Sheltered by Her Top-Notch Boss

‘This was the first room I renovated,’ she said, spooning freshly ground coffee into the percolator. ‘The beams were dark with age, so I had them cleaned up and then picked out cupboards to go with the new, lighter colour.’

James nodded. ‘They make the room look warm and homely.’ His gaze went to the gleaming range cooker that she’d lovingly restored and which had pride of place in her kitchen. ‘That must help heat up the kitchen.’

She nodded. ‘It does. I love it—I spend lots of time experimenting with new recipes—it’s kind of a hobby. Cooking helps me to unwind.’ She smiled. ‘Though I live here on my own, so I often have to share what I’ve made with the family across the way … the people who live in the converted barn.’

He looked her over, amusement sparking in his eyes, and once again she experienced that odd feeling of familiarity, as though she knew him from somewhere in the past, but once again the circumstances eluded her.

‘You cook as well?’ he said. ‘Wow. Fortune’s following me around today—I must have stumbled on my dream woman!’

She chuckled. ‘I wouldn’t get too carried away, if I were you—I didn’t say I was any good at it.’

He laughed, and while the percolator simmered, she showed him the living/dining room that was tacked on to one end of the open plan kitchen. ‘I had the wall taken down,’ she said, ‘to make the place seem bigger. I was a bit worried it might not work out too well.’

‘I don’t think that’s a problem at all.’ He stood close to her as they surveyed the room, and all she could think about was his nearness, the long line of his strong and lean body, the way his arm inadvertently brushed hers and sent a ripple of heat surging inside her.

He glanced at her, and there was a stillness about him that made her wonder if he’d experienced that same feeling. He seemed distracted for a moment or two and then appeared to force his attention back to the subject in hand.

‘It all seems to work pretty well. The dining area goes on from the kitchen, and the living room is part of the L-shape, which makes it kind of separate. All the rooms benefit from the extra space.’

She nodded, struggling to regain control of herself. ‘That’s what I was hoping for. There’s a small utility room as well, so I have just about everything I need here. I’m really fortunate to have this place, but it’s the extra money from the TV show that funded all the renovations.’

‘I can imagine.’ His mouth made a crooked line. ‘But as an avid fan, I’m convinced you’re worth every penny they pay you. You explain things in a way people can understand, and make the programme lively and interesting at the same time.’

‘I’m glad you think so, but it’s all down to teamwork really. It doesn’t take too long to make the programmes, so it’s worked out pretty well for me, all in all.’ She sent him a quizzical glance. ‘Perhaps it’s something you’d like to try? The producers are always looking for new presenters.’

He shook his head. ‘I don’t think so. I’m busy enough as it is. I’ve enough going on outside medicine to keep me occupied. So time out for a spot of rest and relaxation would be first on my agenda, and I like to spend it on my boat, where I can get away from everything and everyone.’ He sent her an oblique glance, his mouth making a teasing curve. ‘Is there any chance you might want to join me? I could set aside a few days especially for you and we could maybe spend a long, lazy weekend together.’

She gave him an answering smile. ‘That’s a tempting proposition, James, but I’d really have to give it some thought.’ It had definite appeal, but some innate sense made her hold back.

She’d been in relationships before, which had promised so much and then proved to be a huge letdown. Perhaps her background, the disintegration of her family life had made her cautious about expecting too much. ‘We barely know each other, after all.’

‘That could soon be remedied.’

They walked back to the kitchen, and Ellie poured coffee, smiling faintly as the tempting aroma teased her nostrils. Despite her reservations, she liked being with James. She’d been feeling thoroughly down in the dumps and somehow he’d managed to pull her out of the swamp of depression.

She handed him a cup and he added cream and sugar, stirring thoughtfully. ‘So how did you get into the TV business?’ he asked, as they sipped the hot liquid. ‘Were you spotted by a talent scout prowling the emergency unit?’

She laughed. ‘No such luck. I know someone who works at the studios, and she suggested I might like to try it. I’d written a few articles for magazines and made a couple of videos for students that turned out all right, so she thought I might take to it.’

‘And I guess she was right.’

‘Mmm, it seems so.’ She rummaged in the fridge and the cupboard, looking for something to nibble on. ‘Would you like something to eat? Biscuits and cheese, or a slice of quiche maybe?’

He shook his head and took a quick sip of coffee. ‘Not for me, thanks,’ he said, and there was a hint of resignation in his tone. ‘I’m afraid I must be going very soon.’

