winters on record! Two of the greenhouses were flooded. We had to come to work in wellington boots!’
Oliver managed a faint smile. ‘A baptism of fire.’
‘Well, of water,’ she remarked humorously. Then she laughed. ‘What an idiot! Baptisms are usually in water, aren’t they?’
Oliver grinned, and he was just about to ask her what she thought about the north of England when her face changed. Her cheeks turned a little pink and he thought at first how charmingly unaffected she was. But then another female voice spoke his name and he stifled a groan as he turned to acknowledge his ex-wife.
S OPHIE —Sherwood now, he assumed—was striding towards them from the direction of the car park. ‘Oliver,’ she said warmly, before her gaze shifted to his companion, dismissing her. ‘I thought I recognised the car. Oh, Oliver, it’s so good to see you.’
It was the last thing he’d expected her to say. And the most incredible. They’d hardly parted on friendly terms. Oliver had been disgusted by the fact that her affair with Tom had been going on for months before he’d learned of it. And Sophie herself had been eager to blame him, to accuse him of neglecting her and thinking more of his rotten business than he did of his wife.
To meet her now, to have her announce it was good to see him again, was ludicrous. He’d hoped never to have to meet her again. He wouldn’t have come here today if he’d suspected his ex-wife might be on the premises.
With a sideways glance at the young woman beside him, he realised he couldn’t speak freely in front of her. Instead, suppressing his irritation, he inclined his head. ‘Sophie,’ he greeted her noncommittally. Then, because he couldn’t think of anything else to add that wouldn’t be construed as contentious, ‘I didn’t know you worked here.’
‘I don’t.’ Sophie’s scornful denial was revealing. ‘But your brother owes me some money. Did he tell you?’ She cast another look at Grace. ‘What are you waiting for? I’d like to speak to my husband in private.’
Husband? Oliver winced, but Grace seemed unperturbed by Sophie’s implied rebuke. Turning to Oliver, she said, ‘Perhaps I’ll see you later. Tom shouldn’t be long.’
‘If he can drag himself out of the pub, you mean?’ remarked Sophie coldly. ‘I wouldn’t hold your breath.’
‘Tom’s not at the pub,’ Grace retorted evenly. ‘He had an appointment at the bank, as you probably know. Besides, he won’t be long when he knows his brother is waiting for him.’
But Tom didn’t even know he was there, Oliver reflected, though he was unwilling to admit it. He didn’t want to say anything to give his ex-wife more ammunition. He didn’t know what was going on here, but it was obvious Sophie didn’t like the younger woman. Why? Was she jealous of her? He decided he’d prefer not to pursue that thought to its obvious conclusion.
‘Whatever,’ Sophie said, now moving forward and slipping her arm though his. And, although he carefully detached himself, she insisted on staying close to his side as she edged him towards the pools that exhibited tropical fish. ‘That’s better,’ she murmured with satisfaction as a glance over his shoulder saw Grace look after them for a moment and then walk away in the opposite direction. Her tone grew suddenly venomous. ‘I don’t know how that woman has the nerve to speak to me!’
‘Why? Don’t you like her?’ Oliver halted abruptly, refusing to go any further without an explanation. ‘What’s going on, Sophie? What has Grace done to you? And why the sudden urge for my company? I know you and Tom have split up so, please, don’t pretend it has anything to do with me.’
Sophie stared at him. ‘You’ve seen Tom?’
‘This afternoon.’ Oliver’s tone was flat.
‘Then he must have told you about Grace.’
‘Told me what?’ But Oliver suspected he already knew. Sophie wasn’t particularly subtle when it came to personal matters.
She sniffed and shook her head, looking at him appealingly. ‘You don’t know what it’s been like for me,’ she exclaimed. ‘Since that woman came to work at the garden centre, things have gone from bad to worse.’
Oliver looked about him critically. ‘I’d have said the place was thriving,’ he remarked, and she uttered a most unladylike expletive.
‘In our relationship,’ she corrected him tersely. ‘Tom and I were already having problems before she came along. I’ll admit it. But I never dreamed he’d already found my replacement.’
Oliver felt a depressingly familiar sense of déjà vu. Not that he’d been seriously considering getting involved with someone who worked for his brother, he assured himself, but the news that Grace Lovell was Tom’s latest conquest wasn’t what he wanted to hear. She was too good for his brother, he thought grimly. Tom had already wrecked his marriage. He wouldn’t like to see him wreck her life as well.
He should have known, he grumbled silently. When Tom came to see him that afternoon, he should have guessed there was someone else involved. From the age of puberty, Tom had slept with countless women. He’d never married any of them, of course. Not even Sophie. So why should he, Oliver, have imagined that their relationship was any different?
‘He met her in Spain last year,’ Sophie was going on now, evidently under the mistaken impression that Oliver might be interested. ‘He’s gone out there before, when I’ve been unable to go with him. Not that your mother and father really want to see me, in any case. I’m persona non grata where they’re concerned.’
‘Sophie—’
‘He used to make the excuse that he needed to talk business with your father,’ she went on seamlessly. ‘I had no reason to doubt him. He and George often have their heads together when your father’s at home. I admit, he did seem a bit detached this time when he got home, but I put it down to his health. He’d said he was feeling a bit under the weather before he went away.’
Oliver held up both hands now, palms out to silence her. ‘Is this going somewhere, Sophie?’ he asked. ‘Because if not, I’ve got other things to do.’
Sophie’s eyes filled with tears. ‘Don’t be unkind to me, Oliver. I couldn’t bear it if you abandoned me. I know I’ve behaved abominably in the past, but you have to believe I regret it now.’
‘Sophie—’
‘No, listen to me. Perhaps it’s partly my fault that Tom found someone else. I kept comparing him to you. Yes, I did.’ This as Oliver gave her an incredulous stare. ‘It’s true. Tom and I were never meant to be together. I don’t know why I ever listened to his lies.’
‘That’s it. I’m out of here.’
Oliver had heard enough. Any minute now, she was going to say that she’d never stopped loving him and that she hoped he’d take her back.
As if.
Oliver scowled. When he’d had the—what he now acknowledged was a crazy—notion to make this diversion, he’d had no idea he’d be opening this can of worms.
