Trust in Me

by Suzanna Ross

  “Legally he’s done nothing wrong.” Rosie grimaced, even to her own ears the excuse sounded pathetic.

  “Perhaps, but all he’s left is the shell of the property.”

  “Why did you buy the estate without seeing it?” The question had been burning from the moment he’d turned up on the doorstep brandishing his ownership papers. According to the information Evie had uncovered, his reputation as an astute businessman was legendary. The Theo Bradley whose biography they had read on the net would not have thrown an inordinate amount of money at Harry for any run down estate – especially when he hadn’t seen the property in question.

  “I didn’t.” His expression was grim. “You don’t have a monopoly on feckless siblings.”

  Rosie’s brow furrowed. “I don’t follow.”

  “Lysander,” he told her by way of explanation. “My dear older brother. He met your brother through their mutual love of a good poker game. Harry had been losing heavily over a number of years – he sold out to cover his debts and Lysander was more than happy for Bradley Investments to foot the bill.”

  Chapter Seven

  Rosie slumped in her chair. It was almost as though she’d been slapped. Obviously, deep down, she’d held out some forlorn hope Harry would ride to the rescue at some late hour – otherwise she wouldn’t feel so crushed at this news.

  Harry had a gambling habit and Rosie hadn’t suspected. The startling truth was crushing: Even if she’d been able to convince Theo to sell the manor back to the family, Harry would not have had the money left to give him.

  “You didn’t know about Harry’s gambling problem?”

  Rosie shook her head. It seemed there was a lot she didn’t know and Theo was wasting no time filling in the blanks.

  “I thought as much when you suggested yesterday he’d buy back the manor,” Theo surmised, his keen golden eyes scrutinising her horrified features. “You should forget your brother. His behaviour has been atrocious. Not only has he done nothing to help you raise Evie, but he’s been actively working against you by plundering the estate assets to fund his party lifestyle.”

  Rosie pushed back from the desk and began to pace the frayed carpet. “Harry wasn’t raised with us.” Despite agreeing with every word Theo said, she still needed to defend her brother. “Dad didn’t see him at all until he was an adult. He must have been jealous, felt he’d missed out on having a father around when he was growing up.”

  Theo shook his head. “He’s a grown man – he should have gotten over any feelings of jealousy years ago. He should have helped you to run the estate when your father died. He should have taken responsibility for your sister.”

  Rosie felt uncomfortable. Even if Harry was worse than useless, he was on her team – part of her family. While she was at liberty to complain about him, Harry’s behaviour was none of Theo’s business. “I was happy to do it. I love my little sister. And I love this place. Besides, you should put your own brother in order before you start to criticise other people’s.”

  “I’ve dealt with Lysander. He no longer has access to any Bradley funds and he’s been demoted to a position even he’d find hard to mess up.”

  Stunned, Rosie sat back down opposite this gorgeous man, looked across at his beautiful face and shivered. He was so cold as he spoke of his brother, his words so final that she wanted to shiver.

  It did not bode well for her. If he was capable of capable of treating a member of his own family like this then throwing out two squatters from his newly acquired property would pose no problem.

  He closed the file he had been reading with a slam. “Don’t look at me like that.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like I’m the big bad wolf in this story.”

  She looked into his golden eyes and was drawn by a drowning sensation. He certainly posed as much danger as any fairytale villain, at least as far as she was concerned. She swallowed. “Aren’t you?” Keep it professional, she reminded herself, don’t be so stupid...she dragged her gaze away from Theo and settled instead on the framed poster of her father’s band. Attitude. She sat up a little straighter in her chair and did her best to blank out the charm machine sitting opposite her.

  He sighed. “Rosie, none of this is of my doing. Our respective siblings got us into this mess.”

  “But you could get us out of it.”

  “I’m flattered by your faith in my abilities, but this is a situation we’re stuck with. I can’t walk away, and it’s obvious you can’t, either.”

  “I can’t stay here, not without a proper role.” Rosie took a deep breath. Time to convince him her plan could work. “You could let me run the estate,” she pleaded. “Let me and Evie stay at the manor and I’ll turn this place around. You’ve seen the books, you know what I’m saying’s true. If Harry’s no longer allowed to help himself to the profits I could make this work.”

  “Rosie, this place isn’t fit for you and your sister to live in. It isn’t fit for anyone.”

  She got up and walked around the desk to face him as he sat. “This is my home.” No it’s not, a little voice reminded her. She told the voice to shut up. Theo had no right, no right at all to speak like this about the place she loved most. “You know that Evie and I have lived here all our lives. We were both born here.”

  “Times change. Things have to move on.”

  “They don’t have to,” she pleaded. “You don’t have to throw us out.”

  “I’ve given you my word you have nothing to worry about, but I can’t allow you and Evie to continue to live like this. Quite apart from my personal feelings on the matter, I’d be legally negligent in my duties as a landlord. This place isn’t a suitable habitat for a dog, let alone two young women.”

  Rosie was horrified. “I can’t believe you just said that.”

  “It’s true and you’re deluding yourself if you think otherwise. The place is run down to a point where it poses a danger to life and limb.”

