Trust in Me (17 page)

She looked up at the sound of his voice, her entire body shuddered with renewed sobs and she held out her arms to him. He covered the distance between them in a few quick strides and lifted her, holding her tight against him, letting her cry as though her heart had broken.

Slowly, cradled in Theo’s arms, Rosie began to calm down. He had taken her seat on the stairs and arranged her on his lap. She was frozen through and he hoped the closeness of his body would warm her.

After a while, she began to reveal the full horror of what had happened.

“She’s really gone. I still can’t believe it. After all the years I’ve spent raising her, it feels as though Julia’s taken my child.”

Theo hated to see her in such despair. “Why has Julia decided to speak up now? Are you sure she’s telling the truth?”

“I wasn’t at first,” Rosie admitted. “I couldn’t believe it. But as Julia explained it all clicked into place. She really is Glory’s sister. Once she’d admitted it I could see the family resemblance. Besides, what possible reason could she have to lie about a thing like that?”

“We can fight for custody. We can get Evie back.”

She was unbearably touched he was prepared to do that for her. For a moment, the temptation to ask him to set the lawyers on Julia hovered. But she had to think of the best thing for Evie. “Evie deserves to spend time with her aunt and she’s the important one in all this.”

He shook his head. “This doesn’t add up. Why didn’t Julia tell you? Why didn’t she take Evie straight away? She moved to the village years ago. She’s seen how you’ve struggled to keep things together. She could have made life easier for you.”

“I think she tried, but Evie wouldn’t leave me. She was heartbreakingly loyal, even when offered the chance of an easier life with her aunt and best friend’s family. I’ve got to let her have this, however much it hurts me.”

“But why did she speak up now, after all this time?”

Rosie’s eyes were clear and green. “Because she thinks I’ve got you.”

Theo was gutted. In trying to give Rosie what she wanted – a job and a secure home for her younger sister – he’d been responsible for her worst nightmare. Because of him, her sister had gone.

As soon as Rosie came to her senses and realised the truth, she’d blame him. Even worse, she would hate him. And he would have no means of holding on to her. The estate would mean nothing to her without Evie.

“I don’t understand why I didn’t recognise Julia from the beginning. I should have known. She’s not unlike Glory.”

“You weren’t expecting her to deceive you. You took her friendship at face value.”

“And it blew up in my face,” she retorted bitterly. “I’m beginning to think I can’t trust anyone.”

“You can trust me.” He hated himself for the lie. Even while he offered comfort, he was plotting ways to keep her with him.

She leaned into his shoulder. “I know I can.”

Something twisted in Theo’s gut.

He carried her though to the sitting room, where she eventually fell into an exhausted sleep on the sofa. He turned out the lamps and covered her with a duvet he found upstairs and settled on a nearby chair to watch her sleep by the muted lighting escaping from the hall. She shouldn’t be left alone when she was so upset.

Eventually, she stirred. “Theo?” her voice came in a frantic whisper.

“It’s okay, I’m here.”

“I dreamt it never happened and she was still here.”

“She hasn’t gone far. You’ll still see her. Try to go back to sleep.”

She shook her head. “Not yet. Talk to me.”

“What about?”

“Your family – tell me about your parents. What were they like?”

Not really where he wanted to go. Theo sighed and hoped the lighting was dim enough to hide the reluctance undoubtedly etched on his face. “My parents married for love, but the example they presented wasn’t exactly a glowing advertisement for wedded bliss.”

“But they did love each other?”

“So they insisted, but there was little evidence. They met when my father was on holiday in Greece – Mum left her family to be with him. They never forgave her. It might not have been so bad if they’d been happy but they weren’t.”

Rosie was horrified. “And you saw that?”

He shrugged. “We got over it. Mum died when we were both quite young and things calmed down a bit after that.”

“What did she die of?”

“A previously undiagnosed heart defect.”

“How old were you?”

“Eleven.”

More things they had in common, he reflected – dysfunctional parents, unhappy childhoods, the loss of a mother at a young age…

“What about Gina?” she asked sleepily.

