Ellena declined, but made an appointment to see Mr Ollerenshaw on Monday. She liked the fatherly man and, as well as having a first-class legal head on his shoulders, she remembered him as being warm and kind. Shed wait and see what Gideon Langford had to say that evening, and perhaps would have more to check with Mr Ollerenshaw on Monday.
She was late getting home. That wasnt unusual on a Friday. She liked to clear her desk, and, having had Thursday off work, there had been yesterdays work to catch up on. She just had time to make herself a sandwich and ponder on whether she should make Gideon one too. She raised her eyes skywardswas she going mad? This man was coming to try and talk her into forfeiting any claim she intended to make for Violette. If he hadnt had dinnerlet him starve!
Ellena did consider changing from her smart all-wool light navy suit and into trousers and shirt. She decided against it. She had an idea that to take away her business suit for something less formal might give him the edge, make her oddly vulnerable somehow. Oh, rot, she was letting her fear that the Langford family would take Violette from her get to her.
Gideon Langford arrived a minute after the appointed time. You found the address all right, then, she commented. He was in her home and good manners decreed she was polite to him to start witheven if hed be leaving with a flea in his ear! Coffee? she enquired, her good manners working overtime. She had never thought her sitting room tiny, but he seemed to fill it.
Thanks, he accepted, and wandered out to her kitchen and watched her while she made the coffee.
In her view, depending on what he had to say, he might not be around long enough to drink it, butpainful though it was to rememberhe need not have offered her a lift to Austria in his private jet on Wednesday.
She made herself a coffee as well and carried a tray to the sitting room. Take a seat, she invited and, sitting down herself, looked at him opposite her, his long legs stretched out some way. Have you seen Violette today? she asked by way of an opening as he drank some of his coffee.
No, he replied, and asked sharply, Have you?
She shook her head, and saw no harm in revealing, Im taking legal advice on Monday.
An excellent idea, Gideon answered to her surprise. Though I may be able to save you the trouble.