More Than Neighbors

by Isabel Keats

  “I don’t know. You’re acting strange. You don’t like any of the women I’ve introduced you to. Whenever I speak to you, it’s like you’re on another planet. Leopold, what’s going on? You can tell me, for fuck’s sake, we’ve been inseparable since school.”

  Leopold noted the concerned expression on his friend’s round face. “It’s nothing, Harry, I promise. Maybe it’s work. I’m just a bit stressed.”

  The explanation seemed to satisfy Harry. “That’s what I told Lisa, but she’s convinced you’re in love with someone we don’t know.”

  “Your Lisa has an overactive imagination,” he responded with feigned indifference.

  “Ha, I’ll let her know.” Satisfied, Harry began talking about cricket, his favorite topic of conversation, and Leopold breathed a sigh of relief.

  Two weeks later, he rang the bell at Catalina’s apartment. When she opened the door, she discovered her neighbor standing there, looking his most dignified.

  “Hello, Catalina.”

  “Leopold.”

  He was surprised to hear Cat call him by his full name, and he didn’t like it. And there was no sign of the delicious smile with which she used to welcome him. “May I come in?”

  She hesitated for a few seconds but eventually gestured for him to enter.

  “I see you’ve been painting . . .”

  Cat had green paint on her cheekbone and an orange mark on her chin, while the old paint-covered apron she used to protect her clothes left no room for doubt.

  “Very observant,” she replied.

  The two of them stood in her living room, facing off like boxers preparing to do battle. “I wanted to apologize, and to ask for a favor,” he began, his face devoid of emotion.

  “A favor, you say? You have some nerve.”

  Leopold clenched his already tightly clamped jaws even more. “I’ll start with the apology. I’m sorry I filled your glass several times.” He got straight to the point, his words tumbling out, as if he’d been holding his breath until then.

  “So you admit it, huh?” said Cat, hands on her hips and an eyebrow arched.

  “I admit it.”

  “May I ask what you thought you were doing? I told you the effect alcohol has on me.”

  “I knew full well what I was doing.”

  Catalina was dumbstruck by his shamelessness. She finally asked, “And what were your intentions? I thought we were friends. I trusted you.”

  Hearing her words and seeing that he had hurt her feelings, Leopold shuddered, as if he’d received a blow to the stomach. “I wanted to seduce you,” he confessed.

  “Seduce me?” she parroted, opening her mouth in astonishment.

  “Seduce you.”

  Cat managed to shut her mouth, and it was a few minutes before she could bring herself to say anything. Her neighbor, on the other hand, seemed perfectly calm.

  “I don’t get it. We were friends. You don’t seduce a friend, and you certainly don’t get her drunk to do such a wicked thing.” Listening to herself, she sounded exactly like none other than Mrs. Dawson, a religious education teacher she’d once had.

  “You’re right.”

  “Is that all you have to say?”

  “The thing is, Catalina, it has been a long time since I’ve slept with a woman.” Leopold couldn’t believe those words were coming out of his mouth, but he preferred not to stop to think about it, so he cleared his throat and continued. “And at that moment, you were the nearest woman at hand. I’d kissed you a few times, and you didn’t seem to dislike it, but you didn’t seem eager to go any further. I suppose I was a bit desperate.” She thought it a feeble explanation, but she waited for him to finish. “I’ll never try anything like it again, you have my word.”

  “So basically what you’re saying is that you got me drunk to try to sleep with me because I was the only woman available.”

  “More or less, but when you put it like that, it sounds terrible,” Leopold replied stiffly.

  “You can’t say something like that to a girl and expect it to sound okay, Leo; it’s totally unacceptable, and you of all people should know that. It certainly doesn’t help a woman’s self-esteem.”

  “I’m sorry, Catalina, I just wanted to explain—”

  “Stop.” Cat raised a hand to interrupt him. “I think I understand pretty well. Despite everything, however, I’m glad that’s all it is. For a moment, I thought the curse had come true and you’d fallen in love with me.”

