But what could she say when Rosa looked up between them, keen to play explorer out in the garden?
For the next hour and a half, while Gabriel was closeted away in the cosy sitting room with Evelyn, Izzy entertained his daughter. Which was not hard work, she had to admit because, the better acquainted she got with the child, the more she appreciated just how smart and curious the little girl was.
Notwithstanding, half of her was preoccupied with what Gabriel and Evelyn could possibly be talking about for such a long time. She was far from reassured when, having retreated to the kitchen table with Rosa so that part two of the entertainment programme—drawing—could be completed, she heard the sitting-room door open and within minutes Evelyn was framed in the doorway, beaming.
Gabriel towered behind her, his face revealing nothing at all.
‘Time to go, Rosa.’
Rosa debated for a couple of seconds whether she was ready to leave, but then reluctantly began gathering up the sheets of paper while Izzy stood up, stretched and likewise mentally debated what she should do now.
She was spared the decision making when Gabriel said in the sort of voice that assumed compliance, ‘Why don’t you accompany me back to the house, Izzy? You and I can have a chat.’
‘Evelyn and I might...want to catch up...’ Izzy glanced at Evelyn, whowinked.
‘You run along with Gabriel, dear, and we can talk tomorrow.’
As Rosa began clattering with the pencils Izzy had managed to locate in a kitchen drawer, and shuffling the bits of paper so that she could show them to Gabriel, Evelyn took Izzy to one side and saidsotto voce, ‘What alovelyman, dear. I don’t know why I got myself so worked up about this whole thing. He seems veryunderstanding.’
‘Evelyn...’
‘Now hush, dear. I know you went through that rough time, but not all men are the same, and Gabriel has been more than sympathetic to what I’ve been going through. The worry...’ She shook her head and Izzy saw tears of relief in the older woman’s eyes.
She groaned inwardly because the person Evelyn was describing bore no resemblance to the person Izzy had met yesterday, and Izzy was willing to bet that her version was much closer to the truth.
But she refrained from saying anything because she couldn’t bear to see the optimistic light in Evelyn’s eyes snuffed out.
She also refrained from saying anything as they walked back to the big house. The evening had brought a coolness to the air and, in her T-shirt and short skirt, Izzy felt a relief when that massive front door was pushed open and she stepped past Gabriel into the warmth.
He wanted to chat. It felt ominous, even though there was nothing in his demeanour to indicate any such thing.
‘I’ll settle Rosa.’ He turned to her, addressing her directly for the first time since leaving the cottage. ‘Why don’t you wait for me in the kitchen? Help yourself to anything you like. This is wine-growing country. It would be a shame not to have a glass. There is some excellent Chardonnay in the fridge.’
He swung round before she could inform him that she had no intention of having anything to drink, repeating the mantra of the day before.
But once in the kitchen Izzy decided that a glass wouldn’t do any harm. Indeed, she felt it might numb her senses to his overpowering appeal and the threat it posed to her attempts at composure.
She was rigid with tension by the time he strolled into the kitchen.
‘You were with Evelyn a long time.’ She said what had been feverishly playing on her mind ever since they had begun walking back to his house. With Rosa between them chatting non-stop, there had been no opportunity to find out what he and the older woman had discussed and all Izzy’s worries had had ample time to bloom.
Gabriel shot her a veiled look but didn’t say anything, preferring to help himself to a glass of wine, the same wine now in front of Izzy, as yet untouched.
He took his time before he replied, leaving her to stew for a few minutes, then sat down opposite her, his head tilted to one side, as though considering what he should say next and how.
‘There was a lot to talk about,’ Gabriel concurred. ‘It was a mistake to delegate this situation to one of my employees. I’m big enough to recognise that I should have sorted this business out myself. I made a mistake sending in the boys to do a man’s job.’ He shrugged and sipped his wine while he continued to look at her over the rim of his glass.
‘And has it been sorted?’ The million-dollar question, which was answered in full when he remained noticeably silent in response. ‘Evelyn is over the moon!’ Izzy exploded angrily. How could he justsit there, having met Evelyn, having seen with his own eyes how emotionally dependent she was on the only place she had ever really called home? ‘She really thinks that she’s going to be allowed to get on with her life in the cottage! She really thinks that you’re one of the good guys.’
‘And you’ve already made your mind up that I’m not.’
‘Why did you encourage her to think that everything was going to be all right if you had no intention of...of...?’
‘You’re looking at this through the wrong set of lenses.’
‘I’m leaving!’
‘No,’ Gabriel said shortly. ‘You’re not. Sit back down, finish the glass of wine and we can discuss this thorny situation.’
