Chapter Thirty-Three
E leanor was not the sort of person that ignored telephone calls. In fact, she had always prided herself on being the kind of person who promptly returned all correspondence, who was always prepared, and always professional.
And yet, here she was, staring as her phone vibrated incessantly in her hand, displaying Elizabeth’s name again and again. She declined the call yet again with a swipe of her thumb.
The problem was that she knew why Elizabeth was calling.
And all of this was difficult enough without Elizabeth’s entreaties about… heritage or responsibilities, or sound financial decisions, or whatever else.
Not that she wasn’t going to follow her decision through.
She most certainly was. Once decided, this seemed like the most sensible course of action.
To cut herself free, to become who she wanted to be, to, perhaps, one day deserve the love of someone like Danni.
And, in return, to be able to fully give herself to that person.
But Elizabeth, ever the pragmatist, was trying to talk her out of her impending meeting. Her mind was made up, though. Today she would stand in front of the trust and the bank and do what needed to be done .
Her phone rang again, she ignored the call again, and she straightened her blazer, striding into the conference room, head held high. She was ready.
ELEANOR STEPPED OUT of the meeting feeling as if she’d been hit by a runaway tractor. And she, of all people, should know what that felt like.
The world outside the quiet discretion of the bank seemed unnaturally bright, the sounds of cars too loud, the air too crisp. She reached for her phone with trembling fingers and, for the first time in an hour, attempted to return Elizabeth’s call.
A clipped, professional voice answered on the second ring. “Elizabeth Allen’s office.”
“I need to speak to her,” Eleanor said, her voice steadier than her legs as she leaned against the brick wall of the bank.
“I’m sorry, Ma’am, Ms. Allen is currently in court. Can I take a message?”
Eleanor clenched her jaw. Of course she was. Elizabeth had warned her that she had a hearing today, which could mean that she wouldn’t be reachable for hours yet. Eleanor stared blankly at the phone, then at the bustling street in front of her.
What the hell had just happened in that meeting?
ELEANOR PULLED THE car up in front of The Willows, not entirely sure how she’d gotten there. One moment, she’d been standing outside the bank, and the next she was pulling into the long drive. She left the car, marched into reception, and demanded to see her grandmother.
A few minutes later, she was being escorted to the outside terrace, where she saw Isabella sitting and enjoying her tea as if the world were not spinning off its axis.
“Oh dear,” Isabella said. “I assume something dreadful has happened?”
Eleanor sank into the chair opposite her, rubbing her temples. “I’m not sure if dreadful serves,” she said. “But the most extraordinary thing has happened. ”
Isabella lifted a brow. “You’ve learned to knit?”
Eleanor shot her a glare. “No.”
“Good. Dreadfully common hobby. In fact, I disapprove of the word hobby. Pastime is a far more serviceable word.”
“Grandmama,” Eleanor said in exasperation.
“When you get to my age, dear, nothing seems quite as urgent anymore. But my apologies. What is it that has you so ruffled?”
Eleanor took a breath. “The offer on the estate is gone. There’s no longer a buyer. No one wants it.”
Her grandmother hummed, taking a slow sip of tea. “Interesting.”
“One minute I’m being snowed under with offers, practically begging me to sell the land at the very least, and suddenly, now, there’s nothing.” It didn’t sound real, even as she was saying it. It hadn’t sounded real when the bank had informed her that the offer had been rescinded.
Isabella set her cup down with a quiet clink. “Then, my dear, you should be suspicious.”
Eleanor frowned. “Suspicious?”
“Nothing in this world simply disappears without cause. You should find out why.”
Eleanor exhaled, wishing she could run her hands through her hair but not wanting to ruin her immaculate chignon. “I can’t get hold of Elizabeth.”
“I see.” Isabella picked up her cup again. “Well, until you can, answer me this. Were you truly going to sell?”
Eleanor hesitated, staring over the terrace railing. The thought of giving up the estate had once been unthinkable, but now…
“Yes,” she said quietly. “If it was the only way that I could have Danni, if it would prove to her that I’m worth having, that I’m not so in love with something else that she’d have to fight for me, yes, I would have done it.”
“Interesting,” Isabella said.
“Why is that?”
Her grandmother gave her a knowing smile.
“Because it means that you’ve finally figured out what’s truly important.
