So go and sort out what food you want to take with you and I’ll bring your case down. The sooner you’re settled in there the better you’ll feel, even though it will only be for the one night.’
And the happier you will be on both counts she thought. Count one because it is only for one night, and count two because you will have your privacy back, but you will still have to endure my presence at the surgery Dr Lawrence, and you could be in for a surprise as my sparkle has only been dimmed, not extinguished.
‘Oh! This is lovely,’ she said, looking around her at the pristine open-plan dining room and kitchen. Her glance went to the window. ‘I can see the lake through the trees!’
Hugo was checking that the lighting and central heating were switched on at the mains and didn’t reply. He just nodded his agreement and pointed towards the apartment’s one bedroom and en suite arrangements for her to inspect.
‘I hope I’ll be able to find somewhere like this when I start looking for accommodation next week,’ she said wistfully, and waited to see if he would rise to the implied suggestion, but it fell on stony ground and once he had satisfied himself that she was au fait with the workings of everything he said, ‘Libby and Nathan usually get back from their weekends away around half past seven on a Monday morning, so you should be able to get in touch with them tomorrow any time after that.
‘If you should leave here after I’ve gone to the surgery just drop the keys through my letter box.’ And off he went … to read the Sunday papers while she did some unpacking and had that long soak that she had promised herself.
Then, after making a meal of sorts from the food that Hugo had insisted she take with her, she changed into jeans and a thick sweater and went to renew her acquaintance with the stretch of water that was as familiar to her as her own face, taking care not to pass his windows on the way as the feeling that the dishy though unwelcoming Dr Lawrence had seen enough of her to be going on with was getting stronger by the minute.
But the moment she reached the lakeside he was forgotten in the pleasure of watching a launch go by on its calm waters and the sight of the sails of yachts gleaming whitely against the rugged sweep of the fells, the ageless guardians of the valley.
It felt so right to be back where she had made her promise to the Swallowbrook practice. The only blot on the horizon was the taciturn Dr Lawrence, who hadn’t been able to get her out of his orbit quickly enough. If she’d had any grandiose ideas about herself they would have disappeared completely at the thought of having to compete with the Sunday papers for his attention.
She went to The Mallard for her evening meal as several hours of her own company was beginning to pall and once she was installed in the dining room amongst the friendly chatter of its patrons the feeling of loneliness that was tugging at her began to disappear.
Until during the last hour before the place was due to close her reluctant host appeared and his eyes widened at the vision of her seated beside the big log fire that was one of the main features of the place.
The sight of him brought Ruby to her feet. She was ready to leave immediately as if caught doing something he wouldn’t approve of. As she wished him a meek goodnight and tried to pass him in the crowded room Hugo said, ‘If you’re going back to the apartment I’ll walk along with you.’ When she was about to protest at being singled out in front of everyone, he added, ‘Please don’t object. It isn’t good that you should be out alone at such a late hour.’
She didn’t reply, just continued making her way towards the door, and as he followed he was remembering how flat his evening had been until now. After shunting Ruby out to the apartment above the garage he had expected his joy at his longed-for return to normality to clock in, but instead of that he hadn’t been able to settle.
And now, instead of livening himself up with a last drink of the day with friends and acquaintances, he was fussing once again over this young woman who probably thought nothing of being out all night on her own, let alone walking just the short distance to where she’d been accommodated for the night.
They walked the first few yards along the road in silence and then, ashamed of her irritation at his concern for her, Ruby said, ‘I walked by the lake this afternoon and it was so lovely to be back. Do you go down there much?’
It sounded trite, but she couldn’t think of anything else to say and he was actually smiling when he replied, ‘It is the lake that has made me want to stay in Swallowbrook instead of going back down south to practice. Did you remember the house on the island from when you once lived here?
‘That is where Libby, Nathan, and their son spend their weekends. Here in the village they have cottages next to each other and now they are married are having the two made into one big one for weekdays. Otherwise I suppose you could have stayed in the empty one.’
‘I’ll find somewhere, even if it means sleeping on a park bench or in an empty boat house,’ she assured him breezily as another reminder had come her way to the effect that where she was going to live was only his problem for a few more hours.
With Lakes Rise and the apartment only feet away, she said in a more restrained manner, ‘Thank you for your company once more Dr Lawrence. You are very kind. What will you do now? Go back to The Mallard for what is left of the evening?’
‘Possibly,’ he told her, keen to let her know subtly that he wasn’t always going to be at her beck and call.
CHAPTER TWO
Making his way back to the light and noise of The Mallard, Hugo was feeling uncomfortable about the way Ruby had risen to her feet and prepared to leave the moment he’d appeared, as if keen to avoid any further contact.
He’d noticed immediately that the red cape had been discarded for the time being and that dressed in dark blue jeans, a short white jacket and wearing flat walking shoes she looked smaller than when she’d been wobbling on high heels the day before.
She was attractive in a pale, ethereal sort of way, he’d decided as she’d been making her way through the crowded room towards the exit, and the thought had crossed his mind that the life of the GP was not always easy—would a person as vulnerable looking as Ruby be up to it?
With his determination still in place to stay aloof, he hadn’t lingered when they’d arrived back at the house and now that was also niggling at him. Ruby hadn’t put a foot wrong since interrupting the free time that he’d been so looking forward to, yet he was treating her as if she had the plague.
The thought of going back to have a drink with friends was losing its appeal so, turning, he retraced his steps and when Lakes Rise appeared once more he noted that the apartment was in darkness. After checking that it was secure from all angles, he opened his own front door and went inside.
Lying wide awake up above, Ruby had heard him try the door and thought that with any other man she might have wondered as to his motive, but not Hugo Lawrence. He wouldn’t have any plans to join her, like some predatory types might think of doing.
The dishy doctor would be satisfying himself that she wasn’t intending seeking him out again before morning, as he’d made it clear that in spite of looking after the basics of her wellbeing he wanted his privacy back as soon as possible.
Perhaps at some time in the future when she’d got to know him better, and that would have to happen no matter what, with them both working at the practice, she would suggest that The Hermitage would be a better name than Lakes Rise for
