‘I can’t get my bearings. Does it face the fields at the front?’
We’ve taken so many twists and turns – it’s like a rabbit warren.
‘No, the hills to the west and the church.’
‘Ah, okay. We were down at the church today, having a tidy-up. Apparently, there’s a wedding blessing here on Saturday.’
He shrugs. ‘We have them occasionally. Not official ceremonies. The church is only open for tours these days, but it’s worth the effort to host the odd blessing and wedding reception, even if it does mean closing early to visitors.’
I feel a wave of respect for him at everything he’s had to learn in order to be able to run this place one day. As I step up on my tiptoes, I press my lips to his. His arms come around my waist and he deepens our kiss until I feel breathless and wobbly, but then he abruptly slides his mouth away, staring with consternation past my right shoulder. He takes my hand and firmly tugs me just behind him, tucking ourjoined fingers close to our bodies so they’re hidden. He’s gone rigid.
An attractive middle-aged brunette walks into the room.
‘Good evening, Master Berkeley,’ she says in a demure voice.
‘Meredith,’ Ash replies curtly, glaring at her.
Her eyes do a quick sweep over me and her lips curve up slightly as she walks straight past us and goes out the door.
‘Who was that?’ I ask when she’s gone. ‘You sounded so surly!’
‘Housekeeper. She’s the only member of staff I wish my parents would get rid of.’
‘Why?’
He stalks out of the room, taking me with him. His grip on my hand has tightened.
‘Ash?’ I press.
‘I don’t like her,’ he replies shortly. ‘And she knows it. She calls me Master Berkeley to annoy me. It’s how the staff always addressed Hugo, so it makes me think of him.’
‘That’s awful. Why would she wind you up like that?’ I ask with concern as we walk along a corridor.
He shrugs and comes to a stop at a door. ‘This is my room.’ He leads me inside and switches on his overhead lights, pushing the door closed behind us.
It’s a large, square room with antique dark wooden furniture, including a big four-poster bed in the middle.
How many people have slept in that bed? The thought leads me to wonder how many timesBecahas slept in that bed and my stomach drops.
I’m sure you’ll console him …
Her words come back to me, along with a twinge of guilt. I’m guessing she feels worse than I do right now.
‘This faces onto the fields,’ I state, sure of where we are in the house now.
‘Yep.’ He backtracks to flick off the ceiling light and then goes to one of two sets of midnight-blue curtains, pulling them back to reveal an arched window with a white frame.
‘Wow. That’s a view and a half.’
The sky is awash with colour. The sun set only recently, and one star hangs near the horizon.
‘Is that Jupiter?’ I ask.
‘No, Jupiter will rise over the hill by the cabin in a few hours. Will you come and camp out with me on Saturday night?’ he asks out of the blue.
‘Uh, sure.’
‘There’s something I’d like you to see, if it’s not too cloudy.’
