by Joanna Neil
‘Okay, thanks.’ Tyler waited near to the helipad, watching as the aircraft took off. ‘We should know one way or another by this evening,’ he said, giving Saskia a quick, sidelong glance.
‘Yes. I hope she makes it.’
Back at home later that day Saskia was on edge, waiting for news. Spotting Tyler out in the garden, doing what he could to tidy up the flowerbeds, she decided to go over to the fence to talk to him. Maybe he’d heard something.
‘I haven’t, not yet.’ He finished staking and tying up the chrysanthemums and then straightened, looking around as he heard laughter and shouts coming from behind her. Becky and Charlie were playing cricket in the garden.
‘They seem to be enjoying the fresh air.’
‘Yes, I’ve been trying to encourage them to play outside more.’ She’d pushed some cricket stumps into the lawn, hammering them into place, and the children were having great fun taking it in turns with the bat and ball. It only occurred to her now, as she watched them running about, that the once unspoiled grass was becoming worn down by the steady tramp of children’s feet. What would Tyler think of that?
Swallowing down on her guilt, she tried to push those thoughts to the back of her mind and said, ‘Actually, they’re going off in about half an hour on a camping weekend. Some teachers from the school are taking quite a few of the children to explore the wildlife and natural vegetation of the island. It’s part of a school project.’
‘Are they looking forward to it?’
‘I think so. I’m the one who’s not so sure. I’ll miss them.’
He smiled. ‘Yes, I suppose you were bound to get attached.’ His expression sobered as his glance moved over the house and garden and she wondered if he was imagining a different set of people living there...a couple without small children and pets perhaps?
‘Do you still regret letting out your property?’ she asked. ‘I’m sorry about what happened the other day with the fence and the plants—but I suppose if you have tenants there are always going to be problems of some sort.’
‘That’s probably true,’ he acknowledged. ‘No, on the whole, I don’t have any regrets.’
That was a bit of a relief, at least. ‘How did you get into the property business?’
‘By accident, I suppose. I inherited my house from my grandparents—my father’s parents. I didn’t need to live in it to begin with because I was working in another town, so that’s when I first thought of renting it out. And then later I bought the property next door when it came on the market.’
She frowned. ‘How is it that the house didn’t go to your father?’
‘He’d already died of a heart attack. So the property went to me and my sister—I offered to buy out Suzie’s half and she was happy to go along with that.’
She looked at the mellow stone building with its Georgian-style windows. ‘It’s a beautiful old house.’
‘Yes, it is. It needs work, some modernising, but it’s solid, and I’m happy with it.’
She said curiously, ‘It must have been difficult for your mother when your father died—for all of you. I would imagine you were fairly young at the time.’
‘It’s always upsetting when someone dies.’ He pulled in a sharp breath. ‘But, to be honest, life was never easy when he was around. He spent his time chasing dreams, starting up one failed business venture after another. For us, it meant that there was never enough money, and we were always moving from one place to another, following his schemes. We were never able to put down roots.’
‘I’m sorry.’ She was shocked. She’d always imagined that everything in his life had gone smoothly for him. ‘I’d no idea. It must have been so hard for you.’
He shrugged. ‘It was unsettling more than anything. You never knew what was around the corner, how long you’d be able to stay at the same school, whether you’d have to say goodbye to your friends and try to make new ones. But children do tend to adapt to circumstances fairly easily—I think it was much harder for my mother. She constantly had to start afresh, and after he died she was lost and vulnerable. I felt it was up to me to look after her and Suzie.’
Saskia absorbed all that, studying the varying emotions that crossed his face as he spoke. What part had his troubled childhood played in his continuing search for order in his life? It all seemed to make sense now.
‘Saskia—’ Caitlin burst in on her train of thought, coming over to where she was standing by the fence. She was rubbing her neck as though it ached, and at the same time she wriggled her shoulders as if that might ease discomfort of some sort.
‘Are you all right?’ Saskia asked. ‘Do you have a neck ache?’
