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

the cottage. Finally she had mentioned Jane’s reaction to the atmosphere in the place.

“Well then, what do you think?” Bella had sat back, turning her chair sideways a little then crossing her legs, waiting in keen anticipation of his reply but Kyle didn’t answer right away. By the distant look on his face she assumed he was giving some thought to what she had told him and waited patiently for him to speak.

“Hmm,” he said, eventually. “Your own feelings are that the sum of your experiences all add up to something as yet unidentified?”

“That would be one way of putting it, yes,” she agreed.

“And you’re also certain, Miss Marple,” he said, with a grin, “that there is some mystery attached to all of this?” Bella flicked her hair back over her shoulder, with one hand, in annoyance.

“Don’t take the piss, Kyle!” Her eyes flashed and colour came to her cheeks. “You wanted to hear about this and I knew I was at risk of sounding melodramatic, to say the least. I’m not making something out of nothing! I know what I’ve seen, what I’ve heard. If you want to dismiss it, that’s fine!” On an impulse, she stood up. “Perhaps its about time we went, anyway.” Ducking underneath the umbrella, she headed off towards the bar.

Chapter Eighteen

“Jesus, you’re bloody touchy!” They had reached his vehicle by the time he caught up with her. Bella turned on him as she stood by the passenger door.

“No, Kyle. I’m not touchy as you call it.  You could see that I didn’t find it easy to talk about, not wanting to sound as though I was the one who was a bit strange. I thought that by discussing it with someone who was, perhaps, open-minded and intelligent I might get another point of view. Obviously, I was wrong.” A sharp needle of pain probed at her temples and she drew her breath in sharply. It was all too much. Too much angst, too much sun, too much wine. Too close to her period. Shutting her eyes she leaned against the door of the Range Rover, pressing the fingertips of one hand to her forehead. She sensed him next to her, felt his fingers on her brow. The blip of the electronic key and the sound of the locks opening imprinted itself on her consciousness. Slowly, she opened her eyes.

“Come on,” he urged, opening the door for her. “You’ll be better off sitting down.” Kyle took her bag from her then guided Bella up into the passenger seat.

“You couldn’t do me a favour, could you?” It seemed as though the pain was settling in, making itself comfortable. She needed to act quickly.

“Sure. Name it,” Kyle responded, concerned at her distress.

“Could you fetch me a glass of water, from the bar? I need to take some pills.”

“I’m on my way.” Easing her head back against the rest she exhaled slowly then gently massaged her temples. It had been foolish to sit in the sun for so long, especially with the wine as well. In that strange, oblique way the human brain sometimes functions, without seemingly being compelled to do so, it forged a link between her present dilemma and a subject she and Kyle had discussed. In the midst of her misfortune, Bella was given to wondering whether, as she had often heard, having a baby would ease the menstrual problems that had plagued her for most of her adult life. For a moment, a wry grin replaced the pained expression on her face as she admitted to herself that she would never find out. It seemed to her that he had hardly left before he was back, carrying a small plastic beaker.

“What were you grinning about, just now?” he asked, as he handed her the water.

“Believe me, you wouldn’t want to know!” She took the beaker from him. “Thanks. I should feel better in a minute.” Bella put the beaker on the dashboard and searched her bag for the small packet of pills.

“No sweat. Take your time, there’s no rush.”

With his passenger indisposed, Kyle did the only sensible thing in deciding to take Bella home and not extend their day out. Once they were on their way and sensing she was not in the mood to talk he had suggested she should relax, close her eyes, and nod off if she liked. Much as she would have loved to, the fact she didn’t have the confidence in his driving wouldn’t allow her to sleep but she was content to keep her own company. Meanwhile, Kyle had much to keep him occupied and was grateful for the chance to think. Angry at her storming off, he had been spoiling for an argument until he’d seen she was unwell. Women! If it wasn’t a headache, it was stomach cramps, or nausea. What if men complained like that all the time? And fancy reacting in that way to a little joke. In his mind he pictured her suddenly standing up, face flushed and eyes blazing. How it had turned him on to see her charged up in that way though, revealing a wilder, more uninhibited side to her nature. Imagine what she’d be like in bed! Instinctively he glanced at the speedometer. The needle hovered between one hundred and fifteen and one hundred and twenty and he eased his foot off the accelerator. A quick look at Bella showed that she had fallen asleep, her head to one side, away from him. Fighting the urge to let his eyes linger, Kyle forced himself to concentrate his attention on the road ahead. What to make of her story, he wondered. He had to admit it had roused his curiosity, if nothing else. It was the characters that appealed to him and his sense of drama. He knew only too well that village life could magnify the importance of situations, even distort them completely. A handful of people. The slow pace of life. The infectious disease of