Chapter 14
E dward was not used to feeling out of control of his emotions, but it was becoming a genuine struggle to keep a handle on them when it came to Scarlett.
Watching her walk away tugged at him, and he didn’t like it.
Her words, “never again,” bothered him.
It even reminded him of a Taylor Swift song, something he disliked even more– especially as Lily had tortured him with it on repeat for several weeks.
He pulled out his phone and checked for messages. Evelyn, as expected, had responded to his previous message quickly, confirming her husband was currently away for several weeks and she would be happy to meet at their usual place if he fancied it.
He could see she’d sent another:
Evelyn: It’s rude to leave a lady waiting, Eddie.
Despite knowing and being better, he left her on read, trying to determine if meeting her was actually a good idea.
She was an attractive woman, and it was of no importance she was married because of the arrangement she had with her husband.
The beauty of the entire situation was that there were no expectations or emotions involved, but all that aside, it niggled at his conscience and still felt wrong.
He just wasn’t sure why, as it had never been a problem before now.
Although he could hazard a guess that the fiery auburn-haired woman that plagued his thoughts every day of his current existence probably had something to do with it.
Edward was still standing lost in thought, staring at the now empty corridor, oblivious to the sound of the front door opening until he heard a cacophony of voices fill the entrance hall.
“Edward, what a lovely surprise, you decided to welcome us– Ana?se, sweetheart, meet my brother, the laird of the castle.”
“Oh my God, Edward, so nice to meet you, and Lennie wasn’t lying. The place is divine. It’s even more beautiful than he described– it’s like something out of a picture book.” Ana?se enveloped Edward in an awkward hug and kissed both his cheeks.
“Lennie?” Edward raised his eyebrow in Leonard’s direction. His brother shrugged with a smile in return.
“Journey from the airport was the smoothest it’s ever been– took no time at all.” Leonard ushered the other two wide-eyed, open-mouthed guests into the house, closing the huge oak-panelled door behind them. “Welcome, welcome, come on in, get warm.”
A throng surrounded Edward, showering him with handshakes, air kisses, and unwelcome hugs.
“A real laird, huh? Now that’s a kick.” A bald man in a deep red robe with bare feet stood before Edward, beaming and bowing his head. “Namaste.”
Edward nodded and stared at his bare feet. It was freezing outside.
“Leonard, you’re back! Oh my, welcome, welcome, everyone.”
Edward sighed with relief at the familiar sound of Mrs Wilson’s voice approaching them all.
“Ahh, Mrs Wilson.” Leonard ushered Ana?se in her direction, and the other two, like eager sheep, followed suit. “This is my lovely fiancée, Ana?se.”
“Oh, hello, my dear, such a pleasure. We’re so pleased to have you all here. Goodness, you must all be exhausted. Scarlett will be along any minute now to help, but let’s get you all up to your rooms.” Mrs Wilson guided them towards the stairway.
The group responded with various noises of appreciation at their surroundings.
“You can leave your heavy bags– Andrzej and the lads will bring them all up for you. Oh, such a lovely thing to have you all here. Come along, this way.”
Edward didn’t need a second opportunity and silently drifted away towards his rooms and office. His mood was bleak– it was going to be far worse than even he had expected.
As he approached his office door, he heard the group become even more animated as Scarlett’s unmissable English accent floated above them, unsettling him further.
The woman had the most frustrating and bewildering effect on him and it was making him feel as if he was literally going mad.
Walking into the office, he closed the door firmly behind him, wishing he could shut Scarlett, his brother, and all his American guests out for good.
Edward’s recent existence up to this point had been uneventful at best, but it was peaceful with a routine, and although monotonous and not particularly exciting, it brought him peace.
He did not currently feel peaceful.
Looking around his office, which usually filled him with a sense of calm and organised purpose, he wanted to pull all the carefully categorised books from the shelves and rip the pictures off the walls.
He sighed and settled for a less violent approach. Instead, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and opened his messaging app to view the messages.
Evelyn was still there glaring up at him, still left on read.
Fuck it.