‘It’s just a muscle pain. I’ve got a bit of a headache—but I’ll be fine. Perhaps I’ll take a couple of painkillers...’
‘Yes, okay. That sounds like a good idea.’
Caitlin came closer, saying quietly, ‘I just thought that if Becky and Charlie are going away this weekend, would it be all right if I go and have a sleepover with a friend from school? You’ve met her—it’s Gemma, the one who lives on a farm.’
Saskia lifted a doubtful brow. ‘Are you sure you’re up to it if you’re not feeling well?’
‘I’m fine. I really want to do this.’
Perhaps it would do her good to get away from the house for a while. ‘Well, all right, then, if you’re sure. Are your friend’s parents okay with it?’ Caitlin nodded, and Saskia added, ‘Make sure you ring me if you change your mind and want to come home again. And you’d better give me Gemma’s home phone number just in case.’
Caitlin bridled at that. ‘So you don’t trust me?’
Saskia put an arm around her, trying to calm her down. She sensed Tyler watching the exchange with interest...why was it she had so much difficulty dealing with Caitlin? She wanted to do the right thing, but somehow she always managed to strike sparks. ‘Of course I trust you. It’s just a precaution, in case I need to get in touch with them for any reason. I want to know you’re safe.’
‘Hmmph. Okay, I suppose. I’ll go and get ready.’ Caitlin turned away and walked quickly back to the house.
‘She’s not too happy, is she?’ Tyler murmured. ‘Is this the typical moody teenager syndrome?’
‘I’m not sure.’ Saskia stared thoughtfully after her. ‘She’s anxious about her parents, of course, and I think she’s missing her friends from back home. She was settled in Cornwall and it’s taking her a while to adjust to the move. I suggested they talk to one another via video chat. I’m pleased she’s found new friends over here, though. It’s a good start.’
‘It is.’ He studied her briefly. ‘If you’re going to be on your own this evening, perhaps you’d like to come over to my place for supper? I can’t promise anything special—I don’t do a lot of cooking—but I was planning on making pizza. It’s simple enough that even I can do it. There’s no point in both of us cooking, is there?’
Her heart gave a small lurch of anticipation at the prospect of spending time with him, but at the same time she was at war within herself. Should she accept his offer? Oughtn’t she to steer clear of invitations like this one? The instinct of self-preservation kicked in and was nudging her, telling her that she should turn him down...but a wilful, tempestuous streak fought back. Did she really want to spend an evening by herself when he was just next door?
‘I’d like that,’ she said.
‘Good.’ He smiled. ‘Give me half an hour or so to get freshened up?’
‘Okay.’
She made sure Becky and Charlie had everything they needed for their weekend away, and then waved them goodbye when their driver came to pick them up. ‘Have a good time,’ she told them.
Caitlin had packed an overnight bag with hair straighteners, pyjamas and a change of underwear, and as soon as she had set off for the bus stop Saskia
went to get changed.
She pulled on blue skinny jeans and a pretty beaded top, and spent a few minutes applying a light touch of make-up. She was looking forward to being with Tyler. In spite of all her misgivings and inner warnings, she wanted to be with him.
‘Hi,’ she said, when he opened the front door to her a short time later. ‘Am I too early?’
‘Of course not.’ His gaze swept over her, his blue eyes appreciative. ‘You look lovely,’ he said.
Inside, she fizzed with elation at the compliment. ‘Thanks.’ He looked pretty good himself, in dark, beautifully cut trousers and a short-sleeved designer top.
He took a step back. ‘Come in.’ The hallway opened up to a closed-in staircase on one side, and further along the hallway a door led into a large lounge/dining room. ‘This is the main room of the house,’ he said, ‘the one where I spend most of my leisure time—except for the kitchen, of course.’
She looked around. It was a high-ceilinged room, with tall Georgian windows and a beautiful feature fireplace. ‘This is lovely,’ she said. ‘You’ve kept all the original features in here.’ She daren’t even think about what would happen if the children were let loose in this house. And as for Boomer...
