Cryssie was glad that her sister would not be accompanying them. She didn’t particularly want the girl getting to know Jed and becoming attached to him—which she knew was a distinct possibility. Life had enough complications at the moment without asking for trouble, she thought. It would be far safer for just her and Milo and Jed to spend the day together, and the thought of them as a threesome filled her with unexpected pleasure.
Polly was safely out of sight in the bathroom when Jed arrived. Cryssie shut the door behind them and they went down the path together, with Milo clutching his precious football and trainers. Jed automatically lifted the little boy into the car and fastened his seat belt.
‘This is low for you, isn’t it, Milo?’ he said. ‘Next time I’ll bring a specially raised car seat for you to sit on, so that you can see out more easily.’
Cryssie made herself take a long, deep breath as she looked over her shoulder at the child. The small face was wreathed in smiles as they exchanged glances—he’d never been in such a car in his life! And Jed’s last remark more than implied that this wasn’t to be a one-off occasion! Forcing every negative thought from her mind, Cryssie sat back, determined to enjoy the day ahead. If only for Milo’s sake. The little boy lived a very happy life—she made sure of that—but the male influence was obviously missing, and that did worry her when she allowed herself to dwell on it. Especially when, a few months ago, Milo had come home from a birthday party wanting to know why a daddy didn’t live with them.
When they arrived at Shepherd’s Keep, Cryssie had difficulty in not gasping out loud. The fine Victorian building was grand enough, but as they drove around the curved driveway the grounds were a mass of crocuses, daffodils and narcissus, which swept across the lawns in wave after wave of sunny colour.
‘Oh, Jed,’ she whispered. ‘This is…magical!’
He grinned across at her. ‘I thought it might appeal,’ he said. ‘We’ll walk across the field to the river later—but first we’ll have coffee, and you must come and meet my parents.’
Cryssie bit her lip. She hadn’t expected to meet the Hunter family—not yet, anyway—and was relieved that Shepherd’s Keep was well away from town and the possibility that she might be seen with Jed by any of her friends at Hydebound. Despite her pleasure at being here with Milo, she couldn’t help feeling disloyal—and dishonest too. This time next year it could all be different, but for the moment the situation was too raw for comfort, she thought.
They went into the house through the vast kitchen, where Megan, the elderly housekeeper, was preparing lunch, and Jed introduced Cryssie briefly as they passed.
‘I’ll bring coffee into the garden room in a few minutes, Jed,’ Megan said, smiling at Cryssie and Milo.
Surrounded by the Sunday newspapers, Henry and Alice Hunter looked up as Jed came in, followed by the others. Cryssie was instantly put at ease by the older couple, who greeted her in a very friendly way. They almost pounced on Milo, who was looking adorable in a fashionable little boy’s outfit, his chubby face and golden curls shining with health.
‘Do come in, my dear,’ Alice said, getting up. ‘Jeremy has told us about you…and this is Milo! What a beautiful child!’ Alice Hunter was a smart woman, obviously no longer young, but with strong grey hair brushed up into a chignon, and quizzical blue eyes which twinkled as she spoke.
Henry, tall and distinguished-looking, stood up too, and came over to shake Cryssie’s hand. ‘So this is Jeremy’s new assistant—glad to meet you, my dear,’ he said, gazing down into her eyes, and Cryssie could see immediately where Jed’s black ones originated! The two pairs were replicas, and as he held her hand for longer than was actually necessary the girl instinctively recognised Henry as a ladies’ man.
Megan came in then with the coffee, and a glass of juice for Milo, while Cryssie surreptitiously glanced around her. What on earth must Jed have thought of their place? she wondered, and suddenly she felt lost and out of her depth. She didn’t belong here, with this fabulously wealthy family…Being employed in their office was one thing, but sitting drinking coffee and being made to feel so at home unnerved her. She was like a fish out of water, she thought helplessly.
But Milo had no such hang-ups, and, encouraged by Alice and Henry, was chatting away telling them all about school, and his toys, and the things he liked to do. ‘Jed’s going to play footie with me in a minute,’ he said. ‘Aren’t you, Jed?’
