Saving Willowbrook (31 page)

Damn Parnell! And damn the interruptions that had stopped him telling Ella the truth earlier today!

How the hell was he going to get her to listen to him now?

He turned and walked slowly back to the house.

Stephanie was sitting in the kitchen and from the expression on her face, Ella had got back.

‘She wants you to sleep in the chalet again,' Stephanie said, ‘and if I were you, I'd do that, for tonight at least. Best let her cool down before you try to talk to her.'

‘I can't just leave things like this.'

‘Do you work for DevRaCom?'

‘I did. But I severed any connection with them soon after coming here. And I only came to give Ray Deare my opinion on whether the place was really old, or a fake, not to persuade Ella to do anything she didn't want to. Your son is the one who set up the sale, who saw the potential for a hotel development.'

She gave him a long, level look.

‘I'm telling the truth.'

‘I believe you. But Ella's been deceived and hurt before, and she's very run down, so she's not thinking logically or reasonably.'

‘I'll go up and get my things.'

‘She's packing them now. I'll bring them down to the chalet shortly.' She went to get a key from the board. ‘Please. Go now. She's distraught. This is definitely not the time to confront her.'

‘Very well. I'll take your advice on that. But I'm not leaving Willowbrook till she's listened to me.'

‘Quite right.'

That comment consoled him a little as he paced up and down in front of his chalet. Unless he was very much mistaken, Stephanie not only believed him but wanted the two of them to get together. It was always good to have an ally.

When she brought his suitcase and laptop, she said, ‘I can't stay. We'll talk tomorrow. I want to keep an eye on her.'

He nodded and took his things inside.

But although he got out his computer and tried to work, he couldn't settle. When he realized he'd been playing solitaire for over half an hour, mindlessly twitching the cards around, losing more games than he won, he shut the computer down and flung himself on the bed.

Sleep eluded him, however, and in the end he went outside and sat staring at the water until long after midnight.

Ella spent a similarly restless night. At two o'clock in the morning, she crept downstairs and wrote a letter to ‘Mr O'Neal' asking him to leave her property forthwith and enclosing a cheque for the money he'd paid her in advance. She took it up to bed with her. She'd deliver it in the morning.

Amy peeped into the bedroom at eight o'clock the next morning, smiled to see her mother awake and came in for her usual morning chat.

Ella couldn't turn her daughter away, so tried to listen and respond appropriately, but found it hard to concentrate after so little sleep and with so much on her mind.

‘I'm glad I'm going back to school on Monday, Mummy, but I'm sorry I missed Friday. It's our News Day. I could have told everyone about you and Mr O'Neal getting married and—'

‘We aren't getting married. It was just pretend.'

Amy looked at her as if she'd suddenly grown two heads. ‘But you said you were! You said it to everyone. Were you telling
lies
? You always tell me not to do that.'

‘It was to stop your father being a pest. I didn't have time to explain it to you yesterday.'

‘But you and Mr O'Neal were cuddling.'

‘We were just – acting. Amy, I—'

But her daughter shoved her away and flung out of the room.

Ella lay on the bed, trying desperately to work out what to say to make things better between them.

She must have dozed off because next thing she knew it was nearly nine o'clock.

She crept downstairs with the letter, ready to dart back if Cameron was there. To her relief, there was no sign of him, just Stephanie working in the kitchen. ‘I'm sorry. I went back to sleep. Where's Amy?'

‘Playing house with Porgy in the barn. I keep nipping across to check on her.'

‘Has Cameron had breakfast?'

‘Yes. I told him I didn't need his help this morning.'

Ella passed the letter from one hand to the other, then told herself not to be a coward and put it on the kitchen surface. ‘I've – um – written to ask him to leave. Would you please deliver this to him for me? I don't want to see him.'

The older woman's gaze was sympathetic but she made no move to pick up the letter. ‘Have you let him explain himself?'

Ella hesitated then shook her head.

‘Then I think you're jumping the gun, so I won't deliver the letter. It's not like you to be unfair, my dear girl.'

‘But he
deceived
me! He was working for DevRaCom and you know they're the ones pressuring me to sell.'

‘I'm not sure you know exactly what he was doing here or what he was doing for DevRaCom. He says he isn't working for them now, and I believe him.'

‘Please. I don't want to see him again. I daren't take the risk of – of getting involved. There isn't just me to consider this time, there's Amy.'

‘If you two break up like this, Miles will have got what he wanted. He might not want you himself, but he doesn't like to think of anyone else having you. He was like that with his toys, even as a small child.'

‘And with his clothes. He'd never give them to the charity shop, kept things I knew he'd never wear again.'

‘Miles is rather clever at finding someone's weak spot and using it for his purposes, as you should know by now.' Stephanie crossed the room to put her arms round Ella for a hug. ‘Go and see Cameron. At least do him the courtesy of letting him explain. It's only fair.'

Ella bent her head. Fair. Was she being unfair? Was there still hope? ‘I'm not thinking clearly, am I?'

‘No. But you've not only been ill, you're still under a lot of stress, worried about your home. Cameron will understand, as I do.'

‘Will he?'

‘Of course he will. He loves you.'

Ella gazed at her. ‘How can he? And how can I think of love when everything's in such a tangle that I don't know where I stand? I'm probably going to lose the farm, whether it's heritage listed or not, because I owe Miles so much money that he can take me to court to get it. I can't seem to get past that.'

‘If love waited till everything was smooth sailing to strike, I doubt anyone would fall in love. More to the point, how did you feel about Cameron before this cropped up?'

‘I was – getting fond of him.'

‘I thought so. Go and see him, Ella. Be sure you know the truth before you start making decisions.' She smiled. ‘But not like that. I'd suggest a shower and doing something with your hair first.'

