by Sharon Booth
"Never mind all that." I gasped. "You found Jodie naked in your bed! What did you do?" Well, what would any red-blooded man do when it was offered to him on a plate?
"I told her to get dressed, and then I left the room and spent the night in one of the guest rooms." He grinned suddenly. "With a chair wedged under the door handle."
I saw the twinkle in his eye, and then I was laughing. He was telling the truth. Don't ask me how I knew, but I just did.
His face lit up, and he wrapped his arms around me. "Oh, Cara, you're so wonderful. Thank you for believing me."
We smiled at each other, and without even saying anything, we both turned to head back toward the house. I know he talked on the way in, but I couldn't recall anything he said. I was too busy battling with my conscience as it shrieked warnings at me. What was I doing, letting him kiss me like that? What had I promised myself? He was a married man who'd already admitted to a close encounter with a naked nanny. How could I believe anything he said? Why was I being so gullible?
It felt like Seth all over again, and I'd sworn to myself I would never fall for another man after that relationship. I had to get away, clear my head, think things through. I needed to put space between us. But how?
A sudden prickling sensation made me lift my face and stare at the house, and I shivered.
"What is it?" Ethan asked, concerned.
I shrugged. "I don't know. Just—just a feeling. Like someone was watching me."
He put his arm around my shoulder. "What if they were? Does it matter?"
I thought he was being a bit presumptuous. I hadn't made any promises, had I? Far from it. "I think you're being a little indiscreet," I told him.
He removed his arm and nodded. "I suppose you're right. We'll keep quiet about all this until things are clarified."
What things? And keep quiet about what? There was nothing to tell. He was making massive assumptions and being remarkably irresponsible, in my view. I had to slow things down, somehow.
As we entered the hall, my mobile phone rang. Ethan raised an eyebrow when I frowned down at the screen. "It's my mother," I told him.
He nodded and smiled. "I'll get a shower, while you talk. I'll see you later."
"Mum! Where are you?" I said, watching wistfully as Ethan ran up the stairs, taking two steps at a time. "Are you calling from Spain?"
"No, I'm not." She didn't sound happy about it, either. In fact, she sounded distinctly peed off, and I snapped to attention. "Your dad and I got back this afternoon, Cara, and we can't believe what's going on with this family. Honestly, we leave you alone for five minutes, and all hell breaks loose. As if you moving in with a stranger isn't bad enough, we've just found out that Brad's abandoned Tamsin and the girls. Can you believe that? Brad! And to cap it all, we've just heard from Redmond."
"Oh, thank God," I said. "He hasn't contacted us. Tamsin and I were worried sick. Is he okay?"
"You mean, apart from the fact that he's gone stark staring mad?" She sounded grim. "Absolutely fine. He's as bad as Brad. He's walked out on Susan, and he's just informed us that he has no intention of going back. In fact, to quote him, hell will freeze over first. What on earth has happened to you all? It's like we got off the plane to find we'd landed in a parallel universe."
"I know it must be a shock to you both," I said. "We didn't want to worry you while you were on holiday."
"Yes, well, we're back now, fighting fit and ready to sort this mess out. So, first thing tomorrow, we're calling a meeting. Tamsin and the girls are coming, and I've told Redmond he'd better be here, or he'll live to regret it. I want you here, too. I want to know about this man you're working for, and I want to know that you're all right. I will know the truth, so don't think you can fob me off, my girl."
"Mum, I can't just drop everything and come home," I protested, but even as I said it, the thought formed that maybe it could be the answer to a prayer. I needed to calm down and put all the passion I felt for Ethan behind me. I would be making a huge mistake if I went down that path again. Maybe, by going to Mum and Dad's, I'd get the space I desperately needed to see things more clearly, and strengthen my resolution to avoid romance in future. "Look, I'll do my best," I said.
"Make sure you do, because I shall expect you tomorrow. I'll call Tamsin and ask her to pick you up from York station and bring you here. She won't mind, I'm sure. Just let her know the train times, okay?"
