The Knapthorne Conspiracy by Malcolm Ballard (best english novels for beginners txt) 📕

Delighted by the unexpected pleasure of having discovered the delicatessen, she left the shop looking forward to her lunch. Traffic along the main street had got a little busier, and there were several vehicles parked along the road now, including a large lorry directly in front of her Alfa. She could almost taste the taramosalata and the olives as she got into the car and started it up, wanting to get home and sample the food, even though it was well before mid-day. As she started to pull out, her mobile phone rang and she leaned forward, to pick it up, losing concentration, momentarily. The next thing she heard was a horrible screaming of tyres on the road surface and she flashed a look in her rear-view mirror. The small glass panel was filled with a vision of an out-of-control vehicle skidding towards her and she suddenly braced herself for the impact, head down, hands around the back of her neck. Only the actions of the other driver prevented what could have been a serious accident. Bella had pulled out without looking, distracted by the sound of the phone, into the path of the oncoming vehicle. Instinctively, the driver had hit the brakes but realised the resulting skid was propelling him into the back of Bella’s Alfa. In a split-second reaction, seeing the road ahead was clear, he took his foot off the brake and hit the accelerator. Steering his vehicle across the road and away from Bella’s, the engine roaring, he managed to avoid slamming straight into the back of her and, instead, gave her car a healthy side-swipe as he passed, yanking on the wheel to bring it back across the road at nearly full power. By the time he’d got it under control and brought it to a halt, he was fully two hundred yards down the road.

Sweating profusely, his heart pounding, he looked back over his shoulder, through the Range Rover’s large rear windscreen at Bella’s car, halted at an odd angle, behind the truck. As the road behind was clear, he slammed the stick into reverse and, with a screech of tyres, sped back towards her with just one thing on his mind. As if he’d been doing it all his life, the vehicle hurtled backwards, in a dead straight line towards Bella’s car. When a few yards away, almost as a single action, he slammed on the brakes, whipped the stick into park, turned the engine off and was out the door in a matter of seconds. By this time a small crowd had gathered, from the shops and houses nearby, to witness what was, for Knapthorne, a major incident.

“What the fuck do you think you’re playing at?” Outraged at the stupidity of the other motorist, his senses distorted by anger, the man had leaned down and shouted the abuse at the other driver through the car’s open window. People in the crowd turned to one another, commenting on the obscenity, as the man reached for the handle and wrenched the door open. Bella was leaning forward, arms on the wheel, resting her head and sobbing, noiselessly, her face covered by the broad sweep of her hair. Clinically speaking, she was in shock and not even fully aware of the man at her side. At the sound of the door opening she turned her tear-stained face up towards him and he stayed his hand as he was reaching out to grab her. He had been ready to pull her out of the car but a sudden change came over him. For the briefest of moments, he looked confused.

“Are you alright?” One look at her had defused his temper, as if it were the hot flame of a candle suddenly snuffed out. Her gorgeous hair, big, sad eyes and soft, pouting lips combined in a way that took his breath away, and his anger. She was stunning. Bella nodded, slowly, causing a sharp stab of pain to lance from her neck and down her back, making her start, and she gasped.

“Bit of whiplash, maybe. Come on, let me help you out and then we’ll see if we can get your car out of the way.” As he spoke, he reached in to help her out of the car, while, to his left, someone had begun to direct any passing traffic around the scene.

“Easy does it, now,” he urged, as she slowly swung her legs around, cautious of the fact that she might trigger another burst of pain. Gingerly, she lowered her head and allowed the stranger to gently pull her forward until she was on her feet. Then she exhaled, closing her eyes.

“There, that’s better,” he said, all concern now, his relief obvious as he waited for her to collect herself. “Come on, let’s get you off the road,” he suggested, taking her arm and leading her towards the pavement. “We don’t want another accident, do we?’ There was genuine compassion in his voice and Bella allowed him to escort her away from danger. Several people were at the roadside, looking concerned, among them, the Greek, Paul Aristides.

“Bring her into my shop and she can sit down. It’s just over here.” He pointed to the General Store, as he spoke, and the stranger nodded, with a smile, to convey his thanks as he prompted Bella to move in the direction of the shop. Still stunned by what had happened, she let herself be guided by the stranger’s firm hands thankful that someone was looking after her. The small crowd parted to let her through then made to follow the pair, led by the Greek, towards the shop. Sensing what was happening, the stranger looked back over his shoulder.

“I think the show’s over don’t you?” he said to them, his tone leaving them in no doubt that their company wasn’t appreciated and the little knot of people began to disperse, in ones and twos, some of them