Autumn Leaves at Mill Grange by Jenny Kane (the little red hen ebook .txt) 📗

do I get the feeling you’re uneasy then?’ Andy munched his way through a second massive mouthful. ‘Is it that we have to cover the site back up afterwards? That’s not so unusual.’

‘No, it’s Lady Hammett’s condition that Sophie appears on camera as the local expert.’

‘She does know a lot about the place.’ Ajay wasn’t convinced that was all that was bothering his friend. ‘But I grant you, that’s not the same as being good at talking about it on camera.’

‘What are the chances of it really being the lost church of St Guron?’ Andy squeezed another mountain of ketchup onto his place.

‘Quite high. Sophie has done her homework. Despite the weird way she got us here, I’m glad she did. I think.’ Shaun glanced at the pub door. He usually enjoyed the post-dig camaraderie when his colleagues arrived, but after the hassles of the day he craved peace and quiet and a chance to call Thea.

As if reading his friend’s mind, Ajay asked, ‘Any word on how the dig at Mill Grange is progressing? Or is Thea still stuck at the mountains-of-red-tape stage?’ He waved a chip in Shaun’s direction. ‘I’ll never forget your faces when you saw the geophysics results for the first time. Priceless!’

‘I’m going to call her after dinner. Last I heard, they were good to go, and had everything apart from archaeologists and equipment.’

The geophysics boys exchanged glances, before Ajay spoke for both of them. ‘Why aren’t we doing it? It would make cracking telly. A Roman site on Exmoor makes hens’ teeth look common.’

‘I wanted to, but I checked, and our schedule’s full for this series. By the time the next series comes around, it’ll be dug. Sam can’t afford to hang around. He wants the site to provide part of the therapy he’s providing for his retreaters. The only way Landscape Treasures could cover it would be as an extra edition to go out at Easter or Christmas or something. It would have limited digging and be more like a documentary about the site.’

‘Well that would work, wouldn’t it?’ Andy swirled a chip in his ketchup. ‘We could focus on the work Sam and co. are intending to do at Mill Grange with recovering military personnel, as well as the excavation.’

Shaun nodded, his mood lifting further. ‘That might work. So, how are we going to convince Phil that we should make an extra episode?’

As he asked the question, Phil, their combined producer and director, walked through the ‘Residents Only’ door that led to the accommodation above. He waved at the trio in a manner that asked if more alcohol was required at their table.

‘Looks like this is my chance to ask him.’ Shaun laid down his knife and fork and headed to the bar.

*

‘What do you think?’

Thea couldn’t help but laugh as she rocked back in her office chair at Mill Grange. ‘I think you’re a mind reader.’

‘Sorry?’

‘I was only talking to Sam this afternoon about suggesting you guys filmed here. I know we’ve mentioned it in the past, but as it isn’t you who has the final say about where you go, I dismissed it as wishful thinking.’

‘That’s what I’d done too, but Ajay and Andy were talking about the site. It’s so rare, it would be foolish not to at least try and cover it. That’s when the idea of a Christmas special came in. Phil, he’s our producer and director, loves the idea. Obviously the money men need to be consulted, but in principle it’s a possibility. Only if Sam’s okay with it, of course.’

‘He sounded keen, but to be honest, he’s wary about strangers asking why he doesn’t sleep in his own house, but if you guys came—’

‘And camped in the grounds with him, so it looks like Sam is just joining in with the dig?’

‘Yes! That would be fabulous, and Sam would love it.’ Thea’s delight shot down the phone line towards Cornwall. ‘Will you let me know once you have an idea how realistic this is? I’m going to get in some students from Exeter Uni to help uncover the topsoil, but obviously we won’t want to do too much work before you get here if you’re coming.’

‘As soon as I have word, I’ll be on the phone.’ Shaun leant against the far wall of the pub as he chatted. ‘So, apart from the dig, how’s life at Mill Grange?’

*

‘Hi, Ajay.’ Sophie pulled a wooden stool over to the table and sat down. ‘Who’s Shaun talking to?’

‘Thea.’ Andy answered so Ajay could finish his last mouthful of fish. ‘You can always tell when it’s Thea because Shaun smiles really widely while they chat.’

‘And even wider—’ Ajay wiped a napkin over his lips in satisfaction of a meal enjoyed ‘—when they’re together.’

Gripping the pint of beer she didn’t want, but had ordered because everyone else had one, Sophie felt her insides twist into a knot. ‘I hadn’t realised Shaun was attached.’

Andy lowered his eyes, trying not to laugh at her obvious disappointment. ‘Oh yes. She’s an archaeologist too. Lovely girl.’

‘Oh. I’ve never seen her mentioned in the magazines.’ Sophie’s forehead crinkled into two neat parallel lines.

‘Magazines?’ The AA regarded each other, puzzled.

‘You know, Chat, Hello! and all those. Shaun’s famous and handsome. If he had someone in his life, they’d be all over him like scarlet fever.’

Managing not to choke on his final chip, Ajay laughed. ‘That’s not Shaun’s style at all. He hates the whole celeb thing.’

Andy studied Sophie more shrewdly. ‘You do know that the majority of the people featured in those magazines approach them first. Then they demand a criminal amount of money for the privilege. Shaun’s a private person; and Thea even more so.’

Sophie took a tentative sip of her drink to avoid the expressions of the men before her. She wasn’t sure if she could read scorn, pity, or both on their features. The pint of Tribute beer wasn’t as bad as he’d feared. ‘Why isn’t she here? Isn’t Thea good