Page 19 of All Summer Long

She looked unsure for a second, as if she recognised that he was right but didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her pull those nails from her pocket.

Straightening her shoulders back a little, she said, ‘I should get on.’

‘Because you’re going to use the tree house for …’ he waited for her to supply the rest.

‘Yes,’ she said, without elaboration. ‘I am.’

If she was trying to be secretive to wind him up, it was working. He remembered the sophisticated camera he’d handed over to her last week and a horrible suspicion surfaced in his mind.

‘You’re not building a hide for the press to spy on me, are you?’

He knew he’d said the wrong thing instantly. Her face told him so, but she didn’t go off the deep end. She looked at him in silence for a few long moments and her eyes told him that he’d hit a nerve before she segued into cool, professional landlady mode.

‘Your privacy, or indeed your fame, is not my concern, Mr Duff, but you can rest assured that I have no affection for the press and I won’t permit them on my land.’

Mr Duff, huh? So they were back there again. She’d perplexed him with her secrecy and he’d offended her with his accusation in return, and no doubt he’d also left her with the idea that he was a cock with an over-inflated ego.

‘I’ll leave you to your work, Mrs McBride,’ he said, like for like, inclining his head in goodbye as he descended the ladder. At the bottom of the tree he paused, considered an apology, and then thought better of it and shoved his hands deep in his pockets as he made his way back to the manor without glancing back.

Alice stood on the deck of the tree house and watched him saunter away across the grass, her heart still banging too fast in her chest. She’d had her fill of the paps and reporters during her break-up, and her father had had scant regard for the invasive methods they used. Over her dead body would she have them back here again. In some ways Robinson Duff was nothing like Brad, but in other unsettling ways he was obviously cut from the same fame-hungry cloth. If she didn’t need the six months rent he’d paid in advance so badly she’d ask him to pack his precious celebrity bags and leave her in peace.

Alice flopped down on the banquette later and laid her forehead on the table in front of her. She ached in places she didn’t know it was possible to ache, and she wasn’t convinced she’d ever get the grime out from under her fingernails. Day one of renovating the tree house could be considered a success on most levels; she just needed her body to get the memo.

‘Alice.’

Crap. Robinson was outside. She hoped he hadn’t come for round two, because she was officially all out of fight.

‘Unless the manor’s on fire, come back tomorrow,’ she grumbled loud enough for him to hear, knowing she sounded horribly inhospitable but she was too tired to play nice.

‘Well, technically no, it’s not on fire, but I do have a bit of an emergency over there.’

Fear prickled her spine and had her on her feet and shuffling to throw the door open. He didn’t look in too much of a panic, but then he was a laidback cowboy so she wasn’t going to take any chances.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘Plumbing problem in the bathroom. There’s water everywhere.’ He grimaced and looked apologetic. ‘Would you mind coming and taking a look? I’m guessing the house has its own secret tricks and tips that I haven’t sussed yet.’

Alice’s heart thumped in alarm.

‘Crap! I’m coming, hang on a minute.’

The plumbing wasn’t prone to problems but one thing was for sure, getting anyone out to fix pipes in an old and complicated place like the manor was going to cost a fortune she didn’t have. Sighing heavily, she shoved her feet quickly into her boots and gestured for Robinson to lead the way over to the house. Once there, she left her boots by the door and dashed ahead of him through the house and sprinted up the staircase, crossing the fingers of both of her hands tightly that when she reached the bathroom it was going to be something obvious.

It wasn’t. She braced herself for disaster as she flung open the door of the corner bathroom, but as far as she could see there was no disaster. In fact, it looked fabulous. A jug of wild flowers had been set on the washstand, and the creamy fat candle had been lit on the deep wooden windowsill. Nicer still, the bathtub was filled with fragrant bubbly water, and the whole room had been warmed by the fire he’d lit in the hearth.

She turned slowly to look at Robinson lounging behind her in the doorway, almost bashful.

‘What’s this?’ she said, her heart still racing, not understanding.

‘An apology for me being an ass today,’ he said softly. ‘I figured the Airstream shower might not cut it tonight.’

Alice didn’t know what to say. He’d completely blindsided her. A small churlish voice in her head told her to say thanks but no thanks, you nearly gave me a sodding heart attack, but the much louder ‘oh my god the bath looks so lush and inviting’ voice shouted it down.

‘I don’t know what to say,’ she said, because she honestly didn’t. It was such a simple gesture really, but it spoke of thoughtfulness, and a kindness that she hadn’t expected. Over the years with Brad he’d always been the one who needed bolstering behind the scenes; she’d fallen into the groove of being his support system, his cook, his cleaner, his secretary and sometimes his surprise bath runner. He hadn’t been a terrible tyrant of a husband and it had happened so gradually that she hadn’t felt the sting, but as Brad’s self worth and confidence had risen, he’d eroded hers in equal measures. Put short, Alice couldn’t remember a time when anyone had taken care of her like this.

‘The robe was hanging on the back of one of the bedroom doors,’ he said, nodding towards her cashmere robe placed over the Victorian wooden airer along with two fluffy white towels. The grey robe would cover her from neck to ankles, yet still there was an inferred intimacy to wearing it around him. She faltered, and then decided to just see how she felt after her bath. If worst came to worst she could always put her work clothes back on again.

‘Take as long as you like,’ he said, and before she’d turned around he’d closed the door and left her alone. On instinct she opened the door and leaned around the frame.

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