by Joanna Neil
Whatever the outcome of those appointments in London, Sophie was shocked, along with everyone else in the village, when Peninsula announced just a few days later that they were holding a meeting in the village hall on Saturday afternoon. ‘We want to discuss possibilities for the area,’ their spokesman said. ‘Come along and listen to what we have to say.’
Sophie went to the hall with her father. Nate was nowhere to be seen and it took only a few minutes, less than half an hour, for the spokesman to cause uproar among his audience.
‘We’ve great plans to make changes that will benefit everyone in this area,’ the spokesman said. ‘If everything goes ahead as we hope, we’ll be in a position to make all your lives better, so we’re looking for your support.’
A man from the audience stood up. ‘What plans are you talking about? Why are you back here telling us how you want to change our village? Has Nate Branscombe sold out to you?’
‘He hasn’t signed the papers yet but our offer is definitely back on the table,’ the spokesman answered. He clicked a computer mouse and brought up on the screen in front of them an enlarged photo of their village, nestled in the valley around the beautiful blue bay. ‘There’s a prime position for a five-star hotel,’ he said, pointing to an area on the cliff top to the east. ‘Just think how that will boost the prosperity of the area.’ He clicked the mouse again. ‘And here’s the outline of what the proposed shopping mall will look like. There will be restaurants, a leisure centre, a gymnasium, cinema...’
A woman stood up, angrily voicing her thoughts. ‘And along with all that there will be tourists with their cars and takeaway food cartons littering the countryside...broken bottles on the beach... What next—a casino open all hours?’
People stood up, shouting, anxious for their voices to be heard. Some remained seated, Sophie noticed. Not everyone was against change but the majority were adamant that it shouldn’t happen, not in their idyllic part of the world.
She left the meeting with her father, taking him back to his home. ‘Do you think Nate meant for this to happen?’ he asked as she wheeled his chair up the ramp into the house. Charlie woke up from his snooze in the kitchen and came to greet them, tail wagging enthusiastically.
‘I don’t think so.’ She flicked the switch on the kettle. ‘But there was some kind of problem—he had to go to see his father’s solicitor in London, so I suspect there are financial problems he didn’t know about. He hasn’t told me anything about it, but I’m guessing it’s serious.’
‘So you think he’ll sell to Peninsula after all?’
‘I don’t know. I know he doesn’t want to.’
Her father was obviously worried as they talked about the possibilities of Peninsula Holdings taking over. ‘This place will be the first to go,’ he said, looking around the kitchen. ‘What are they going to offer me in its place? A ground-floor retirement flat in the suburbs? Their representative seemed to think that would be perfect for me—a place in a warden-assisted block, he said. I could look out on to the street on the front with the shops directly opposite and a communal garden at the back. How would I look after Charlie in a situation like that?’
A look of despair crossed his face. ‘I’m used to being in this beautiful place, with trees and shrubs and countryside and the sea not far away, neighbours who pop in to say hello whenever they have five minutes to spare. I can’t bear the thought of moving.’
‘Perhaps it won’t come to that.’ She handed him a mug of coffee and slid a plate of his favourite cheese straws towards him. ‘I’ll go and see Nate—see if he’ll talk to me. Maybe together we can come up with some ideas that will help him keep the estate.’
‘Bless you, Sophie. I hope there’s some way out of the situation.’
The kitchen door opened just then and Jessica came in, wheeling the baby in the pram. Sophie wedged the door open temporarily to allow her into the kitchen and then stopped to coo over the baby. ‘Oh, isn’t he gorgeous?’ He was fast asleep, his little pink hands curled into fists either side of his cheeks. ‘He’s perfect.’
Jessica smiled. ‘He would be if he managed to sleep for more than two hours at a time. I thought if I walked him over here the motion of the pram would rock him to sleep.’ She looked down at her baby. ‘Oh... I might have known. He’s awake again.’ She chuckled and carefully lifted him out, wrapping his shawl around him once more. ‘I think your grandad wants to see you, young man.’