‘I should listen to his side, shouldn't I?'

Ella went back up the stairs, caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and exclaimed in horror. Definitely not like this. Her hair was lank, her eyes shadowed and she was wearing a tatty old dressing gown that had seen far better days.

She didn't want Cameron to see her like this. Had she looked as bad the previous day?

Galvanized into action, she hurried into the bathroom.

In the kitchen, Stephanie listened till the water started running, then hurried along to the end chalet, where she found Cameron packing his suitcase. ‘For goodness' sake, she'll be here in a few minutes. Do you really want her to find you getting ready to run away from your quarrel?'

‘You can't quarrel with someone who won't talk to you. I've been waiting for her and she's not come. She's always up early, so what else could I think but that she's not changed her mind, won't trust me.'

‘She fell asleep again after Amy popped in to see her, hasn't been up long.'

‘Oh.'

‘Give things a chance, Cameron.'

‘I want to, but she's terrified of getting into a new relationship, thanks to your damned son. And maybe I've been rushing her, maybe I'm fooling myself and she's not fallen for me as I have for her.'

Stephanie rolled her eyes. ‘You're both acting like teenagers in love. In my opinion, she does care about you.'

He stared at her. ‘You really think she does?'

‘Yes. Look, she's coming to see you in a few minutes. Talk to her, tell her exactly what you're doing here and most important of all, how you feel about her.' She glanced at her watch. ‘I must get back. I don't want her to know I've been talking to you.' She patted his arm. ‘Cheer up. This is love, not war. I'm going back via the barn. I'll make sure Amy doesn't interrupt you.'

When Stephanie had dashed off, he stared down at the suitcase for a few moments, then started pulling things out, shoving them into the drawers anyhow. He zipped up the suitcase again and put it away. Better check that he looked decent. He'd flung on his clothes anyhow this morning.

‘She was right. You were running away! I'm ashamed of you,' he told his reflection then brushed his teeth again and combed his hair.

He had known Ella just under two weeks. Could you really fall in love so quickly? How did you know it was the real thing? Love with a capital L. This wasn't a business deal, to be approached with tactics, knowledge and logic, it was, quite simply, the most important thing that had ever happened to him – and the most bewildering.

He began to pace up and down, willing Ella to hurry up, dreading her arrival, more unsure of himself than he'd ever been since he was a teenager. He could tackle a hostile consortium and prove them wrong financially, but tackling one woman, one dear brave woman, had him shivering in his shoes.

What if Stephanie was wrong and Ella didn't love him?

What if Ella didn't believe his explanations?

Eighteen

Oliver suddenly realized that since he'd got back with Rose, he'd not had any more nightmares, and that his episodes of feeling trapped and breathless had been fewer and less severe.

‘What are you looking so happy about?' his father asked during a break in the Saturday morning surgery.

‘Me and Rose.'

‘You're together again? When you didn't come home at night, your mother said you'd have made it up with her. We both hope it's for good this time. We're fond of Rose.'

Oliver grinned. ‘So am I. I never stopped loving her all the time I was away, Dad. Never. The big problem now is to find a way to keep us both here in Wiltshire because she can't leave. She's still working on that project.'

‘You can always work in the practice with me.' He held up one hand to stop Oliver replying. ‘Don't say anything now, just keep it in mind. But I'll understand if you want to find something else to do. I can always get another partner or two, you know. I'm not the only doctor on this planet who still believes in personalized medicine.'

‘I know. And I'm grateful. I'll let you know about that as soon as I figure out where I'm going.'

‘How is the other thing?'

‘Much better since I've been back with Rose.' He laughed softly. ‘She hasn't changed, not in any way that matters.'

‘Good.' His father frowned. ‘Still obsessed with that project, is she? I mean, it's been years now. How long is she going to put her life on hold for it?'

‘If you'd seen the quality of her work, you'd understand why it's taken so long, and why it's worth it. Anyway, I'm moving in with her permanently. I suppose it's all right if we stay in the flat?'

‘Fine by me. I can rent out that old cottage easily enough once it's repaired.'

‘Good.'

‘Are you going to get married this time?'

‘I hope so. I intend to take her away for a romantic weekend in a luxury hotel and discuss that matter rather seriously.'

‘Good idea.'

When Oliver had gone back to work, his father picked up the phone and called his wife. ‘Mary? You were right. He's moving in permanently with Rose and he's going to ask her to marry him.' He listened to her excited comments and laughed. ‘I don't think we'd better mention grandchildren to him yet, my love.'

Then he turned with a sigh to his next patient. He'd known Graham Harding for years, was on various local committees with him. The man's blood pressure was dangerously elevated and nothing would persuade him to change his lifestyle. Still, John always went through the motions each time, repeating his instructions about losing weight and getting some exercise.

When he'd finished saying it all over again and passed over the new prescription, Graham didn't move but sat fiddling with the piece of paper.

‘Something else you need to discuss?'

‘I'm taking Brett to a rehab place your son recommended. We're going on Monday. I'll see him into it myself.'

‘Good. I'm sure it's the right thing to do.'

‘It doesn't feel right to lock your only son away. You're lucky with yours. He's always been a high achiever.'

‘Yes. I am. And Oliver's back with Rose, permanently, we hope.' John smiled fondly. ‘They're going away for a romantic weekend. I'd not be surprised if we don't hear wedding bells soon.'

‘Good for them. I'm really glad for you.'

John patted the other man's arm after they'd both stood up. ‘If anyone can help your Brett, these people at the rehab place can. You might find he's a changed person when he's off the booze. It does happen.'

‘But what if they don't help him?'

John shrugged helplessly. There was no answer to that. Some people couldn't be saved, whatever their loved ones did, and that left emotional scars.