Spring Blossoms at Mill Grange by Jenny Kane (a court of thorns and roses ebook free txt) 📗

Sue sniffed. ‘I bet you haven’t even started looking.’

‘Always so ready to dismiss my efforts before you know what they are.’

Noting the fall of Dylan’s smile, Sue shifted her feet. ‘Sorry. Old habits.’ She brushed her hands together. ‘Will you take us for this scone then? Dylan has hardly stopped talking about them on the trip over. I think we owe him some proper family time, don’t you?’

‘Right,’ Tom lowered Dylan to the ground, ‘I just need to talk to someone first.’

*

Helen was ready for him when he arrived. Even before he’d opened his lips she whispered, ‘Your son has something he wants to talk to his mum and dad about, you must go.’

Tom kissed her gently. ‘You are something very special, Helen Rogers.’

As she watched them walk away, Helen picked up the stone Dylan had given her and squeezed it in her palm. The little boy was between his parents, each holding a hand so they could swing him along the road. Helen felt tears coat her eyes.

‘Not that special, Tom. Dylan just forgot all about me.’

Eighteen

Saturday March 28th

Ajay leaned against the side of the catering truck next to Shaun, his arms folded across his chest, as they watched the local news reporter brief Thea.

‘That should be you, mate.’

‘Thea is our guest expert. She knows a lot more about Roman archaeology than me.’

Ajay glanced at Shaun. ‘If that was the criteria, then it should be someone from Cotswold Archaeology stood there. The mosaic was made from local stone, very probably by a local artisan.’

‘The Roman Baths aren’t exactly miles away, Ajay.’ Shaun dug his hands deep into his pockets. ‘If Thea was still working there, the chances are that we would have been asking her, as a local expert, to come and look at the bath house anyway.’

‘Maybe.’ Ajay don’t look convinced. ‘I can’t help thinking this is Julian pulling strings though.’

‘But what for? Thea isn’t interested in him and I’ve promised her I’ll drop the subject.’

‘Ummm.’ Ajay switched his gaze to their producer, who was standing close to the news show’s director. ‘Julian doesn’t strike me as a man who lets something like that get in the way… unless…’

‘You left that hanging in the air.’

‘Unless that isn’t what he wants Thea for. Perhaps he has an eye on her for a completely different reason?’

‘What reason?’ Shaun ran a hand through his hair, ruffling his fringe. ‘Getting her to talk more than me on camera might bruise my ego if it was anyone but Thea I suppose, but…’ Shaun stopped talking and turned to face Ajay, an uncomfortable notion forming in his mind. ‘You don’t think…?’

Ajay was already nodding. ‘Treasure Hunters are getting a new look and a new presenter.’

‘You think our TV company will want us to do the same?’ Shaun’s chest tightened. Chatting casually with Thea about not minding if he had to give up and work at Mill Grange was one thing, but being replaced by his girlfriend as head presenter was something else entirely.

He watched as the news show’s makeup artist dabbed some powder over Thea’s cheeks. Was that what Julian was planning? If so, what would be the point of working back at Mill Grange, if Thea wasn’t there too?

*

Wiping her hands down her trousers, hoping her nerves didn’t show on her face, Thea watched the director as the show’s reporter spoke into the camera. Seconds later, he turned to face her, his microphone held out before him.

‘I’m pleased to introduce Thea Thomas, guest expert at the latest Landscape Treasures dig to be filmed in the Cotswolds. As you will have heard from the main bulletin, the Roman villa at Birdlip, being excavated by the award-winning archaeology show, is proving to be one of the region’s most important discoveries to date, not least because of the stunning mosaic uncovered in the villa’s bath house. Before I ask about that in particular, Thea, can you tell us a little about mosaics in general?’

‘Certainly.’ Thea smiled into the camera as the late morning sunshine bathed her face. ‘As you’ll know, mosaics are made up of thousands of individual tiles, known as tesserae. These pieces, usually cube shaped, about a centimetre square each, would have been hand cut from local stone or marble, or even glass or baked clay. The practice of laying floors in this way began around the second century BC. The art of designing and laying a mosaic was a specialised one, and such artisans would have been highly prized…’

*

Sybil raised an eyebrow as she saw Tom and his son come in with someone who was certainly not Helen.

‘Dylan, how wonderful to see you.’ Sybil watched as the lad clutched a menu, doing his best to read as much as he could. ‘Let me guess, either a strawberry milkshake and a great big cheese scone, or an orange juice and a great big cheese scone.’

 Almost bouncing on his chair with pleasure, Dylan asked, ‘Can I have the orange juice please?’

Sybil pretended to look shocked. ‘No scone? Dylan, are you ill?’

Giggling, Dylan shook his head fast. ‘And the greatest biggest cheese scone ever please.’

‘Thank goodness for that!’ Sybil winked. ‘I was worried for a second.’

Still laughing, Dylan turned to the lady sat to his left. ‘See, Mum, I told you Sybil would know what I wanted.’

‘I’m Sue, pleased to meet you.’

Sybil shook the offered hand politely. ‘Can I tempt you to anything?’

‘Just a black coffee thanks.’ Sue patted her non-existent waist. ‘I have to be so careful.’

‘How tiresome for you.’ Sybil turned from the person sat in Helen’s seat. ‘Tom, usual?’

‘Please.’ He hadn’t missed that Sue had offended Sybil by not wanting to eat. ‘Could we have a pot of coffee like you do when I visit with Helen, please?’

‘Of course.’ Biting back the urge to ask where Helen was, Sybil was saved the bother by Sue.

‘Who’s