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

about it in that way. Expectations I mean,” she explained, glancing at him. “I just looked on it as an opportunity to be able to get away and write in virtual seclusion. And from that point of view it couldn’t be better.”

“So?”

Where to start, she thought. Would it sound ridiculous to someone else? If she couldn’t explain it properly, the answer was likely to be yes so she would demand his full attention while she told him. That she wasn’t going to get it while he was at the wheel was obvious and Bella, already apprehensive about his driving, was not going to risk distracting him.

“It’s not quite that simple to explain but I’d like to tell you about it and see your reaction. Can it wait ‘til we get wherever we’re going?” The request didn’t appear to concern him.

“If that’s what you want. I’m certainly curious to hear what you’ve got to say.”

“Good!” Bella remarked, emphatically, determined now to change the subject. “Tell me all about Kyle Lucas, then. You’re a man of mystery except that I know you’re very good to girls who crash into your car.” She turned to study his strong profile eager to find out more about him. A ghost of a smile flitted across his face.

“What exactly you would you like to know? I was born at 3.36am on a dark, cold morning in December 1969…” Bella burst out laughing and playfully tapped him on the shoulder.

“No! You know what I mean, come on! I want to know about you. Your life. Your work. What makes you tick. You never know I might want to use you as a character one of these days.” They had caught up with a large truck and Kyle flicked the indicator on, to overtake. It was only a two-lane road where they were driving and when Bella finally had a clear view of the road ahead she also became aware that it was a truck and trailer unit. Had Kyle realised that? The oncoming traffic was closing fast and she shot him a worried glance. Kyle kicked down the accelerator and the Range Rover surged forward. Up ahead, and not very far away now, the driver of the first vehicle in the line of traffic angrily flashed his lights as they cleared the truck and pulled back over into their lane with only seconds to spare. Bella exhaled quietly and closed her eyes and for the next few moments neither of them spoke, each occupied with their own thoughts.

Kyle never did get round to talking about himself during the drive, the subject banished for the time being in a rush of adrenalin caused by the incident with the truck. It was Kyle who broke the silence though, making no reference to the near disaster which had almost occurred.

“I thought we’d approach Fordingbridge from the north. Come down through Rockbourne and Damerham.” He spoke as though nothing had happened.

“Why’s that?” She found her voice was little more than a hoarse whisper and had to cough to clear her throat. “Sounds like you know the area.”

“You could say that. This used to be my stamping ground, years ago. I won’t give you the reason.” A knowing grin accompanied the words. “You can tell me, in a bit, if you think it was a good idea.” As he finished speaking he indicated to turn right. Bella lapsed into silence with the niggling thought that Kyle liked to feel he was in control. Not knowing him well enough maybe she either wasn’t reading the signs right or jumping to to an incorrect conclusion. She consoled herself with the knowledge that no-one was perfect and waited to see what was so good about where they were heading for. It wasn’t long before she found out and immediately revised her opinion about the driver.

The route they were taking was on a secondary road consisting of two lanes only and narrower than the busier arterial roads. A tiny section of the spider’s web of highways that connected small, outlying villages to larger towns forming part of the vast network that covered the country. They had now left Dorset and were travelling through the north-western tip of Hampshire towards their destination. If they were to leave Fordingbridge, heading south for Bournemouth, they would roughly follow the county line to the coast. The landscape was much the same as the countryside around Willow Cottage with the winding road taking them through rolling acres of farmland with the occasional property dotted here and there. Suddenly, Bella gave a cry of delight as she saw a thatched cottage to her left. Looking like something from a fairy tale its squat, almost dumpy form stood back from the road beyond a small, well-tended flower garden. The whiteness of its solid-looking walls harbouring small, recessed windows, stood out in stark contrast to the dark brown, almost black appearance of the steeply-sloping woven straw roof. With the deep eaves hiding the top of the wall at the front it gave the impression of a chubby white face with a long fringe of dark hair.

“Oh, did you see that?” Inadvertently she grabbed his arm, turning to look over her shoulder as the cottage rapidly dropped behind them. Kyle eased his foot off the accelerator as they approached the outskirts of Rockbourne.

“And another one!” she cried, having just turned back only to see a larger cottage, on her right, set a little further back from the road. And then they were into the enchanting setting of the village itself, with a scattering of thatched cottages on either side, their pristine gardens bordering the road. No two buildings were exactly alike but all were built of the same solid construction, each being well over two hundred years old. To her immediate left, a narrow waterway ran between almost vertical grassy banks about a metre in depth, requiring a small bridge to give access to each property’s garden.

“Oh, Kyle, it’s lovely! Look at