Lewis remained unconvinced. Consequently, Vanessa spent the majority of the journey home with her head hanging over a borrowed horse bucket.
‘I don’t feel well,’ she moaned, as they carted her up the drive and into the house.
‘I’m not surprised,’ Ella said, helping her onto the settee. ‘You must have drunk enough to sink a battleship.’
‘I only had a few,’ she sighed. ‘It was very nice.’
‘Yes, will this is even better,’ Lewis said, handing her a large glass of water. ‘I suggest you drink it. Yes, all of it. And then I’ll get you another.’
Vanessa peered blearily up at him. Puzzled she looked at Ella. ‘Thash Mr Trevelyan.’
Ella smiled. ‘So it is.’
‘Whaz he doing here?’ she murmured sleepily. Her eyelids were closing.
Lewis edged the bucket nearer, so that it was positioned closer to her chin. ‘We’d best leave her,’ he whispered. ‘Let her sleep it off.’
Ella wasn’t so sure. ‘What if she chokes?’ she said.
‘I’m sure we’ll hear her, but my guess is she’s out for the count.’ He straightened up and shook his head. ‘I wouldn’t want to be in her shoes when Ursula finds out what she’s done.’
‘Ursula!’ Ella groaned. She had forgotten all about her. They had left the Showground in such a hurry that she hadn’t given her stepmother a second thought. ‘She’ll be looking for her.’
‘I expect Miles will be looking for me,’ Lewis said, reaching for his mobile. ‘Don’t worry,’ he added. ‘I’ll make sure they get the message.’
Ella left him making a series of phone calls, and went into the kitchen to put the kettle on. A hot cup of tea seemed like a good idea. It would give her something to do – something to occupy her and stop her mind from racing. Being here with Lewis Trevelyan was affecting her concentration. The memory of his passionate kiss was all too fresh in her mind, even if the passion had been somewhat one-sided.
She popped a couple of tea bags into the pot, and jumped a mile as he came up behind her, and tapped her lightly on the arm.
‘No sugar for me.’
‘Milk?’ she said, trying desperately to stop the flush of colour that was spreading over her face, and failing miserably.
‘Please.’ He slipped his phone into his pocket, and sat down on one of the pine stools. ‘So,’ he said, resting his elbows on the table and staring over at her. ‘What happens now?’
‘Oh, I expect Ursula will have fifty fits, and somehow it’ll be my fault for not going to the marquee with Vanessa, and then…’
‘I meant, with us,’ he said softly.
Ella nearly dropped the teapot. She clattered it onto the tray, slopping dregs everywhere. ‘Us?’ she queried, fumbling for a damp cloth.
‘Do you want me to stay with you,’ he said. ‘I mean, I can if you like. There’s no rush for me to get back. Matthew said the filming went well, and Lucy can handle the extra paperwork. And,’ he said, pointing down at his stained trousers. ‘I’d really appreciate it if I could get out of these. They’re starting to hum a bit.’
‘Oh. Yes, of course,’ she said, turning to face him. She had managed to balance the tray between her shaking hands, and hoped he wouldn’t notice. ‘I’m sure I can find you something to wear.’ (Though for the life of her, she couldn’t think what. He was so tall and slim – and muscular, she decided, running her eyes up and down, and then hurriedly averting her gaze before her cheeks went pinker than they already were.) ‘The bathroom’s upstairs on the right,’ she added. ‘If you take those off I’ll give them a quick rinse and put them in the dryer.’ She slid the tea tray onto the table as she spoke.
‘Upstairs, you say?’
‘Hmm.’ Ella nodded.
His re-emergence a couple of minutes later with a towel wrapped round his waist and not a lot else, was doing all kinds of things to her self control.’
‘I’ll get you some overalls,’ she blurted, rushing through to the laundry room. Green work overalls – the ideal cover-up. She blushed as she handed him a large, clean, and virtually new pair, last worn by Vanessa several blue moons ago. (Vanessa was not one who liked to get her hands dirty.) ‘These should do,’ she said. ‘And I’ll be as quick as I can with your things.’
‘I can wash them,’ he said. ‘They’re pretty disgusting.’
‘You forget,’ she smiled. ‘I spend my time with horses. I’m used to muck. And it’s no trouble. I owe you this much,’ she said. ‘I honestly don’t know what I would have done without you.’
Lewis grinned as he shoved his feet into the legs of the baggy green overalls. Ella tried to ignore the sight of his firm, naked and muscular thighs, and pointedly reached over to help herself to a mug of tea.
‘I could say the same thing about you,’ he said. ‘You’ve no idea how glad I was when you turned up.’ He chuckled. ‘I thought I was stuck there for the duration.’
‘Poor Vanessa,’ Ella sighed.
‘Poor you.’ He picked up his mug and took a mouthful of hot tea. ‘Missing out on your moment of fame. I hear you did well in the competition,’ he said, wandering over to the table and sitting down again.
‘Yes, I was pleased with my performance,’ she agreed, ‘considering I hadn’t competed for years.’