"Okay." I wasn't going to argue with her anymore, because I'd made up my mind that, whatever Ethan said, I had to go. It might be the last chance I had to bring me to my senses, and I couldn't let that chance pass me by.
Chapter Twenty-Three
"Honestly, you'd think we were six years old, being summoned to the family home like this," Tamsin said, indignantly. In the backseat of her Juke, Robyn and Alice tutted and nudged each other, looking sulky and petulant.
I handed them both a bag of sweets, bought from the train station, and they took them hesitantly. Opening the bags, they peered suspiciously at the contents, as if I'd handed them a pistol and a round of ammunition.
"Is it okay, Mummy?" Robyn sounded doubtful.
Tamsin glanced at the rear-view mirror and frowned. "Oh, what the hell. Just this once," she said, causing her daughters to whoop with delight and pounce on the sweets like they were Fagin's orphans, normally fed on mouldy sausages.
"I think we're in for a bumpy ride," I said. "And I don't mean the road to Beverley. Mum sounded distraught. First, I leave Seth, then Brad—" I lowered my voice and murmured, "Brad leaves you, and now Redmond's gone all weird. He must be having a mid-life crisis, or something."
"Come to his senses, more like," Tamsin said. "You should see the comments Susan's put on Facebook. She's absolutely scathing about him, and of course, all her friends and cronies are crooning about what a little shit he is, and how she deserves so much better. Rubbish. She's brought it all on herself." She looked stricken. "Oh, God! Do you think that's what people are saying about me?"
"Of course not," I reassured her. "Besides, you never put anything bad about Brad on Facebook. You've never even mentioned the break-up."
She shuddered. "I don't want anything negative getting back to the girls. Not that I haven't thought it. If Susan thinks Redmond's a shit, she should think about what Brad's put me through." She eyed the girls in the mirror again, obviously checking that they hadn't heard anything they shouldn't, before she asked, "Did you have any trouble getting time off at such short notice?"
I shook my head. "No. Ethan was very understanding."
He had been, too—eventually. When I'd knocked on his bedroom door later the previous evening, he must’ve thought all his Christmases had come at once, judging by the light of surprise and delight in his eyes. That’d quickly dampened down, when I explained I'd come to ask if I could take a few days' holiday.
"You don't have to pay me," I'd added hastily. "I do realise I'm leaving you in the lurch a little, but I wouldn't ask if I didn't think it necessary."
He'd put his hands on my shoulders, fixing me with a serious gaze. "Cara, is this about what happened this afternoon? I thought—I mean, I believed that you—I didn't take advantage of you?"
In spite of my resolve, I felt myself weakening as I looked into his eyes and saw the concern there. "No," I heard myself say. "It's honestly because there are family problems at the moment, and Mum and Dad have asked us all to go home and spend a day, or two, with them, to try to sort things out."
"And you didn't feel … compromised?"
I laughed. "The way you speak! You're such a gentleman."
"I wasn't much of a gentleman this afternoon," he reminded me ruefully. "And I have to admit, I had distinctly ungentlemanly thoughts when you knocked on my bedroom door just now."
He held my gaze, and I saw the gleam in his eye and knew I could crumble so easily. How lovely would it be to just give in? To lose myself in his arms, pretend that things could work out, that if I would just surrender, there could be a
real chance of a happy ending? Deep down, I knew that to give in to my highly inconvenient feelings would only bring heartbreak, and I had to force myself to remember that.
"I'd better go and pack," I mumbled, turning my head away from the disappointment in his face.
"You're leaving so soon?"
"Tomorrow morning."
"Let me drive you there. Or, if you'd prefer, I could ask Michael?"
"There's really no need," I said hastily. "My sister's picking me up from York train station. It's all arranged."
As I turned to leave, his voice came behind me, sounding rough as he asked, "How long will you be gone?"
"Oh, a day, or two," I said airily.
"I'll expect you back, then."
I glanced round, swallowing when I recognised the look in his eyes, his effort at trying to look business-like while failing dismally.
"A couple of days at the most,” he said. “Adele will need you."