‘Yes, I wanted to keep the character of the place. It feels a bit oppressive to me, though, and I’d like to do something to modernise it and add some light.’
She nodded. ‘Noah told me...he said you weren’t sure what to do. I think it’s really elegant.’ The furniture was simple, minimal, even, but what there was had a classic, timeless feel to it.
He sent her a quick glance. ‘You and Noah seem to be getting on pretty well...’
‘Yes, he’s easy to talk to.’
His mobile phone warbled just then and he said quickly, ‘Excuse me. It might be the hospital.’ He checked the display. ‘Yes, it is.’ He connected the call and listened carefully for a minute or two. ‘All right, thanks for letting me know.’
‘Is it Jenny Miller?’ Saskia asked when he’d slipped his phone back into his pocket. ‘Did she come through the operation okay?’
‘Yes, she did. Obviously, she’s still in Intensive Care, and they’re concerned about her blood pressure and respiration, but at least she came through the surgery.’ He sent her a long, assessing look. ‘If it hadn’t been for you noticing the signs, it’s quite likely she might not even have reached that far.’
She breathed a sigh of relief. ‘I’m really glad for her.’ A high percentage of people didn’t survive when they suffered a tear in the main artery, so the fact that Jenny had been able to undergo surgery was a huge blessing—and a great weight off her mind. ‘That’s wonderful news.’
‘It is.’ He reached for her and gave her arms a gentle squeeze. They stood there for a while, not moving, simply basking in the moment, until at last Tyler pulled himself together and said, ‘Come on, let me show you the rest of the house. The kitchen’s through here. The food should just about be ready.’
Still glowing inside from his thoughtful, tender embrace, she followed him out of the room.
The kitchen was warm, filled with the appetising smell of the pizza that was baking in the classical white-painted Aga. There was a large free-standing island unit in the middle of the room, painted a gentle cream colour, with drawers and cupboards in slatted wood, and around the walls were various bespoke pieces in a pleasing mixture of white and cream. To one side of the room, facing the wide window, there was a deep porcelain sink, and further along, near the glass doors that opened out on to a patio, there was a hand-crafted table and chairs.
‘This is perfect,’ she said, gazing around in awe. ‘Why would you want to change anything in here?’
He looked surprised. ‘I don’t, particularly. I had this room renovated a couple of years ago, so it’s probably the best room in the house. It’s the rest I’m concerned about. I don’t know how best to make changes without spoiling the original features of the house.’
‘Perhaps you don’t need to do much.’ She helped him to set the table, putting out plates and cutlery, a bowl of salad and bread sticks. There was a warm intimacy to sharing the simple domestic tasks, and more than once she had to pull her attention back to their conversation. ‘The curtains in the living room are quite heavy looking,’ she murmured. ‘You might want to change them for something much lighter in texture and colour, and maybe change the wall colour to something pale with just a hint of warmth.’
He waved her to a chair. ‘You think that would make much of a difference?’ He sounded doubtful as he drew the pizza from the oven and transferred it to a circular board. Next to that, he set down a plate of hot barbecued chicken wings.
‘I do. I think you’ll be surprised at the result. It might also lighten things up if you add two or three cushions—perhaps a pale green and cream silk would look good.’
‘I might try that. Like you say, it wouldn’t take much, but it could change the whole atmosphere of the room.’ He gestured towards the food spread out on the table. ‘Help yourself,’ he said, coming to sit opposite her, ‘but be careful—it’s hot.’ He started to cut the pizza into triangular wedges, then wiped his hands on a serviette and began to pour wine into two crystal wine glasses.
She watched his deft, supple movements, and then took a quick sip of wine to cover her uncertainty. There was something about his long, lithe body that made her senses quiver in anticipation.
