Chapter 15 #2
Evidenced by the ancient tapestries on the wall. ‘Is this place home for you?’
‘Kind of.’ Connor led her down a landing lined with wooden pillars, busts of various heads perched on top. ‘I feel at home here, and I get treated the same as the other family members, so yes, it’s home. I couldn’t live here all the time, though. It’s full on.’
Elena spied a stag’s head on the wall. ‘I can imagine.’
‘Plus, the internet connection’s rubbish.’
Elena laughed. ‘Travesty.’
‘This is the room.’ Connor opened the door and let her enter first.
It was large, with a four-poster bed, and contained more shabby period furniture than your average museum. ‘Fancy.’
‘Are you dating my brother?’ Connor’s question caught her off guard and she turned to look at him, surprised by his frankness.
‘He’s evasive when I ask him, but he talks about you a lot, so I figure he must like you.
’ His cheeks coloured and he looked uncertain, as though he knew he was crossing a line, but desperately wanted reassurance.
Elena kept her response playful. ‘I’m guessing some of what he says isn’t flattering, so you’re confused, right? Understandable, we didn’t get off to the best start.’ She dumped her rucksack on a wingback chair. ‘It was all-out war.’
‘But you like him?’ He sounded uncertain.
Elena went over to Connor. Whatever her feelings towards Danny, she knew Connor was struggling with his mental health and she needed to tread gently.
‘Yes, I like him, but we’re not dating. I’m his physio and he’s my patient.
It’s true we’ve moved past wanting to maim each other, and I’d like to think we’ve become friends, but it’s nothing more than that. Sorry.’
Connor chewed on his thumbnail. ‘Why not?’
‘It’s just not that kind of relationship,’ she said, with a shrug.
Danny wasn’t the right man for her, and she certainly wasn’t the right woman for him.
She’d ignored the warning signs with her ex, dismissing Luisa’s concerns that Felix was too rigid for her, too staid and uptight.
And her sister had been right. She needed to learn from her mistakes, and wait for passion and energy and laughter to come along.
Someone who would be playful and daft, and dress up for Secret Cinema events.
Danny was a nice man, but he wasn’t demonstrative or free-spirited.
And she was far too ‘dramatic’ for him, she’d drive him nuts.
He needed calm and serene and controlled, all the things she wasn’t.
It would never work … or so she kept trying to convince herself.
Something that might be easier to do if she didn’t find him so attractive.
Connor didn’t look convinced either. ‘I know he seems grumpy, but he really isn’t like that. His sadness is my fault. Underneath, he’s funny and kind, and he loves deeply.’
No wonder Danny adored Connor so much. ‘You have a lovely relationship.’
Connor frowned at his bitten thumbnail and lowered his hand. ‘I don’t want him to be alone. He needs someone like you.’
Elena felt a tightness in her chest. ‘You don’t know me.’
‘I know you make him flustered.’
Elena laughed. ‘And that’s a good thing?’
‘I’ve only ever seen him disinterested before. Hugh says he needs someone to rattle him a bit, make him lose control and live a little. You seem like someone who—’
‘Rattles people?’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Maybe you do know me after all.’
‘Will you keep an open mind?’ His expression was pleading.
‘Maybe.’ She nudged his arm, not wanting to dwell on thoughts of her and Danny as a couple, it was too conflicting. ‘For now, I’m here to compete in this barbaric boat race, with no rules, so business first, pleasure later. Lead me to the slaughter … as Iron Maiden would say.’
Connor’s face brightened. ‘You like Iron Maiden?’
‘Like’s too strong a word. My Papi’s partial to a spot of heavy rock. I’m more Lewis Capaldi than Bruce Dickinson.’
Once they were outside and heading towards the lake, the relative quiet of the manor house disappeared.
The vast lawn area was scattered with pitched tents and picnic tables with Fortnum & Mason hampers.
Children raced around, chased by frantic adults trying to rein them in.
Elena wondered if the word ‘lake’ was an exaggeration.
Would it turn out to be a large pond, or a grand water feature?
But no, it was indeed a full-blown lake, large enough to accommodate ten teams of four people and their makeshift boats.
Tall reeds and grasses lined the water’s edge, with floating water lilies dotted about the surface sparkling under the sunlight.
There were several wooden jetties leading down to the water, and a rope bridge provided access to a summerhouse on the other side.
The eccentricity didn’t stop there. The chaos extended far beyond anything Elena could have imagined.
Each team had a base camp, filled with supporters waving banners and dressed in their teams colours.
A few teams had adopted suitable wet-weather clothing and added a scarf or hat in their colour of choice.
