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

those cottages! And the stream!” She sounded like an excited child at Disneyland. “I just adore thatched cottages.” He slowed down considerably so that she could take it all in. “I’d secretly hoped that Willow Cottage might be thatched. Not that I mind that it isn’t, of course!” They cruised through the village in silence and Bella finally let out a sigh as they passed the last of the cottages.

“That was delightful. I’m so glad you thought to come this way.”

“It’s something a little different. Not many people get a chance to see anything like that, these days.” Now she was confused. Thirty minutes earlier she could never have imagined him acting this way. From what little she knew of Kyle she felt there was an air of confidence about him, perhaps something more. The male ego was there too, his driving was evidence of that and she also knew he had a temper from his initial reaction to her accident. These factors had made an imprint on her mind of a strong, decisive character with the hint of a slightly aggressive personality. No doubt necessary to survive in the cut-throat world of television. Kyle Lucas certainly didn’t seem the type to want to take a detour through a pretty village. Obviously there was more to the man than she had been giving him credit for. What other surprises did he have up his sleeve? Kyle’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

“It shouldn’t be more than about ten minutes from here. We won’t be coming in from the direction you recall, over the bridge, but we can go out that way later if you want.”

“Whatever.” Bella replied. “At the moment I’m just looking forward to a drink and something to eat.”

“And then you can tell me what’s made life so interesting since you’ve been down here…”

“Only…” she began, emphasising the word, “…when I’ve found out a little more about Kyle Lucas. I’m sitting next to someone who’s virtually a complete stranger as far as I’m concerned and a girl likes to know something about a man when she’s going to buy him lunch.” She shifted in her seat to face him. “Curiosity is one of the female virtues don’t you know? It’s how we find so much to talk about all the time.”

Twenty minutes later they were seated in the riverside patio area of The George enjoying the delights of its picturesque setting. To Bella’s right was the solid stone structure of the medieval bridge that she had remembered with its seven arches spanning the lazily flowing waters of the broad River Avon. It was a long, low construction describing a very slight arc across its span which was no more than six metres above the surface of the water at the apex of its central point. The solid piles between the bridge’s arches disturbed the flow of the river so that the water swirled and eddied as it swept past on its way to the sea less than twenty miles away. As always, when faced with a prospect of such natural beauty, Bella experienced a mix of awe and humility at the sheer grandeur of nature. They were seated at a glass-topped, circular table, their drinks in front of them having ordered meals from the menu at the bar. A scattering of people occupied some of the numerous other tables all enjoying the location plus the added advantage of a warm, balmy day. A light breeze ruffled Bella’s hair as she flicked a hand at a wasp trying to settle on the edge of her glass. Kyle was not of a mind to appreciate their surroundings as the aesthetics of such things rarely registered with him. His sole reason for driving through Rockbourne was in the slim hope that he might have caught a glimpse of his wife, Kay, who was temporarily living at her parents’ home there. It was why he had driven so slowly through the village. Now, all he could think about was Bella Foxton and how heads had turned to watch her as they had walked through the bar. It gave him great satisfaction to think he had something others coveted but she was only his in the very loosest of terms and he needed to do something about that. But this was no girl he’d picked up from the street. Bella Foxton was a successful writer, a woman with a best-selling book to her name. Yet however much greater the degree of her sophistication and elegance he couldn’t escape the aura of her sexuality. It hovered around her, between them, like something physical and he was drawn to it in the same way that a wild animal would be attracted to a mate. Underneath that veneer he was willing to bet she was no different on her back to any of the others. She caught him staring at her, the merest hint of a smile on his lips, as he tried to imagine what her body looked like under the expensive outfit she was wearing.

 “Like what you see?” She hadn’t said it to give offence, simply a light-hearted question in response to his look.

“Sorry if I was staring. It’s a fault of mine. I was thinking back to how we met. You know, the accident and the drama of it all.” Bella pounced on his admission.

“Ah! So at least I know you have faults, now. That’s a start!” It made

him laugh and he put on a defeated look, for her benefit.

“Ok, you win! What would you like to know about me?”

“Whatever you care to tell me, Kyle,” she answered, expansively, taking a deep breath of fresh air. “Just so I can get to know you a bit better. You’re in an interesting line of business. You’re not bad looking. Still unattached…life can’t have been that dull for you. If I scratched your surface, what would I find underneath?” He leaned forward, his forearms on the table and clasped his hands together.

“You’ve got an interesting