she replied, ‘Yes. Of course.’
‘What about horoscopes—you don’t read them either?’ he persisted. ‘I know that Mia does—it’s the first page she turns to when I see her with a magazine. And she’s totally unashamed to admit it. She’ll say things like, “Oh, good, someone special is going to enter my life this week,” or “Hurrah—I’m coming into unexpected money!”’
Fleur smiled across at him. ‘And what about you—where do you stand on all this?’ she enquired.
‘I never read women’s mags, that’s for sure,’ he replied, ‘and I’ve never read my horoscope either, though Mia has often insisted on looking up my sign and telling me what’s in store for me in the imminent future.’
Neither of them spoke for a few moments, then Fleur got up, stretching her arms above her head. ‘I really must go to bed now,’ she said. ‘ I think I had too much supper, and too much wine…’ She bent to pick up the tray. ‘I’ll just clear this up first.’ She glanced across at him. ‘When do you want me to be ready in the morning? I mean…you said you’ve appointments in Truro…’
He stifled a yawn too then, and got slowly to his feet. ‘We should leave at nine.’ He smiled. ‘Do you want an early morning call?’
‘That won’t be necessary,’ Fleur replied. ‘I always wake up with the birds.’ Though she had to admit that almost since her first day here she’d slept like a log, not rousing until much later than usual. The stress she’d been experiencing for the last few months, which had been the cause of disturbed nights and early waking, seemed to have vanished.
‘I’ll say goodnight, then, Sebastian,’ she said, turning to go.
‘Goodnight, Fleur—sleep well,’ he added.
Up in her room, Fleur undressed quickly and, after a quick wash and cleaning her teeth, she burrowed beneath her duvet. Glancing over to the other single bed, she wished that Mia was still there. It had been very comfortable, the two of them together, nattering away about everything—old times, new plans—until one or other had been the first to fall asleep. Now, the room seemed very still with only her own breathing to keep her company. She’d heard Sebastian come upstairs and pass her room, had listened to his firm tread receding for several moments. She didn’t know which bedroom he occupied, only that it seemed to be away at the far end of the wide landing.
Sighing briefly, she snuggled down.
And that night Fleur dreamed, her subconscious mind teeming with thoughts, events, voices, memories and feelings…For several hours, she tossed and turned restlessly. In her dreams, she and her mother were having one of their discussions about other-worldly things, about Helen’s inexplicable forebodings, which often turned out to have some verity, about the second sense which she seemed to possess, about the angels that she implicitly believed were all around…And then, without any warning, and with a huge wave of anxiety sweeping over her, Fleur sat bolt upright, her forehead spangled with perspiration. Because she was no longer alone! She could see him—he did exist! The ghost of Pengarroth Hall, his top hat firmly on his head, was right there in her room, and he was walking slowly towards her! Pulling the duvet right up around her shoulders, she opened her mouth to say something, to cry out, to tell it to go away and leave her alone! But no words would come! Her tongue had stuck fast to her dry mouth, rendering her impotent and helpless…She was his prisoner and she was trapped with no means of escape. With her shaking knees drawn up to her chin, her eyes huge with fright, she watched him come nearer and nearer all the time, and suddenly…suddenly…amazingly…she recognized him…It was her father—her father was here! But how…why? She could make out the familiar features, the determined expression, the permanently puckered brow, and at last Fleur did find her voice and she screamed, ‘No! Go away! You shouldn’t be here! Leave me alone—leave me alone!’ But the figure kept on walking and Fleur kept on screaming a high-pitched, frantic scream until, cowering now, she could almost feel him, he was so close…Suddenly the door burst open and Sebastian stood there, a look of shocked disbelief on his face.
‘Fleur…Fleur! What the hell is it?’ He strode right over to the bed and, without a second’s hesitation, she sprang up into a kneeling position and clutched him feverishly around his neck, almost bowling him over in her desperation to feel him near her. And with that human contact, feeling the comforting warmth of his bare chest against her flimsily clad form, she burst into tears. Helpless, hopeless tears. Tears partly of shock, partly of relief—and partly of release. She could not remember the last time she’d cried—it must have been years and years ago, and she sobbed unashamedly.
Sebastian let her cry, saying not another word, but now sitting down on the bed with her, his arms wrapped around her, his chin resting on the top of her head.
‘I saw him…I did see him,’ she gasped tremulously between sobs, and he held her even closer to him.
‘Hush, Fleur…it’s OK…you’re OK. I’m here…’ he murmured.
Afterwards, she couldn’t recall how long they’d stayed like that, but eventually her tears began to lessen and she raised her eyes to look up at him. And then, as if it were the obvious, natural sequence of events, his mouth came down upon her lips—lips that were parted with the effort of trying to breathe normally after her anguished weeping. And the moist warmth of that brief union sent thrilling waves coursing down her spine…She didn’t pull away, she didn’t want to pull away because, in a kind of wonder, she found herself glowing in this intimate contact, Sebastian’s overt masculinity making her feel desired, wanted, protected…but not overpowered. Not threatened in any way. And, as her terror finally died, she stayed quite still in his arms, not wanting him to leave her. Amazingly, she felt no embarrassment that they had kissed like that, no shyness that she had felt his body harden against her, had felt the muscles of his broad shoulders tense against her fingers as she’d clutched him to her.
Eventually, reluctantly, he drew away and said softly, ‘Fleur, you did not see anything…You’ve just had a horrible dream, that’s all, and I’m really sorry that I told you about the wretched ghost…It was a silly thing to do, just before going to bed.’ He gazed down at her for a long moment…Her brief nightwear exposed her slight shoulders and the cleft of her smooth breasts, her hair tangled and damp. Gently, he pulled a lock of it away from her forehead, smoothing his fingers across her cheek for a second. Then, reaching across, he took a tissue from a box on the bedside table and carefully wiped away her tears.
Fully awake—and aware—now, Fleur suddenly became very conscious that he was clad only in dark boxer shorts, conscious of the black hair on his bare chest, of his broad, muscular thighs, and she shivered briefly. Was this part of the dream, would she wake up in a minute and find him gone? But she knew it was no fantasy…His throbbing body, melding with hers, was no figment of her imagination.
After a moment of trying to control his own heightened awareness, he murmured, ‘Do you want me to stay?’ He paused, feeling a surging, burgeoning hope that she would say yes.
But, after a second’s hesitation, she replied, ‘No…no, there’s no need, thank you…I’m fine now, really. And I’m so sorry.’ She swallowed, taking the damp tissue from him and dabbing at her eyes. ‘Of course you’re right, Sebastian. I was dreaming. How could it possibly have been anything else? But I’m sorry I disturbed you, sorry that you had to come and…and sort me out…’
He smiled briefly, releasing her gently, and got up straight away and went over to the door, glancing back at the crestfallen woman half-kneeling, half-crouching on the bed. ‘Can I make you a warm drink, Fleur? Something to help you get back to sleep?’ he said quietly.
She
