Chapter 5 #2
‘To what?’
‘Snuggle,’ he translates, and it makes my heart melt instantly. He seems so… gentle. About everything and in every way. Like someone who appreciates the small things in life.
And I appreciate how much I really am going to need some warmer clothes.
‘I can sho… shop, right?’ I draw the word out so much that it comes out sounding more like ‘shoooooop’ as realisation dawns that shops are probably few and far between around here. ‘Or online? I can order warmer clothes online, can’t I?’
‘Yeah, of course. There’s Campbeltown for shopping, eight miles away, a bit further east from the airport where you arrived.
The number for the taxi is on the fridge, or you might get lucky and find Hamish heading that way.
Order anything you want online, but factor in a few extra days for delivery.
The roads close if the weather’s bad, so things often take a while to arrive.
But a better solution is this.’ He opens the door he’s standing by and backs into the room, doing a ‘follow me’ gesture with one finger.
I only realise as I walk through the door that we must be in his room.
There’s a floor-to-ceiling wardrobe along one wall with sliding mirrored doors, a cream carpet and walls that are papered with navy-blue wallpaper with a pattern of silver leaves running through it, a double bed in one corner and a big window.
There’s a chest of drawers with bottles of aftershave and hair styling products spread across the top of it, and a smaller, freestanding wooden wardrobe, which he throws open the doors to and beckons me over.
‘Or you can just borrow mine.’
Hanging inside the wardrobe is a selection of jumpers and hoodies, big fleecy things and chunky-knit things like the cardigan, and every single one of them looks warm. ‘I have jumpers with me.’
‘Layers are key and mine will be big enough to go over yours.’ He reaches out and gives the cardigan I’m wearing a gentle tug, and then quickly pulls his hand back like he shouldn’t have done that. ‘Seriously. My door will always be open, just come in and help yourself.’
‘I can’t just…’ I shake my head at how unexpected this is. ‘I can’t just walk into your room and take your clothes, Ollie!’
‘I want you to. I didn’t make it clear how cold it can get here, and I’m the one who can’t afford to heat the place properly.’
I reach out and touch the blue sleeve of a big fleecy hoodie. It’s so lovely of him, but it’s also a bit bonkers. ‘What if I… snag them on a Christmas tree branch or something?’
‘It would be an honour to have my jumpers snagged by your tree branches.’
I can’t help laughing at the absurdity of that sentence. ‘I’m going to be decorating. I’m going to get dusty and I’m always covered in glitter at this time of year. My sister’s husband is always complaining about finding glitter all over their house.’
He shrugs, the ribbed material of his striped T-shirt stretching nicely over his broad shoulders. ‘The one thing my life needs is more sparkle in it.’
‘Mine too, but not in a literal sense.’
His eyes meet mine and he holds my gaze, trying to show me he’s serious. ‘Go on. They’re big and cosy and I’m told that wives are supposed to enjoy wearing their husband’s clothing.’
I laugh again. ‘You are incredibly generous, Ollie Bracewell. A bit weird, but incredibly generous.’
It’s his turn to burst out laughing. ‘I’m going to take that as the biggest compliment ever given by someone who’s known me for about an hour. And I’m not taking no for an answer, so you don’t need to spend unnecessary money on clothes, and you’re going to come in and borrow any of mine, yes?’
I sigh because I can tell he really means it, and I can see some incredibly snuggly-looking tops in there, and if they’re anything like the glorious cardigan that’s currently warming me up, it might be impossible to say no.
‘I’m glad you agree, thank you,’ he says when I haven’t responded, and it makes me smile again because he really is determined. He inclines his head towards the door. ‘Let me show you your room.’
Back in the hallway, he takes my suitcase and bag and opens the next door along, inviting me to go in first. ‘Nancy and I only had today to get it ready for you, so anything else you need, just say the word.’
This room is not unlike the room next door.
The head of a double bed is set against a wall of lemon wallpaper with the same silver leaf pattern.
There’s a tall fitted wardrobe along one wall, a chest of drawers, the little electric heater he mentioned earlier, and an arched double window that I immediately go over to and peer out, even though the light in the room reflects in the glass and blocks out any hope of seeing the view over the back part of the estate.
‘So I’m right next door to you?’
‘Yes. There is method in the madness, I promise. Our rooms are connected by a shared bathroom, and the guest rooms are on the floor above. They’ll come down the staircase at the end of this hallway.
’ He points in the direction we’ve just come from.
‘So there’s a chance the visitors could catch you coming out of your door, and I don’t want them to think we’re sleeping in separate rooms, so when they’re here, you’re going to have to come in and leave through my door via the bathroom. Is that okay?’
I nod, working out the logistics of it.
He walks around the bed and opens the wooden door to the en suite bathroom.
‘This is locked from my side now, and I’ll use a different bathroom, so this is entirely yours.
’ He goes over and wiggles the other door handle to prove it to me and then ducks back into the main bedroom.
‘Here, this is my key, and this is Nancy’s – the only two in existence – so you know this is completely private. I want you to feel secure here.’
He holds both keys out to me, and I pull up the sleeve of the cardigan and my now much warmer fingers brush against his as I take them.
‘Thank you.’ I’m impressed by how far ahead he’s thought this through, but also by how much he’s trying to put me at ease. I feel safe solely because he’s so aware of it.
He leaves my suitcase and holdall at the end of the bed, and we return to the tour.
There are another two doors next to mine and Ollie opens both of them.
‘These will be Maisie and Rory’s rooms. I’ve told them to bring their own toys, books, and posters to make it feel like home, and Nancy has offered to stay in case they need any reassurance about being in a different place, although they were quick to reassure her that they didn’t. ’
He moves along and taps the diagonal door in the corner. ‘Linen cupboard. Fresh towels, bedding, spare robes, help yourself.’
He opens the door to his office and shows me inside, and I recognise the background behind the desk and the window I was so taken with on the video call, and then we make our way up the wide carpeted staircase at the end of the hall and onto the next floor – another wide hallway with several doors on one side.
‘These are the guest bedrooms. This is where everyone will be staying.’