Joe laughed loudly as he remembered the day after he had arrived at the Chateau, the day that David began to smile once again. He quirked up his lips and then spoke wistfully.
“Yeah, well, if I ever get half as lucky as you and Patrick then I’ll be satisfied, but I can’t see it happening now. I think I’ve met every woman around here and they all do that awful fixed staring thing, like they think I’m going to be embarrassed if they look away.”
There wasn’t much David could say to that. He’d seen it with his own eyes often enough. He turned to follow his son, assuming that Joe would walk alongside him but his friend had turned back to the river. He was scanning the opposite bank as if expecting to see someone standing there.
David frowned.
“Anything wrong Joe?” His friend didn’t respond immediately. And then he turned quizzically towards David.
“Has Patrick left Ellen alone at the Chateau?” It would have been such an unusual event that he scarcely knew why he asked.
David’s frown deepened.
“I doubt it. He doesn’t leave her side much as it is let alone now she’s pregnant. He barely deserts her even to do the cooking. He keeps insisting that he needs her help with the veg all the time. They have barely been apart since, well, you know since when. It was the New Year’s Eve dinner dance, the same year Geraldine and I got it together. Why do you ask?”
Joe tilted his head to the side, listening carefully.
“Can you hear that?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “I thought someone was on the other side of the river earlier, before I caught Robbie. I could feel them looking at me. And now I swear I can hear a car engine. It would have to be someone on the estate for me to be able to pick that up.”
David stood silently and listened hard for a few moments.
“Can’t hear a damned thing, but then I have one less ear than you. Doesn’t help much. If it had been one of us or the staff they would have made themselves known to you rather than sit there spying. I wonder who it was?”
That David didn’t doubt Joe’s assertion that someone had been there was unsurprising. Joe was a quiet man, thoughtful and of few words if he didn’t take to you, but he heard everything, had supersensitive hearing which was why it was nearly impossible to catch the man out.
Joe scanned the opposite river bank one last time and then gave it up. Whoever had been there was long gone. He turned back to the path.
“I hope we didn’t lose one of that last bunch of idiots. You did count them in and out Dave? Please tell me that none of them were missing when you waved them goodbye.”
David laughed.
“Nope they were definitely all gone so no worries there. All accounted for at point of departure. Let’s go and see if it’s a visitor. Geraldine is likely to bite someone’s head off if they turn up unexpectedly at the moment. She’s at the grouchy stage.” David was referring to his own wife’s pregnancy. She was just over three months gone with their second child and the morning sickness was relentless.
Joe took one last glance back at the river. He knew someone had been standing there observing him. He wasn’t entirely happy that he hadn’t been able to pinpoint the fact slightly earlier, but there was no worrying about whoever it was now. Unless they were heading for the chateau they had probably just been lost and had found their way by mistake onto one of the Chateau tracks. There were several that led up from the town and so he walked in silence beside David, listening to Robbie chattering away to himself as he took the prize fish home for their dinner.
Chapter Two
Ellen leaned back from her huge desk and placed her hands in the small of her back. She groaned as the twinges shot through her stomach. She gave a deep sigh and leaned forwards again as she stared at the paper work in front of her, comparing it to what was on the computer screen at her side.
She hated book work. It was the only thing she couldn’t bear about her project. Everything else had been a doddle in comparison, but she had been too stubborn to hire someone else to do the work for her. At first it had been because she needed to keep an eye on how every penny was spent but it had soon become obvious that the chateau expenses were running very high and she didn’t want anyone telling her that the project might become unviable. She had changed strategies the previous year and now she was showing enough profit to expand.
It wasn’t as if she needed to make a load of money for herself. She had plenty lying around in the bank for herself and her husband, a fortunate legacy from a long deceased relative, but she had spent the vast majority of the money on the chateau and she was determined to see that the project worked. It was more the principal of the venture that she had started.
She wanted those that had money to burn, to pay for those who had given everything. The war wounded service men and women and their families had given up so much. While none of them wanted to be pitied or regarded as a charity case, they more than deserved a luxury break at little or no expense and none of the embarrassment or hassle that they often received at ordinary hotels. Since they had increased the corporate revenue the scheme was actually making a profit, but it had come at a price she wasn’t sure that she liked.
The events had been increased to twice every six weeks, rather than the odd weekend that she had originally intended, but the extra income was enormous and was funding the building of three self-contained cottages down by the river.
Joe would be living in one of the cottages. He almost lived by the river full time anyway in one of the tiny fishing cabins that he decked out comfortably to suit his own needs. He preferred to be away from the Chateau when the business guests arrived. The way some of the people treated him was appalling and she had been tempted to say something to the visitors that had just left. He had only just begun recovering from his last set of operations and they were damned lucky that he had been up to the job, not that some of their guests could see that. They spoke to him as though he was an idiot and one had even called into question his suitability to the job.
