Chapter 8
I t wasn’t his intention to orchestrate another meeting with her, but after spotting Scarlett wandering into the woods, and Andrzej unknowingly following shortly after, Edward felt compelled to meet Andrzej at the crest of the woods to help him with the fence.
Quickly changing out of his chinos and shoes, swapping them for jeans and boots, he headed out to drive up to the top field so he could meet Andrzej there, meaning they could walk down together.
Of course, he knew Scarlett would likely be there too, and the feeling of anticipation winding tightly in his stomach irritated him.
She’s not for me.
He knew she had recently separated from a long marriage, and although he didn’t know the details, he sensed the situation was messy and complicated.
Edward didn’t do complicated.
He liked things simple, without drama, and definitely no emotional mess– all reasons he’d never remarried after his split from Natasha.
The estate was enough, and he had access to company when he felt the urge.
He knew he wasn’t unattractive and there were enough unattached women, or those with certain marital understandings, in his circle of acquaintances who were happy to meet for the odd drink and dinner when it suited both parties.
These types of meetings had recently become less common, and he wasn’t sure if it was him or his companions who’d become tired of them; perhaps it was both. He winced, suddenly remembering there were a couple of WhatsApp messages he still hadn’t replied to.
They were the usual innocuous but loaded type, such as: Hey, how’s things with you?
He knew engaging with them would lead to agreeing to a meeting, which rarely meant anything other than a night of banal conversation, too much alcohol, followed by mediocre sex– none of which seemed all that appealing, so he’d simply left them on read.
He wasn’t proud of his often distant and insensitive approach to these things, but in his mind, he was always upfront about his intentions.
Conventional dating and relationships weren’t amongst them.
But Edward couldn’t help wondering if he found himself in a similar situation with Scarlett, would it be that easy to leave her on read?
The day before, despite his best intentions to block her out, he kept catching himself thinking about her.
His thoughts would rest on simple things, like how loose strands of her auburn hair appeared amber in the light when they escaped her ponytail.
Or how she’d absentmindedly move stray curls behind her ear when she spoke, despite them springing loose again moments later in their bid for freedom.
He’d felt like a fool and kept pushing the thoughts away for the rest of the day, eventually falling into a fitful sleep.
But apparently sanity was not prevailing and this morning there was clearly no stopping him as he parked one of the small 4x4s they used for driving across the estate.
He pocketed the keys and began walking up towards the entrance to the woods.
He crossed the stile in a single stride and inhaled the familiar smells as he waited, the faint voices drawing nearer.
Mild annoyance prickled at him when he heard their laughter.
Andrzej was the first to wave, and Scarlett reluctantly did the same. Edward wondered if he’d interrupted something.
Had Andrzej already charmed her with his easy and kind manner?
He couldn’t blame her. Despite the men being of similar age, compared to his own prickly and awkward ways, his Polish employee must seem like a warm hug in lionesque form with his thick mane of blonde hair and broad physique.
He looked like a Danish Viking despite his Eastern European heritage, and even as a comfortably heterosexual man, Edward could see the appeal from a woman’s point of view.
Although hesitant to admit it, he was particularly interested in Scarlett’s thoughts on this.
“Good morning.” Andrzej smiled brightly.
“Morning.” Edward managed a tight smile. “I thought you might need a hand with this fence.”
“We were just discussing this.” Andrzej threw Scarlett a subtle conspiratorial wink.
“William’s assistant said it was just a couple of panels, but we’ll see once we walk down.” Edward turned his attention to Scarlett. “You look better.”
“I appreciate the couple of days to get some rest. Thank you for that.”
Edward nodded. “You’ll be no use to anyone if you’re constantly fainting on the stairwell.”
“I mean, I wasn’t quite that bad. I think all that travel tired me out.” She narrowed her eyes at him.
“Yes, I’m sure.” Edward turned away, signalling their conversation was over, and headed back towards the field. “If you follow the path to the left, it will take you further up the hill. You’ll then come to the waterfall. It’s a pleasant walk up there, not too taxing.”
“I was going to come down and see the river,” Scarlett told him, a hint of annoyance now in her voice.
Edward turned, noticing Andrzej’s mildly amused expression as he watched the exchange.
It hardened Edward’s resolve further. “No need to bother yourself. Best to stay out of the way.” He turned again and jumped over the fence into the field.