Cryssie was surprised at the child’s easy familiarity. There was no shyness or hanging around her—as he sometimes did when strangers were around. Milo had made himself quite at home, and was clearly enjoying all the attention he was getting.
‘Yes, we’ll go outside in a minute,’ Jed said, ruffling Milo’s curls. ‘And afterwards would you like to see my train set, Milo?’
‘Yes, please!’ Milo said at once, and Alice smiled across at Cryssie.
‘I’m afraid we can’t bear to dismantle Jeremy’s beloved train set,’ she said. ‘It’s permanently set up in one of the spare rooms—to give it some use Megan’s four grandchildren come over and play with it from time to time.’ She paused and looked across at her son. ‘And when no one’s looking I’m sure Jeremy gets it going now and then,’ she said fondly.
Cryssie didn’t look across at Jed as she listened to what Alice was saying. It was difficult to imagine the masterful Jeremy Hunter on the floor playing with his toys!
Fortunately, the Hydebound question didn’t arise in the conversation, which pleased Cryssie. She wanted to forget all about work today and concentrate on enjoying herself, and seeing that Milo had a good time. So, presently, the three of them went outside, where Jed and the little boy started to play an enthusiastic game of football while Cryssie admired the thousands of spring flowers that carpeted the lawns.
Wandering around in the surprisingly warm sunlight, and hearing Milo’s shrieks of delight from nearby, Cryssie felt an almost overwhelming sense of sadness. For herself and for Milo. Here, there was everything that anyone could possibly wish for—a perfect place for a child to grow up. But she could never match it—hard though she tried to get everything right. Milo needed a man’s influence, she thought miserably. Not just for things like playing football, but for the deeper, more important things in life. The years were flying by, and before they knew it Milo would be growing up and away from her. Would she be able to cope then, and with all the teenage problems that were bound to occur?
Although it was not cold, she shivered suddenly, and went back to join the others, stopping for a second to take in what she was seeing. Tall, elegant, and sophisticated Jeremy Hunter was throwing himself across the grass to stop her little five-year old from kicking the ball between the makeshift goal-posts they’d erected! But she reminded herself that this was not the only time she’d seen the man in a less than businesslike position…Her mental picture of him stretched out on the bed, wearing nothing but a pair of boxer shorts, refused to go away!
‘You must pick some daffodils to take home with you later,’ Jed said as she came up to them. ‘And I’m fed up with playing with Milo, because he’s scored more goals than me.’
Milo, hot and breathless, ran up to Cryssie. ‘I like it here,’ he said. ‘It’s fun. Can we come again soon, Cryssie?’
‘Of course you can,’ Jed said, answering for her. ‘In fact, I shall insist on it!’ He threw a glance at Cryssie, and for the millionth time his eyes held her captive and sent her blood rushing. He looked younger than she’d ever seen him, his hair tousled and damp, his wide brow moist with exercise, and when he suddenly scooped Milo up and put him on his shoulders to go back into the house she almost burst with an indescribable feeling of happiness. Milo was having a fantastic day! And so was she!
Presently it was announced that lunch was to be eaten in the kitchen.
‘We usually have it here in the middle of the day,’ Alice explained. ‘It’s cosier, and more convenient for Megan, rather than taking everything into the dining room.’
&
nbsp; They all sat together at the long wooden table and began to enjoy the beautifully cooked lamb and spring vegetables. Milo ate every last scrap of his, to Cryssie’s relief. He usually ate most of what she cooked for him, but you could never be sure that he would like someone else’s cooking, she thought. And when ice cream and hot chocolate sauce was presented for pudding, the little boy’s eyes shone even brighter.
‘I didn’t think Milo would necessarily appreciate apple pie,’ Alice said, as she cut Cryssie a generous slice. ‘But ice cream is usually safe. Megan’s grandchildren eat here sometimes, when she has to look after them.’
Cryssie smiled her appreciation, thinking what a lovely family this was. Moneyed they might be, but pretentious they certainly were not. They seemed as ordinary as anyone else, liking the same things as everyone else. It was perseverance and hard work that had brought them to their position in life, she thought.