‘Think you’ll take it up again?’
He was watching her steadily over the rim of his mug. Ella got the impression that he was genuinely interested in what she had to say – that he wasn’t making polite conversation because he felt he had to.
‘Oh, I don’t know,’ she said. ‘I’m so busy here. Ursula makes sure of that.’
‘But I heard it was your business?’
‘Well yes, technically, it is,’ she said, sitting down opposite him.
‘But?’
She sighed. ‘It’s complicated.’
‘Tell me.’
‘Oh, you don’t want to hear about it,’ she said lightly. She didn’t want to dwell on it too much herself. The fact that the stables were in dire financial straits was only now becoming apparent to her. Heather had told her more than a few home truths, and Kate had said her piece as well. The books were in a dubious state, and she had already resolved that first thing on the Monday morning, she would speak to the accountant about the true state of affairs.
He leaned forwards and closed his hand over hers. ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘I do.’
Ella looked up and found she was drowning in his dark and intense gaze.
‘Well, if you’ve got all day, to listen,’ she said.
‘I’ve got as long as it takes,’ he said, and meant it.
She wasn’t sure how it happened, but over the course of two pots of tea and the spin cycle in the washing machine she found herself telling him about her suspicions. Ursula was running the business at a loss because she had debts coming out of her ears. She had overspent on alterations and building work, including the new ménage, and she wasn’t taking in enough funds to cover her loans.
‘We’ve lost a lot of business because of her attitude to the clients,’ she explained. ‘The livery yard is our bread and butter, really. If owners aren’t happy, they won’t pay to keep their horses with us. That’s why Heather took Majesty away,’ she sighed. ‘And he was a fantastic horse.’
‘And that’s the one you rode today,’ Lewis said.
‘Yes.’
‘So his owner obviously has no problems with you.’
‘No. Heather’s a good friend.’
‘But not good enough to keep her horse with you, when the business is struggling,’ he said, raising an eyebrow at her.
‘It’s not like that,’ Ella sighed. But actually, when she thought about it hard enough, it was like that. ‘Anyway, I’m going to get to the bottom of things. I know Ursula’s been keeping a lot from me, and I intend to find out what it is. If finances are the real problem, I need to sort them out. I’ve got a trust fund due from my grandmother in the next month,’ she added, ‘and that will help.�
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‘Next month?’ he said.
‘When I’m twenty one.’
‘Right,’ he said. His dark eyes were watching her with such concentration and interest that she was beginning to feel butterflies flitting about in her stomach.
‘Well, if you don’t mind me saying so, I think finances are the least of your worries,’ he said. ‘I think your stepmother is the problem and you need to deal with her first.’
“How”, was the thought that sprang to Ella’s mind? She had been trying to deal with Ursula since she was a teenager, and to no avail.
‘Maybe I can help?’ he said.
‘You?’ Ella glanced up at him, surprised. Why would he want to help? She had only known him for five minutes. And yet, the way she had been unburdening herself to him, she felt as if she had known him for most of her life.
‘I’m a dab hand at dealing with difficult people,’ he said, giving her an incredibly sexy and half slanting smile.
Ella felt her heart skip a beat, and wondered vaguely if he had any idea what he was doing to her.
‘Talking of difficult people,’ she said, reluctantly tearing her eyes away from him, ‘I think I’d better go and see how Vanessa’s doing.’
Vanessa was doing fine. She was sleeping like a baby, curled up on her side with a faint smile on her lips.
Lewis watched as Ella threw a tartan rug over her, and tucked it in all around her. ‘I hope she appreciates this,’ he said.
‘I doubt she’ll remember.’
He smiled. ‘I doubt I’ll forget.’
There was a warmth in his eyes that was making her heart beat quicken. But he wouldn’t be interested in her, she told herself firmly. Not really. It was just the situation that had brought them together.
‘Your trousers should be dry by now,’ she said.
‘Possibly.’ He placed one hand across the door frame, blocking her way.
Ella looked up at him, her heart thumping like mad. ‘I need to get to the machine,’ she said. She had the strangest feeling that he was going to kiss her. That the look she could see in his eyes was more than polite interest.
‘Mr Trevelyan.’
‘Lewis,’ he murmured, reaching over to push a strand of hair away from her face. The touch of his fingers on her cheekbone was like a feather against her skin.
‘Lewis, then,’
‘That’s better,’ he murmured, slipping his arm around her waist and pulling her towards him. ‘Gabriella.’ She was transfixed, hypnotised, spellbound. Like a rabbit caught in the headlights of a car, she stared dazedly up at him. This couldn’t be happening – surely it couldn’t be happening.
His head lowered and his lips brushed against hers, gently at first, and then more insistent and demanding. His arms went around her, pulling her tight against his chest. Ella was powerless to resist him, helpless against the waves of longing surging through her veins. His kiss deepened, and the burning touch of his hands on her skin was sending tremulous shivers rocketing down her spine. She could feel the length of his firm and muscular body, moulded against hers, and could only wonder at the growing sweetness and intensity of his kiss.
