Face the Wind and Fly (ebook)

Argumento de Face the Wind and Fly (ebook)

Youre late, Andrew Courtenay said unnecessarily as his wife Kate hurried into the kitchen, a blur of arms and legs and shopping. He had already changed into his dinner suit and was lounging against the island unit in the middle of the room sipping white wine, a perfect picture of relaxation and readiness.

Kate dropped the bags and stared at him.

What? He smoothed down his tie and patted his hair self-consciously. Did I spill curry down my front the last time I had this on? Should I have clipped my nose hairs?

Andrew cut a fine figure, but then, he always had done. When they first met, she had just graduated but hed been a young-looking forty-one. Sixteen years into their marriage, he inhabited his skin with assuredness. Master and Commander. Her master. At least, the owner of her heart but not, right now, of her affections. Her mind still whirling with the news shed been given at work she said, more curtly than she meant to, I thought you said youd drive.

Ah. He studied the glass in his hand and then looked at the clock. I forgot. I was in need. Martyne has been particularly difficult today.

Martyne Noreis was the eponymous hero of Andrews bestselling medieval murder mysteries.

Martyne Noreis and the Circle of Fire

Martyne Noreis and the Woman in Scarlet

Martyne Noreis an d

Nine of them, the tenth to be published shortly.

Martyne was difficult? she echoed, thinking of the project shed just been handed and wondering what could possibly be so challenging about a character that had never existed.

Andrew wrote his novels in the small room next to the front door of Willow Corner, their home in the pretty conservation village of Forgie. His study overlooked the garden on two sides and had book-covered walls and a leather sofa. In winter, Andrew lit the fire. While Kate scurried into whatever the weather chose to throw at her, frequently with her hard hat in one hand and jacket and boots in the other, Andrew sidled down the comfortably carpeted stairs a civilised hour or so later, put a match to the kindling, and settled to his thoughts without ever having to put a toe out of the door. Where Andrews life was lived from the study, Kate spent much of hers at the top of some wind-blown hill staring at wind turbines, or where they would shortly appear.

Kate liked wind turbines, which was good, because her job was to build them, whole farms of the things. Now, though, standing in the kitchen in mud-spattered trousers and still with her high-visibility vest over her jacket, she wondered why the hell shed picked engineering when there must be a hundred other less challenging careers she could have chosen.

I really could do with a Oh, never mind.

Sometimes she felt she had to fight with the fictional Martyne and his perfectly beautiful, perfectly sensible wife Ellyn for Andrews attention, but she and Andrew had agreed their division of labour years ago. She was to be free to pursue her ambitions as an engineer, he to follow his dream of writing and, because he worked from home, to look after their son Ninian. Somewhere in the small print of that agreement lay all the dull minutiae of daily tasks, negotiated and renegotiated across the years.

She crossed the room to kiss him. The wine on his lips tasted tantalising. Its all right, she said, memories of this mornings difficult meeting fading as his arms came round her, Ill have some champagne when we get there. I can survive.

No, Im safe, this is my first. Ill do my duty.

Really? I dont mind. Hes your son.

Tonight they were going to her stepson Harrys engagement party. It would be a celebration, of course, but she knew it wouldnt be quite as simple as that. When your stepson is older than you are, nothing is ever straightforward.0