He stopped at a rocky outcrop. ‘This is far enough and we can sit here without getting wet. Let’s have something to eat.’ He swung the pack off his back and delved inside. ‘Are you hungry?’
She sank down onto the rock and gave him a wry smile. ‘Oliver, we both know that you’re going to make me eat whether I’m hungry or not, so it doesn’t really matter what I say, does it?’
He smiled placidly and pulled out a flask of hot soup. ‘Good point.’ He poured the soup into two mugs and handed her one.
She shook her head. ‘I’m going to be the size of a block of flats by the time I go back to London.’
The sharp pangs of hunger faded at her words. Suddenly he didn’t feel like eating.
Time no longer seemed to be on his side.
‘You’re going back to London?’ He must have looked as horrified as he felt because she gave him a strange look.
‘Well, of course I am.’ She looked confused. ‘Why wouldn’t I?’
Because his plan relied on her staying here long enough to realise that she had never been in love with David.
‘You’ve got nothing to go back for.’
She stared across the wild mountain scenery in silence and he saw the pain in her face.
Cursing himself for having been so tactless, he rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. ‘I’m sorry,’ he groaned, but she shook her head.
‘Don’t be. It’s true.’ She took a sip of soup. ‘I suppose going back to London isn’t something I’ve even thought about. I gave up my job and the house was David’s anyway, so coming up here was an escape.’
‘So stay here.’
‘I can’t hide forever, Oliver, no matter how appealing the thought is.’ She gave a sad smile. ‘For a start, at some point Bryony is going to want her house back.’
‘Not necessarily.’ Oliver handed her a sandwich. ‘Jack Rothwell owns an enormous pile about three miles from the cottage. I’m sure they’ll move in there soon enough. That will leave the cottage empty.’
Helen stared at him and he could tell that the idea hadn’t even occurred to her before now.
‘Live here…’ She stared at the mountains again and let out a long breath. ‘That would be like a dream.’
‘Then stay.’
‘Dreams don’t always work in real life,’ she said sadly. ‘For a start, your practice nurse is only gone for a month,’ she reminded him, and he rubbed a hand over his face.
‘So we’ll find you another job. No problem.’
She smiled. ‘Oliver, I don’t know anyone here.’
‘You know Bryony.’ His voice was hoarse. ‘And you know me.’
His eyes locked with hers and he could see the question in her eyes.
‘Oliver…’ Her voice was soft and she looked away, clearly feeling awkward. ‘I don’t…You can’t—’
He sighed. ‘Look, I’m going to be honest here so when I’ve had my say you can black my eye. I like you, Helen. A lot.’ Major understatement. ‘If you weren’t suffering from a very unpleasant break up I would have made a move on you a long time ago.’
Surprise flickered in her blue eyes. ‘You’ve only known me for a week.’
‘I’ve always been decisive. Now it’s your turn to be honest. Or are you going to tell me that you haven’t felt the chemistry between us?’
She gave a little gasp and the colour seeped into her cheeks. But she didn’t deny it. In fact, she didn’t speak at all, just turned her head and stared across the valley, leaving him with her profile.
And that didn’t tell him anything.