“Yes.” Wolfie’s eyebrows furrowed. “That’s true. She did, once upon a time. I forgot.” He raised his eyebrows. “You do know that’s bindweed you’re trying to hack through though?”
“Yes,” Pippa said haughtily, deciding not to mention that she only knew that thanks to Grantham. “I didn’t realise you were a gardener?”
“I’m not.” A shoulder bounced lazily. “But Grantham practically raised me. I wouldn’t be doing him justice if I couldn’t recognise an invasive species or two. Anyway. That weed is a menace.”
“I’m just learning that.” Pippa picked up the shears. “I’ll come up with something to stamp it out. Where have you been this week?”
Wolfie stifled a yawn. “Flew back from Poland this morning. Early flight as I had an appointment to make.”
“Sounds tiring. You must be glad to be home.” Pippa knew she’d made a mistake the moment the words left her mouth. Wolfie’s gaze hardened.
“Home? No, I’m actually here to show this guy around.” Wolfie gestured behind him to where a gentleman in a flannel shirt and jeans paced, holding a shiny black camera.
“A photographer?” Pippa was confused.
“Nothing gets past you, does it?” Wolfie smiled tightly.
“You pay me to keep my eyes on the place.” Pippa used two fingers to point at her eyes and then at the photographer. “Witness me in action. Why is he here?”
“Believe it or not, he’s taking pictures.”
“I can see that,” Pippa said dryly.
“Well, it is part of the normal process when selling a house,” he said. “Buyers do like to see images of the property they’re about to drop huge amounts of money on.” He went on to say something else about the property market, but Pippa didn’t clearly hear it. Selling? Wolfie was selling Squires?
“Why?” she blurted.
Wolfie stopped mid-sentence. “Why am I selling?” Pippa nodded. “Oh. Um. Well, the house is mine. So I suppose the answer would be, because I can?”
Pippa stared at him. Was he mad? “But this is your family home,” she said. “Does Emilia know?”
“My sister doesn’t care,” he said calmly. “She lives a wonderful life with her rich husband far away from here and besides, in the grand patriarchal tradition of old families, the house belongs solely to me. Em gets Mother’s diamonds.”
“I see.” Pippa gazed up at the beautiful house, resplendent in the afternoon sun. “But … won’t you miss it?”
“I’m barely here enough to miss it,” he smirked. “Or hadn’t you noticed?”
“To be fair, I only started working here this past week,” she said.
“It’s time,” he said. “Besides, this place … needs more attention than I give it.” Wolfie’s words sounded laboured, as if discussing Squires gave him actual, physical pain. He shook himself. “That’s why your role was tentatively set at two to six months,” he went on. “Plenty of time for a sale to proceed, whilst making sure the house stays safe.” He nodded at the maze. “Which is why I wouldn’t bother with that. Chances are, it’ll get razed with the rest of this heap.” Wolfie smiled down at her, the summer sun blazing through his golden hair. “Have a good day, Pippa Munro.” With that, he strolled away, acting for all the world as if he hadn’t just dropped the almightiest of truth grenades on Pippa’s head.
ChapterNine
“Are you sure he meant that?” Eileen Munro quivered down the phone. “Razed? As in…”
“Wolfie Squires would like nothing less than to sell to someone who’d tear this house down to the ground,” Pippa told her mother, forking wilted spinach into her mouth. It was lunchtime on a Monday, just a week after Wolfie had revealed his plans for Squires. The listing had been live for only a few days and already there was a viewing lined up later that afternoon. Wolfie had been in Geneva since she had last seen him, sending the most abrupt of text messages to confirm the sale going live. The news had leant an odd significance to Pippa’s chores. Every time she swept the floors or cleaned the windows, Pippa wondered if it was to be the last time, if some dramatic, super-fast sale would take place overnight and she would have to say her goodbyes before breakfast. She hoped the new owner would keep the building standing. Pippa couldn’t bear the thought of someone callously tearing down this place without any inkling of its specialness.
“They can’t do that, surely!” Eileen said. “Isn’t it listed?”
“Nope.” Pippa had checked. She’d told herself it was idle curiosity and not desperate sadness when she’d typed the search terms into Google. The house had crept under her skin already and no mistake. She’d always admired it, but now she felt a protectiveness taking root. The high ceilings, the epic views … plus there was such a peaceful energy blooming from underneath all the neglect. Only a dimwit could overlook all that. And Wolfie Squires didn’t strike Pippa as a dimwit.
“Well, I hope his lordship will be there to show the buyers around,” Eileen said with indignation. “Fancy going to all this trouble to get you in only to sell out from underneath you.”
“Itishis place.” Pippa spoke automatically but she did wonder where Wolfie was, and if indeed it was to be him showing the potential buyer around. Because Pippa knew if it was to be her, she’d have to fight the urge to kick the buyers out of the house. “I’m sure he’ll be here. At least, I presume he will be.”
“He’s away a lot.” Eileen was not impressed. “His poor mother.”
“I don’t think they’re that close,” Pippa said. “Like … literally. Geographically. Trudy’s in Cumbria. Miles away.”