It had been with great satisfaction that she had seen Joe rise to the challenge once again and pull out all the stops, inventing new and difficult, but not impossible challenges for the group. It had only been as they were leaving that Ellen realized that Joe’s talents at team building had fallen on a few completely deaf ears. There was always someone in the group who would spoil what had appeared to be a wonderful event. One of the men on the last course even had the cheek to hand her the card of an eminent surgeon to pass onto Joe, stating that if he mentioned his name, he would be sure to get a good discount.
Ellen had waited just long enough for the surgically enhanced specimen to leave the grounds before she tore up the card furiously. The damage that been inflicted on the men around her wasn’t something you could fix with a stroke of a knife, a dollop of some kind of implant and a few thousand pounds. The men had the best treatment money could buy through the army veterans services at the expense of the British taxpayer, but it wasn’t going to fix any of their wounds easily or permanently.
She looked over the figures in front of her and gave a small smile as she agreed the final addition. Absolutely a profit. Not large but gratifying all the same. A few more intense weeks like this
one and they would have just a little breathing space, maybe even enough money to keep the chateau open for most of the winter.
They had decided early on to close the huge old place between New Year and the end of February. It was partly to give themselves a well-earned break but also to keep the running costs to a minimum. The expenditure of keeping the temperature up in all the rooms and the lack of outdoor facilities during the wet winter months had swayed their decision after their first year at the venture. But many of their clients just wanted the break anyway. They weren’t worried about outdoor activities so long as they could sit by the roasting fires and use the fabulous indoor facilities, or maybe have a dance in the ballroom and a couple of quiz nights just to keep their brains in order.
; Ellen looked up as she heard a noise in the doorway.
Patrick stood leaning against the door frame. He looked relaxed and happy and he came forwards quickly, circling the desk and winding his arms around his wife. He splayed his hands across her swollen stomach.
“You look tired Ellen. Leave this and come and talk to me while I cook. You should come and see the size of the trout that Joe caught in the river today. Robbie was so excited he nearly burst a blood vessel telling me how Joe lifted the mighty beast with his hands. You would have thought he was talking about Jonah and the whale.”
Ellen gave a small laugh as she relished the feeling of her husband’s warm hands on her belly.
“The only one around here feeling remotely like a whale is me. I am grabbing the exclusivity on that title for the next few weeks as Geraldine isn’t due until November.”
Patrick leaned in and nuzzled his wife’s warm neck. He would never get over this feeling of happiness. His life had been made complete when they had eventually married some five years previously but that was before Ellen had told him that she was, at last, expecting his baby. Now every single thing in the whole world paled into insignificance in relation to the way he felt about becoming a father.
“You shouldn’t be working so hard Ellen. We really need to find someone to take on the office stuff. I don’t want you bogged down with this side of things as well as entertaining our guests and looking after our baby.” The concern was deeply etched in his tones.
Ellen gave a small stretch and then stopped as she felt the baby kick and wriggle inside her.
“I know, I should have interviewed someone for the position ages ago, but I really don’t want anyone local. I don’t want anyone gossiping about our financial position whether it be good or bad and knowing the people around here, I don’t think anyone would be able to keep it quiet whether they intended to or not.” She shoved the papers across the desk and groaned as she turned to her husband. “It feels as if I have some kind of alien inside me.” She rubbed her side where her stomach protruded at an odd angle.
Patrick moved her hand gently out of the way and placed his hand on the hard lump. He circled it gently, talking quietly as he moved his big hand across Ellen’s belly.
“Come on baby, give your mum a rest. I know there’s not much room in there but you only have to be good for just another month and then you get to do some exciting stuff with your dad.” His voice was low and he spoke directly to the lump which immediately stopped moving and stayed quiet.
Ellen gave out a small laugh.
“Well at least he obeys your orders. He must know that you are a Major.” She leaned up, touched her hand gently to her husband’s cheek and gave him a kiss under his chin.
Patrick growled down at her.
“Don’t start that sort of thing now. I have dinner to prepare and I’m looking forward to some intelligent conversation tonight.” He closed his eyes as Ellen reached up and dragged his face nearer to hers. “If you carry on, I won’t be responsible for how late dinner is going to be.” He warned as he nuzzled his nose into her hair and breathed in her scent. But she couldn’t resist him, she never had been able to from the moment she first met him in the darkened forest surrounding the chateau, and she leaned in for another kiss.
Patrick groaned, there was no way he could stop himself. Apart from three self-inflicted months of torture after first meeting Ellen, he had never been able to resist her either and now was no exception.
He was about to drag her up out of the chair and carry her up to the nearest available bedroom when there was a small cough at the door. He spun around and stared at the blonde haired beauty who stood in the doorway. Ellen eased herself up from the chair and smiled at the woman.
“Hello, can we help you? The chateau is closed for a few days so unfortunately we can’t offer any accommodation at the moment.”
The young woman’s own smile faltered.
“Damn. I told Carter that this was a bad idea. He sent me a few days early and I told him it was a cheek, but he’s such an arrogant arse, he just wouldn’t back down. Do you know if there are any other hotels nearby?”
