The Dew-bespangled Herbe and Tree.”
‘Get lost!’ Julia heaved one of her embroidered cushions at him and he fielded it with a grin.
‘What a grouch you are of a morning, sweeting.’
‘Do you know what time it is?’ Julia demanded. ‘I don’t have to get up for another hour. What on earth are you doing?’
Richard executed a few shuffling dance steps. ‘Appreciating the gift of life. Walking … thinking. Why don’t you come out and welcome in the dawn with me?’
Julia eyed him suspiciously. Richard was a night-owl, all his energies diverted into his performance. The rest of the time he conserved his strength with sloth-like skill.
‘No thank you.’ She shivered even more as the cold air crept inside her neckline. ‘What did you wake me up for?’
‘Connie and Michael are going down to Hahei today, did Connie tell you? Visiting some great aunt or other. How about a picnic lunch for us at Cook’s Beach?’
‘Do you think the weather will hold?’ It had been heavily overcast the day before.
‘Too cold for rain … there’s a frost out here you know, sweet slug-a-bed.’
‘OK,’ Julia yawned and stretched mightily, it would be nice to have a day away from the house.
‘Great. I knew you wouldn’t let me down. We’ll have a gorgeous time, I promise.’ He now seemed eager to get away.
‘Well, hey!’ Julia called after him as he walked away. ‘Will you tell the others, or shall I?’
‘What others, sweet Juliet?’ Richard began to whistle as he disappeared around the side of the house.
‘Damn!’ Julia slammed the window shut, annoyed at having walked straight into his trap. He knew that she had been trying to avoid being alone with him lately. His attempts to fan a romance between them were becoming a real pain, and she had no doubt that he had more of the same on his
agenda for today.
Well, two can play at that game, fella, Julia smiled wickedly to herself as she snuggled down for a few more minutes in her warm nest. After facing up to Hugh as she had last night, she felt able to cope with anything.
It had taken a determined courage to mount those narrow attic stairs and confront the eagle in his eyrie, or on the edge of his eyrie—for Hugh had refused to allow her inside. He had opened the door and stood, squarely blocking the rectangle of light, arms crossed over his massive chest.
‘Er … can I come in?’ she had asked meekly, trying to decipher the unreadable expression on his face.
‘No.’
Her courage dwindled even further. So much for him regretting his bearishness. In fact she preferred the bear to the great stone face before her now.
‘Please … I came to … I want to …’
‘I know why you came, Julia, why don’t you just get on with it?’
Julia swallowed. ‘You’re not making this easy for me.’
‘Is there some reason I should?’
Julia struggled with uncertain emotions. It was difficult to retain your sympathy with a man who could be so effectively nasty with so little effort. But what struck even deeper into her tender heart was the realisation that such nastiness was really only a form of defence. He was a man slow to trust, and he certainly had no reason to trust Julia with the merest glimpse into his private life. That was guarded, as was his room, by sheer force of will. Julia hated hurting others, and never before had she pushed herself where she wasn’t wanted, but something about Hugh roused an instinct in her, at once aggressive and protective, a curiosity that constantly craved appeasement.
‘Look, can’t we go in and sit down, it’s cold out here.’ She could see the warm flicker of firelight reflected in the varnished door.
‘No. Get to the point, Julia.’
Julia’s eyes fixed themselves on the third button of his crisp, white shirt. ‘You know what the point is.’
‘I want to hear it anyway,’ unmoving and unmoved.