Back to business, he sternly told himself. Yes, a glamping site could be a good solution to the land just standing empty and the outbuilding nearest to them could easily be renovated into a shower and utility block. Without knowing it, Adira had inadvertently given him an idea which had the potential to really take off and keep The Laurels running in modern times.
His phone rang, interrupting his thoughts on what else they would need to turn the land into an attractive glamping prospect. It was Zara.
‘Hello, Jasper.’
‘Hello, Zara. Everything OK?’
‘Well…’
Jasper sat up abruptly at Zara’s hesitant tone.
‘Abbas has asked to see your report.’
He frowned. ‘And?’
‘I just get the feeling something’s…’ Zara stalled with deliberate uncertainty.
‘What?’ snapped Jasper, not liking the sound of this.
‘Not quite right,’ she finished, supposedly at pains to disclose it.
‘How do you mean?’ asked Jasper tightly. Abbas certainly hadn’t mentioned anything to him last time they had spoken.
‘Sorry, I shouldn’t have bothered you.’ Zara sounded apologetic now.
She only just managed to keep the glee from her voice; she had obviously rattled Jasper enough. Mission accomplished.
‘I just thought I should warn you, in case something was amiss.’
‘Amiss? Such as what?’ Jasper was beginning to grow impatient with Zara’s elusiveness.
‘It’s probably nothing. Sorry, I shouldn’t have contacted you.’
Then why did you?thought Jasper in annoyance. Deciding to end the call, which he deemed pointless, he curtly said his goodbyes.
Minutes later though, Zara’s attempts to unsettle Jasper had succeeded. He kept replaying the ambiguity in Zara’s voice. It was unlike her to sound so unsure, which then prompted the question,couldher instincts be a forewarning? But what could be wrong? The report he’d written was concise yet packed with relevant detail and good advice. The more he considered it, the more it played on his mind. He’d ring Abbas.
Then again, what if Zara was mistaken? How would it look for him to call with concerns – like he had something to hide? The best solution, his head was telling him, was to return to Dubai and face the inevitable decision he was avoiding. He couldn’t keep putting it off. Logically, now would be a good time to go back, for a while at least. The Laurels was in good shape, thanks to Adira, and the estate was under far more control now. Jasper would decide how to go forward with the outbuildings before he left and get Colin to make a start with the renovations. Once he returned, he would continue with the glamping site project.
He looked out of the library window; the scaffolding for The Laurel’s roof was now up and he’d already given instructions for the builders to replace or completely retile where necessary. A sudden reluctance to leave spread through him, reminiscent of his younger self, when a sad little boy was made to pack his suitcase and bid farewell to uncle Fletcher. How he’d hated those goodbyes, seeing Fletcher’s eyes mist over as he clung tightly to his big, burly frame.
In that instant, Jasper made his choice.
It was no use convincing himself he’d be able to oversee operations from Dubai. He needed to be here, on site. It was time to come back to The Laurels for good. This was his home and where he belonged.
Once Jasper had made the ultimate decision, his mind became clear and focused. No longer clouded with uncertainty, he was able to put the necessary motions in place.
Emailing the company directors to inform them of his imminent return, he sent a separate message to Abbas, asking him to meet the first day back. Jasper intended to hand in his notice, explaining the situation he was in. He had reread and scrutinised the contract he’d signed and the get-out clause of ‘exceptional circumstances’ ought to cover his resignation. They were exceptional circumstances – his uncle desperately needed him. He had an obligation, a duty to take care of him and the family home that was to become his.
Jasper paused and sat back in his chair for a moment, contemplating the day he would hand The Laurels on to his child. For the first time, the liability dawned on him. Fletcher’s words echoed in his ears, ‘It’s time to pass on the baton.’ Jasper felt like he’d aged overnight, from being a young, free and single man living it up in Dubai to a responsible nephew with commitments to fulfil. The estate was running and there were people who depended heavily on it. The Laurels supplied livelihoods, homes and produce for local businesses and was an integral part of the village. The Hendricks family had always lived in The Laurels and Fletcher was right, it was a part of who they were.
And now the burden had landed well and truly on Jasper’s shoulders.
It could be daunting to some, but not Jasper. He knew what needed doing and he was more than prepared to do it. Unlike Fletcher, he wasn’t going to bury his head in the sand but would face the challenge full on. Nobody was going to take advantage. The difference in the estate manager and the now up-to-date rent from every tenant proved this. He’d been reluctant to let Colin go, as the man had been working on the estate for years and had experience. He suspected that all Colin had needed was a sharp wake-up call. Plus, Jasper really didn’t want to have to advertise for a new estate manager at the moment – he had enough on his plate as it was.
He would make it clear to Fletcher and Colin that his going back to Dubai was only a temporary measure. The last thing he needed was a lapse back into old ways.
Then his thoughts turned to Adira. Would she still be here when he returned to Lilacwell? He knew her plans were to travel and he couldn’t expect her to wait for him – if indeed she wanted to. He would have to work a month’s notice and a lot could happen in a month – look at all that had happened since his arrival. The Laurels had been transformed, the estate was undergoing big changes, Fletcher was a different man, and… Adira. From the moment he had seen that heavenly body bathing in the river, she had got under Jasper’s skin – her smile, her laughter, her caring nature, how she’d helped Fletcher with the house and all the locals with her knowledge of natural medicine. Adira was intelligent, she spoke sense without sounding judgemental. He admired her courage to ditch the rat race and her quest for travelling. She was a free spirit. And free spirits shouldn’t be confined. He had to explain his actions and let her make her own decisions. It was unfair to ask anything from her, no matter how much he wanted to.