Patrick stifled a huge laugh as he took in the woman’s annoyed expression. She hadn’t even blinked at the horrific scars that covered the side of his face and he appreciated that.
“And who is Carter? Is this someone we should know about?” He asked, the held back laughter evident in his tone.
Ellen stepped forwards and held her hand out to the woman.
“I think you must mean Carter Freeman. I don’t know anyone else with that first name. And yes, he was a little forceful when booking. He almost gave me instructions about what events he expects when the whole point of the weekend is that your team come across previously unknown problems and have to solve them within the group. You must be his secretary Lucy. We spoke on the phone a few weeks ago. I’m Ellen and this is my husband Patrick Reeves.”
The young woman gave another smile, her rosy cheeks dimpling as she took Ellen’s hand and spoke with a warm laugh in her voice.
“Yes, that’s right. We discussed some things when I confirmed the booking. I’m Lucy Collins and I’m really pleased to meet you both at last.” She paused and gauged the obviously relaxed and happy couple in front of her before adding. “And just so that you know, Carter is a complete idiot actually. If I didn’t have to earn a lot of money quickly I would have given up working with his lousy insurance company ages ago.” Lucy gave an awkward cough and then a slightly nervous laugh. “Please don’t tell him I said that. I really need this job and it pays well so I will have to put up with him whatever happens here.” She cleared her throat and changed the subject to her most important predicament. “Look, I’m really sorry about all of this. I told him he was being extremely presumptuous and that it probably wasn’t going to be convenient, but he told me it would be a test to see if you are as good as you say you are and ready for the unexpected. But don’t worry about it, I’m sure I can find another hotel near here for a couple of days.” She smiled again and turned to head out of the office.
Ellen and Patrick looked at one another and came to a silent decision. Patrick moved forwards and spoke quickly.
“It’s fine Lucy. It’s not a problem. We were going to have a couple of days off but if you don’t mind sorting yourself out with any entertainment and can ignore us all being very casual then there’s no reason why you can’t stay here. It’s not as though we don’t have the room.”
Lucy looked up at the big man. He was handsome despite the scarring and he exuded an air of almost overpowering confidence. She glanced at his heavily pregnant wife standing by the desk, wondering if there would be any conflict between the two of them but Ellen’s smile was open and genuine as she nodded in agreement with her husband.
“Well if you’re sure I won’t be putting you to any trouble, it would really help me out and earn you some brownie points with the boss.”
Patrick raised his eyebrows.
“Not sure I care about brownie points from someone like him, but we would like them if it means that you will recommend us to other companies.”
Ellen moved to stand beside Patrick.
“Why don’t I show Lucy to a room? I think I hear Dave and Joe just coming in. We can make some introductions and then get you settled while my husband here gets on with cooking our dinner.”
Lucy nodded.
“Thanks, this is so kind of you. I’ll just stay out of your way for the next couple of days and let you all relax. I’ll see to myself entirely. I only have one small bag. I’ll grab it from the car.” She turned swiftly and then cried out in surprise as she stepped straight into the fisherman’s hard chest. He was a lot bigger than she had realized now she was close up.
She bounced away from him, tripping over her feet as her heart gave an almighty leap in her chest, and then the man suddenly lurched forwards. He grabbed around her waist to prevent her from falling and spluttered out an apology.
/> “Sorry, I thought you knew I was right behind you.” He set her back on her feet as she stared up at him. He wasn’t quite as tall as Patrick Reeves but he was still well over six feet, wide in the shoulder and all the muscles she had noticed down at the river were even more evident close up.
She blinked slowly, calming her heaving chest as she took in the vicious scarring that covered most of his face. The blackened bruises and swollen nose were obviously something new and she guessed that he had had some recent surgery, but his sapphire blue eyes honed in on her, impaling her with their intensity.
His hands were still on her waist, nearly encircling her completely but she didn’t try to escape them. The feeling of warmth and safety was too wonderful to describe. He was very close to her and she caught a waft of his aftershave, mixed with a hint of river water, but the almost overpowering scent was of man, hard and muscled and almost dangerous. She breathed in deeply, sucking it into her senses, never wanting to forget it. She almost stammered as she spoke.
“Th…thanks, I nearly went over. I didn’t hear you come up behind me.”
Joe’s lips twitched up into a smile and he gave a small laugh, his merry blue eyes dancing as he stared down at her.
“Obviously. Probably because you were moaning so loudly about your wonderful boss. He sounds like a barrel of joy. Now, I wonder if that’s anything I can bribe you with later on in the week? Could be good for when we are working in teams and I need to be on the winning side.” He grinned slyly and Lucy opened her mouth to protest before she realized that he was probably joking. She put her hands on her hips and tilted her head at him.
“Oh, very funny aren’t we. I knew I should have kept my big mouth shut. I need this damned job, so I would be forever in your debt if you would keep quiet about that little indiscretion.”
Forever Scarred (Scarred Series Book 3) Page 2
