Dreams to Sell by Anne Douglas

flat.’ Roz’s gaze was as direct as his. ‘But you didn’t agree.’
    â€˜I was thinking of your mother. She works hard enough here as it is.’
    â€˜Well, now that we’ve met anyway I’d like to say that I’m very glad to meet you, Richard. I’ve heard a lot about you.’
    â€˜And I, you. The bright one of the family, I’m told. You work in Tarrel’s law firm. They’ve a very good reputation.’
    â€˜I‘m not a lawyer; I work in the property department.’
    â€˜Oh, I know. Mad on houses, Chrissie says. Unfortunately, I’m not ready to buy yet, though my father – he’s an accountant – says you can’t go wrong with bricks and mortar, and my sisters both have properties.’
    â€˜Oh, you have sisters?’
    â€˜Two, both married; one in Peebles, one in London.’
    â€˜But your father’s in Edinburgh?’
    â€˜Oh, yes, both parents have lived here for years. They have a house in the Grange.’
    â€˜I see,’ said Roz, who knew the price of houses in the Grange. ‘Are you renting something, then?’
    â€˜No, I’m living at home at present.’ He gave a slightly mocking smile. ‘Anything else you’d like to know, Roz?’
    She flushed, looking down at her knife and fork, and let a silence fall which was eventually broken by Richard.
    â€˜Sorry,’ he said quietly. ‘I don’t mind talking about myself, anyway.’
    She looked up to meet those dark eyes of his which still told her nothing, in spite of his apologetic words. Impenetrable – that was the only way to describe them. Were they his screen against the world? Would you ever know a man like this? With a sudden inner rush she was reminded of Jamie’s candid gaze, so open, so friendly, and knew that her view of Richard was made by contrast transparently clear. She didn’t like him. He was hiding something. Was it to do with his intentions – or lack of them – towards her sister?
    â€˜I didn’t mean to seem to be interrogating you,’ she said after a pause.
    â€˜I’ve said I don’t mind.’ He leaned back in his chair, raising his hands, and looked at her as if he could read her thoughts. ‘I’ve nothing to hide.’
    â€˜And I am Chrissie’s sister.’
    â€˜Of course. I take your point.’ He straightened up. ‘But talking of Chrissie – here come our orders. Poor girl, how hard she works!’
    â€˜I wish she had another job,’ Roz said quickly. ‘She needn’t be a waitress, but she never looks for anything else.’
    Of course, the truth was Chrissie was only waiting to get married, but that was not something to be said to her young man.
    â€˜One steak pie!’ Chrissie cried, her eyes radiant. ‘One egg mayonnaise!’
    â€˜Here, let me help you,’ said Richard, leaping to his feet and unloading her tray. ‘There we are, all shipshape, except that you should be eating with us, Chrissie.’
    â€˜I never eat with you here,’ she said fondly. ‘And I want you and Roz to have a nice chat, just the two of you.’
    â€˜Why, I think we’ve had that,’ said Roz. ‘I won’t stay late – Ma could do with company, I expect.’
    â€˜Oh, you’ll have a sweet, Roz!’
    â€˜I think I’ll just have coffee after this.’
    â€˜I was expecting to take you home with Chrissie,’ Richard remarked, beginning to eat. ‘Sure you won’t have a pud? They’re not bad here.’
    Roz shook her head, saying she’d be quite happy with just her salad, and longed now to be away, finished with this sparring match she saw herself having with Richard. Somehow, he’d guessed that she was trying to decide whether she could trust him with her younger sister, and had decided not to make it easy for her, though she couldn’t really point to anything