Others had created elaborate outfits made from cardboard and plastic sheeting to make them look like Marvel characters, which looked amazing, but which she doubted were sea-worthy.
In addition to the crowds gathered to support the race, there was a large barbecue station, a pop-up bar serving jugs of Pimms, and the infamous portaloos, complete with changing cubicles and a drying-off area filled with towels and spare sets of socks.
It was all very well-organised and totally surreal.
‘There’s our team.’ Connor pointed to a red awning erected over a set of garden chairs.
‘Now I get why I was asked to wear red,’ she said, her muted top subdued compared to Hugh’s onesie and Danny’s bright red T-shirt embossed with the words Team Usain Boat in gold lettering.
He was wearing black jogging bottoms with red piping down the sides and a red baseball cap, a far cry from his pristine work suits.
Both outfits paled into insignificance compared to the man wearing red army fatigues, complete with Rambo headscarf and plastic rifle. ‘Who’s that?’
‘Grandpa Nigel.’ Connor unzipped his jacket, revealing a red T-shirt the same as Danny’s. ‘He gets his outfits made in the village.’
‘Impressive.’ Elena definitely felt underdressed. Had she known the dress code was ‘eccentric’, she’d have made more effort—it wasn’t like she was averse to dressing up. Stupid her for thinking this was an actual sporting event.
They reached the group and Elena spotted their ‘boat’—a large, square contraption made from bamboo poles and packed with hessian and straw.
Danny jogged over. ‘You made it!’ He stopped short, as if he wasn’t sure how to greet her, hesitating between a kiss and an awkward hug.
She pointed at the raft, ignoring her body’s reaction to seeing him. ‘Will that thing even float?’
Danny lifted his shoulders. ‘Technically.’
She pinned him with a look. ‘What does technically, mean?’
‘We tested it, and technically it floated.’
There was something he wasn’t telling her. She searched his handsome face for signs of mischief. ‘Did you test it with crew onboard?’
His nose crinkled as if he’d been found out. ‘Kind of.’
‘Kind of?’ Her eyes widened. ‘What does that mean?’
Connor threw his jacket over a garden chair. ‘We tested it with two of the dogs on board, and it stayed afloat.’
Elena looked between Connor and Danny. ‘And that constitutes a robust safety check?’
Danny nodded. ‘Compared to some years, yes.’
‘One year we sank at the start line.’ Connor looked unperturbed at such a confession.
Elena threw her hands in the air. ‘Well, great, guys. Good to know.’
Danny nudged her arm. ‘I thought you’d approve, you’re always on about taking risks.’
‘There’s taking risks and there’s blatant insanity,’ she said, nudging him back, and realising Connor was watching them, a hopeful look on his face. She needed to dial down the flirting. ‘How many of these vessels make it to the finish line?’
Danny ran a hand into his hair. ‘Depends. Two years ago just two. We won.’
‘Oh, great odds.’ Elena ignored their laughter. ‘And last year?’
Their laughter faded.
Danny glanced at Connor. ‘We didn’t compete last year.’
Connor didn’t utter a word, his eyes remained downcast as he placed a red team baseball hat on his head. ‘Ready to go?’
‘Sure thing.’ Danny went over and squeezed Connor’s shoulder.
Hugh appeared, all smiles and enthusiasm. ‘Our team is complete,’ he said, squashing Elena in a bear hug and rocking her from side to side. ‘But you look far too neat.’ He tutted at her sensible sports clothing. ‘This is not the Oxford and Cambridge boat race.’
‘Well, I get that now. Something that would’ve been helpful to know before I left home.’ She rolled her eyes.
‘I forget not everyone knows how depraved this event gets,’ he said, placing a team baseball cap on her head. ‘Okay, team, let’s go!’
The four of them each took a corner of the raft and carried it down to the water’s edge, aiming for their allotted start position.
It was heavier than expected, and this did nothing to reassure Elena that the contraption would stay afloat.
She glanced at Danny, who was watching her, a wry smile on his face.
‘If you think about it, it’s kind of like a spa day,’ he said, trying to hide his smile.
‘You’ve got your mud wrap, your bathing area, and even a seaweed facial.
All things you love. And you’re such a strong swimmer, it’s not like you’d be in danger if you fell in.
’ There was a glint in his eye, as if her falling in would be the highlight of his day.
Elena realised she was being set up. ‘This is revenge, isn’t it? You want me to fall in the water.’
Danny scoffed. ‘Revenge is a bit harsh. It’s more about taking your advice. Have fun, you said. Let go and take a risk, you said. I’m just making sure you follow your own advice, and it’s not all talk.’