Read Echoes of the Dance for Free Online Page B

glancing at her watch: nearly a quarter to eleven. She’d give it half an hour and then go and say hello.

CHAPTER SIX
    Kate was sitting at the massive central table, Bevis on one side and Floss by her feet, with Uncle Bernard sleeping peacefully in his drawer when Daisy arrived. Roly placed a huge cafetiere on the table and smiled at her.
    â€˜We were hoping you’d turn up,’ he said. ‘So what happened to that pre-breakfast walk?’
    She made a face at him. ‘It went the way of all good resolutions,’ she answered. ‘I slept late.’ She paused, her eyes widening with surprise. ‘Why is Uncle Bernard sitting in that drawer?’
    â€˜Ah,’ said Roly. ‘Well, it all started when we had two young dogs staying about two years ago. They were litter brothers and their owners simply couldn’t cope. We didn’t want to split them so I had them here. Poor old Uncle Bernard got tired of being trodden on and generally overlooked so I cleared the drawer out and put him up out of harm’s way.’
    â€˜It went to his head,’ said Kate. ‘He looks down on us all now.’
    Roly made the introductions. Now that they were face to face Daisy saw that Kate was younger than she’d first judged. The lines around the eyes and mouth indicated that life hadn’t always been kind but, looking into the smiling grey eyes and holding Kate’s thin brown hand, Daisy’s instinct told her that here was someone who generally rejected bitterness and self-pity in favour of the hope of better things to come – but, this time, was finding the battle a difficult one.
    Realizing that she was staring almost rudely, Daisy turned away and sat down beside her.
    â€˜Roly says that you’ve barely had time to settle in,’ Kate was saying. ‘Have you been to Cornwall before?’
    Daisy shook her head. ‘It’s my first time. I haven’t seen much of it yet but we’ve been up on the moor for a walk. It’s so wild and beautiful, isn’t it?’
    Kate shrugged. ‘It’s not bad,’ she said, glancing mischievously at Roly. ‘But if it’s real moorland you want, Daisy, then you need to come and see Dartmoor.’
    Roly shook his head warningly. ‘Don’t start on that one,’ he told her. ‘We’ve agreed to differ. Remember?’
    Kate gave Daisy a tiny wink. ‘ He’s agreed to differ,’ she said to her, ‘but that’s because he’s a compromising Celt. Between you and me, there’s no contest.’
    â€˜I gather you don’t live round here?’ Daisy began to like her very much.
    â€˜My family moved from Somerset to West Cornwall when my father took early retirement. But early in my married life I rented a house on Dartmoor and after that I was hooked. I’ve lived on the moor near Tavistock for nearly thirty years.’ She hesitated. ‘But perhaps not for too much longer. I was going to tell you earlier, Roly, but Floss distracted me. I’ve arranged to have the house valued.’
    Kate bent down to stroke Floss, as if aware that her remark would have an effect she did not want to see. She murmured to the dog for a moment and then straightened up again to reach for her mug of coffee. Roly was standing quite still, staring at her in surprise.
    â€˜You’ve finally decided then.’
    It wasn’t really a question but Kate answered anyway.
    â€˜I think I have – well, you know all the reasons why.’
    Roly sat down and poured himself some coffee. Daisy felt once more as if she were witnessing a private moment between the two of them and, as if she guessed this, Kate smiled ruefully at her.
    â€˜Sorry. This is one of these ongoing conversations that Roly and I indulge in at regular intervals. I have this big Victorian semi-detached house. You know the kind of thing? High ceilings, huge rooms, big garden with a paddock that opens on to the