Page 75 of The Farmer Has a Wife

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. “It’s not about the divorce?”

Danni shook her head.

“Okay, well then, I’m not entirely sure why you’re here?”

“I need a solicitor,” Danni said. “Look, it’s just for a meeting I’ve set up. It’s nothing shady, nothing illegal, I just need someone to keep me from accidentally signing away my soul or whatever.”

“A meeting about what?” Elizabeth said.

Danni sucked on her teeth. “Um, nothing to do with Eleanor. No conflict of interest. I swear. If it is, you can just walk out. It’s just that it’s in half an hour and, well, I didn’t think things through quite as far as I probably should have and, well, and Hector just reminded me that I should probably have a solicitor present, and…”

“Hector,” Elizabeth said. “That’s that tall, handsome one. Your brother, correct?”

Danni nodded.

Elizabeth grinned. “Hector. Mmm. And you can’t tell me what this meeting is about?”

“It’s in like…” Danni checked her watch. “Twenty-two minutes. You’ll find out soon enough. I’ll fill you in on the way. You’re the only solicitor I know.”

“You have your own solicitor.”

“I have a voice on the end of a phone. Never met the man,” Danni said urgently. “Please?”

A long pause stretched between them. Elizabeth let out a resigned sigh. “I don’t suppose Hector will be there?”

“He might meet us after for a drink?” said Danni, not at all sure this was true, but more than willing to pimp her brother out if it meant Elizabeth would come with her. Hector was a big boy, he could look after himself.

“Fine. Against my better judgment, I’ll come.”

Danni let out a breath, her shoulders relaxing slightly. “Great.Let’s go.”

ALMOST AN HOUR later, they walked out of an office building, Elizabeth staring at Danni like she’d grown a second head, and Danni feeling… dizzy and sick and light and right, all at the same time.

“You said that had nothing to do with Eleanor,” Elizabeth said accusingly.

“Technically, it didn’t,” said Danni.

“It had absolutely everything to do with Eleanor, didn’t it?”

Danni tilted her head to one side. “Perhaps.”

Elizabeth sighed and shook her head. “Well,” she said finally. “That was unexpected, I suppose. I don’t think anyone saw that outcome coming.”

“Yeah, well, don’t go thinking I’ve gone soft or anything,” Danni said with a sniff.

Elizabeth actually smirked. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” She took Danni’s arm and they started walking down the street. “So, what happens now?”

“Dunno,” Danni said. She caught Elizabeth looking at her in surprise. “What? I told you I hadn’t thought this through as far as I should. I just… It just… There’s right and there’s wrong, you know?”

“I know,” said Elizabeth. They walked in silence for a few steps before she spoke again. “You did a good thing in there, Danni.”

Danni shrugged. “Don’t tell anyone. I’ve got a reputation to maintain, after all.”

“That you do.” Elizabeth took a breath. “Um, Eleanor also has a reputation to maintain.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Danni asked, stopping and turning so that they were face to face. “And you can’t tell her a thing. I’ve got confidentiality here, Hypocratic Oath and all that stuff.”

“That’s doctors,” Elizabeth said gently. “But you do have confidentiality. As does Eleanor.” She raised one eyebrow like she was trying to get a message across.

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