"I know," I said, even though I wasn't sure how long I'd be away. I just wanted to escape before I could throw caution to the wind and ruin my life forever. "Thank you for being so understanding. Goodnight, Ethan."
"Goodnight, Cara."
I hurried back to my room, but feeling a sudden prickling on the back of my neck again as I crossed the landing, I spun round. There was no one there, and Ethan's door remained shut. I stood still for a moment, taking deep breaths. I felt uneasy as goose-pimples broke out on my skin, and I rubbed my arms, wondering what had caused the sudden sensation of being watched, then I tutted. My imagination was running riot. I was overwrought, and no wonder, with everything that had happened lately.
Turning away, I entered my bedroom, determined to pack my things and get an early night.
Mrs F was the only person up and about when I left Moreland Hall the following morning, and she was shocked to see me leaving so early. "We thought it would be mid-morning. Ethan will want to know ..."
"My taxi's outside," I said quickly. "I can't keep it waiting. Catching the first train to York, Mrs F." I'd given her a brief hug, assured her I'd be back before she knew it, and asked her to give Adele a big kiss for me.
Her eyes were surprisingly bright as she said goodbye. "You will take care, won't you? Look after yourself. You know, I'm always at the other end of the phone, if you need to talk to anyone."
I hadn't a clue why she seemed so concerned. I was only going home to my parents' house, for goodness sake, but I nodded reassuringly and promised I'd bear that in mind. I'd climbed thankfully into the taxi and challenged myself not to look round as it sped down the drive, putting Moreland Hall behind me in a matter of moments—at least, in the physical sense.
"Get you!" Tamsin's voice broke into my thoughts, and I blinked.
"Sorry? What?"
"Ethan! Whatever happened to calling him Mr Rochester?" She grinned. "Only kidding." Then her smile faded. "Hey, what are you looking at me like that for? Oh, my God!" Her eyes widened with excitement. "Cara Truelove! Are you shagging the boss?"
My face flamed, and I groped desperately for some answer that would appease her. To my relief, she burst out laughing, and I realised she was joking. Clearly, it didn't occur to Tamsin that Ethan Rochester would ever look twice at someone like me, and who could blame her?
#
As we got closer to Mum and Dad's house, I could sense the change in her mood. She was obviously gearing herself up for a fight.
"You don't have to worry," I whispered to her. "I'm sure everything will be fine."
"It's so unfair. Why am I even being summoned here? It's as if they think it's all my fault. I'll get the blame, you just wait and see. Brad was such a suck-up. Mum thought he was wonderful because he worked so hard and provided so well for us. As if that's all that matters!"
"No, but it helps." I thought about Seth. How was he getting on? Had he moved into Isolde's? Had he found himself a job? It seemed terribly unlikely, but if he wanted any financial help from the state, he would have to, at least, look for a position somewhere. Who would employ him, though? He didn't have the first clue how to do anything.
Not your problem, Cara, I reminded myself. I had enough to worry about.
We were soon negotiating the narrow roads of central Beverley, turning, with some trepidation, into Mum and Dad's street. Tamsin parked on the drive of our childhood home, just behind Dad's Volvo estate, which had to live outside permanently, as the garage was too full of the junk that had been accumulated over thirty-seven years of marriage.
Tamsin and I glanced at each other. She took a deep breath. "Here we go, then."
Mum ushered us into the spacious, nineteen-thirties semi-detached house. She looked tanned and healthy, her hair blonder—the streaks put in by the hairdresser lightened even further by the Mediterranean sun. Dad came forward to hug us, and as I pulled away from him, I studied him carefully.
"Oh, you look miles better," I said, relieved. The gaunt look had gone. He'd filled out again. The weeks in the sunshine had obviously done him the world of good.
He beamed at us. "I feel better," he said. "I think retirement is going to suit me, after all."
Mum had already put the kettle on, and she poured drinks of blackcurrant squash for Robyn and Alice, and fussed around them, and admired their clothes, and asked about school like a proper doting granny should.
"Is Redmond definitely coming?" Tamsin asked, wincing as Dad handed her daughters a bag of crisps each. What with my bags of sweets and Mum's squash, she'd no doubt have them detoxing as soon as they got home.