Glancing up, she saw Jed looking at her, and he gave her the merest wink as their eyes met. She’d love to know what he was thinking, because their relationship—such as it was—seemed to be taking more twists and turns than a rollercoaster. What on earth was she doing here, lunching with the Hunter family, in their vast home? And what was she doing here with Jed, the employer from hell, the destroyer of people’s careers and hopes? And none of it was her fault! No one could say that she had manoeuvred herself into this position!
After lunch, Milo followed Henry happily upstairs to view the extravagant train layout. It surprised Cryssie that he didn’t insist that she go as well.
‘See you later, Cryssie,’ the child said, as he left the room holding Henry’s hand.
Jed pushed back his chair. ‘Come on—let me show you around,’ he said, ‘while my mother has her usual post-lunch forty winks!’
The gardens were far more extensive than they’d appeared, and soon Jed and Cryssie had lost sight of the house altogether. Presently, they came to a small wooden lodge, built between the trees, and Jed pushed open the door for Cryssie to go inside.
‘I used to have picnics here with my friends—after we’d skinny-dipped in the river,’ he said. He sighed. ‘But those days are past, sadly. No one uses this much any more—though the gardener has left some tools here, I see.’
It was a charming structure, facing downhill towards the river, which was just visible through the trees, and it contained a small, strong wooden table, a couple of deckchairs, and a two-seater swing chair. Jed sat gingerly down on one side, and patted the seat beside him for Cryssie to sit as well. ‘I think it’s still in good enough nick to hold our combined weight,’ he said. ‘Well, my weight,’ he added.
Cryssie sat down as well, and leaned her head back. ‘This is such a beautiful place, Jed,’ she said quietly. ‘You were very lucky to be brought up here.’
‘I was,’ he agreed. ‘Though I don’t think I realised it at the time. I was always allowed to bring my friends here—it was a fun time for me.’
They were so close that Cryssie could feel his strong thigh against hers, the warmth of his flesh mingling with her own. She ran her tongue over her lips, aware that her pulse had begun to race, and to break the spell that he always seemed to cast on her when they were alone she said, ‘Have you decided what you’re going to do about the manager, the chef, and the chef’s wife?’ she asked lightly, and he frowned, his mood changing in a second.
‘I was hoping for some input from you about that,’ he said seriously.
Cryssie was surprised that her opinion meant that much to him, but she said without hesitation, ‘I’d have both Kevin and Max’s wife in, together, and tell them that this affair must stop—now. Or they’ll both be out—with no reference for them to give any future employer. You told me that Kevin adores his four sons, so he has a great deal to lose if his family splits up—and I doubt whether he’d ever get a salary to match the one you’re paying him. The same goes for the wife. She must behave herself or she goes.’
Cryssie sat forward a moment, clasping her hands around her knees.
‘Of course, that strategy may not work if they’re deeply in love—but I very much doubt that is the case. From my impression of Kevin lust, not love, is the operative word, and Max’s wife—obviously a much younger girl—has had her head turned by an older man. She’ll get over it. And with a bit of luck poor Max may never be any the wiser—if it works out.’ She leant back again, looking up at Jed, who hadn’t taken his eyes off her as she’d been speaking. ‘Don’t blame me if you take that course and they end up resigning because they can’t live without each other, though,’ she added. ‘That’s a risk you’ll have to take, and then the scenario for you will be having to find a new manager and waitress.’
She paused, frowning slightly. ‘The most important thing, Jed, is the goodwill and contentment amongst the rest of the staff—and from what I was told that’s in short supply at the moment. This very serious undercurrent can’t be allowed to go on—it’s undermining the running of the hotel, and the people who will soon be affected by this are your visitors. The ones who use their credit cards.’
‘What if the two culprits go to law claiming unfair dismissal?’ Jed asked.
‘They’re not likely to do that, are they?’ Cryssie said. ‘Because then the whole business will become public property. Anyway,’ she added, ‘if they do, you can settle out of court…A few thousand each won’t hurt you, will it?’
