‘And you look terrible.’
‘That too.’ He nodded in agreement. ‘Anything else you’d like to comment about before I get rid of your wet things?’ He quirked an amused eyebrow at her.
‘Not for the moment,’ she said, giving him one of her most challenging looks, ‘but no doubt I’ll think of something. Now please,’ she shooed him down the hallway, ‘get rid of those before they drip all over your floor.’
She watched Luke as he surveyed the puddle of water gathering on the flagstones in his hall before turning and heading towards the back of the cottage.
The front room where he’d instructed her to seat herself was surprisingly spacious. A new wood burner had pride of place in the ancient stone fireplace. It was an isolated piece of progress in this room where, despite the changes, old memories crowded in. Recollections of Ross Carrack’s memorial service, when this house had been filled with sad faces in dark clothing, flashed through her mind. A day when it seemed the whole village had turned out to mourn his loss.
Before Luke had left on his travels he had lived at Clyffe House with Gareth and his family, but on his return Em heard he’d moved back to his boyhood home with plans to update it. Cat had told her a new kitchen and bathroom were planned but the state he was in when he’d greeted her at the door this morning didn’t bode well for the advancement of these future projects. God forbid Cat’s departure had caused him to hit thesame downward spiral as his mother. She believed he had more strength of character than that. Could she have been wrong?
The closing of the door pulled her from her depressing thoughts and she looked up to see him settling himself opposite her.
‘So,’ he leaned forward, hands clasped, his expression curious, ‘what can I do for you, Miss Trevelyan?’
‘You can call me Em for a start,’ she said as she raised her blue eyes to his, ‘and I’m here because I’m very disappointed in you, Luke Carrack. Do you know how much time and energy Cat and I spent securing your freedom?’
‘Liam Richardson-Clarke?’ She saw a flash of surprise in his eyes. ‘That was you?’
‘Indeed it was. He’s my godson. I was also the mystery witness,’ she informed him. ‘I was on the beach looking for my dog the evening of the barbeque. I saw you with the Polish girl. Of course, it was discovering Evie Hunter’s bracelet in the sand at the bottom of the steps that sent those policeman off to talk to her.’ Her face bunched into a frown. ‘I was surprised she confessed so easily, but there we are, young man, you’re free now and justice has been done.’
‘Thank you. I’m forever in your debt … and Cat’s, of course.’ He brushed long fingers through his dark hair, stunned at her revelation. It made Cat’s anger all the more understandable.
‘Yes, Cat,’ Em said, nodding thoughtfully, ‘that’s another matter that requires clearing up. Would you like to explain exactly what happened between the two of you?’
‘Hasn’t Cat already done that?’
‘Ruan told me, but as you know there are two sides to every story.’
‘How do you know I won’t lie? Twist the truth to gain your sympathy?’
‘Well, believe it or not I think you’re an honest young man. A highly foolish one, but honest nevertheless. So, shall we have that coffee you asked me about when I arrived? And then you can tell me what my great-niece decided not to listen to.’
Em stayed for an hour while Luke told his side of the story. He went right back to the beginning and his involvement with Marika. Then he moved on to Tanya and the events that had prompted Cat to leave Carrenporth. Once he had finished, Em returned her cup to its saucer and placed it on the small table next to her chair.
‘You want my opinion?’ she said, her bright eyes settling on him thoughtfully. ‘The pair of you want your heads banging together. You for not being honest with her, and Cat for being far too hasty and leaving. Mind you,’ she waved a finger at him, ‘impulsiveness is a Trevelyan trait and something I’ve fallen victim to myself. But that is another story. I don’t feel you’re telling me everything though. This isn’t just about Cat, is it?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Look at the state of you, for goodness’ sake.’ She screwed up her face in disapproval. ‘Even a shower and shave hasn’t made much improvement, has it? No prizes for guessing the culprit.’ She indicated the glass and empty bottle sitting in the hearth. ‘Surely something beyond a love affair gone wrong must have driven you to that kind of excess.’
Luke thought for a moment, wondering whether to share the events of the previous day. Although Emelia Trevelyan sat patiently, small and birdlike, listening to his version of events that led up to his split from Cat, he was aware of her gossip connections.
‘Can I trust you?’ he asked cautiously. ‘Really trust you? What I’m about to tell you is private and there’s no way I want it going beyond these four walls.’
‘If you mean will I go scurrying back to Ros Myers and her cronies, the answer is no. We parted company recently. I made a bad mistake befriending them. One of my impetuous and ill-advised moments, I’m afraid.’
‘Okay.’ He drew in a deep breath as he watched her sitting with her hands neatly folded in her lap. Maybe it was worth a chance. After all, he’d told her everything else. ‘Gareth asked to see me yesterday. When Evie was arrested he suspended me … on full pay. He wasn’t in a very good place at the time and, well, as he termed it, he lashed out at all the wrong people.’
‘I heard about Jordan,’ she said quietly, ‘it was good of you to take him in, especially after the way he and his mother had treated you.’
‘Well he’s back with his father now and although Gareth had already thanked me, he called me in to confirm his offer of the Group Service Director’s job.’
‘And you took it, of course?’
‘Yes, and I thought it might be a good opportunity to thank him for organising Liam.’
‘Except he didn’t.’ Em gave a knowing nod.