"Oh, he'll come," Mum said. "Honestly, I can't believe what he's done." She waited, while Dad ushered the girls into the living room, assured them that they could watch whatever they liked on television, and handed them the remote to prove it, which was probably a bad idea. As he closed the door behind them, she continued, "Susan and I spoke on the phone yesterday. The poor woman's broken."
Tamsin snorted. "Broken! Don't let her fool you. You have no idea what Redmond's put up with. Oh! Talk of the devil."
We all turned at the back door opening, and Redmond sauntered in. No other word described it. He didn't quite swagger, but he certainly didn't walk in his usual manner. He had a look of rebellion on his face, a challenge in his eyes. He was obviously preparing for a fight, just like Tamsin. I sighed inwardly. It was going to be a tricky few days.
The kettle was refilled. Dad checked that the girls were engrossed in a film and had supplies of crisps and squash to keep them happy, then we all sat at the kitchen table and stared at each other.
"So," said Mum. "Who wants to start?"
My phone beeped. Everyone stared at me. Well, it couldn't be Seth, I knew that much.
"Well, go on, then," Dad said. "Read it, and then we can get on with this."
I pulled my phone from my bag and stared at the notification. Ethan!
Just texting you to say, hope you got to your parents' house safely, and that all goes well. Thinking of you. See you soon. Love Ethan xxx
My face flared and I swallowed. "Er, just someone at the house, checking I got here safely."
I typed a reply:
Got here safely. About to start war cabinet meeting. Fingers crossed. Cara.
Dad nodded. "Very kind of them, I'm sure. Well, while we're on the subject of that, we may as well start with you, Cara."
I was debating whether to add a kiss, and wondering if it would look too mean if I didn't, or give him the wrong idea if I did, but Dad's words startled me so much I just pressed send without thinking. Oh, well, that was that sorted, then.
"Me?" I squeaked. "What about me?"
"Who is this person you're living with? Is he reputable? Are you safe, under another man's roof?"
With everything that was going on in Tamsin's and Redmond's lives, I was astonished that the events in my life were even on the radar.
Redmond cleared his throat. "I assure you, Dad, I did plenty of checking up on your behalf, since you were away. Cara's working for Ethan
Rochester, so I don't think we have anything to worry about."
Pompous git, I thought. Just trying to worm his way back into the parents' good books by making out he was taking care of me in their absence. Although, to be fair, I supposed he had. It evidently didn't wash with Dad.
"Who the hell's Ethan Rochester, when he's at home?"
Mum looked blank, too, and Tamsin and Redmond exchanged despairing glances.
"Rochester's Department Stores?" Tamsin sounded incredulous. "You must have heard of them! I think I took you there once, Mum, when you came to York for the weekend. Yes, I bought you that yellow Jenny Kingston handbag from there, remember?"
Mum frowned. "Oh, yes. Good grief, that was a dear do. I spent more in one day—hang on. You mean, Cara's boss owns that shop?"
Redmond nodded. "And eleven more like it," he confirmed. "Absolutely loaded."
"You're at Moreland Hall?" Dad whistled. "You know the place, Sally. That big pile over near Hasedale."
"Of course," she said, as light clearly dawned. "The Rochester place. I never clicked. Fancy our Cara living there."
"You know it?" I said, puzzled.
"Everyone from Newarth knows the Rochester place. I just never realised you were working for those Rochesters. Never made the connection, for some reason."
"Mind you," Dad said, "it's not surprising we didn't, really. House is nearly always empty, isn't it? The Rochesters rarely visited the area, back when I lived up there. Don't they usually stay somewhere in London?"
"He has a house in London," I began, but Redmond cut in, showing off.
"The house in Yorkshire belonged to his great grandfather, but they have others. Houses in London, Gloucestershire, and France, plus an apartment in New York."
"How do you know that?" I said, awed. Even I hadn't known about the French house.
"Honestly, Cara, have you never heard of Google?" he said, rolling his eyes.