At Home with Mr Darcy Read Free Page B

room with a very impressive fireplace and enough books to keep even the most voracious reader happy, and another sitting room in which had been placed – at the special request of Dame Pamela – an array of comfortable chairs, a large television and DVD player.
    ‘It’s our own private room,’ Mrs Baker, the owner of The Wye Hotel, had informed Dame Pamela when she’d asked if there were facilities for film nights.
    ‘And very generous it is of you too,’ Dame Pamela had told her, making a mental note to give her a framed signed photograph at the end of their stay. She always carried a few of them around with her wherever she went.
    So, as Dame Pamela, Robyn, Rose and Roberta arrived, everything was set for the perfect weekend holiday. They only had to await the arrival of the other guests and they didn’t have to wait long. Katherine and Warwick had driven up from the Oxfordshire countryside in Warwick’s beloved Jaguar, and Mrs Soames had picked up by her daughter who lived in Doris Norris’s Cotswold village and had given her a lift too. Both cars arrived within ten minutes of each other and Dame Pamela and Robyn were on hand to greet them.
    ‘Katherine!’ Robyn screamed when she saw her dear friend. They embraced warmly. ‘How’s the new house?’
    ‘Old,’ Katherine said with a smile. ‘We have quite a bit of work to do on it but it’s so beautiful. Promise me you and Dan will come to visit us soon? We have a gorgeous guest room and Cassie will adore the gardens.’
    ‘We’d love to.’
    ‘How’s life at Purley?’ Katherine asked.
    ‘Busy, busy,’ Robyn said. ‘Always a wedding or a photo shoot or conference to prepare for. It’s wonderful. And Dan’s riding school is really taking off too.’
    ‘That’s brilliant,’ Katherine said.
    ‘Where’s Warwick?’ Robyn asked, looking around for Katherine’s husband.
    ‘Oh, he’s promised to bring the bags in as soon as he’s written something down. Inspiration struck him like a bolt of lightning as soon as we entered Derbyshire and he kept having to pull over to write.’
    ‘He’ll have to get a dictaphone,’ Robyn said.
    ‘He’s too self-conscious,’ Katherine explained. ‘He doesn’t like anyone to see his notes or his first drafts. He’s very private that way.’
    ‘And what’s that like to live with?’ Robyn asked. ‘Do you mind at all?’
    Katherine shook her head. ‘As a fan of his books, I can’t help wanting to sneak into his study and take a look at what he’s up to. I’ve been really tempted a couple of times but I wouldn’t dare because I know what it’s like to work from home and I would hate anybody to betray my trust like that so I have to respect his wishes.’
    ‘And you’re happy at Hawk’s Hill?’
    Katherine beamed a smile. ‘It’s the most amazing place. I feel like a Jane Austen heroine wandering around the Georgian rooms. It’s like living in a dolls’ house.’
    ‘It looks wonderful from the photographs you emailed us,’ Robyn said. ‘I can’t wait to see it.’
    They were rudely interrupted as the figure of Mrs Soames crashed through the front door into reception.
    ‘Good heavens!’ she exclaimed as soon as she was inside. ‘This place was almost impossible to find. Could use a few more signposts,’ she told the young lady behind the reception desk who blushed furiously. ‘Lucky I didn’t get lost although I’m surprised we didn’t with my daughter’s map reading skills.’
    Katherine and Robyn exchanged knowing glances and then Robyn took a deep breath and stepped forward.
    ‘Hello, Mrs Soames,’ she said, a big bright smile fixed on her face. ‘Have you thought about getting a sat nav? They’re very useful.’
    ‘And very expensive,’ Mrs Soames said. ‘What’s wrong with a cheap road atlas?’
    ‘But trying to read a road atlas makes me feel queasy,’ a little voice piped from behind the great tank of Mrs Soames and Robyn noticed Mrs Soames’ daughter for the first