  “I’ve done my best to keep everything together. And you think you can waltz in and insult me and my home from your privileged, high and mighty position?”

  “You need someone to make you face the truth.”

  Such was Rosie’s fury, Theo’s face became a blur. She wanted to hurt him as he’d hurt her. “I think I really hate you,” she told him quietly.

  Something changed in the quality of the way he looked at her. His eyes were hungrily fixed on her mouth. She realised too late what she’d done – after the effort of keeping things professional over the past few hours, she’d lapsed and made it glaringly personal. Okay, so she hadn’t meant to cross boundaries with her carelessly uttered insult, but he obviously wasn’t looking at things that way.

  “I shouldn’t have said that,” she backtracked. “I didn’t mean it. I’m sorry.”

  “Too late.” He moved forward in his seat and she was transfixed by him, unable to move, unable to run as a sensible woman would have done. “You’re not forgiven.” He advanced, closer still. “But, if you think you hate me, that must be the biggest delusion of all.”

  More than anything she wanted to close the gap between them, but some level of sanity remained. She’d allowed him to kiss her earlier and she hadn’t done a thing to stop him. But not this time. Theo was the enemy who had plans to make her homeless and jobless – even if he insisted she had nothing to worry about. He was the man intent on leading her towards temptations that would make her no better than the women who’d partied with her father – the ones she’d pitied and despised as she’d been growing up.

  Her face burned. “You’re not my type,” the lie tripped off her tongue.

  “Why not?”

  “You’re too tall,” she uttered the first daft excuse to enter her head.

  “That problem’s not insurmountable.”

  “You’re talking in riddles,” the sentence finished on a gasp as he gripped her tightly around the waist and she tumbled down onto his lap.

  She pulled away at once and scramb
led back to her feet. “Not a good idea,” she told him primly, daring to look from beneath lowered eyelashes and noting he looked as shocked as she felt.

  ***

  Theo couldn’t explain what had happened. He’d never been so overwhelmed by a woman in his life before and all he could think about was kissing her again. And she’d enjoyed their kiss every bit as much as he had, so why was she now denying he was her type? There was something going on, he was sure, and it had to do with more than the estate.

  He ran an unsteady hand through his hair.

  “Rosie,” the high-pitched cry made him look round to find a middle-aged woman in an ankle length dress of flowing purple, her long hair was so blue-black it had to dyed and her eye-make up made her look a bit like a panda.

  “Marsha, I’m working,” Rosie muttered. “This will have to wait.”

  “It can’t, darling. Really it can’t. I was speaking to Alicia on the telephone this afternoon...”

  Rosie turned towards Theo. “Alicia Powell,” she explained. “She was married to Adam, The Noise’s lead guitarist,” Rosie used her warning tone, he noticed and he suspected she was trying to stop the older woman from rambling on. “This Marsha,” she told Theo. “George’s mother. And this,” she told Marsha, “is Theo Bradley.”

  “Delighted,” Marsha’s red lipstick smile scared him witless. “I’m Marsha Barton.” He took the hand she offered with caution – quite rightly as it turned out as she used the contact to pull him closer and smack a noisy kiss full on his lips. His nose twitched at the overpowering effect of the perfume she wore. Startled, he sprung back out of harm’s way, but at least his reaction confirmed he wasn’t turning into some out-of-control predator – it was only Rosie who tempted him to let down his defences.

  “What about Alicia?” Rosie sounded irritated and he hoped it was because she didn’t like another woman kissing him, even if it was only a theatrical gesture Marsha probably made to everyone she met.

  “Fabulous news, darling, she wants to come home to us. I told her we must have a party...”

  “That is good news,” Rosie agreed.

  “I thought you might be able to let her stay at Farnham House – I know it’s been empty since...well...since your father died. But it’s a good distance away from that awful Adam man – honestly, the way he treated that woman I can’t begin to understand...”

  “It won’t be possible for Alicia to stay at Farnham House,” Theo interrupted and was rewarded by two female pairs of eyes pinning him quizzically in place. “I have plans for that place already. If Alicia Powell’s coming back to the estate, she’ll have to make do with one of the empty cottages.”

  “I don’t know who you are, Theo Bradley, but I was speaking to Rosie. This has nothing to do with you.”

  Theo let his breath out in a loud hiss. Not accustomed to having his authority questioned, he began to wonder if there was something in the water on the Farnham estate that made its females overly feisty.

  There was an unmistakeable warning in Rosie’s green eyes and the shake of her head was barely perceptible as she silently warned him to say nothing. Of course, she hadn’t told her sister yet, so she wouldn’t want him to announce he was the new owner.

  “Marsha, there’s no need to be rude,” Rosie’s voice was strained. “Why don’t you get Alicia to give me a ring to discuss where she can stay?”

  Marsha flounced out in a huff and Rosie turned to face him. “Thank you for not saying anything.”

  He gave a brief nod. “She seems a bit...er...high maintenance?”

  Rosie’s short laugh held no humour. “That’s one way of putting it.”

  “You prefer another way?”