Her father nodded. ‘Oh, definitely. I’ll grab my chance to hold him while Rob’s spending time down at the beach with his friends. I might not get a look in otherwise.’
‘Here you go.’ Jessica gently placed Casey in her father’s arms. ‘Sophie gets to hold him a lot,’ she told him with a smile, ‘so you get first dibs.’
They sat around the table and talked, taking turns in holding the baby until Charlie began to get restless. He came and laid his head on Sophie’s lap, looking at her with big eyes.
Sophie reached for his lead. ‘I’ll take him out for a walk,’ she said. ‘Maybe I’ll go along the cliff path and up by the Manor. Nate came back from London yesterday, so he might be home. Perhaps I’ll get the chance to talk to him.’
‘Good idea. Thanks, Sophie.’ Her father watched her leave with Charlie. His expression was sad for a moment until he turned back to Jessica and Sophie heard him ask her about Ryan’s job and how much longer he would be away.
Sophie loved walking along the cliff top, looking out over the sparkling blue water below. She stood and watched as the waves rolled in to shore, leaving behind bands of white foam and forming rock pools among the shells and pebbles on the sandy beach. Whenever she could, she loved to walk down there, collecting pretty white spiral shells or glossy cowries and periwinkles.
Today, though, she kept to the path and clambered steadily up the hill towards the Manor House. She hoped the gates would be open so that she could simply walk up to the main door, but since the press had taken to bombarding Nate with questions, and generally intruding on his everyday life, he’d taken to using security measures.
She pressed the buzzer and spoke into the intercom. ‘It’s Sophie,’ she said, when Charlotte answered. ‘I wondered if I might see Nate.’
‘Oh, hello, Sophie.’ There was a pause and then she added, ‘He says you’re to come right in. Is that your dog I can hear alongside you?’
‘It is.’
‘Ah, he’s a lovely dog, is Charlie.’ The wrought-iron gates started to swing open and Sophie set out to walk along the long sweeping drive up to the house.
Nate met her halfway. ‘Hello, Sophie,’ he said. ‘It’s good to see you.’ He hugged her, looking into her eyes with hungry intensity as though he would absorb every part of her. ‘I’ve missed you.’
She clung to him, needing that close, warm contact. ‘I missed you too.’ She sent him a troubled look. ‘I wanted to come and see you before this, but I know you’ve been busy with family visitors staying over...as well as the business in London. And the press were here a lot, I heard.’
‘Yes. Actually, some of them were sympathetic for once, so I spoke to a couple of them briefly. They wanted to concentrate on the fact that I’m a doctor and how it feels to take over the title.’
She smiled. ‘There was a beautiful aerial photograph of the Manor House and the estate in one of the national papers.’
‘Yes, I saw it. It was a good article too, considering I hadn’t given an interview.’ He sent her a thoughtful look. ‘I was going to come and see you later today—but you’ve beaten me to it. I expect you’re worried about this business with Peninsula?’
‘I am. Leastways, my dad’s really concerned about what’s going to happen.’
‘Yes, I guessed as much. I feel bad that you’re having to go through all this worry.’ He bent down to stroke an eager Charlie and tickle him behind the ears. ‘Sh
all we walk for a while or would you rather go up to the house?’
She smiled. ‘I think Charlie would appreciate the walk. I think he was born for the hills and dales—he can go for miles.’
He chuckled. ‘Okay. We’ll take a stroll by the lake.’ He put an arm around her shoulders as they turned on to the perimeter path. It felt good being this close to him, having the warmth of his fingers filter through the fine material of her cashmere top. He pointed out a few changes along the way. ‘If you look closely through the trees, you’ll see a few log cabins have sprung up here and there. We’re still in the process of getting facilities connected—it’ll take time, but at least we’ve made a start.’
