Chapter 10
CHAPTER 10
LUKE
T his was a bad idea. A monumentally bad one and could end badly for me. Why didn’t I think this through? It appears every person in the village is crowded inside this building and they are staring at me as if I’m an alien who has landed.
I clear my throat and say loudly, “Um, thank you for coming at such short notice.”
A gentle murmur accompanies my words, and I scan the crowd for the only face I want to see in it. This whole idea was to flush Jessy out and force her to listen to me. To replace the loathing in her eyes and to engineer some more time in her company.
I see nothing but the usual adoration and I swallow hard.
“As you may have heard, I am the new owner of Granthaven – for my sins.”
I roll my eyes, but nobody is laughing and so I quickly cough and say brightly. “My Aunt Christabel has entrusted the estate to me and I’m a little overwhelmed, if I’m honest.”
Morgana rests her hand on my arm in a show of support and I’m glad of it. She wanted to be here, solidarity in numbers she called it, but I’m guessing it was to demonstrate how close we are to the camera that is recording every minute of my excruciating speech for Jasper’s reality show.
“So, um, I just wanted to meet you all and ask for your help.”
A gentle murmur accompanies my words and I note a few encouraging smiles from the audience as I cough and say quickly, “I find it difficult to run my house, let alone all of yours, so please forgive me while I get to grips with what that means. So–”
Once again, I scan the crowd, but I still can’t find Jessy and my heart sinks.
“So, um, I was hoping to work with you all and learn what it is I’ve inherited. Mrs Sims – Karen–” I gesture to Karen who is sitting in the front row, “Has kindly drawn up a questionnaire that I would ask you to fill in, along with a list of your names, addresses and any suggestions or problems that you have. Her friend Valerie will assist her, and I promise I will look at them all and try to help.”
Morgana steps forward and smiles at the crowd and I register a sea of phones pointed in her direction.
“Luke and I are super excited to be here and can’t wait to get stuck in. Please be assured that we have your best interests at heart, but ask for your patience while we settle in.”
A few people start clapping and I use the distraction to scan the crowd some more but come up empty and a wave of frustration hits me as I conclude that this has been a complete waste of time.
Where is she?
Steven steps in and holds up his hand and says loudly, “We will be in touch once the questionnaires have been filled in. Please see Karen and Valerie and return them to the village hall post box when completed.”
Karen and Valerie stand, which I take as my cue to leave and as we file out of the hall, the noise levels increase as several questions are shouted into the air.
As we step outside, Morgana giggles. “That was such fun.”
I don’t reply because the crowd surges after us and we are soon swamped with people wanting photos and autographs that Morgana is only too happy to oblige them with, while I desperately scan the sea of faces that leave the hall for one very important one.
I almost miss her but note her red bobble hat and my heart beats faster as she turns and heads the other way.
“Excuse me, um, sorry.”
I start pushing my way through the crowd, desperate to reach her, but she is fast, and the crowd is difficult to negotiate and the freaking boot on my foot is making my progress difficult.
“Jessy!”
One word said at the highest volume causes the crowd to quiet immediately and all eyes turn to the direction my voice went as I shout again, “Jessy, wait!”
She either doesn’t hear me or pretends not to and quickens her pace without looking back.
“JESSY!”
I’m shocked as the crowd roars her name and they must hear it from Dorchester, which means she has no choice but to stop and turn around slowly.
It’s as if I part the Sea of Galilee as the crowd splits in two, allowing me safe passage and as I make my way through the curious glances and register the sea of phones all pointing in our direction, not to mention Jasper’s, I am conscious I just made life extremely difficult for myself.
I’ve gone too far now though and as I stumble toward her, I note the frozen expression in her eye that was placed there by me and not the weather, and I smile apologetically.
“Please, let me explain.”
Her eyes move past me and I’m conscious of the silent crowd staring and then she nods towards the path she was set upon.
“Follow me. We can talk over there.”
At least she said talk. That’s something at least and as I limp along behind her, I don’t give a second thought to any explanations.
We move behind a set of trees that conceal us from the crowd and as I reach her, she turns and shoves her hands in her pockets and says coolly, “You said it all yesterday, unless you’ve changed your mind, of course.”
“I’m sorry if I offended you.”
“Offended me?” She rolls her eyes. “You write off my history – Granthaven’s legacy in one conceited, ill-judged sentence and expect me to forgive you just because you asked people to fill out a questionnaire that you will probably file in the bin after deciding it’s not worth your trouble.”
She shakes her head and her anger stabs me straight in the heart.
“I’m sorry, Luke. You are entitled to do what you like with Granthaven and I get that you don’t want this. You have another life, one that I’m sure you’ve worked pretty hard to get and I’m being hard on you.”
I sense her anger evaporating slowly and she shifts on the spot, hunching her shoulders as if in defeat.
“Just do what you want. It’s no business of mine.”
“But it could be.” I say quickly, causing her to raise her eyes and stare at me with confusion.
“What do you mean?”
“It means I need an advisor. Somebody who knows this place, how it operates and the people it concerns. Somebody who has just graduated with a business degree, looking for work who may have all the required enthusiasm and a hunger to succeed.”
She stares at me in shock as I say desperately, “Somebody who would demand a salary of, well, fifty thousand pounds, to devote all her time to helping an arrogant jerk learn what he is in danger of letting slip through his fingers. Somebody like you, Jessy.”
“But–” She steps back, confusion etched in her frown lines.
“Why me? You could employ a person way more qualified than me.”
“But I want you.”
I hate the needy desperation in my voice that I can’t even explain to myself. There is something telling me that I need Jessy more than anyone else right now and I don’t have the first clue why.