Too bad that it was her heart at the mercy of those fears, but at least Sebastian hadn’t used her murky past as the reason that prevented him from saying,You know what, Hobbs? Let’s do this for real.
“All I can do is give him time and space, Em.”
Although time was running out. Sebastian had less than a month left in England and he might even be spending the rest of this week in Ottawa if he’d decided to go to his father’s memorial.
Helen said goodbye to Emma and marched on along the river bank.
The sky was overcast, but the air was warm and the river that deep, gorgeous green-brown color that Helen always loved, the same color it had been the first time Ada brought her and Tom down here. Slowing her pace, Helen gazed at the gently flowing water, watching how it rippled around the reeds, before she headed back up the hill.
When she reached the orchards, someone was treading through the bushes along the path that led to the lake. A shirtless Sebastian stepped out in front of her, his hair and chest still dripping wet from his swim. They stared at each other for several long moments, until her gaze shifted powerless to the droplets of water trickling down his bare pecs to his navel.
Damn you.
“Why aren’t you at work?” she snapped.
Sebastian hastily slipped his T-shirt over his head. “I have calls and emails to check but no meetings until tomorrow. Where are you going?”
“To the manor house.” She hadn’t been really, but the key was still in her bag from the other day, and out of spite she’d wanted him to remember the last time they’d made love. “Do you want tocomewith me again, Sebastian?”
From the flicker of his jaw, he’d got her meaning. Something flashed in his eyes—annoyance, frustration, regret, fear?—but he accepted her challenge. “Sure, I’d like to see the place again before I go back home next month.”
Ah, yes.He’d mentionedhomeseveral times during their drives to the events. After weeks of saying very little about his life in Canada, he’d now started telling her a few veryun-fascinating details about his apartment, like how he expected hismailboxto be full of pizza delivery fliers, or how he should speak to the management company about the gutters as soon as he returned as they’d likely need clearing.Yawn.
They walked in silence to the manor house gate, then climbed over the wall.
Once inside, they made their way slowly through the house and, although Sebastian had been particularly infuriating these past few days, Helen couldn’t help but enjoy how he took in all the tiny details. “You like it here, don’t you?”
“We don’t have anything like this back home.” He paused at the top of the stairway, admiring the full aspect of the hall below. “I’ll make the most of it while I’m here.”
Helen’s heart pinched at yet another of his reminders that he’d soon be leaving, then was struck by a curious thought.
Were these little reminders for her benefit or his?
She walked to the tall windows overlooking the countryside. “Despiteeverything, have you enjoyed your summer in England, Sebastian?”
“Yes.” He came to stand next to her and they both gazed out to the gardens and the area in the tall grass where they’d made love. “It’s been funbecauseof everything.”
Right then, the urge to reach out and touch him was strong. So strong that he must’ve felt it too—because he tucked his hands in his pockets and turned away.
“This really is an awesome building and I just love these ceilings,” Sebastian said.
Ceilings.Super.
“Well, we’d better get back. I have work to do.” Helen walked quickly to the door, and stopped short when footsteps echoed downstairs.
“I really can’t understand it.” A man’s deep voice drifted up to her. “I certainly set the alarm last time. I’ll look into it in case it’s faulty.”
Shit!Helen backed away.
“It’s Mr. Roberts, the estate manager.” She grabbed Sebastian’s arm and led him toward the billiard room. “This way.”
With their backs pressed to the wall, they scurried along the landing and up the next flight of stairs to the old nursery. Helen pointed to the other end of the room. “That door there takes you down the back staircase to the kitchens.”
Sebastian darted toward the door, then stopped. “What’re you waiting for, Hobbs? Let’s go.”
“You go. You can’t get caught here. I’ll see you at home.” She left him and went back to the landing, straining to hear the voices downstairs.
There were several people with Mr. Roberts. She couldn’t make out whole sentences, but picked out enough mentions of building surveyors and developers to understand that whoever Mr. Roberts was showing around had seen the place before and already had plans for it.