  “No, it’s not that,” he hastened to say.

  “As for not minding you kissing me, yes, that’s true,” Catalina continued. “I haven’t been with anyone for a long time, either; I suppose people’s basic needs surface now and again. In sum, Leo, we have two options: One, we could have a fling that would end sooner rather than later because neither of us is the kind of person who falls in love, and we’re polar opposites.” He tried to cut in, but Cat didn’t let him. “Or two, we could leave things as they are, see each other occasionally as we’ve been doing until now, and limit ourselves to being friends.”

  Leopold opened his mouth again, but she placed her fingertips on his lips to stop him from speaking. “I, for one, prefer option two. Flings pop up as often as daffodils in spring, but finding a friend whose company you enjoy, someone you can talk about anything with, is much more difficult.”

  Leopold, for a reason unbeknownst to him, found all of this philosophizing rather humiliating. His pride somewhat wounded, he replied with apparent indifference, “I also prefer the second option.”

  Catalina looked at him, elated. If Leo had persisted with his plan to seduce her, she’d have had a hard time resisting. “Great. Now tell me about this favor you wanted,” she said.

  “Well, my mother’s asked me—or perhaps ‘ordered me’ would be more accurate—to spend some time at Hallcourt Abbey.”

  “You’ve mentioned your family home to me before. What’s the concern?”

  “It’s been the Sinclair estate for centuries, and that’s the problem.”

  “You don’t want to sell it, do you?” Catalina’s eyes opened wide.

  “Of course not, Catalina. Would you mind not interrupting me every three seconds?” he said, exasperated.

  “Oh do forgive me,” she retorted, making a face.

  “My mother’s obsessed with me getting married and having children to carry on the family name and estate, and I suspect she wants to introduce me to one of her candidates while I’m there.” Cat gazed at him with keen interest, but this time she didn’t cut in. Her neighbor gave her a tentative look. “I told her I’d be coming with my fiancée.”

  “Are you back with Alison?” she asked, slightly shocked.

  “Of course not. I told her I’d be coming with you.” Once again, Catalina was left speechless, so Leopold took advantage of her silence to fill her in. “It’s not the first time she’s done something like this, and believe me, it’s pretty awkward, if not downright unpleasant.”

  “And what if you just refuse?” she asked, regaining her voice.

  “You don’t know my mother; she’d make my life impossible with her chiding and complaining. Turning up with a woman will ensure that she leaves me in peace for a while.”

  Catalina was about to tell him that his mother must be a bit “difficult,” but she bit her tongue. “I’m sorry, Leo, I can’t do it. I’ve decided to go to France for a while to paint. At any rate, the whole plan sounds ridiculous. I wouldn’t feel comfortable trying to trick another person, especially if that person is your mother.”

  “Please, Catalina, it will only be for a few days. You’ll like Hallcourt Abbey; you’ll be able to paint there. I promise you it’s one of the most beautiful places in England. I’ll even make a donation to your school. Please . . .”

  Cat was finding it very difficult to resist his imploring expressi
on. “I’m going to feel like a paid escort.”

  “I said I’d make a donation to your school, not you,” her neighbor corrected her.

  “And what’ll happen when we call off our engagement after the trip? What will your mother think?”

  “I’ll let her think we’re still engaged for a few months; it’ll buy me some more time.”

  He made everything seem so normal that Catalina began to doubt her own reservations. “Of course, we won’t be doing any more fooling around . . . And we won’t sleep in the same room, will we?” she asked, as if the idea had just occurred to her.

  “Of course not. My mother’s the old-fashioned sort, and anyway, my family’s never been prone to public displays of affection. I’ll treat you in a politely affectionate way; you won’t have any complaints.”

  “I don’t know, Leo,” she eventually said, looking doubtful. “I think we’re treading on dangerous ground. We’ve just agreed that our relationship will be purely platonic, and now, not two minutes later, you’re telling me I have to act like we’re engaged. We could be playing with fire.”

  “Nonsense. Nothing will happen. Do you accept my invitation then?” He gave her an expectant look.