Fixing her attention on matters of business had cleared Cryssie’s mind of other things for a moment, and she stretched her arms above her head to run her hands through her long ponytail while she thought over what she’d just been saying. Turning to face him again, she said, ‘But of course that’s only my opinion…’
Instinctively he moved even closer to her. ‘But that is exactly what I asked you for, Cryssie,’ he said slowly. ‘It’s what I’ll be paying you for…it’s what I need!’
She looked up into his eyes, a slight frown clouding her expression. She wished that she could reach right into the mind of the man, really interpret what was going on behind those expressive eyes, she thought. What did he really want from her that he couldn’t find elsewhere? she asked herself honestly. Because there was nothing special about her, and never had been. She’d been aware of that for most of her life. As for his seduction attempt the other day in his flat—she knew that that counted for absolutely nothing. That sort of passionate incident was obviously normal routine for his type—relevant only to the passing moment, easily discounted and forgotten.
‘Cryssie! Cryssie!’ Suddenly Milo’s voice broke the brief silence between them, and Jed cleared his throat.
‘Anyway—thanks for your advice,’ he said. ‘I’ll let you know what I intend to do, but we may have to go over there again at some point.’
Standing up quickly, they went outside, where Alice, Henry and Milo were strolling towards them. The little boy ran up to Cryssie.
‘Jed’s got an ace train set,’ he said. ‘I was allowed to work it by myself!’
‘That’s lovely, darling,’ Cryssie said, smiling down at her little nephew.
Together they all wandered down to the river, where Milo’s attention was soon taken up by finding small stones to throw into the water.
‘He’s having such a lovely day, Mrs Hunter,’ Cryssie said, glad to have someone else to talk to for a minute, and to disengage herself from her employer and his tactics. She was aware of feeling unsettled—again! ‘Thank you so much for inviting us,’ she murmured.
‘Oh, I hope you’ll come often, my dear—and do call me Alice,’ the woman added.
They sat down together on a grassy boulder a little way away, while the men watched Milo, and Alice said, ‘The house is much too big now for Henry and me, of course. It was different when Jeremy was a child, and all his friends came to stay and to play. But the place—and the grounds—needs children. It’s a family home, not a residence for the elderly!’ She turned to smile at Cryssie. ‘But that’s our problem!’ She paused. ‘Jere
my has spoken so well of you—he says you’re the first intelligent woman he’s employed to date!’
‘Oh, that’s nice,’ Cryssie said, feeling embarrassed at the older woman’s words. ‘I hope I shall live up to that!’ She looked away for a second. ‘You must be very proud of him, Alice.’
‘Oh, of course we are—but he took rather a long time to grow up, you know! And that was our fault, of course. An only child, and we gave him the best of everything.’ She was silent for a moment, lost in her own thoughts. ‘It’s not good to be an only child, you know,’ she went on. ‘To develop properly, to learn about life, there should be siblings to spar with, to share with, to match up to. And that’s what we didn’t give him. We always meant to, but we were so caught up with our various business interests it never seemed the right time. And before we knew it it was too late!’
She shook her head briefly. ‘We spoilt Jeremy, and never expected too much of him, so he did spend a long time having too good a time! But since my husband was diagnosed with a heart complaint he’s changed overnight—it’s quite incredible. He takes virtually all the responsibility now for our businesses—which is a great relief. There does come a time when one must take a back seat. The work is hard, tiring, and relentless.’ She patted Cryssie’s knee. ‘I know he’s been on the look-out for a good assistant for a very long time, so we’re grateful that he seems to have found one at last!’
The two women chatted amiably for a while, and Cryssie explained something of her background, and of her fears, to Alice, who was a thoughtful listener. But soon the sun went in, and Cryssie smiled, glancing at her watch. ‘We must be going home soon,’ she said gently. ‘I know Milo won’t want to leave, but my sister Polly will be expecting us at teatime.’
‘Oh, must you go so soon? It’s been so nice having a young woman to chat to, and hearing a child’s voice in the place!’ Alice said.
But presently they took their leave of Alice and Henry, and Jed walked slowly back with them to the car.
Jed Hunter's Reluctant Bride Page 11
