel?
‘Rosa,’ he ventured, when she poured yet more coffee, filling his cup to the brim. ‘It’s been a long day. I really think I should be checking in to my
Pleased to find her parking space vacant, Sophie drew to a halt and was immediately filled with alarm. The state of the flat: the remains of the takeaway! Her mind went into overdrive. What should she do now? Perhaps nothing for the moment, she concluded. Carlos was far too busy surveying the somewhat unsavoury surroundings to notice the panic in her eyes.
‘Er – um … Why don’t you wait here in the car? It’s quite a cold night.’
Carlos raised a questioning eyebrow. He was anxious to stretch his legs. How much longer was this ordeal going to last? Why the sudden concern for his welfare, particularly after the frosty reception at Heathrow?
‘Just give Rosa a couple of minutes to get her coat and we’ll take you to your hotel. Ate logo ,’ Sophie said a little too brightly, hoping her attempt at ‘see you soon’ in Portuguese might do something to soften his unhappy countenance.
‘Rosa! Thank heavens you’re back! If you knew the problems I’ve had fetching Carlos? Not to mention the fact I've got—’
‘He eez ere!’ Rosa cried, clapping her hands in delight. She looked expectantly towards the door. ‘Oh, Sophie! You are so kind and I very sorry I forget to tell you.’
‘Never mind that now, said Sophie, misinterpreting Rosa’s sheepish expression. Let’s just take Carlos to his hotel. Only I hope it’s not too far away. I’m on duty in half an hour – or had you forgotten?’
Rosa’s huge brown eyes widened in horror. ‘No,’ she said meekly, ‘but when I forget to tell you Carlos was coming, I also forget to book him a hotel. I was so very busy with my studies.’
‘You mean he has nowhere to stay?’
The look on Rosa’s face said it all. No wonder she was already dashing down two flights of stairs to the ancient red Mini and its disgruntled occupant.
‘Carlos!’ she cried, ecstatic, wrenching open the door and reaching for his hand, her eyes glistening with tears.
To his astonishment Carlos was pulled from the car and smothered in kisses. Moments later and with a gabble of Portuguese, Rosa linked her arm in his and led him upstairs to the flat. Sophie met them in the confined space of the hallway.
‘I’ll put the kettle on for coffee – or tea if you’d prefer? Meanwhile Rosa has something to tell you.’
Carlos looked anxiously at his watch. Why was Rosa plumping up assorted cushions? ‘Sit down and make yourself comfortable,’ she cooed.
‘Don’t you think it’s rather late?’ he questioned, aware of the hasty clearing up taking place in the kitchen.
When Sophie appeared with a tray of coffee and biscuits, she was conscious of polite yet animated conversation taking place between the two cousins. Feeling surplus to requirements, she made for the bathroom. There she combed her long, straight fringe onto her forehead, brushed the rest of her sleek sandy-coloured hair behind her ears, fastened it at the nape of her neck and reached for her makeup bag.
‘Five minutes Rosa,’ she hissed, addressing her reflection in the mirror while applying a fine layer of mascara, a slick of lipstick and a delicate sweep of blusher to her cheeks. ‘Tonight I am in Gavin Markham mode. Five minutes is all I’m giving you to explain to Carlos. After that I’m off to work and you can jolly well order him a taxi! Better still. Why not go back with him to his hotel so I can have the flat to myself!’
If Sophie was wishing for peace and solitude, Carlos was wishing he was anywhere but Victoria Villas. What on earth was Rosa doing in such a run-down area of Beckford? More to the point – considering how late it was – when were they going to make a move and take him to his hotel?
‘Rosa,’ he ventured, when she poured yet more coffee, filling his cup to the brim. ‘It’s been a long day. I really think I should be checking in to my
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