‘Good Morning!’ Daniel Painter throws open the door ‘Saw you coming’ he grins a welcome ‘Come on in. Is this a spot check to make sure the tenant is keeping the property up to scratch or a chance for me to produce a list of works to be done?’
‘Neither, Mr. Painter’ Helen says primly ‘And do you not dress before answering the door?’
‘You’re lucky I’ve got these on’ Daniel twangs the elastic at the top of his boxer shorts. ‘I’m only wearing these because I’ve got company. Come on in, then. Don’t stand on ceremony’
‘A robe, Mr. Painter?’
‘Oh for goodness sake!’ He pushes the door right back with his trailing foot as he turns and marches towards the stairs ‘Go help yourself to coffee, there’s some freshly brewed. I’ll be down in a minute’
Helen steps into the hall and, once Daniel has turned the top of the stairs, closes the door behind her and walks through to the kitchen. Surprised to find the room gleaming and immaculately tidy, her eyes widen and she grimaces slightly as she gives herself an unspoken reprimand.
‘This any better?’ Daniel bounds into the kitchen behind her, barefoot and tousled but wearing a hastily pulled on pair of jeans and a tee shirt.
‘Much’ Helen looks down her nose.
‘I’m so pleased’ Daniel responds with equal sarcasm. ‘Mugs are where they’ve always been. Didn’t seem any point in moving them’ he says, taking a second from the cupboard and taking it to the table where his own coffee and the cafetiere sit primly on table mats next to an opened newspaper. ‘The kitchen works well’
‘And something else doesn’t?’
‘Oh we are touchy, this morning’ he comments as he pours ‘milk…sugar? Help yourself’ He sits in the chair he was obviously occupying before and takes a sip from his mug. ‘So, what can I do for you? This my notice to quit or something, you don’t look very happy’
‘It could very well turn out that way, Mr. Painter’ Helen says stiffly ‘You may think that this is none of my concern but I have become very perturbed by the company you keep’
Daniel struggles to swallow his mouthful of coffee. ‘The company I keep?’ his mouth tightens ‘Yes, I agree, none of your concern whatsoever’
‘It is when you are bringing them into this house! Helen retorts. ‘What you do otherwise is entirely up to you but I will not have this cottage gaining a reputation for being a…a….knocking shop!’
‘Mrs. James…’ Daniel starts in an appeasing tone.
‘No….It has made me very cross to learn that taxis are doing a roaring trade to and from this house. MY house. By all accounts, the streets of Woodbury must be devoid of street girls some evenings and they are all coming here via The White Horse!’
Daniel shrugs nonchalantly ‘Only this last couple of weeks’
‘And that makes it all right, does it? If you are to be that sort of tenant, Mr. Painter, I am sure I can find grounds to break our contract. It will stop or otherwise I shall ask you to vacate’
‘Fair enough’ he shrugs again, smiling over the rim of his mug ‘You won’t cut me any slack on this?’
‘I’m afraid not’
‘And I’m a curly piece of string’
Helen stares at him blankly.
‘Afraid not….curly piece of string?’ Daniel groans.
‘This is no time for jokes. Mr. Painter. Any more reports of similar goings on and you will be receiving a letter from my solicitor’
Daniel heaves a sigh, his teasing smile gone. ‘I can explain, you know. It’s a case of research’
‘Oh, I’m sure it is. And did you keep one back for a more thorough investigation?’
‘My company, you mean?’ he shakes his head despairingly and walks into the hall to call up the stairs ‘Cyn, you come down a minute? Best put some clothes on, sweetheart, the landlady’s here’
Helen’s face flames indignantly ‘There is no need for you to…’
‘Oh, there is, Mrs. James, I can assure you’ he turns with a tired smile as a young girl walks along the hall.
‘I was already getting up’ she explains her quick arrival and pushes her hair behind her ear, her hand still nervously against her neck and playing with her hair as she walks forward to greet Helen. ‘It’s nice to meet you’ she says, her eyes lowering shyly as she holds out her hand. ‘Dad told you could come round anytime. I’m glad you did while he was here’
Helen sighs inwardly ‘Nice to meet you too’ she says lamely and her shoulders slump as she looks back at Daniel ‘Have I made some terrible mistake?’
‘You sure have! My daughter…Cyndi..’ he puts his arm around the girl’s should and grins as he hugs her. ‘On her Christmas break and come to stay’
‘And…the ladies?’ Helen asks carefully, with a mind to his daughter being present.
He and Cyndi share a grin. ‘Research, like I said’
‘Some of them have such heartbreaking stories’ Cyndi puts in, relaxing in the warmth of her father’s obvious affection. She laughs quietly ‘And get a few together and it can get quite… raunchy’ She shrugs as she fetches a mug from the cupboard and helps herself to coffee ‘They were very good about waiting until I was out of the way before they got down to the…’ she glances at Daniel ‘serious stuff’
‘And before you say anything else and put your foot in it’ Daniels holds his hands to Helen, palm forwards ‘I didn’t get down to anything at all…apart from making notes. I’m a writer, Mrs. James, not some sort of perv’
‘I wasn’t suggesting for one minute that you were a…’
‘Shall we just leave it there? You want information from these girls and you have to pay in the same way as you would otherwise. Time is money and they don’t give any of it away freely. I paid for their time, not their services. I needed background, that’s all’
‘So, you write?’ Helen echoes feebly.
‘I do’ Daniel nods ‘that’s why this place suits me down to the ground. I should’ve mentioned it’ he apologises ‘Perhaps we might be on a better footing now if I had’
‘Would I know any of your work?’ she asks, feeling foolish.
‘Maybe. You do work in a library after all. Daniel Soames is my pen name. My mother’s maiden name’ he explains needlessly.
‘Oh, God’ Helen groans ‘I do know that name and you did look vaguely familiar too…when I first met you’
‘Yes…well’ Daniel hedges ‘probably because photos on any blurb would be about ten years out of date’ he excuses with a thin laugh. ‘Will you sit and drink your coffee now? It really would be nice to know a bit more about you than…’ he hesitates ‘I did before’ he finishes with a grin.
Pennywell, Bower Lane
Chapter Twenty-four
