Chapter 5
Edward?
‘It’s OK. I don’t mean to disturb. I was just checking you were all right. It’s quite late for visitors, especially in a power cut.’ He was still across the room but I saw the shadow of his head turn briefly towards me.
‘Stop lurking over there by the door. The power cut is exactly the reason I have company. Far better than some Housewives of Wherever rubbish that I probably would have ended up watching. Have you ever seen any of those?’
I shook my head.
‘Absolutely ghastly. Although I’ve known a few like that in my time. Anyway, this is my son, Edward. Edward, this is Emmeline Buchanan. She’s taken Rose Cottage.’
‘More like been given it along with the job.’
‘Oh… you’re the new under-gardener.’ Edward emerged out of the shadows as he spoke.
And wow! I didn’t think they made men like that any more.
I’d thought the fire was warm but this man was hotter.
Along with stature and breadth, he had the same ice-cutting cheekbones as his mother but unlike her and his brother, his eyes were, as far as I could tell in the low light, an unusual amber.
In another contrast to his family, Edward’s hair was jet black, worn short, neat and with the merest hint of a wave.
He bent and placed a kiss on his mother’s cheek, the rigid planes of his face softening as they shared a smile. ‘Are you all right?’
‘I’m fine, darling. The best evening I’ve had in ages, actually.’
‘I’m not sure that says much for my company.’ He might have flickered a smile but it was hard to tell in the low light. It certainly didn’t linger. ‘Edward Ashington. How do you do?’
I took his proffered hand and shook it without answering the question.
Was it even a question? I knew there was a whole raft of etiquette for these people.
A small part of my brain was thinking that the lord of the manor probably had very little interest in how I was actually doing anyway.
The rest of my brain was hurtling round in circles that this was my ‘top boss’ and I was sitting in his mother’s private apartment in a dressing gown and little else.
‘But you said you were the housekeeper!’ I whipped around to face Penelope.
‘I never actually said that.’ She gave a mischievous grin.
‘But you… you said you’ve been with the family a long time.’
‘That’s true.’
‘And you’d known the boys since they were young.
Oh my God.’ The sound of my hand slapping my own forehead was loud in the quiet room.
‘And so actually, I’ve been sitting here all night rabbiting on to Lady Penelope.
’ I stopped. ‘Ha! Lady Penelope. Like in that old puppet series.’ Panic made me laugh in a mildly hysterical manner.
‘Sorry. I mean…’ I stood up. ‘I should go.’
Edward was studying me. ‘Is that your Kashmiri wrap, Mother?’
‘Oh!’ I wrangled inelegantly with it and unfurled the expensive woollen from around me, ensuring my dressing gown stayed firmly belted. ‘I wasn’t trying to steal it, I promise!’
‘Of course, you weren’t, dear.’ Penelope gave a little chuckle. ‘Neither of us thought for a moment that you were.’
My gaze darted to Edward. I wasn’t entirely convinced about that last statement.
‘May I ask something?’ he said, at last.
‘Hmm?’ I replied, panic and embarrassment now fighting for top billing in my head.
‘Why are you here in your dressing gown, in my mother’s private apartments?’
‘There was a power cut.’
His gaze drifted momentarily, taking in the candles, before landing squarely back on me.
‘Yes. I’d gathered that. I still don’t see the connection.’
‘I was mid-shower and the water went off and when I went to go and see if I could find anything obviously wrong, everything went dark and I found the candles but no matches so I came over to borrow some and then your mum, who I thought was the housekeeper, said I could wash off and rinse out my hair here and warm up and then we got chatting and then…’ I finally took a breath. ‘You came in.’
‘I see.’ He paused. ‘Did Isaac not give you his number for emergencies?’
‘No.’
‘I see,’ he repeated. ‘That was an oversight. I’ll mention it to him.’
‘Please don’t!’ I stepped forward and grabbed Edward’s hand automatically. There was moment’s pause before he looked down. I dropped his hand as though it was burning. ‘It’s just that… we’ve sort of got off on the wrong foot and I don’t want anything else to rock the boat.’
‘The wrong foot?’ Dark brows drew closer. ‘Already? I thought you only arrived today.’
‘I did.’
‘Is this going to be a problem?’ He shifted his weight and folded his arms across his chest. ‘The grounds and the renovation of the kitchen garden is something we’ve spent a lot of time and effort on planning, not to mention money.
I’m not prepared to risk problems arising if there’s already a personality conflict. ’
‘Edward, I’m sure everything is fine.’
He turned to face Penelope. ‘She just said they’ve already disagreed and she’s only been here five minutes.’