Edward: Hi. Sorry, it’s been busy here.
As he expected, with her phone constantly in her hand, the three dots appeared in an instant, showing she was typing a response.
Evelyn: Well, that took a while longer than usual. I hear Leonard is home?
Edward: Yes, along with his entire American entourage!
Evelyn: Sounds suitably painful– imagine the idea of coming to see me is even more appealing now.
Edward: Something like that.
Evelyn: Make it happen then, Eddie.
Edward paused, beginning to regret starting the ball rolling on this.
Evelyn was a nice woman and although their emotionally devoid agreement was mutually beneficial, his motives felt off.
This was a blatant distraction from Scarlett, and he was using Evelyn, as opposed to just arranging an enjoyable evening with her.
He flinched as the realisation dawned on him; he shared more traits with his brother than he cared to admit– at least Leonard wore his narcissism on his sleeve. He didn’t hide behind false stoic values and principles.
His phone vibrated, bringing his attention back to the room.
Evelyn: Just know I won’t wait forever x
Edward didn’t reply.
Locking his phone, he flung the offending object into a drawer in his desk– he felt now more than ever that technology was more trouble than it was worth.
Instant access to people wasn’t always a good thing, and he’d now made himself, and potentially Evelyn, feel far worse than either of them had felt five minutes earlier.
Using Evelyn to distract himself from Scarlett was a low move, and not something he was remotely comfortable with.
He’d find other ways.
Besides, it wasn’t as if he didn’t have other people or things to focus on– he literally had an entire house full of exactly that. Which reminded him: Lily was on her way over.
The thought of her driving made him feel slightly sick. Who deemed it okay for an eighteen-year-old to be put in charge of a two-tonne killing machine?
The idea seemed obscene.
He checked his pockets to find his phone before remembering it was in the drawer, and he sighed again. He did that a lot at the moment. He took the phone back out, unlocked it, and scrolled through his recent calls until Lily’s name appeared on the screen.
It only rang once before she answered. “Hi, Dad.”
“Hello, just wondering what time you’re planning on leaving.”
“About an hour, just waiting on the tumble dryer. Have they arrived yet?”
“Aye, it’s like the circus has arrived.” Edward opened his laptop, deciding to do some work.
“Try not to alienate them on the first day.” Lily huffed down the phone at him.
He rolled his eyes. “I’ve not seen them enough to work my magic yet.”
“Did you at least welcome them when they arrived?” He could hear the frustration in her voice, and he almost laughed at the irony of taking lessons in politeness from an obnoxious teenager.
“Aye and then passed them over to Mrs Wilson.”
“She’s a gem.”
“Have you filled up with fuel? And have you done your checks? Windscreen wash, oil, tyre pressure, like I showed you?”
“Yes, Dad. I’ll be fine. Mum says you need to calm yourself. Frankie monitors all that for me.”
“That’s great for Frankie . You need to know and be doing it yourself, not relying on other people.”
“Right, my clothes will be done. I’m going to finish getting my stuff together. I’ll see you all tonight.” He could hear Lily’s patience wearing thin.
“Okay, drive sensibly.”
“In a bit.” The line went dead.
“Love you too.” Edward leaned back in his chair, drumming his fingers on the desk and twirling the phone in his other hand.
Too agitated to be productive, he wondered which room Scarlett was currently in. Was she where he’d found her earlier? Were thoughts of him also plaguing her– or was he already eradicated, written off as a moment of madness?
He closed his eyes and pinched the top of his nose with his forefinger and thumb, shaking his head.
His phone vibrated again in his hand, and after a moment’s hesitation he looked down at the notification– it was Briege, his ex-girlfriend.
No fucking chance .
They dated for two years not long after his split from Lily’s mum, and the rumour mill recently informed him she was not long separated and asking after his current circumstances, to which he’d responded, “I’m not in the market for another toxic relationship, thanks very much.”
Edward stood and placed his phone back in the drawer again.
“Nope,” he said aloud.
He stood and left the office, shutting the door and the prospect of Briege firmly behind him.