She looked at him curiously. ‘You’re going ahead with your plans, then? I thought everything might have been put on hold when Peninsula started talking about what they wanted to do.’
They were walking through the copse towards the lake, a silver expanse of water bordered by ancient willow trees that dipped their branches gracefully into the water and where spreading oaks mingled with elderberry and blackberry brambles that were luscious with ripening fruit.
‘I’ll do as much as I can to hold on to the estate, but I’m afraid things are much worse than I realised. Unfortunately, my father hadn’t told me the full extent of his liabilities. That’s what the solicitor wanted to talk to me about.’ He led her to a bench seat set back from the water, close by a landing stage. They sat down and Charlie flopped to the ground at their feet, his tongue hanging out as he panted happily. Sophie looked around. A boat, a small motor launch, was moored by the wooden jetty.
‘So the projects you hoped would put things right and cover the debts won’t be enough?’
He nodded. ‘That’s right. My father’s financial situation was far worse than he’d said. I think he didn’t tell me because he hoped his other investments would come right, but that isn’t happening as yet. I’ll do what I can to sort out the mess but I’m still working through my options. I’ve submitted a plan of action to the bank manager and he’s going through it with his advisers.’
She reached for his hand and covered his fingers with hers. ‘I don’t know what to say. I wish there was something I could do to help.’
He smiled. ‘It helps just having you by my side, Sophie. I know you’re only here because you’re worried for your father, but at least I have you for a little while.’
She frowned. ‘I don’t understand. Why would you say that? I’d be here anyway—don’t you know that? I want to be with you.’
‘You’re seeing Jake, though, aren’t you?’ A knot formed in his brow. ‘There have been rumours. I saw the way you and he acted together on the day of the funeral. He was smiling, relieved almost, after you spoke to him. Up till then I thought I might be in with a chance but after that I realised it could never happen, you and me.’
‘Oh, no... I think you misunderstood the situation completely. As to rumours—you know how people get things wrong. They see me having coffee with him in the cafeteria and suddenly it’s a full-blown relationship.’ She smiled, a small glow starting up inside her. He’d said it—he wanted to be with her. ‘There’s nothing going on between me and Jake. I told you—we’re friends. He was just pleased because I told him someone else is interested in him.’
He drew in a quick stunned breath, his eyes widening.
She said gently, ‘I only have feelings for you, Nate. I love you. It’s always been you. I just need to hear that you feel the same way towards me.’
He lifted a hand, stroking his thumb lightly across her cheek. ‘I wish it were that simple, Sophie.’ His eyes darkened, becoming unfathomable like the rippling surface of the lake. ‘I love you too, with all my heart, with all my soul, but I can’t give in to my feelings for you.’
Anguished, she lifted her hands to his chest, laying her palms flat against the top of his ribcage. ‘I don’t understand, Nate. I’ve waited so long to hear you say that you love me. If you feel the same way, why can’t we be together?’
He shook his head. ‘How can I let it happen when my family has been responsible for so much heartache heaped on your father, on you—perhaps ultimately on everyone who is a part of this estate? My father was responsible for the accident that crippled your father. I can’t ever hope to make up for the horror of that.’
‘You don’t have to...’
‘I do.’ He straightened. ‘I owe you so much but right now I may be about to lose everything I have. Everything I am, my whole existence, my heritage, my family name, is tied up in this place and it’s all coming crashing down around me. I can’t... I won’t...ask you or your family to suffer any more because of my failures. I love you, Sophie, but I can’t ask you to be with me, to marry me, until I’ve restored the family pride and I can offer you the future you deserve.’
She looked at him in shock. ‘But I love you, Nate. Isn’t that enough to see us through this? Surely, nothing else matters? We can work this out together, can’t we?’
‘No, we can’t. I’m sorry, Sophie.’ He clasped her hands in his. ‘When I saw you with Jake, when I didn’t see anything of you these last few days, it hit me like a ten-ton truck that I want you more than anything else in the world—I want to be with you, I love you, it’s going to be unbearable without you...but I won’t put you or your family through any more hardship because of me.’