“What about her?”

“Did you love her?”

“No.” He answered instantly. No doubt at all about that. “I’ve never been in love.”

Rosie relaxed against the cushions once again. As she drifted back to sleep, what had remained unsaid played on his mind. Those early views of love and relationships had been further compounded by the empty relationships Theo had himself endured as an adult. He’d been wary of committing himself from the outset, preferring to concentrate on business interests, but a certain type of woman had battled relentlessly past his outward defences.

Unfortunately, those women had been vain and mercenary and had thought nothing of simpering vacuous and meaningless words of love. But their idea of love had been measured in terms of his bank balance and his willingness to pick up the bills for shoes and handbags.

That’s why he was fascinated by Rosie. Lovely Rosie, who didn’t want anything for herself and who argued whenever he tried to spoil her. Even if he didn’t love her, he’d be a fool to let her get away.

And, if he ever changed his mind, he imagined it would be very easy to fall in love with Rosie.

***

Rosie woke up and Theo was gone. As she registered that fact, the memory of yesterday rushed into her head. She was surprised she’d managed to sleep at all. Already the ache of missing Evie presented as a sharp pain in her chest. It was one thing for Evie to stay as a guest with Julia and her family. Quite another for her to actually move out to live with them permanently.

And Rosie was so furious with Julia it wasn’t true. She’d lied. Wormed her way into Rosie’s confidence. Pretended to be her friend.

“How are you this morning?” Theo brought a mug of tea through and put it down on the side table.

“Thanks.” Rosie elbowed her way out of the duvet, picked up the mug and sipped. “I needed that. I’ve been better. I still feel all kinds of stupid for not realizing there was something not quite right about the Julia situation.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself.” The cushions shifted as he sat easily at her feet. He looked as though he belonged there. “You took her friendship at face value.”

“I should have known – she was always so keen to help. So eager to have Evie stay over. It wasn’t normal.”

“Evie and Julia’s step-daughter are friends. They’ve worked together, running the sanctuary, and they help each other with homework. Why would you suspect anything else was going on?”

“I suppose.” She took another sip of her tea and then glanced at Theo from beneath her lashes. “I thought you’d gone.”

He smiled and reached out to rest his hand on her ankle. Through the cover, she could feel the weight of his touch and was comforted by it. More comforted than she should have been. She liked having him around. Liked having him to rely on.

“I didn’t want to leave you.”

Physical pain squeezed her heart at his admission and that was the exact moment the truth hit her with all the subtlety of a jackhammer – she was desperately in love with Theo Bradley.

It had been building up gradually and now, at the most inconvenient time possible, it threatened to overwhelm her. She took a deep breath. She had to leave the estate, there was no other choice under the circumstances. Evie was no longer a consideration. And Theo didn’t want love. If he ever found out how she felt about him she’d be on the next bus out of his life – probably on the seat next to Gina.

“I would have been fine.”

He smiled again, and it was as though his gold glance was a whisper against her skin. “I preferred to stay and see for myself.”

She didn’t want to move. Once she was up she’d have to face the reality of life without Evie – and the reality of loving Theo. While she stayed wrapped in her duvet she didn’t have to think. But she was still dressed in yesterday’s clothes, her head heavy from hours of crying. “I need a shower.”

“I’ll have breakfast ready when you’re dressed.”

Was there no end to the man’s talents? Really, he was just about perfect she realised as she turned the shower full on and stepped under. Too perfect for her.

Theo must never find out she was in love with him. Their relationship was a business one bordering on friendship, nothing more, and she had to remember that. It was not appropriate for her to allow her feelings to become involved. Besides which, this was her worst nightmare come true. She’d spent her life believing that falling in love would make her no better than her father’s groupies and now she was in danger of behaving exactly like them.

But how in heaven’s name was she supposed to hide the fact she loved him? And, more to the point, how could she quash those feelings when he insisted on being lovely at every turn?

It frightened the life out of her.