” She waved her hand. “Selling the estate was a grand gesture, but I was fairly certain it would never pan out. Not many people have the money for large houses these days, and it was unlikely that the developer had considered the constraints of building around a protected property. I’m assuming Marren was just the spokesperson, the money must have come from elsewhere. ”
“You never intended for me to sell the estate?” Eleanor asked in horror.
Her grandmother shrugged. “It’s just a house, my dear.
If you sold it, then so much the better, as long as it was what you wanted to do.
But I didn’t think it would be easy. What really needed to happen was that you had to see that the house was keeping you from living the life you wanted.
You can have both, you know, as long as you’re willing to compromise. ”
Eleanor sighed and sat back. “As it happens, I do have another idea.”
She laid out the details before her grandmother, Isabella listening carefully, and then nodding in approval.
“That could work,” she said finally.
“Good,” Eleanor said.
“However, if you want Danni back, you’ll need to do more than make plans,” said Isabella. “You will need to show her how you feel.”
Eleanor stiffened. “I’m not one for grand displays.”
“And therein lies your problem.” Isabella lifted her china cup and sipped.
This was too much, Eleanor thought. “You were the one who taught me to hide my feelings,” she protested.
“In polite company, yes,” said Isabella. “But a real lady will show her emotions to those who matter. When I think of some of the fights that your grandfather and I had. He was a passionate man.”
“He was?” Eleanor said, thoroughly shocked.
“In front of me, of course,” Isabella said.
“He hid nothing from me, and I nothing from him. But what went on behind closed doors was our own business. Danni, on the other hand, grew up in a different style. I think you might find that our stiff-upper-lip nonsense doesn’t do much for her. Tell me, does she matter to you?”
The question made Eleanor’s stomach twist. “Yes,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Then,” Isabella said, “perhaps it’s time you let her see that.”
Eleanor huffed. “So what? I should arrange a flash mob? Hire a hot air balloon? Perhaps graffiti my declarations on a motorway bridge?”
Isabella serenely sipped her tea. “You should do what is right. Do what Danni would like.”
Eleanor mulled that over. She wasn’t demonstrative. But perhaps that was going to be necessary. Perhaps to win Danni over, if she could win Danni over, she’d need to open up, reveal what was beneath the shell.
She swallowed, the thought was unnerving.
“My dear,” Isabella said, taking pity on her. “You were about to give up a grand inheritance for the woman. I should think that you could find the courage to open your heart to her, don’t you?”
Eleanor nodded.
“And if not,” said Isabella thoughtfully, “you might ask that Samson. He looks like a man with a few romantic ideas. Such a shame that he’s already married.”
“Grandmama,” Eleanor said.
“What?” asked Isabella. “I’m old, not dead. And perhaps it’s time that I demonstrated to you that being honest about one’s wants and desires is no bad thing.”
“Please, no,” said Eleanor, feeling slightly faint.
“Very well,” sighed Isabella. “In that case, I suggest you go about your business and leave me to my tea. But a word of warning, don’t leave things too long. No one likes to wait around. Particularly if they think that no one is coming.”
Eleanor stood up. “Thank you,” she said softly, dropping a kiss on Isabella’s cheek.
“Go and fix what you so clearly broke,” said Isabella. “And bring Danni with you to visit next time. Or, failing that, Samson. I could use a little cheering up.”
Eleanor rolled her eyes and went back into the large drawing room.
THE ROAD UP to the farm was so familiar by now that it almost felt like driving home. Except this wasn’t home, as Eleanor had to keep reminding herself. It was evening now, the light getting softer, the smells of cut hay and animals coming in through the open car window.
She still wasn’t quite sure what she was going to do or say. She just knew that she couldn’t wait a moment longer.
But as soon as she pulled up in front of the house, she knew something was wrong. A quiet, sinking feeling settled in her gut. The place was deserted.
The farmhouse was eerily still. There was no sign of Danni’s old Land Rover, no lights in the farmhouse window, no scent of cooking, no sound of Tommy whistling somewhere off in the back barn. It was as if the farm had been abandoned.
Panic started to rise in her chest. She had taken too long. She’d spent so much time trying to figure out what to do and how to do it that she’d missed her chance entirely.
She turned in a slow circle, scanning the property. No lights. No movement. Nothing.
Her breath hitched.
It couldn’t be. Had Danni… left? The thought sent a wave of nausea rolling through her, made her skin clammy and her breath come faster.
For the first time in her life, Eleanor felt truly afraid, well and truly lost. And she had no idea what she was supposed to do next.