‘Everything was going so well there,’ Jed went on. ‘Who was it that said hell is other people?’ he asked flatly.
‘I don’t know who said that,’ she remarked slowly, ‘but they have a point, don’t they?’ Yes, Jeremy Hunter, she thought. And if they thought about it, the entire staff at Hydebound would be looking straight at you!
After dropping Cryssie home, Jed made his way back to Shepherd’s Keep, the family mansion, deep in thought. He wasn’t too sure how to sort things out now—what a bloody fool Kevin was! And how would Max react when he found out what had been going on between his wife and the manager? This could mean an almighty upheaval all round.
Sweeping into the long drive, he sighed, feeling empty and frustrated, wishing with all his heart that he was not going to be spending the evening with his parents—who would naturally want to know what he’d been doing all day. It would have been great to be chatting things over with Cryssie, just the two of them. His brow cleared momentarily as he thought over their time together earlier. When she’d emerged from the changing cubicle in the shop he’d almost done a double-take. She’d looked beautiful, standing there waiting for his verdict.
He smiled to himself then, as he sat there with the engine switched off. He’d not been able, at first, to make out why she’d taken the new coat off in the car—but of course he should have guessed straight away! He knew that he’d made it impossible for her to refuse his gift, but when and where she’d be wearing it was to be her choice, not his!
CHAPTER NINE
THE FOLLOWING morning Polly decided that, as she’d had to entertain her son for the whole of yesterday, today it was to be Cryssie’s turn.
‘I feel quite tired,’ she said as, still wearing her dressing gown, she watched Cryssie clean the grate and set the fire ready for lighting. ‘So I’m going to have a long hot bath and give myself a makeover. You don’t mind if I stay here while you take Milo out, do you, Cryssie? I just feel like a day spent doing absolutely nothing.’
‘Of course I don’t mind, Poll,’ Cryssie said at once, privately thinking that a day doing nothing sounded rather attractive. But ‘doing nothing’ didn’t mean not spending time with Milo, and being alone with her little nephew would suit her fine!
She was just getting herself and the child ready to go out when the phone rang, and Jed’s voice throbbed across the wires. Cryssie sighed briefly. The man’s intrusion into her life was becoming a habit!
‘Cryssie? Um—I’ve been thinking…It’s a superb day today—really warm for early April…so different from yesterday—and I was wondering whether you—and the family—would like to come over here and admire our spring flowers.’ He paused. ‘I feel bad, having used up half your weekend on business, and I thought you might appreciate a few hours in the country.’ He hesitated. ‘Milo could bring his football—there’s masses of space for a kick-around.’
The rush of pleasure that swept over her took Cryssie by surprise. She would just love to visit Shepherd’s Keep—the grand place the Hunters owned—and see how the other half of the world lived! But, much more than that, his suggestion that Milo might like to play in the grounds pleased her more than anything.
‘Oh—that’s very kind, Jed,’ she said hesitantly. ‘But I’ll have to ask Milo—he thinks we’re going swimming.’ She looked down at the child, who was standing by her side. ‘Swimming or football, Milo?’ she asked. ‘You choose.’
‘Football,’ Milo answered promptly. ‘Are we going to the park?’
‘Sort of.’ Cryssie smiled. ‘A different one—and one you’ll like!’ She spoke into the phone handset again. ‘Milo thanks you very much and is pleased to accept,’ she said. ‘But Polly won’t be joining us.’
‘Okay—fine—I’ll be over at ten-thirty.’
After she’d rung off, Cryssie told Polly about the arrangements for the day and wasn’t surprised when her sister’s face fell.
‘Oh…I might have liked to come too—if I wasn’t so tired,’ she said. ‘You must tell me all about it when you come home, and I’ll come next time.’
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.