Fresh air was the best thing for him. He walked into the now empty hallway and listened to the unusual sound of high-spirited voices and footsteps in the corridors and rooms above him.
For a moment he considered the thought that it was a pleasant and almost comforting sound, until a shriek of laughter pierced through his reverie, making him shudder and make a quick beeline for the back door, careful to avoid Mrs Wilson who was humming in the kitchen.
Opening the heavy door to the side of the house, a cool draught entered the room, making him stop and reach for his wax coat.
His hand paused as his attention was caught by the collar and lead hanging next to it.
Unable to resist its pull, he touched the red collar with the name Bruce embroidered on it in a thick, dark blue thread.
The colour had faded but the memory of his trusted black labrador and the pain of losing him were still fresh.
Edward wasn’t an outwardly emotional man, but losing Bruce three years ago had hit hard, and he remembered it being more painful than his divorce– even now he had to blink away a tear.
The idea of replacing him seemed appalling, but maybe it was time. The estate needed a dog and perhaps so did he.
He took his coat off its peg and shrugged it on, pushing away his melancholy, which was irritating him.
If it’s not women or my family, it’s a fucking dog.
Taking a last glance at Bruce’s collar, he sighed deeply and closed the door behind him.
He’d take a walk down to the loch and check all was well.
Edward knew Andrzej had it all under control and was busy repairing some of the damage to the east bank, but it had been a couple of weeks since he’d last gone down to look; besides, it was a good excuse to clear his head.
To his left, he saw June and Andrzej in the near distance, their hands full of produce from the kitchen garden.
He noticed how the pair always appeared easy and content in each other’s company, exchanging affectionate smiles and softly spoken words, to the point that if he didn’t know any better, he might think something was going on.
But he dismissed the idea as ridiculous; neither of them seemed to have any romantic ambitions, much like himself. It’s what made them so amiable and easy to manage as employees, and he found comfort in that. Perhaps needing a romantic partner was becoming outdated.
It certainly made his own life easier. Usually.
Edward shut down his train of thought and instead welcomed the drizzle of rain on his face. The summer had stretched into the autumn months, which was pleasant, but it did little good for the ecosystem of the estate and the surrounding land.
Lost in thought, he didn’t hear the footsteps approaching and froze, his mouth unable to form words, when Ana?se’s monk rounded the corner– naked.
The monk’s serene expression remained unchanged; only a soft smile formed.
“My laird.” He bowed his head. “The water and its aura are nothing short of magnificent here.”
Edward remained speechless, his eyes wide and mouth open as if he wanted to speak but couldn’t.
“I will reconnect with the others. I’m so looking forward to continuing on this journey with you all in this beautiful place. I feel blessed.” He bowed his head again and walked back towards the house.
Edward, astonished and dumbfounded, turned and watched the naked man walk away, noticing June and Andrzej stop what they were doing, also visibly baffled at the sight.
Andrzej had his hands raised to his head and June raised her own to cover her mouth. They looked like two of the wise monkeys– he wondered if that made him the third.
“Christ all fucking mighty,” he finally said.
As the monk disappeared into the house, Edward saw Andrzej laugh and shrug, shaking his head.
He mirrored the action and averted his attention to look up at the house.
What on earth had Leonard unleashed upon them all?
A chill ran through him, but he remained where he was, looking up at the four floors of the house. Lamps were being turned on as the light outside faded.
On the second floor, he swore he could make out Scarlett’s form moving across the window of his mother’s old room, holding up some kind of garment. She was probably helping Ana?se unpack, or maybe dress.
Edward immediately regretted his thoughts as an image of undressing Scarlett flooded his mind, making him groan out loud.
He really needed to be free of her.
Maybe sleeping with her would be the best remedy after all– sex, even when it was good, put an end to most things. Especially when it was carnal, which was all this was– some inexplicable chemistry, nothing more.
Maybe he just needed to feel and taste her, possess her body for a short amount of time, and then be free of her and the effect she was having on him.
If only he could push past the fact she was June’s daughter and now his employee living on the estate. Not to mention the niggling worry that once wouldn’t be nearly enough.