For one bizarre moment, she wondered if the press had arrived. If this was another staged performance he was putting on to keep the journalists happy. But something in the way he was holding her told her that this was no act. This, she realised, with a sudden lurch of her heart – this was for real.
The frantic ringing of the doorbell shattered her illusions. The banging of fists on the door only confirmed it. He must have seen them coming. God, she was an idiot. She twisted her head to one side and placed a hand squarely on his chest.
‘Ignore it,’ he murmured, his voice husky as he nuzzled into the side of her neck. ‘Please, Ella.’ He pressed tiny kisses on her forehead, her cheeks, and the corner of her eyes, her lips.
She could feel herself weakening. Maybe it wasn’t the press.
‘Ella? Come on, open up. I know you’re in there.’
It wasn’t, she realised guiltily. It was Kate.
She lifted her gaze to stare up into a pair of dark and smouldering eyes. She had a thousand questions she wanted to ask him. A million – no, a zillion things she wanted to say. Most of them beginning with a “how” or a “why”.
Lewis gave a sigh, and pressed his lips on the top of her head. His arms gave her a tight squeeze. ‘You’d better let her in,’ he said reluctantly. ‘That’s if you still value your front door.’
Ella thought that a broken front door was the least of her worries. She reached up and ran her fingers over the faint stubble on his cheek, before clasping her hands behind his neck, and gazing searchingly into his eyes.
‘Is this for real, Lewis?’ she whispered.
‘Yep.’ He kissed her gently on the nose.
‘No, I mean, really for real?’
‘It is,’ he said, with a resigned shrug. ‘And don’t ask me how it happened. It just did.’ He pushed her hair back from her face. ‘I was sort of hoping you might feel the same way.’
‘I do,’ she said wistfully. ‘Or at least, I think I do.’ It was too soon and too unexpected to make any sort of rational judgement on the matter.
And Kate, it seemed, was not prepared to give her the time to do it.
‘I know you’re in there,’ came her wheedling voice through the letterbox. ‘I’ve seen the car. Ella! Come on, open up, Ella. Please?’
‘Go on,’ Lewis sighed, giving her a push. ‘We’re not going to get any peace now anyway. You might as well let her in, and I’ll go and get changed.’
Ella could hardly bear to let him out of her sight.
‘Hang on, Kate!’ she called. ‘I’ll be with you in a minute.’
She gave Lewis a wistful smile as she handed him his trousers from the dryer. ‘This could take some explaining,’ she said.
‘Oh, I don’t know,’ he said, giving her a wink. ‘I always find the truth works best.’
And it probably would, Ella thought, as she reached for the front door – if she knew exactly what that was.
Chapter Nineteen
Six hectic and life changing weeks later, and the preparations for Ella’s twenty-first birthday celebrations were well under way.
Kate and Lewis had organized a barbecue for her that involved inviting half the village, the regulars from the Jazz Club, and the team from Blackwater Films. Money, it seemed, was no object. Lewis had insisted that the four hundred pounds, left over from the repair bill for Ursula’s Range Rover, be put towards the cost of catering, with any excess being invoiced to him.
Kate watched him fondly, as he stoked up the barbecue with charcoal, and thought back to those first few days after the County Agricultural Show, when Ella had been bursting with happiness. A happiness that had been short lived when a Debt Recovery agency had turned up at the stables, demanding to claim goods to the value of the outstanding bills. The feed merchant had finally had enough of Ursula’s excuses. So too, had Ella. Her visit to the accountant had revealed the depth of her stepmother’s deceit. Extravagance, laziness, and bad business management had brought the business to its knees.
Lewis, bless him, had been there to help her through the crisis, Kate recalled. God knows what Ella would have done without him.
She hummed softly to herself as she unpacked the cool box and carted packs of sausages, steaks and burgers over to him. ‘How’s it doing?’ she asked, peering at the warm and glowing coals. ‘Thought so,’ she added. ‘Looks like you’re about ready for these.’
Lewis prodded the hot charcoal with a poker. His sun streaked hair curled over the collar of his white t-shirt. His long legs and slim hips, clad in faded denim jeans, and his sexily tanned skin, gave him the appearance of a film star. He was quite a hunk, really, Kate thought. Lucky Ella.
‘I tell you what I could do with,’ he said, glancing over at her. ‘A cold beer.’
‘Coming right up,’ Kate said.
By the time she had retrieved a
couple of bottles from the fridge; Lewis had slapped a couple of steaks on the grill, and was whistling softly as he watched them sizzle.
‘Any sign of the gang arriving?’ he said.
‘They’re in the yard,’ Kate told him. ‘Ella’s showing off her latest acquisition.’
The black stallion had been his birthday present to her. Not that he knew anything about horses, but Thomas had assured him, in his own inimitable way, that a finer beast would be hard to come by. He had taken him at his word, and bought the horse. That, and the timely cheque from his own personal bank account to countermand the threat of bankruptcy, was a token of his love for her.
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