By falling for Theo so completely, she had laid herself wide open for betrayal in the most devastating way. Everyone she had ever been close to had done their bit to mess her life up – her father, her brother, even Julia. It looked as though betrayal went with the territory when you cared for someone. And she cared for Theo more than she had ever cared for anyone. Theo had the ability to hurt her more than any other human being ever had.

She didn’t want him to have that power.

She didn’t want to be in love with him.

The dreaded hand of fear grip her. What she felt for Theo was so much more than she had expected love to be. He’d become the entire focus of her life, surpassing even her grief that Evie had gone. She waited around for any crumb of attention he deigned to thrust her way. Just as her father’s girlfriends had hung around him waiting for his attention to validate their own existences.

He was busy at the Aga when she reached the kitchen. “Bacon and eggs okay?”

“Mmm, lovely, thank you.”

She grabbed a piece of toast and began to chew mechanically. She was going to have to be so careful. She couldn’t afford for him to guess – or she and Evie would be evicted before they knew it.

And then she remembered she was leaving and that Evie had another home now. And the sense of loss started to bite at her anew.

***

Theo could see the shutters closing over her lovely green eyes. This morning she’d turned back into a stranger – completely closed off and it was obvious she didn’t want to share any of the thoughts going through her beautiful head. And it hadn’t gone unnoticed that she still wore her old jeans in preference to anything in the smart new wardrobe he had provided her with. He’d been so sure they’d reached an understanding recently, but it seemed they were back to square one.

Today wasn’t a day to ask her about those things, though. Regardless of her reluctance to share, he knew she must be hurting. Today, she needed to be looked after, cosseted and reassured.

“She hasn’t gone far.” He flipped the bacon and cast a sympathetic glance in her direction.

“I know. I’m glad for her. Really I am. She’s getting the chance to make a life away from the estate – and from the shadow of our father’s behaviour.”

That was more than Rosie ever had, he realised grimly. She had sacrificed any chance of a life of her own to raise her sister. The more he found out about Rosie the more he admired her grit and resolve. “Evie will be back to visit.”

He glanced at her, uneasy he’d exploited her need to provide a home for her sister and her attachment to the estate for his own ends. He’d been too eager to take her up on her offer to run the place – despite knowing it probably wasn’t in her best interest – because he’d wanted to keep her close. He realised that now. And he could admit to himself that the attraction between them had floored him from the beginning.

“Well, she’ll be back to see the donkeys.”

He smiled as she made a brave attempt at humour. He blamed himself entirely for this. He’d messed up big time. In trying to give her what she wanted, he’d facilitated this disaster – breaking Rosie’s heart in the process. “She’ll be back to see you. You’re still her sister and she still loves you.”

Rosie nodded, but it was obvious she was fighting back tears. “Thank you for staying with me last night. I don’t know how I would have managed on my own.”

“That’s what I’m here for.”

“But you were supposed to be at work. In fact, shouldn’t you be there now?”

Yes, he should be – this diversion had the potential to lose him millions. But Rosie was more important. “They’ll cope without me.” He served up the food and brought the plates over to where she sat at the table. “I thought, perhaps, under the circumstances, you might like to come back to London with me for a few days.”

That got her attention. Her head snapped up, eyes wide and she stared at him across the table. “What?” Her eyes narrowed. “Why?”

He shrugged. “Why not? Maybe we could go on that sightseeing trip you suggested. Besides, if you’re here on your own I’ll worry about you.” He hardly dared to breathe as he waited for her answer.

“I can’t think about this now, Theo.”

“You need a few days away from the estate.”

Her eyes widened and he couldn’t help noticing she didn’t look happy at the prospect. “I can’t leave the estate now, not with the renovations about to start on the manor.”

“There’s a management team on standby, ready to step in and hold the fort for you.”

“And I don’t want to be too far away in case Evie needs me.”

He sat back and folded his arms as he regarded her thoughtfully. She was making excuses now. He knew better than to push, but still he couldn’t help himself. “If she needs you she can phone. You can come straight back.”