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been sorrow in the present for the Christian Fathers and they were taking hope from the past when their religion was founded . But perhaps she was wrong.
    A crow let out a loud squawk and Freya flinched, the noise interrupting , the stillness startl ing her. She looked at her watch and saw it was almost quarter to one. Jonathan Sanders would be arriving at the office in just over fifteen minutes. If she didn’t hurry she ’ d be late and she really wanted to be in her office and composed before he arrived, just in case. She h ad chickened out of calling him. S he was certain it wouldn’t be Jonny from Londo n. Why would it be? They had no unfinished business as far as she was concerned.
    She hurried across the bridge and headed back to her SUV, leaving County Bridge, silent and deserted.

Three
     
    By the time she arrived back at the office Freya was red in the face and sweating. There had been awful traffic on the main road and she ’ d had an altercati on with a teenage driver of a Carlton Cookies van who pull ed out in front of her from a side street. If she didn’t love those cookies so much she would ’ ve given the driver a piece of her mind . She could have haggled for a large box of white chocolate chip.
    She locked the car and jogged towards the office, Claude still swinging from her neck. She hesitated before she went to push open the door . S he could see through the glass . I f she did step inside she ’ d come face - to - face with Jonathan Sanders. The Jonathan Sanders she hadn ’ t seen since she was seven teen. It was him.
    He was sat in one of the leather chairs in the reception area and Avril , the part time receptionist, was pouring him some coffee. Freya swallowed as she looked at him. He was wearing an expensive dark suit, with a white shirt and a dark grey tie. He looked smart and business - like. His hair was still jet black. His eyes that chocolately dark brown . But n ow he had a short beard, no more than stubble really . I t suited him.
    He looked up from the cup of coffee and glanced over at the door. Freya pushed quickly and fixed a smile on her face. She needed to remain in control of this meeting.
    ‘ Jon ny ,’ she greeted hurriedly . S he moved towards him, hand outstretched.
    He stood up, put the coffee cup on the small table next to him and took hold of her hand.
    ‘ Hello , Freya ,’ he greeted , shaking her hand .
    A nd then , before she could do anything about it , he drew her towards him and kissed her first on one cheek and then the other.
    ‘ Well , someone has been brushing up on their g reeting etiquette , haven’t they?’ Freya remarked awkwardly, knowing her cheeks were flushing.
    ‘ You look great ,’ he told her . He look ed her up and down.
    ‘ You always did know how to compliment a girl ,’ she replied . She was moving from one foot to t he other, unable to stand still . Awkward.
    ‘ I thought we could go out for lunch, if you don’t have any other plans ,’ Jonathan suggested .
    ‘ Well, I …’ Freya started . She look ed across at Avril who was now sat back behind the reception desk.
    ‘ There are some messages , but nothing looks urgent ,’ Avril announced .
    ‘Well that’s good. T hen we can go . Y es?” Jonathan asked Freya.
    ‘ I guess so . I’ll just ditch Claude ,’ Freya said, pulling the camera up from around her neck.
    ‘ The camera? Oh no, don’t leave that behind . I’ve got something I would like you to see ,’ he said.
    ‘ That sounds intriguing . B efore or after lunch? ’
    ‘ After , I think . I remember you can’t usually make it past one without needing something to eat ,’ Jonathan said, smiling . The smile was still as charming.
    ‘ Things do change you know , ’ Freya stated . She was angry but she didn’t really know why. Having him here was upsetting her new balance. He was part of her past. The past she’d tried hard to put behind her.
    ‘ I know they do , but are you telling me your stomach isn’t cr