‘Thanks,’ she murmured. ‘It smells delicious. I didn’t realise how hungry I was.’ She bit into the pizza, savouring the melted cheese and luscious peppers. It was mouth-wateringly good and as she lifted her little finger to wipe a faint line of moisture from her lower lip, she looked up to see that Tyler was watching her with rapt attention.
‘Pizza makes a tasty meal,’ she said awkwardly, feeling self-conscious, ‘but it’s not always easy to eat it with any kind of elegance.’
‘Oh, I don’t know about that,’ he murmured. ‘It looks pretty good from where I’m sitting.’
Warm colour flowed along her cheekbones. ‘Um...about the house,’ she said huskily, searching for a way back to safe ground, ‘perhaps you could open up the staircase in the hall—take off the wooden boards that have been used to enclose it and expose the spindles. It would give a completely different feel to that part of the house.’
He thought about that. ‘You’re very good,’ he said, giving her a shrewd look. ‘How do you know these things?’
She smiled. ‘Well, I have to confess my mother has her own interior design business—she’s always trying out new ideas, and I think over the years some of her knowledge must have rubbed off on me.’
‘Ah...that explains it.’ He picked up a chicken wing and bit into it. ‘I expect it’s in your blood.’
‘Maybe.’ It was fascinating to watch him eat, to see those strong, capable fingers curled with such finesse around a morsel of food. He licked the sauce from his thumb and forefinger, and then paused to study her thoughtfully once more. ‘Are you okay?’
‘Uh...yes, I’m fine.’ She bent her head to add a helping of salad to her plate.
‘I think you said you don’t see too much of your parents—have they been to visit your brother and Megan? You haven’t mentioned it.’
‘Yes, they’ve been to see them a few times. My mother commutes—she has to leave someone else in charge of the business while she’s away, but she always has her laptop with her so that she can keep an eye on things. And my father has flown over from Spain a couple of times.’ She wiped her fingers on a serviette and then rested her hand by her wine glass. ‘They’re very worried.’
‘I’m sure they must be.’ He laid his hand on hers and gave her a long, thoughtful look. ‘It’s hard on all of you, but you seem to be managing to keep it all together. I think you’re doing an amazing job with the children. It can’t have been easy to take th
em on.’
‘Thanks.’ She smiled, comforted by the warm reassurance of his gentle touch. It took away all the loneliness of her situation. ‘I’ve always been involved with them from the day they were born. They’re the next best thing to having a family of my own.’ She studied him in return. ‘What about you? Do you ever think about having a family of your own one day?’
He was silent for a moment, reluctantly releasing her hand and frowning as he turned his attention back to his meal. ‘I haven’t given it a lot of thought,’ he said at last. ‘I suppose I’m used to the solitude of this house.’ He smiled. ‘Or at least I was. It’s something else to think of a horde of youngsters running around the place. I’m not averse to it, but it would take some getting used to, I think.’
‘Perhaps it’s different if they’re your own.’
‘Maybe.’
Deep down she might have been hoping for a different kind of answer, but she really ought to have known better. Tyler was used to perfection in everything. He’d moulded his life to the pattern he wanted, and he wasn’t likely to change that any time soon, was he? Why did that bother her so much?
‘I think I ought to give Caitlin a call and see if she arrived safely at her friend’s house,’ she said, anxious to shift the conversation to less controversial ground. ‘She should be there by now.’
He nodded. ‘I’ll get the dessert.’
‘Oh, I’m sorry.’ She looked at him in dismay. ‘I’ll phone her later. I didn’t realise you’d made a dessert as well.’
‘No, no. Go ahead and make the call. It’s important.’ He gave her a quick smile before going over to the fridge and taking out two glass dishes. ‘I must confess the dessert is the simplest I could think of—fruit salad with cream.’
‘Mmm...my favourite, next to blackberry and apple crumble.’ She smiled as he speared a pineapple chunk with a fork and let it float in the air irresistibly close to her mouth. ‘Oh, bliss.’ She bit off the sweet fruit and let the juice trickle down her throat. ‘Mmm...mmm...mmm.’