‘Yes, but—’ Hannah looked desperately at Conor for support.
‘I insist,’ said Adrienne, and from the set of her jaw Hannah knew that there would be no changing her mind. ‘I would be devastated if anything happened to you.’
‘But…’ Her mind darted in different directions, trying to find an answer. ‘I’ve been using the shower in the other bedroom.’
‘Oh, don’t be worrying about that. I’m sure you can come to some arrangement. Conor is an early riser. He won’t give you any bother.’
Conor didn’t even look her way, giving her the clear impression that he couldn’t care less what she did.
‘Besides, he’s fully occupied with his cottage. Not that I’m allowed to see it.’ Although she said it with a light smile, Hannah got the impression that it irked her slightly. She liked to be in control.
‘Are you sure he’s… you’re not too busy? I’d hate to disrupt your work.’
‘I’ll be so much happier knowing he’s here with you,’ said Adrienne. ‘We’ve never had any trouble like this before but I’m sorry to say by the looks of those footprints we might have ourselves a peeping Tom and I want to reassure everyone that we’re taking it seriously. I’d like to think it’s Moss Murphy up to his usual tricks but, as Conor says, it’s just not his style. I’ve called the guard again but there’s nothing they can do. I’ve no idea who it could have been; it’s not someone local that’s for sure and that’s what really worries me.’ She clasped her hands together over her chest, not quite wringing them but close enough and Hannah realised that she was genuinely anxious.
With that realisation came the memory of last night when she’d been alone in the cottage knowing there was someone outside. In daylight it was easy to dismiss that heart-thumping moment and how scared she’d been, but how would she feel tonight after dark? She glanced at Conor’s face, reluctantly deciding that, on balance, he was the lesser of two evils. Having him there would at least make her feel… not safe, but secure. That was it. There was nothing safe about Conor, which was a salutary reminder to keep her distance from him. She was going to have to accede to Adrienne’s wishes.
Conor was drumming his fingers on the table very lightly. She noticed he wasn’t saying anything.
Swallowing down her pride and a touch of resentment she carefully focused on Adrienne, not looking at him. ‘If you really think it’s necessary…’ She let the words drift away, not willing to completely accede.
‘I do,’ said Adrienne firmly and dusted her hands together as if to seal the deal. ‘Right, I’m away. We’ll see you at seven for dinner.’ She gave Hannah a quick hug. ‘Don’t worry, sweetheart, we’ll make sure you’re all right.’ She darted towards the door without looking back as if leaving the two of them to talk.
‘Apparently it’s my job now to rescue the damsel in distress.’ Conor favoured her with a reluctant smile.
‘I thought that was my job,’ she quipped before she could stop herself and immediately realised she’d said the wrong thing. ‘It doesn’t change anything,’ said Conor quietly.
‘I never thought it did,’ she said. ‘I’ll do my best not to throw myself at you.’
He turned and left, pulling the door closed behind him.
‘Grrr,’ she said to herself. The last person she wanted staying with her was Conor, she thought as she flounced up the stairs to get ready for dinner. Bloomin’ Adrienne and her determination to protect Killorgally at all costs.
‘Underestimate her at your peril,’ the newspaper article she’d read had said. ‘There’s some that believe she has the touch of the fae about her. She’s certainly weaved considerable magic at Killorgally.’
Hannah might not believe in magical powers but there was no denying Adrienne had a certain charismatic aura about her. How else had she managed to bring about the last thing she and Conor wanted?
Chapter Fourteen
‘Just so you know. This was all my mother’s idea.’ Conor met her after dinner on the path outside the farmhouse, a holdall in his hand.
Their feet crunched on the gravel path that led through the herb garden and wound down around the back of the house. Thyme and rosemary perfumed the air as they walked past the knot garden edges and the quiet evening was filled with the somnolent buzz of the bees hovering in and out of the tall sprigs of lavender. In the dying warmth of the day, it should have been tranquil and relaxing but instead Hannah’s nerves sizzled with tension.
‘I think you made that quite obvious. I wish you’d put up more of a fight.’
‘How could I? Tears were involved. For some reason she seems to like you.’
‘Quite a lot of people do. Even you, the first time you met me.’
‘That was before I knew you were going to be living with me.’
‘I’m not overjoyed about it.’ She’d enjoyed having the cottage to herself this last week. Having Conor underfoot would be dangerously distracting. It was good to know thathewas impervious to her charms. There was no knowing where things would lead if she acted on the attraction that she harboured. He wasn’t the comfortable, safe sort of man she was used to.
‘I guess your mother did say you were housetrained.’
‘To a point. Do we need some house rules?’
‘I don’t know. Have you any bad habits?’
