His words came to her only dimly. All the tension and unhappiness of the past few days were being released in her. Hugh put his arm around her and brought out a clean handkerchief to press into her hands. She wanted to cling to him, but she still had some restraint, some pride left. She dried her eyes and made an effort to control her tears.
‘You’ll meet someone else one day, Sara,’ Hugh was murmuring. ‘Someone who—who really cares for you, who’ll look after you and cherish you.’
His words were beginning to get through to her. Had he guessed how she felt about him? she wondered in a sort of panic. She disengaged herself from his arms.
‘I—I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ she told him stiffly.
‘Oh, Sara—’ he said in an exasperated tone. ‘He’s not worth breaking your heart over. Can’t you see that?’
‘Who isn’t?’ she asked blankly.
He stared at her. ‘Why, Des, of course. Unless—’
‘Des?’ she repeated in a puzzled voice. ‘You mean you think I—I’m in love with Des?’
‘Well, aren’t you?’
‘No!’
‘Then—then who?’
She stepped back a pace. ‘I—I don’t see that it’s any business of yours. Anyway, what makes you think I was upset about some man?’ she fenced desperately.
It was a question she shouldn’t have asked. She realized that as soon as she had asked it. Hugh took it up at once.
‘For the very simple reason that you—burst into tears as soon as I asked you if you’d designed the wedding dress for yourself.’
‘I’m—a little upset this morning, that’s all. About something entirely different. If—if you must know, I—I designed that dress for—for Rosamond.’ She could have kicked herself immediately. ‘No, that’s not quite true. I mean—well, Easter, the wedding season is approaching and—’
But he had stopped listening. ‘For Rosa? Why for Rosa? She isn’t getting married. She’s not even engaged as far as I know.’
She stared at him in astonishment. ‘But—but you told me yourself only yesterday that—Rosamond had taken a liking to the place and—’
‘That’s true. But I said nothing about her getting married. In any case, what on earth has my leasing Fenchurch Millhouse got to do with her wanting a wedding dress?’
She didn’t understand him. ‘I’d have thought it had everything to do with it. It’s usual for people to get married if they’re going to set up house together.’
‘Not if they’re brother and sister it isn’t!’
She sat down weakly. ‘Brother and sister?’
‘You mean you didn’t know?’
‘But of course I didn’t know. You didn’t say. Neither of you did. You just introduced her by her first name and—’
‘And you jumped to the conclusion that she was my—that she and I—’
‘Yes.’
Hugh sat down beside her and eyed her thoughtfully. ‘I think we’d better get one or two other things straight. Did I understand you to say that you—don’t care for that ex-business partner of yours?’
‘I never have.’
‘Thank goodness for that!’
‘Why?’ she flashed. ‘Just because he wears gaudy clothes and has long hair?’
‘No, not “just because”. The truth is—But I’ll spare you the rest. Obviously there’s someone else in your life. That’s why you’re so eager to go back to London, isn’t it?’
‘Yes, but—’
Hugh rose to his feet swiftly. ‘Well, I—hope you’ll be very happy, Sara. You’ve—got a rare talent, and I think you should make quite a name for yourself. Whoever it is you’re going to marry, he’s a very lucky man.’ He was standing facing her, and she wished he would stop saying these nice things to her. Then suddenly, without the slightest warning, he grasped her by the shoulders and kissed her hard and full upon her lips. Just as suddenly, he let her go and moved swiftly towards the door. Sara stood immobile for a moment, then some instinct urged her forward.
‘Hugh—’
He halted. But he didn’t turn. Sara went round to stand before him.
‘Hugh, why did you do that?’ she asked softly, looking into his face.
His expression was taut. He stared at her for a moment, and Sara felt her heart freeze. The next moment she was in his arms, her name a half-groan on his lips. He held her cheek against his, his hand stroking her hair.
‘Sara, don’t you know?’ he murmured. ‘I love you, heaven help me. I love you. I know I shouldn’t be saying it, but I just can’t help it.’
Sara wanted to cry again, this time for happiness. ‘Hugh, oh, Hugh,’ she croaked. ‘Why—why didn’t you tell me before?’
He looked at her then, lifting up her chin with one finger. ‘Does it matter to you, little one?’
She nodded, her eyes shining, the whole of her being feeling as if it were suspended in time. ‘It—matters more than anything in the world. You see, I—oh, Hugh, I love you.’
‘Sara! Oh, darling—’
He gathered her swiftly in his arms again and kissed her, this time with all the fervour of a man passionately in love. She returned his ardour, her heart beating wildly.
‘Oh, Hugh, what fools we’ve been, both of us,’ she breathed when at last he released her.
He led her to the comfort of the settee. ‘I suppose all those in love are a little foolish. When I saw you upset, I was convinced that, in spite of his mode of dress and the way he had let you down, you were still in love with that Des fellow.’
‘But how could you possibly think—’
He laughed gently and cradled her in his arms. ‘Darling, I don’t know. I suppose because he was young and—and bright whereas in comparison I must have appeared to you very dull and staid—even old-fashioned.’
‘Don’t exaggerate. Anyway, I like old-fashioned things. You intrigued me from the moment I first saw you striding through the jungle of my garden. Our garden. If you must talk about comparisons I never realized until I met you how—how lacking Des was in so many ways, especially after he had been down here that Saturday. Looking back, I can’t understand how I could actually have liked the kind of artificial life we led in London, or how I could even have tolerated people like Des. Yet I must have been one of them.’
Hugh gently kissed her. ‘The town with its life and bustle is the natural element of some people. Away from his element Des was like a fish out of water. But, darling, what about you? Do you really like the country now?’ he asked anxiously.
She smiled, ‘I love it.’
‘Do you? Enough to settle down here at Fenchurch Millhouse?’
She nodded happily. ‘When I first came down here, I must admit the silence seemed deafening. But I liked the house on sight, and it wasn’t very long before I had to steel myself against becoming too attached to it.’ She smiled ruefully. ‘But the house won. After a while I gave up trying, and the silence became beautiful. I’m sorry, Hugh, I’m afraid I can’t lease the place to you, after all. I’m staying right here. With you. That is, if—’
‘If what?’ he murmured, kissing the tip of her nose.
‘Well, aren’t you going to ask me to marry you? It is customary still.’
‘Do you want it in writing?’ he asked softly.
‘Well—’
‘In that case, what about a month from today? Sooner, if we can get through all the usual formalities.’
‘Oh, Hugh—’ She gave a blissful sigh, then had a sudden thought. ‘But what about Rosa? Have you got parents or—’
He shook his head. ‘Our parents were killed in an avalanche while on a skiing holiday. We share the house in which we were both born. But don’t worry. We’ll think something out. I was intending to come and live in Norfolk, in any case. Rosa could maybe have a friend to share the house with her. It’s true she isn’t engaged yet, but if I know my sister, it won’t be long before some man falls in love with her.’
‘I’m sure it
won’t,’ agreed Sara. ‘She’s so sweet. I hope she’ll come and stay with us often.’
Then further talk was suspended as once again Hugh’s lips sought hers.
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