‘So who’s living in the house now?’ she asked, oddly resenting the idea of anyone else but the major being there.
Her father shrugged. ‘Nobody in their right mind,’ he scoffed. ‘It was common knowledge that none of his relatives wanted to live there. After all, they didn’t give a hoot about the old
major or his house. But someone seems to have taken it over—although it never actually came on the open market,’ he added thoughtfully. ‘There have been builders in there for months now doing it up. You wouldn’t know it, Maddie,’ he said. ‘It’s had a new roof, and all the black and white wooden facers have been renovated. Whoever it is who’s bought the place, they’re spending a small fortune on it—fools. I wouldn’t want to live there if you paid me to!’
I would, Madeline thought yearningly. I would have loved to buy the place and bring it back to its former glory—make it look just like that picture she’d seen hanging in Dominic’s den. She let out a soft sigh, turning back to stare out of the window at the bleak cold day beyond. Years ago, when she and Dom had been a pair, she’d used to make him drive past just so she could gaze at the crumbling old place. Why she felt this affinity with it she’d never really understood.
‘I bet ghosts go around it clanging rusty old chains with their heads tucked underneath their arms.’ She heard her own voice, filled with relish, echo back at her through the years.
‘While ladies in miserable grey robes go sailing mournfully by?’ Dom had suggested mockingly.
‘Why not?’ she’d pouted, then quivered expressively. ‘Mmm, what a lovely atmosphere to live in!’
‘You gruesome creature,’ Dom had exclaimed.
‘I may take a walk over there this afternoon,’ she pondered out loud.
It would give her something to do. This last week had seemed endless. Endless—endless…
‘Missing Perry already?’ her father remarked, completely misreading the wistful sound in her voice.
Perry had returned to Boston a couple of days ago, not even trying to hide his disappointment in her. ‘You didn’t even put up a fight against him,’ he’d accused her. ‘He just crooked his little finger and you went running.’ He’d seen her ride out that misty morning, and heard her return telling hours later. ‘What has the man got that makes you so easy for him?’
My heart, she answered now, though she’d given no excuse to Perry. There hadn’t been one. He was right and she had made it easy for Dom.
‘Perry and I are just friends, Daddy,’ she answered a little irritably. ‘Good, close friends, but that’s all.’
‘Then it must be Boston you’re missing,’ he decided, studying her from beneath thoughtfully lowered brows. ‘Because we certainly don’t seem to be providing whatever it is you need to make you happy here.’
Quietly, with a nod at her daughter and a sympathetic glance at her husband, Louise got up and left the room with Nina.
‘I’m fine,’ Madeline said, hearing the other two go with a rueful little smile playing about her lips because she knew just what their exit meant. They’d all had enough of her moping aimlessly about the place, and her father meant to get to the bottom of the reason for it. So she took in a deep breath and turned to smile at him. ‘It isn’t Boston, or Perry that’s bothering me,’ she assured him. ‘It’s just that I feel…’ What did she feel? she wondered helplessly.
That was it, she realised with a grimace. She felt helpless. Helplessly in love and helplessly—helpless to do anything about it.
‘You know what you need?’ her father said, eyeing her sagely. ‘You need something to fill up your time. In Boston you worked in that interior design place Dee spends all her money in—what was it called?’
‘Shackles,’ she provided with a small smile because he was looking disapproving, and not because his darling daughter had taken herself a job, but simply because poor Dee had got her that job instead of himself.
‘Stupid name for a shop,’ he muttered. ‘But,’ his eyes lit up with a sudden idea, ‘there’s no reason why you couldn’t find a similar post here—or even better,’ he added, leaning forwards in his chair with enthusiasm. ‘We could set you up with an interior design shop of your own, right here in Lambourn—or Reading if you prefer!’
Her dark head shook apologetically. ‘You need some formal training to set up a place like that, Daddy. I’m just not qualified to open up my own place.’
‘Only because you pulled back from going to art college because of Dominic Stanton,’ he said with gruff censure. ‘But that doesn’t mean you haven’t got it in you to do the job! Or, if it comes to that, go to university and get your degree now!’ Her expression brought the gleam of challenge to his eyes. ‘Why not?’ he demanded. ‘You got good grades in your A levels, and you wouldn’t be the only student to take on further education several years late! Why not, Maddie?’ he insisted when she still looked reluctant. ‘There is nothing to stop you after all!’
Nothing at all, she agreed, turning away again so that he wouldn’t see the depression weighing heavily on her features as her thoughts went inevitably back to Dom. Finding herself still vulnerable to Dominic had put a stop to any idea she might have had of remaining here in England.
‘I’ll think about it,’ she offered as a salve. ‘After the wedding. I’ll think about it then.’
‘Maddie, dear…’ It was only as he spoke that she realised her father had got up from his chair and come to stand beside her. ‘Is it still Dominic Stanton?’ he asked, oh, so gently.
Tears spurted into her eyes, and she blinked, unable to answer, even though she was desperate to offer a reassuring no.
‘We were all so damned pleased when you two got together four years ago!’ he sighed out heavily. ‘And I know we all have our own bit of blame to carry around for the way we pushed you both at each other. Louise warned me—she warned all of us that we should leave you alone and give you time to explore your feelings for each other. But we—James Stanton and I—we were—’
‘Daddy.’ Madeline turned, placing her fingers over his lips to stop him, her eyes bright with unshed tears. ‘Please don’t,’ she whispered. ‘I love you very dearly, but please—please don’t?’
His sigh was warm and shaky against her resting fingers, then he was gathering her into his arms and hugging her in the same way he had done all her life.