‘Why would I mind?’ He eased back, still holding her hand. ‘It’s your—’
‘Don’t say it.’ She stilled his words before he could finish. ‘Please, don’t. It’s your home.’
‘We both know it’s not, not anymore, Pippa,’ he said quietly. He let go to smooth her cheek with his thumb, and she was ready to weep at the acceptance in his gaze. ‘It’s okay, I get it. You have to sell. You dad doesn’t want it.’
‘You’re not giving up?’ She loathed that he might, that she and her dad had brought him to this. Broken his dreams, shattered his future, all while falling… She bit her lip. She couldn’t admit that again, not even to herself, or allow the words to form in her mind. Hers and Harriet’s lives were bound to London and he was right. This was a serious complication, but a beautiful one, and she didn’t regret it.
‘Maybe you just need to know when it’s time. Your dad was very clear about not offering any extension. I hope you’ll let me stay on until my lease runs out.’
‘Gil, I haven’t made any final decision yet.’ It was too late to return to the days when she hadn’t cared. ‘Where will you go?’
‘Wherever I can get a job. Joel’s in Adelaide and Luca’s pretty independent now.’ He raised Pippa’s hand to brush it against his lips, sending sparks darting into her stomach. ‘The practice was a crazy dream and maybe I should let it go, move on.’ He paused, and she wondered if he was trying to make it easier somehow. ‘So, speaking of overnight guests, do you think we can fit in one more? Luca is coming up for a few days on Sunday as well.’
‘Of course we can, I’d love that,’ Pippa said quickly. ‘It’ll be wonderful to meet him.’
‘He would’ve been happy to crash in the caravan but seeing as someone has deliberately sabotaged it…’ He grinned. ‘Dorothy’s been muttering dire threats about claims and compensation.’
‘Oh, has she? For that grotty old tin can and a couple of lousy cushions?’ Pippa felt almost invincible this morning and even taking on Dorothy didn’t faze her. ‘Well, she’s not the only one. I wouldn’t mind some compensation for having to look at it outside the kitchen window every day.’
‘How about this?’ Gil bent to touch his lips to hers, and it was a few moments before she pulled back with glittering eyes.
‘It’s helping,’ she said breathlessly. It was as though he already knew every part of her most sensitive to his touch and she was remembering last night again, him carrying her naked from the hot tub into the house. ‘But I’m going to need a lot more compensation. It’s a very ugly caravan.’
‘Later,’ he murmured, standing and tugging her upright. ‘Let’s go for a drive, there’s something I’d like to show you. And if that’s not compensation enough, spend tonight with me and I’ll try harder.’
‘Harder,’ Pippa said dreamily, almost tripping over a beaming Maud leaping around her legs. ‘I don’t think that’s even possible. Get down, Maud, honestly. We seriously need to sign up for some training classes.’ Another reminder of London life she didn’t want.
‘Wear your trainers seeing as you haven’t got any walking boots yet.’
‘What time will we be back?’ Her mind was darting ahead, searching for a schedule. She always had one, it was the pillar around which her life was built.
‘Shush,’ he said reprovingly, silencing her with another kiss. ‘You don’t need to plan every minute, Pippa. Just let the day happen.’
‘Wow, who does that?’ She was only half joking, unused to allowing one hour to ease into another without knowing how she’d spend it.
The dogs were only too happy to join them, and she watched the landscape pass by from the passenger seat, one hand on Gil’s thigh. She knew this land now. She’d come to love the open spaces, meadows nestled beside the river shorn to make hay for winter. Cattle and sheep wandering the fell, the bright fronds of bracken and thick, springy heather ready to erupt into flower. It was another world from her life in the city, elemental and wild, beautiful and dramatic.
She was becoming dependent on the views, the pure air she breathed. The rough stony paths beneath her feet, the river rushing beside her, the effort it took to climb the fells, every fought-for step worth it when she was rewarded with the world at her feet. She was finding new inspiration in her work here; she couldn’t go a day without drawing and the sketches in the sitting room were increasing, the lure of her easel beckoning. She didn’t usually go so long without it, but it hadn’t made the journey from London as she’d never imagined staying so long. How easily hers and Harriet’s lives had fallen into a new rhythm and every day the city felt further away.
The Land Rover rattled noisily over a cattle grid as they climbed, the road sharp and twisting, the only people they saw occasional hikers or farmers. Eventually, Gil pulled into a rough parking space, and they got out. Somewhere below them was Hartfell; up here was wild and breezy and she saw – felt – the beauty of it settle in her body.
‘Where are we going?’
‘You’ll see. It’s not far.’ He clipped on the dogs’ leads and lifted Maud down.
They followed a narrow path, Lola and Maud impatient to run. They couldn’t do that here, not with loose sheep grazing. Stone walls and haybarns that had stood for generations golden against the green, gushing water falling from high ground into the river, a valley widening before them. Gil halted and his grin was exuberant as he moved behind Pippa, wrapping his arms around her.
‘There. See it?’
‘A farm?’ She was smiling. She did that often now, with him. Last night together had filled her body with an ease she’d long forgotten, even though her mind was still working hard to push away thoughts of the future. ‘You’re not on call?’
‘Nope. Day off. Tell me what you see.’ His chin was on her shoulder, both dogs wondering why they’d stopped when walking and sniffing was so much more fun.
‘Buildings. A house.’ A square, stone one; the kind that had stood resolute and firm against all this landscape and the weather could throw at it. A window in each corner, a slate roof matching those on the barns. ‘Cattle in the distance, sheep and some vehicles. A quad bike, a couple of dogs in the yard. Are they clients?’
‘Yep.’ Gil’s arms around her tightened some more and she slid her hands over his. He felt so sure, strong, and she was looking forward to new mornings when they’d wake together. ‘They’ve been clients for years. Third generation now, the youngest daughter has just taken over from her dad.’
‘So this is what you wanted to show me? A family farm?’
