She realised that she must have looked so serious, distraught even, as if someone had died.
‘Rita’s fine. I’m going to see her this afternoon.’
She paused. Morwenna jumped off the windowsill and sauntered over to twine around her legs. She bent down to scratch behind the cat’s ears.
‘To say goodbye,’ she said quietly.
He looked stunned.
‘Is this a sudden decision? I mean, last night I thought… you gave no indication…’
‘No, sorry. I decided this morning.’
She looked around the studio space and tried to memorise everything; the vintage jars crammed with pencils and paintbrushes, the multitude of aprons hanging on an assortmentof pegs, red geraniums on the windowsill, some of their petals adorning the floor like bright confetti.
‘When are you going?’
‘Tomorrow morning.’
‘No time to glaze your bowl.’
‘No. I thought I’d give it to Tasha to do. She’ll choose beautiful colours.’
‘Have you told her?’
‘No, not yet.’
He sat down on a child’s chair. He looked ridiculous, all legs and arms.
‘I thought you’d come back and spend more time here with us, meet Fitz, spend time with me. When you were in here the other evening and I was doing some paperwork, that was – nice. I know we barely spoke, but just to have you here made me feel happier than I have in a long time.’
She placed her hands across her chest.
‘This isn’t easy, but the longer I stay the more difficult it will be to leave.’
He looked up.
‘Then don’t! There must be midwifery jobs here and definitely some on the mainland; Portsmouth and Southampton are only just across the water. You would be able to get a job there.’
‘You make it sound so simple. I have a home in Manchester, friends, a life…’
‘You have friends here and from what I saw last night you could make more easily. You could rent out your Manchester place while you see if things work out.’
She didn’t know what he meant, while what worked out?
‘And where would I live? I can’t stay at the cottage indefinitely and I can’t move in with Carrie and Guy, although I know they’d offer.’
‘Here, you can stay here.’
‘Lance, I can’t.’
‘Why not? We have a spare room.’ He held up his hands. ‘No strings. No pressure. Just to see where it goes.’
She moved towards him and crouched down.
‘I’ll hurt you. I’m not a long-term relationship person. I get scared of commitment. If Gavin hadn’t done what he did I’d probably have sabotaged that in some way, too.’
‘I’m willing to take that risk.’