‘And I’ve spent longer with Emmeline than that. I don’t know what Isaac has got a bee in his bonnet about but I think she’s positively delightful, so don’t go getting any ideas.’ The warning was clear.
Edward drew in a breath, slow and steady, before letting it out.
‘Well, Miss Buchanan. As you seem to have convinced both my brother and my mother of your worth, if not my head gardener, I hope that any teething troubles between you and Isaac can be settled quickly.’
‘Of course. I’m sure it’s nothing. Long day. That sort of thing.’
He nodded, ostensibly in agreement but even in the low light, the gaze he fixed on me said something quite different.
‘Now. I’ll take you back to your cottage.’
‘She can’t stay there, Edward. There’s no water!’ Penelope stepped towards me. ‘Edward will drive you back so that you can get everything you need for tonight and then you can stay here.’
‘Oh no, I really couldn’t.’
‘You can and you must. Edward, don’t you agree.’
Edward looked like he’d rather eat his own sock than agree with her.
‘All I need are a couple of bottles of water. Honestly. I’ve got an early start tomorrow. Oh, and those matches, if that’s OK?’
‘Are you sure that’s what you’d prefer?’ Penelope asked. ‘You’re very welcome here, despite the impression my son gives.’
Edward rolled his eyes.
‘I really would but thank you for your offer and for everything tonight.’
‘The pleasure was all mine, I promise.’ She took my hand in hers and laid her other over it. ‘It truly has been a lovely evening.’
I couldn’t be cross at her for misleading me as to her identity and the truth was, it really had been the loveliest of evenings.
‘You should have told me who you were, though.’ I wagged a finger at her in play.
She wrinkled her nose. ‘And where would the fun have been in that?’
We all moved into the hallway and Dawkins appeared with my coat as if summoned by magic. Edward took it from him and held it out for me to put on.
‘Thank you.’ My words were quiet and suddenly, I felt ridiculous and small.
He didn’t reply but merely held out his hand, gesturing me to go before him back out into the dark.
A torch beam lit the way as Edward took long legged strides towards a Range Rover now parked outside.
I took two to his one, the gravel crunch, crunch, crunching under my boots.
He blipped the locks and opened the passenger door for me.
‘Thanks.’
He closed it behind me without responding and marched around to the other side of the car, swinging himself in behind the wheel, then set off down the drive and in the direction of Rose Cottage. The air inside the vehicle was so thick, I’d have needed an industrial hedge cutter to slice through it.
‘If you don’t mind, I’d rather you didn’t bother my mother any further.’
I’d have preferred the silence.
‘I didn’t intend to bother her at all but it is quite hard to function in a place that has neither lighting nor water.’
‘We did provide candles.’
‘But no matches and I didn’t fancy shivering to death while starting a flame with a couple of sticks.’
He shot me a look that, from the dim glow given off by the dashboard, didn’t look impressed.
‘There’s no need to be facetious.’
‘And I don’t think there’s any need for you to be quite so rude.’
‘I beg your pardon!’
‘You heard me.’ I folded my arms and pretended not to be pooping myself that I’d just possibly ended my horticultural career before it began by pissing off both my immediate and the big boss in the space of a few hours.
Usually, I did my best to blend in but tonight, my very early years of being a smart-arse army brat before I decided melting into the background was the easier route were making themselves known, possibly via two enormous brandies.
Oh well. In for a penny, in for a pound.
‘What is it with the men here?’
‘I… What?’ he snapped.
‘Your mum’s lovely but Isaac was as grumpy as hell.’ I omitted to mention I might have an inkling as to his reasons for being annoyed at me being hired. ‘And now you. It seems to be a male thing. And I’ve only been here five minutes.’
‘Then you have quite the talent it would seem.’
‘Your mum likes me.’
‘My mother likes everyone.’
‘And your brother.’
‘Barnaby takes after my mother.’
‘Shame you didn’t get a few more of her genes.’ I mumbled the words under my breath.
‘I may not have her propensity to invite total strangers into my home but I do possess perfect hearing.’
‘Of course you do.’ I looked out of the window, more for effect than purpose as it was pitch-black.
Edward let out a long sigh. ‘Look. I’m sorry if I’ve come across as rude.’
‘If?’ I asked before rolling my lips together as I received another of those glares. Apparently, it was a rhetorical if.
‘I am merely looking after my mother’s interests. I don’t wish her to be taken advantage of.’
‘And clearly, you think that’s what I plan to do.’
‘Well, you have managed to inveigle your way into her private apartments on your first night in the county!’