We explored more of the rooms that made up the west wing of the castle, Oscar explaining what the rooms would have been used for in the days when a vast extended family would have lived there, with dozens of servants. "So is it freezing in the winter?"
"My apartments are centrally heated, as is the apartment my mother uses. My sister's quite hardy, and still uses traditional log fires. I prefer to be warm and comfortable, so have both. The walls are about six foot thick, so it's surprisingly well insulated. We can't have double glazing though, as it's grade one listed, which is a bit of a nuisance."
"Can we go back to the snug? It's unnerving here, and I'm jumpy enough with Dascha's henchmen after me, let alone spectres and ghosts adding to the mix."
Oscar laughed, "oh Elle, I'm sorry. Let’s go get you a stiff drink." We wandered back to Oscar's apartments, and back to the snug, where he poured us each a large brandy. We sat quietly, watching a comedy show, and I had begun to relax, when lightning flashed. "Rains started," said Oscar, "typical isn't it? A few days of hot weather, and we get a thunderstorm. At least it'll clear the air though, it's been quite muggy this evening."
Oh this just gets better. In a creepy, haunted castle in a thunderstorm, with maniacs after me. Great.
"I'm never gonna sleep now. Could I have another brandy please?" I wanted to go back to London, where a storm would be a welcome respite to stifling humidity rather than the backdrop to a cheesy horror film. Oscar looked amused as he poured out another large helping of cognac.
"Are you scared of thunderstorms?"
"No. If I was in London, I'd barely notice it. However, I'm hiding from the Russian mafia in an enormous, haunted, and frankly rather creepy old castle, so forgive me for being a touch nervier than normal." I smiled rather wanly.
"Elle, you're totally safe here. Firstly, only Ivan knows you're here, and second, nobody has ever been attacked or killed by a ghost. There's no need to worry. This whole castle is heavily protected, and let’s face it, they'd never find which room you were in. There are 200 to choose from. It would take them all night to look."#p#分页标题#e#
I relaxed slightly, "I know you're right. I'm just being silly."
"Look it's nearly eleven. Why don't you try and get some sleep?" Oscar yawned, and I noticed that he looked tense, and a bit red eyed. I nodded, and we headed upstairs. He showed me into the bedroom next to his. It was vast, with an emperor sized canopied bed, covered in heavy, red velvet drapes, and a matching bedspread. Oscar closed the curtains, and turned back the covers, before planting a kiss on my forehead, and bidding me goodnight, adding that he would be next door if I needed him. I brushed my teeth, and changed into pyjamas before clambering into the enormous bed, and turning the light off.
I lay in the dark listening to the storm, timing the lightning flashes, and accompanying thunderclaps, and wished I was at home. Every creak made me tense, and I burrowed under the covers to try and block out the sounds. When I heard a thud, I shot out of bed, and ran into Oscar's room. He was sitting up in bed reading, and looked surprised to see me.
"I heard a thud," I said, feeling rather stupid, "and I can't sleep. Can I stay here?" He pulled back the covers, and I got in, and lay on my side facing him. "I'm sorry, I'm being such a girl," I said, scanning his face to try and gauge what he was thinking. He put down his book, and lay facing me. Grasping my hand, he smiled reassuringly.
"You're more than welcome to stay here, better than laying awake all night. The thud was me dropping my book, so nothing to worry about. Try and sleep, and it'll all seem better in the morning." He turned off the light, and lay quietly, still holding my hand.
I woke up completely wrapped around Oscar, practically clinging on to him. He stirred as I peeled myself off his body, and sleepy blue eyes gazed into mine. "Did you manage to sleep in the end?"
"I did, thanks. I'm sorry I disturbed you last night."
"Don't be silly. It was lovely just to hold you again. You had a difficult week, so it was understandable that you needed a cuddle." We lay there a while, not touching, just each lost in our own thoughts. I felt incredibly torn. Oscar felt comfortable and familiar, as well as solid and dependable. He was still handsome and sexy, yet the knowledge that he'd had sex with a man weighed heavily on my mind, plus his other sexual 'quirks' added to the mix, dampened any desire I had for him.
"What are you thinking?" I asked, as he gazed at me.
"That you look lovely all mussed up, and in your pink pyjamas. This might be the last time I get to share a bed with you, so I'm committing it to memory." My heart broke a little as he said it. Oscar wasn't an emotional man, and rather prone to being suspicious or dismissive of women, so this new, softer side was lovely to see. "What are you thinking Elle?"