  Cat examined his manly, serious face and wondered how those tight lips could be the same ones that had kissed her with so much passion. She shook her head; she shouldn’t think of such things, she told herself. Now she had to focus on another matter: a friend was asking for help with a problem. “Okay, I’ll go with you to Hallcourt Abbey,” she agreed with some reluctance.

  “Perfect.” Leopold slowly let out the breath he’d been holding in without realizing it. He had a sudden urge to leap and cheer, but naturally, he contained himself.

  “Will I need any special clothes?”

  “I’m sure we’ll receive invitations from neighbors, but mostly it will all be quite relaxed. Take something to ride in, and of course, your painting things. It’s a beautiful place. I promise you won’t regret this, Catalina,” he assured her affectionately.

  CHAPTER 14

  A couple of days later, on a sunny midspring morning, they were traveling down the A38 in Leopold’s Range Rover stuffed with luggage; Cat’s canvases, paints, and easel; and of course, Milo, heading west to Cornwall.

  Now that she’d gotten used to the idea, Catalina enjoyed admiring the landscape of bucolic green fields and picturesque little villages that flew past the window. She’d only been in Cornwall once, as a child, and she remembered loving it.

  Leopold glanced at her face, lit up with a smile, and was pleased that he’d persuaded her to come. The very day she’d agreed to go, he decided to abandon his plans to seduce her. Catalina was right: it would be better if they remained friends.

  When Leopold finally pulled the car up in front of the gigantic iron fence that skirted the estate, he felt as if the journey had taken no time at all. After passing through the gate adorned with coats of arms, they drove down a broad gravel path, flanked by immense centuries-old oak trees, through a vast park to the imposing manor house. The Venetian Renaissance–style house was built from local stone, with a large cupola and numerous chimney stacks on the roof. In the lovely classical gardens that surrounded it, flowering lilacs emitted a sweet scent. Cat’s eyes opened wide. “Gosh, Leopold, what a beautiful house!” Her neighbor enjoyed the evident delight on her expressive face.

  The giant timber door opened, and an immaculately uniformed old man came out to meet them. “Welcome, Master Leopold. It’s a pleasure to have you here again after such a long time,” the elderly man said solemnly.

  “Thank you, Saunders, I’m glad to be here, too. This is Miss Catalina Stapleton, my fiancée.” The old butler bent over in a bow fit for a queen, and Catalina felt a little flustered. “What room have you prepared for her?”

  “The green room, Master Leopold.”

  “Perfect,” he said with a smile, satisfied. “Call James and have him take our luggage up. Oh! And get him to take care of the dog.” Leopold took Cat by the hand and climbed the grand stone staircase with her.

  “Leo,” she whispered nervously. “I don’t know if I’m up to playing the part. I wasn’t expecting all this.”

  “What did you expect?” He looked at her with amusement.

  “I don’t know, but I didn’t realize you were so tremendously rich.”

  Leopold squeezed her hand, trying to put her at ease. “Don’t worry, you’ll soon get used to it.”

  “Ahem.” Someone subtly cleared his throat behind them. Catalina quickly turned and found herself face-to-face with the expressionless butler. Unnerved, she wondered whether he had heard her. “Master Leopold, your mother instructed me to show you to the yellow drawing room as soon as you arrived.”

  At his words, Leo’s attractive face darkened a little and he shrugged. “Very well.”

  Saunders, followed by Leopold and Catalina, who listened, awestruck, to the echo of her footsteps on the beautiful marble floor of the immense entrance hall, led them to one of the many doors, opened it, and announced, “My Lady, Miss Catalina Stapleton and Master Leopold have arrived.”

  Leopold glanced sidelong at Cat, trying to guess what she thought of the formality with which his mother liked to surround herself, but all that the young woman’s face betrayed was interest and wonder at everything she saw.

