PUZZLE OF MY HEART

           While making her way around the room, talking to one group of folk and then others, Audrey was uncomfortably aware of a pair of blue eyes watching her every move. Most people had plates of Amy’s delicious buffet in their hands by now but, although Anthony had wandered off into the dining room, she knew James Mayer had not budged from his stance by the door.“Who is Maxim de Winter type Dad’s been talking to?”          As Audrey joined the group consisting of Anthony’s children and their partners and his wife, it was Clarice, Anthony and Gillian’s youngest daughter, and the only child still unattached, who spoke.“He’s new around here, isn’t he?”“Oh, Clarice.”           Her mother shushed her, but Clarice continued.“Wha

          Over the next couple of days, Audrey and Amy followed one unproductive idea after another, but by the end of that time, Audrey was forced to acknowledge the fact that the situation looked absolutely hopeless.          If either of them had shedloads of cash they could afford to pour into the old house it might be different, but if they had then they wouldn’t be in the position they were anyway. Her father had gambled on the business reviving and he had lost. End of story, end of Seymour House. The debt was huge, colossal.          Audrey called Anthony Blackburn on the third morning after the funeral. She and Amy were sitting close together on one of the couches in the living room, so they could both hear the conversation, their faces tight and strained.        &

          He stared at her. It took all of her strength not to let her eyes fall away but Audrey was determined not to be the one to look away first. Antony began to say something into the taut silence which had fallen but in the next instant, James was on his feet, glancing at the other two.“I think Miss Seymour and I need to talk privately for a few minutes. If you’ll excuse us? We won’t be long.”“Addie?” Anthony glanced at her, his face concerned.“It’s perfectly alright, Uncle Tony.”          Audrey had risen to her feet and now she smiled at the lawyer and Amy.“Order for us if the waitress returns, would you? You already know what I usually order here.”          She didn’t think she’d be able to eat a thing but it would be

“Miss Seymour… I…”          James stopped and expected until she faced him again. And Audrey did face him again. She was conscious of the dark shadow of his chest hair under the thin cotton shirt he was wearing. Her mouth went dry. Ridiculous, but somehow her body kept insisting that she acknowledge her sexual awareness of this man when it was the last thing she wanted to do.“I don’t want to argue with you, Miss Seymour,” he said flatly. “I really mean that. But I’m not prepared to let Seymour House go now when my father has expressed an interest in acquiring the property. For that reason, I will buy the house, with or without you on board. If it helps your ultimate decision, most of my time will be spent seeing to our business in the States.”          Audrey flushed in spite of herself. She liked pla

“He said what?”          Amy stared at Audrey, shaking her head.“Look, it wasn’t like that, Addie. I promise you.”“You know about it, then?”          Audrey was beginning to feel very confused. Nothing was as it seemed. They were sitting in the living room at Seymour House with a tray of coffee in front of them, but she had succumbed to pressure from Amy and related all that had passed between her and James before she’d even had a sip of coffee.          Now she reached forward and took a hefty gulp of the scalding-hot liquid before asking again.“Amy, am I the only person in the world who doesn’t know about George Mayer and my mother?”“It was all so long ago, Addie. Of course, I knew George, having been born in the