shocked at the sudden urge to smooth it back.
‘Morning,’ she mumbled.
‘Morning. Did you sleep all right?’
She ran a hand through her hair, tousling it further. ‘Wonderfully, thank you…’
He grinned. ‘I’ve brought you breakfast. Tim said you only ever have tea and toast, but I thought maybe I could tempt you with a boiled egg from one of the little bantams.’
He set the tray down on the bedside table. There was a cup of tea, a slice of wholemeal toast and a tiny, perfect little brown egg in a miniature eggcup. And a yellow rosebud, just on the point of opening.
‘You really are taking this to extremes, aren’t you?’ she said shakily.
Of course. You deserve it — I’ve been working you too hard. In you get.’
He held the bedclothes so that she had no choice but to kick off her slippers and get back into bed. She felt incredibly foolish and terribly spoilt.
‘Relax and enjoy,’ he advised, and set the tray down on her lap. ‘We’ll be in the garden when you’re ready. Why don’t you have another little sleep?’
‘Oh, I couldn’t,’ she protested, but after she had eaten the little egg and the slice of toast and drunk the delicately flavoured tea, she found she had no urge to get up. ‘Just a few minutes,’ she said to herself, and setting the tray down, she snuggled back under the covers and fell instantly asleep.
The next time she woke it was to the sound of a motor much closer than before, and much higher pitched. Throwing back the bedclothes, she crossed over to the window and looked out, to see Tim sitting on a tiny red tractor, going up and down the garden with Andrew striding beside him, occasionally reaching across to turn the steering-wheel slightly. They both looked perfectly content, so she took her time washing and dressing before she went downstairs, intending to clear up the kitchen and look around for something for lunch.
She found the kitchen immaculate, a quiche browning gently in the oven, and a pile of washing folded on the table.
She did a mild double-take. Her clothes? And Tim’s?
She sat down slowly, gratitude warring with embarrassment. The thought of anyone else — especially a man, and particularly her boss! — going through her washing was enough to bring her out in a rash. All that ancient underwear …
She gave a low moan and put her face in her hands. How was she ever going to face him again?
‘Jennifer? Are you feeling all right?’
‘Yes — no,’ she mumbled, and forced herself to look up at him. ‘You shouldn’t have done my washing,’ she said firmly.
He grinned. ‘All part of the service, ma’am. I’m afraid it isn’t ironed, but I’m not much good at that; I tend to burn things. Coffee?’
She sighed and gave up. ‘Thank you, that would be lovely. Where’s Tim?’
‘Out in the garden, molesting Blu-Tack.’
‘Is he all right?’
He raised an eyebrow at her anxious tone. ‘Which one? I believe they’ll both survive the encounter.’
She smiled. ‘I meant was Blu-Tack all right with children. Some cats can be a bit funny.’
Andrew shrugged. ‘He’s a little shy, but he’s very friendly once he knows you. I’ve never known him scratch anyone yet, and my sister’s children persecute him mercilessly. Mummy-cat’s taken herself off somewhere, though. Bit too much for her, all this attention.’ He handed her a mug of coffee. ‘We’ve just cut the grass.’
‘I know — I watched you from the window. Tim will have enjoyed it.’
‘Kids always do. I get through gallons of petrol when I have little visitors.’ He settled himself at the table, his broad shoulders straining the soft fabric of his plaid shirt. The mug almost vanished in his big hands. He looked at her thoughtfully. ‘I have to nip in to the hospital for a little while to see William Griffin. It was an ileocolic intussusception, by the way, and Ross said he sorted it out without any trouble, but I’d just like to have a look. I thought we could go for a walk after lunch if you feel up to it.’
She laughed. ‘Andrew, I’m not ill, just a bit tired. Where did you want to go?’
‘In the woods. There’s a badger’s sett and a couple of foxholes, and endless rabbit holes. I thought Tim would like it, but you could stay here if you’d rather.’
‘No, that would be great. I’m sure he’ll love it, but have you got time?’
He looked surprised. ‘Of course — this is your weekend, Jennifer. Stop feeling guilty and enjoy it.’
So she did. Lunch was superb, the walk a delight, brought to life by Andrew’s extensive knowledge of the countryside. Tim, who was fascinated by all knowledge, soaked it up like a sponge, and Jennifer strolled behind, content simply to watch them interact.
If only his father was like that with him, she thought, and felt a twinge of sadness. Nick had never understood Tim, and the older he got, the wider the gulf seemed to grow.
Not that Nick’s casual attitude to access exactly helped, although recently he had been better, making more of an effort not to break arrangements, but often when Tim came back he was silent and uncommunicative, and Nick always seemed to heave a sigh of relief when he handed him over to her again.
‘Penny for them.’
She looked up into Andrew’s homely, lived-in face. He would understand, but it seemed disloyal to discuss Nick’s attitude with him. She felt she had already said too much last night.
Instead she smiled. ‘Sorry, I was miles away.’
‘Hey, Andrew, look at this!’ Tim called excitedly.
With a last, searching glance at her face, Andrew turned back to Tim and the huge bracket fungus he had found.
That evening, after they had eaten supper and while she put Tim to bed, Andrew cleared up the kitchen and then lit the fire in the little sitting-room. It had been a glorious, sunny September day, but with the clear sky came a sharp drop in temperature, sufficient justification, Andrew said smilingly, for the self-indulgence of a log fire.
He had opened a bottle of Australian Cabernet with supper, and they finished it off, sitting in their respective chairs in companionable silence and gazing into the flames, while the pure, clear sound of a chorister flowed around them.
Jennifer laid her head back against the chair and closed her eyes, letting it all wash over her.
‘This is beautiful,’ she murmured.
‘You aren’t really in the right place — you should be here for the best image.’
She laughed drowsily. ‘But you’re there.’
His voice was soft. ‘You could always join me.’
And