He kissed her gently, briefly, on the mouth, as though he daren’t linger a moment longer for fear of losing himself entirely. Then he stood up. ‘I’ll walk you back to the gates. Perhaps it’s best if we don’t see each other for a while.’
Sophie scrambled to her feet and went blindly along beside him. ‘You can’t do this, Nate. There has to be another way. We can work through this together.’
He didn’t answer and that silence made things a hundred times worse. She couldn’t feel, couldn’t think. She was in shock, her whole body trembling, but she knew there would be no point in trying to speak to him about it any more. He wouldn’t talk about it. He had made up his mind and there was nothing she could do to persuade him otherwise.
CHAPTER EIGHT
‘YOU’VE JUST COME from the Neonatal Unit again, haven’t you?’ Hannah smiled as Sophie went over to the coffee machine in the staff lounge. ‘I can always tell. Either that or your sister brought the baby in to work to see you.’
‘Ah... I can’t seem to help myself,’ Sophie said, reaching for a mug. ‘There’s just something about those tiny babies that gets me here, every time.’ She pressed the flat of her hand over her heart. ‘They’re so vulnerable, with tubes for this and that and all the monitoring equipment. I’ve been doing screening tests today—checking nutrient levels and urea and electrolytes. If there was time, I would spend most of the day in the unit, to be honest.’ She smiled. ‘But my other patients can be just as adorable. It’s so satisfying to see them getting stronger day by day.’
Hannah washed her cup out at the sink. ‘I bet you’ve loved having your sister and her baby staying with you. To look at him you wouldn’t think he had such a hard time being born.’
Sophie nodded. ‘I’ve loved every minute of it, and yes, he’s doing really well now. He’s gaining weight—still not sleeping through the night, of course.’
‘Ah—now I know why you’ve had that peaky look about you of late.’ Hannah grinned and started towards the door. ‘I’d better get back to work,’ she said.
‘Okay.’ Sophie concentrated on pouring hot coffee into her mug. Peaky? There was only one reason for her being under par lately and that was because of Nate. Why was he so determined that things couldn’t work out between them?
‘Hi—how are you doing?’
She gave a small start of surprise as she realised Nate had come into the room as Hannah was leaving. The kitchen area was slightly hidden from the entrance. ‘Hi. I didn’t see you there,’ she
said as he came to stand alongside her, reaching for a porcelain mug. ‘Shall I pour you a coffee?’
‘Thanks.’
‘How does it feel to be back at work?’
‘It feels okay.’ He accepted the mug she slid towards him. ‘I wasn’t sure how it would be, but it’s actually good. The chief called me into his office this morning and for a minute I wondered if something was wrong—I was only here on a temporary contract and I’d had to take time off—but he offered me a permanent post.’
Her eyes widened. ‘Will you take it?’
He nodded. ‘Yes, I like working here. I like the people and the set-up.’
‘I’m glad for you.’ She sipped her coffee, looking at him over the rim of her cup. ‘I suppose at least being here helps take your mind off all your other problems.’
‘True.’ He searched in the fridge and found a box of doughnuts. ‘I brought these in to share out—would you like one?’
‘Thanks.’ She helped herself, biting into the cake and carefully licking the sugar off her fingers. Nate watched her, as though fascinated by her actions, until he gave himself a shake and put the box back in the fridge.
‘So, what’s happening with everyone at home?’ he asked. ‘I feel as though I’ve been a bit out of touch these last few days while I’ve been busy trying to sort out problems with the estate.’
‘Oh, we’re all doing fine. Rob’s started a psychology course at college and my dad’s doing really well with his physiotherapy. He’s taking a few steps on his own now, with the aid of a walking frame. He says he’s going to progress from there to walking with elbow crutches.’