  The room was beautifully furnished with antiques, but despite the sun pouring in through the large windows, a fire blazed in the hearth, making the temperature unbearable. They approached an uncomfortable-looking settee upholstered in gold silk, upon which sat an elderly yet arresting woman, waiting for them with her back as straight as a board. With a stiff “Hello, Leopold,” she greeted him and regally lifted her almost wrinkle-free face for him to kiss.

  “Hello, Mother.” Leopold barely brushed his lips against her smooth cheek.

  Cat was surprised by the icy welcome but tried not to show it. The woman turned toward her. “Welcome to Hallcourt Abbey, Miss Stapleton.”

  “Pleased to meet you, Lady Sinclair. Thank you very much for welcoming me to your beautiful home, but do call me Cat.” Catalina gave Leo’s mother one of her most charming smiles and held out her hand. The woman shook it languidly as she looked her over with icy gray eyes, very similar to her son’s. For a moment, Cat felt an almost irrepressible urge to run out of the room, but she stood firm, reminding herself that Leo needed her. She suddenly felt sorry for her rich neighbor for having a mother like this.

  “Sit,” ordered Lady Sinclair, pointing at a pair of chairs that matched the settee and looked even less comfortable, if that was possible. “I’d be interested to hear what it is you do . . . Cat.” She hesitated before saying her name, as if it was a bad word.

  Suddenly, the fear that Cat had been feeling ever since she’d arrived at the imposing, stately home evaporated, and she saw the funny side of the situation; she knew that her friend Fiona would fall to the floor laughing when Cat told her about all this. “I’m an art teacher. I work with children with disabilities,” she answered with some formality, sitting straight in her chair.

  “How interesting,” her hostess declared in a tone that suggested she thought quite the opposite.

  “Yes, it really is. I love my job!” she exclaimed.

  “And tell me, dear, who are your parents?”

  “My father’s Martin Stapleton, a retired English teacher, and my mother’s Marisa Herrera, a nurse, also retired. They live on a little farm in Herefordshire.”

  “For a moment, I thought you were related to the Stapletons; you know, the relations of the Duke of Norwich.”

  “Oh, no, not at all.” Cat shook her head with force, and her hair flapped from side to side. “There’s not one drop of blue blood in my veins. More like black, considering my great-grandfather was a Welsh coal miner.”

  The look of horror on his mother’s face made Leopold
want to bellow with laughter, but he remained impassive and merely watched the exchange of questions and answers as if it were a hard-fought tennis match.

  “Did you know, the first Sinclair we know of arrived with the cortege of William the Conqueror,” his mother declared, as if wanting Cat to see just how insignificant she was.

  “Oh, Leo! You never tell me anything!” Cat looked at him with feigned outrage.

  “I’m sorry, darling, I’d forgotten all about it,” her neighbor replied with unwavering English stolidity.

  “Leo!” His mother wrinkled her nose as if there were a bad smell.

  “William the Conqueror, eh! What a wonderful story,” Catalina continued, as if she hadn’t heard her. “Anyway, as I was saying, Lady Sinclair, I can only go back as far as my Welsh great-grandfather. No one ever knew who the father of my maternal grandfather was. The poor wretch was abandoned at the door to a convent in Seville.” She gave a sad sigh, then turned to Leopold with a wicked glint in her eyes. “Darling, what say we call our first son Guillermo?”

  Leopold took her hand in his and held it to his lips. “I’d like nothing more, my love.”

  “As you can see, Lady Sinclair, Leo and I are so in love that we agree on everything.” She gave him such a look of adoration that his pulse accelerated.

  “So I see,” the lady of the house replied dryly, and with a majestic gesture she signaled that the audience was over. “You should go up to your rooms and freshen up; dinner will be served at seven sharp.”

  Relieved, Leopold and Cat stood at the same time and left the suffocating room as quickly as possible, like two small children narrowly escaping punishment. “Well done, Catalina.” Her neighbor congratulated her in all seriousness. “You’ve made it through the first set with not a hair out of place. We’ll see how the rest of the match goes.”

  “You could’ve warned me, Leo,” she protested, frowning. “Is she always like that?”

  “Ever since I’ve known her.”