“Watch your footing if you walk to the pool below the falls.”
“Right,” Scarlett huffed.
“Enjoy your walk,” Edward heard Andrzej say just as he was about to offer a similar comment, but he fell silent when he saw Andrzej gently touch Scarlett’s shoulder before leaving her to meet Edward in the field.
Scarlett’s face hardened when she looked at Edward, and huffing again, she headed off in the suggested direction. He internally scolded himself for being so harsh. She didn’t deserve it, and he didn’t understand why he had such a bizarre reaction to her.
“We go?” Andrzej asked, pulling Edward from his thoughts as he watched Scarlett walk away.
He avoided meeting Andrzej’s curious gaze. “Yes, let’s see what the damage is.”
“I hear your brother arrives on Saturday– it’s been a while.”
Edward nodded. “Indeed.”
“Is your mother visiting with him this time?”
“No, she’s planning a visit late spring. She’s hoping the midges won’t be out in full force by then.”
“But of course she knows they will?”
“Andrzej, as you well know, you can tell my mother the sky is blue, but if she wishes to believe it’s purple, no mere mortal or God himself can convince her otherwise.”
This made Andrzej let out a hearty laugh, making Edward smile.
The two continued to walk down to the river in companionable silence. The surrounding beauty of the fields, with their now wilting wildflowers and colouring leaves on the trees, always filled him with pride.
He loved his ancestral home, but it was the woodlands, the fields, and the river below that provided him with a soft sense of unharnessed joy.
It brought him peace, no matter how much turmoil the world around him was in– another reason he would never let his brother sell it, certainly not as long as he was alive.
“Ah, I see where it has fallen.” Andrzej pointed to the four broken panels that were lying flat on Sir William’s land.
His English neighbour, who he saw infrequently but had a good understanding with, took immense pleasure in taking his friends river fishing, and Edward liked to keep the peace as much as possible.
Andrzej continued, “The wood has split, but I have some spare panels in the storage which I can mend this easily with. It will be done today. I can do this alone, if you have other business.”
“Think I’d rather be doing this.” Edward needed something physical to do to work off this overwhelming restlessness he was struggling to shift.
Andrzej threw him a warm smile and shrugged. “Okay.”
The pair began lifting and dragging the broken wood.
“The daughter seems to be settling in okay, then.” The words were out before he could stop them.
“You tell me this or ask as a question?” Andrzej looked across at Edward.
“I saw you talking, that’s all. She seemed like she was.” Edward shrugged before yanking part of the fence free from a stubborn branch and continued, slightly breathless, “It’s better I give you a hand with this, then it’s done quicker.”
“I appreciate it.” Andrzej lifted the other end of a larger panel of wood that Edward was dragging out of the way of the boundary. “I only spoke with her briefly. She is very easy to talk to. I see the resemblance to her mother.”
Edward simply shrugged, and the pair worked in silence for a while before Edward replied.
“I don’t think she particularly enjoys talking to me.
” He dropped his side of the final panel, placing a leg on top of a neighbouring tree stump and resting his arm on his raised knee to survey the area.
“That’s the bulk of it. The ATV has some rope on it.
If you drag all this over to the far gate, we can bring the truck down with the new wood and take this up to the barn for burning at some point. ”
“Sounds like a good plan.” Andrzej wiped his brow with the back of his hand. “And if I can speak plainly?” He threw Edward a questioning look.
“Of course,” Edward replied.
“Maybe the lady likes to be spoken to in a gentler way. Perhaps then she will be more talkative.” Andrzej shrugged, holding Edward’s gaze.
Edward’s mouth formed a thin line at the comment, but he nodded. “Perhaps she will, Andrzej.”
The two men looked at the wood in silence for a while before Edward straightened and turned back towards the hill. “Let’s walk back up. You can bring the ATV down then.”
“Yes, sir.”
When they arrived back at the top of the hill, Edward threw the keys to Andrzej.
“Let me know if you need any help,” Edward told him, avoiding the groundsman’s interested gaze.
Andrzej caught the keys with one hand and nodded as Edward watched the entrance into the woods.
After a moment’s hesitation, Edward stepped back over the fence and headed towards the waterfall, Andrzej’s quiet chuckle trailing after him.