A Calculating Heart Read Online Free

today. Not after the news.’ He glanced at the clerks. ‘I take it you’ve all heard?’
    Henry nodded grimly. ‘Mr Davies has only just found out himself. He’s going home.’
    ‘Best place for him,’ sighed Felicity.

    Leo drove back to his flat in Belgravia. The summer air was heavy with the threat of thunder, and the first drops of rain were pattering on the leaves of the plane trees in the quiet garden square as he parked his car in the mews garage. In the flat he opened one of the long windows in the drawing room and let the scent of rain, now splashing heavily on to the pavements and parks, fill the room. He stood there, watching, listening, thinking.
    He turned from the window, loosened his tie, and sat down in an armchair. The room was large, high-ceilinged , expensively furnished in a restrained, minimalist fashion, the walls hung with works of modern art from Leo’s own collection – and to Leo at that moment it felt nothing like home. The place never had. Like the house where he and Rachel had lived during the brief months of their marriage, he had never felt any proper sense of belonging. Neither to the house, nor to Rachel. Only Stanton, his house in Oxfordshire, felt like a safe haven, though pressure of work meant he’d had precious little time to visit it of late. Now, in this moment of isolation and humiliation, with a hungry world outside feasting on fabricated stories of his licentious doings, he badly wished he was there, safe and far away. He closed his eyes, trying to work his way through his anger to thoughts of how best to dealwith the situation. The phone rang several times, but he ignored it.
    After twenty minutes, the buzzer to his flat sounded. With a sigh, Leo rose and crossed the room and went to the intercom. ‘Yes?’
    ‘Leo, it’s me – Camilla.’ The voice was light and young, charged with anxiety.
    ‘Come up.’ He pressed the buzzer to let her in, and went to the front door.
    She stepped out of the lift, rain-soaked, and came into his arms, unquestioning and loving, and hugged him. Touched, he passed his hand lightly over her auburn hair.
    ‘You’re very wet.’
    ‘It’s stopping now. I ran all the way from the Tube.’ She took off her raincoat and Leo hung it up.
    ‘Aren’t you meant to be in court today?’
    ‘I am. But when I rang chambers and Felicity said you were here, I had to come. I can’t stay long. I’ve got to be back in court at two.’ She hugged him again, then looked at him, eyes wide and sad. ‘Oh, Leo …’
    He essayed a smile. ‘Not much fun, is it?’
    ‘There was a copy of the paper in the robing room at the Law Courts. I couldn’t believe it … I still can’t.’
    ‘What does that mean? You don’t believe it? Or you don’t want to?’
    Leo turned and went into the kitchen. Camilla followed him.
    ‘Of course I don’t believe it! No one who knows anything about it possibly could. You told me all about her, the wayshe was harassing you. I was in court with you that day she showed up with her camera – remember? I just don’t want other people to believe it.’
    ‘Yes, well … there’s not a lot you can do about that, unfortunately.’
    ‘But you can.’
    ‘Issue proceedings, you mean? It’s not something I ever advise anyone to do lightly. Litigation is a mug’s game, as well you know, which is why the mugs pay people like you and me so handsomely to conduct it.’ He opened the fridge. ‘Can I make you a sandwich or something? Can’t sit around in the Court of Appeal on an empty stomach.’
    ‘No, thanks. I’ll get something on the way back.’ She came over, closed the fridge, and hugged him again.
    He sighed and put his arms round her, giving himself up to her ardour and sympathy. ‘You are the sweetest thing in the world. I’m glad you came.’
    ‘I called you on my mobile. Why didn’t you answer?’
    ‘I assumed it might be some journalist.’
    ‘How would they get your number? Henry wouldn’t give it