  “Marsha and her husband are a bit of a nightmare. The band got together when they were very young and the manager treated them all like children. And then they moved onto the estate and expected Dad to take care of them. They’ve never really grown up – and everything’s a drama in their world.”

  “And nobody’s putting a stop to it?”

  “What can we do? It’s the way they are. But it’s George I feel sorry for – he’s thinking of giving up a place at music college to stay and take care of them. He worries about them.”

  As someone who had taken care of himself from a young age, Theo was shocked. He knew something should be done – particularly with George having to bear the burden of his parents’ irrational dependency. But, like Rosie, he had no idea what.

  “What are you planning for Farnham House,” she asked, brining him away from his thoughts.

  “I had a good look at it earlier, when George showed me around. Structurally it’s sound – definitely in better condition than the manor.”

  He watched as she bit into her lower lip. “Dad kept it in fairly good order because that was where his girlfriends stayed. He didn’t want them in the manor – I don’t know if that was to protect me and Evie, or if he was ashamed of the state the building was in and it was easier to keep the house in order because it’s so much smaller.”

  Theo suspected the latter. He was sure, from what he’d heard, Mick Farnham would only have had his own best interests at heart, but he said nothing on the matter – no point when the man was long dead. “I’ve got a team moving in tomorrow,” he explained. “They’re going to give the place a bit of a facelift. It’s mostly cosmetic, but they’re going to make it habitable for you and Evie.”

  “No. I couldn’t possibly...”

  “You can’t stay here, Rosie.”

  ***

  “But Farnham House,” her nose wrinkled in distaste. Despite having lived on the estate all her life, she’d never been inside that house. As far as she was concerned, it was a place of sin and she had no desire to see it, let alone live in it.

  “The manor’s going to have to undergo a complete renovation and, while it’s all going on, things aren’t going to be too pretty here. You could, of course, move into one of the cottages, but if you’re going to manage the place for me I think you should be away from the tenants.”

  “What?” She was sure she couldn’t have heard him correctly.

  “I think you should live away from the tenants.”

  “No,” she practically screamed with frustration. “What did you say before that?”

  He hesitated and she could have thrown something at his handsome head. “If you’re going to manage the place...”

  She stared at him for just a moment before she took a running jump across the faded tiling of the office floor and threw herself at him – wound her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. As her face burrowed into his warm neck, the smell of his aftershave drawing her closer, she felt him still in shock. Not surprising, she was a little shocked herself. And then his arms came around her and he hugged her back.

  “You mean it?”

  “I’d never joke about something like that.”

  Rosie was completely embarrassed to feel the threat of tears stinging at her eyes. But, really, Theo could have no idea of how much this meant to her. With this job offer, she and Evie now had the right to stay on the estate – they would have a proper place here without fear of eviction. Even if it did mean they’d have to move away from the manor and to the house her father had kept for his mistresses.

  Realising she was still hugging him tightly, she became aware of a blush spreading over her entire body. She shouldn’t have done this, thrown herself at him. What must he think of her? She was suddenly supremely aware of how warm he felt, how strong his arms were around her – and how deliciously wonderful it felt to be held by him. Finding it hard to breathe, she was desperate to put an end to it, she let him go and slid down until her feet hit the floor. “Thank you,” she told him, trying bravely not to cry through a mixture of gratitude, relief and complete mortification.

  “It’s not a favour, Rosie. I really think you’re the best person for the job. I’ll be going back to my real life soon and I need someone I can trust here. You’re the obvious choice – you’r
e hard working, you’re dedicated and you love the place.”

  She wiped fiercely at her eyes with the back of her hands as she lost her battle to hold back tears. “I suppose I’d better speak to Evie.” She still didn’t know how her sister was going to take the news, but at least now Rosie had a concrete and positive solution to offer when she revealed they would have to leave the manor.

  Theo stepped closer and lifted his hand uncertainly, as though he was going to wipe the tears from her cheek, before dropping it down by his side again. “Don’t cry, Rosie, please. This was supposed to make you happy – to reassure you that you had a future here for as long as I own the estate.”

  She sniffed loudly. “I’m sorry. I just can’t believe you’re letting us stay.”

  He shrugged helplessly and she made a monumental effort to regain her composure. Rosie never lost her cool like this – nobody had ever seen her cry. No matter how difficult the circumstances had been, she hadn’t allowed herself to shed tears in front of anyone. And yet, in their short acquaintance, Theo had witnessed her loss of composure on more than one occasion.

  “I’ll speak to Evie after tea.”

  Chapter Eight

  Considering how adamant she’d always been that she wanted to stay at the manor, Evie was remarkably calm when Rosie broke the news as they cleared the dinner things. “The house is still on the estate,” she reasoned in response to Rosie wondering aloud about the change in Evie’s priorities.

  “So your mum will be able to find you if she comes back.” It was years since Evie had spoken about her mother, Glory, but Rosie knew she must still hope.

  “I’m not waiting for her to turn up anymore,” Evie replied matter-of-factly as she carried on with the washing-up. “I was thinking more of the sanctuary. I need to be on the estate – or close by, at least, for the donkeys.”