Eva’s eyes brightened. “Really?”
“Yes.” Bethan backed up a few steps. “You see that scotch dresser over there?”
Eva nodded.
“There’s a big old bookcase just behind that and to the left. Go and take a look.”
“I will, thank you.” Eva turned to me with a smile. “I’ll be right back.”
“Take your time,” I replied.
She scurried off with the same excitement that she’d had when she’d first walked in here, and I couldn’t help but laugh quietly at her.
Bethan walked over to me, still holding the painting. “I like her. She’s good for you.”
Oh, Bethan. If only you knew the truth.
“I hope so. That’s why I married her.” I chuckled.
“You want the chair, too?” Her eyes twinkled.
“Yes, please. And the other painting she thought I didn’t see her looking at. Can Thomas deliver it all later?”
Bethan smiled. “Five-thirty good for you?”
“Perfect.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
EVA
“I can’t believe you bought all those books for me. And the painting!” I said, looking over my shoulder at Matthew as we walked towards the front door. “It’s all too much, especially with the art things.”
He hauled the box with the easel under his arm and grabbed the bag with the books. “Well, it won’t make up for the time I haven’t spent with you, but at least you have no shortage of things to do or read now.”
“I’ve seen the library here. There’s no shortage of anything to read in this house,” I retorted, opening the front door. All three dogs came rushing to the door, and Baxter thumped into the side of my leg. “Ooft! Baxter, you beast!”
“Get in!” Matthew said. “Go on. In!”
They all backed up, but it didn’t stop their tails frantically wagging. Actually, their entire bodies seemed to shake from side to side, and it was quite nice to have someone greet you with such happiness when you got home.
Sigh.
We didn’t deserve dogs, truly. They had to have the purest hearts in the world.
“All right, hang on, hang on,” Matthew said, finally getting inside the house. He leaned the easel box up against the wall and set down the bag of books, then held out his arms for the dogs.
They rushed him all at once. Baxter jumped up, and he was so large that his paws were almost on Matthew’s shoulders, and he wasn’t exactly short himself at well over six-foot-three. Lucy jumped at his legs, and Jack circled his feet in an attempt to find an opening for his love.
I laughed, setting down the bag from the art store. “Well, they’re happy to see you.”
Jack looked at me and rushed over, clearly seeing a better chance at getting some attention from me. I bent down and obliged him, ruffing up the sides of his neck, and the next thing I knew, I was on my arse and surrounded by all three of the dogs.
Matthew laughed and walked over. “Baxter, off. Come on, come here.”
“I’m all right.” I couldn’t stop giggling when Baxter snuffled into my neck with his giant wet nose and dropped to lie down on the floor. “Oh, you silly thing. Oh, hello, Lucy, yes, yes, hello.” I tilted my head away so she could no longer lick my face but was instead relegated to the side of my neck.
“These dogs.” Matthew came over and picked up Lucy, retrieving me of the biggest lump on my lap.
I scooped Jack into my arm and got up, much to Baxter’s chagrin, but he soon cheered up when Matthew retrieved three bones from one of the bags. We’d also stopped by the pet store on the way back from the art gallery to get them treats, and Jack all but wiggled his way out of my arms to get to his little bone.
Matthew got them out of the way with their treats, and we picked the bags back up. I followed him through to the library where he kept walking, and I frowned.
“Where are we going?”
“I don’t suppose you’ve seen this yet, have you?” He set the bag down on the desk and kept walking to a pair of large wooden doors. I walked after him, and he briefly set the box down to open the door.
They opened onto the most beautiful sunroom. Every wall was coated in exquisite, Edwardian-style floor-to-ceiling windows that let in endless amounts of light, and large houseplants flourished in the sunlight that would be present if it weren’t so bloody cloudy outside.
Oh, this room was so wasted in the United Kingdom.
“Oh, wow,” I breathed, looking around. “I had no idea this was here.”
Matthew peered back and smiled at me. “I know. I planned to give you a better tour of the house today, but I suspect you won’t want one when your easel is set up here.”
“Here? It’s being set up here?”
“You need light, don’t you?” He carried the box through to the sunroom. “I don’t really use this room, so I thought you could make it yours. Kind of an art studio, maybe? The doors to library are pretty heavy for quiet, and it looks out onto the private area of the gardens where the public can’t go.” He paused, resting the box down. “There might be some noise in the summer since that hedge is the only thing separating the public and private gardens, but it’s not unbearable. Nobody can see in, either, because the hedge is too tall.”