‘Oh, of course. Okay.’ She felt a pang of disappointment because he was about to leave. They drank their coffees and talked about her TV work for a while longer. Then he put down his cup and started to head towards the door.

‘You said you lead a busy life,’ she murmured as she walked with him. ‘What is it that takes up most of your time outside work?’

‘I help to manage my father’s estate. The manager has taken extended leave to deal with a family crisis in Ireland, so I’ve had to step into the breach in the meantime.’

His father’s estate. She frowned, and all at once alarm bells started to ring faintly inside her head. Memories of her past came flooding back to haunt her, causing a feeling of nausea to start up in her stomach, and she tried to quash the thoughts that were crowding her mind. There wasn’t necessarily anything untoward in what he was saying.

‘His estate?’ she said in a guarded voice. ‘That sounds like something quite involved. What kind of estate is it?’

‘Farming, mostly, with a dairy and creamery on site. There are other things going on there as well—there’s an orchard, and a lake where people can go to fish.’ He glanced at her, as though gauging her reaction. ‘My father isn’t too well at the moment, so he’s finding it difficult to oversee things. He tried to get someone to take over the management on a temporary basis, but that hasn’t worked out so I’ve had to get involved.’

‘You’re talking about Lord Birchenall’s estate, aren’t you?’ She said it in a hoarse whisper, while the blood drained from her face. ‘You’re his son?’

‘That’s right.’ He studied her, his expression solemn. ‘Does it matter?’

‘I thought there was something about you—that I knew you from somewhere. I just never dreamt …’ She pulled in a shaky breath and then looked up, her gaze meeting his. ‘You’ve changed. You’re so much more …’ She broke off. The gangly youth she remembered was gone.

This man was muscled, toned, his features etched by the trials and tribulations of the years that had passed. ‘I don’t suppose you remember me?’ He’d headed off to medical school when she had been around thirteen or fourteen years old. Why would he have given her a second thought?

‘Of course I do. It was a long while ago, and you’ve filled out in all the right places, but how could I forget you, Ellie? You were always up to something, climbing trees, camping out in the woods. I watched out for you, in case you landed yourself in a scrape.’

He’d watched out for her? She cast that thought to one side. ‘Why didn’t you tell me you knew who I was all along?’ A flash of bitter defiance shot through her, making her green eyes spark with anger. ‘You should have said something right at the start, when Zoe introduced us.’

‘And lose the chance of talking to you?’ His dark brows lifted. ‘I may be many things, Ellie, but I’m not a fool.’

‘No, you’re Lord Birchenall’s son—and you’ve been brought up to believe in his values and everything he stands for.’

‘And what would those be, Ellie?’

‘That all that matters is his own comfort, his own perfectly organised way of life.’ She bit out the words through clenched teeth as she gave vent to her feelings of resentment and betrayal. ‘Nothing must get in the way of his wellbeing, must it? Woe betide any hapless worker who falls foul of Lord Birchenall.’

‘Aren’t you being a little melodramatic?’

She gasped. ‘How can you say that to me? My father was Lord Birchenall’s estate manager for a dozen or more years until your father sacked him and threw him off his land. We lost everything … the house that went with the job, our livelihood, our unity as a family.’

‘I know that must have been a tremendous blow to you, but are you so sure your father didn’t bring it on himself? I remember my father being angry, at the end of his tether. Things had not been running smoothly, there were glitches, problems. I don’t know all the reasons why it happened, Ellie, but I’m sure my father wouldn’t have acted without due cause.’

‘And you didn’t care what became of his family afterwards?’

‘That’s not true. I did care. But I went away to medical school around about that time, and I didn’t know what went on after I left. I asked my father what happened to you and he said you’d moved to a house in the village.’

She opened the front door and stood to one side to let him pass.

‘What else could we do? We had to move in with friends for the first few months. He ruined our lives, that’s what happened.’ She pressed her lips together to hold back the anger that was taking hold of her. ‘I’d hoped I could put it behind me after all these years, but now it’s come flooding back with a vengeance.’

She stiffened, bracing her shoulders, and her gaze locked with his. ‘You should go,’ she said.

He stepped outside into the porch, and then turned to face her once more. ‘I’m sorry you feel this way. It was all a long time ago. Maybe it’s time for you to let it go.’

‘I don’t think that’s possible.’

‘That’s unfortunate.’ He frowned, studying her face in the moonlight. ‘Goodnight, Ellie.’ He nodded briefly and then strode across the gravelled drive to his car.