be that naïve girl who tumbled into something and got taken advantage of, again.
If Beck wasn’t my future, he was a whisper of a future—a hint that there could be something after all that had happened. For the first time in a long time, I was starting to wonder what would make me happy.
Twenty-Six
Beck
I’d woken up resolved. Stella was right. I knew what I needed to do. I just had to focus on the goal and not get hung up on what these people—Henry’s cousin—had done to my mother.
Stella had helped me focus. She brought out the best in me.
My new clothes, pumiced and muddy in places, made me look like everyone else, and I nodded at a few people as I made my way toward the group of men gathered at the edge of the sweeping drive.
“Morning,” I said. “Beautiful day for it.” I’d come across these people in my life—hell I was good friends with a couple of trust funders. Stella told me that Henry was a good man and although it was difficult for me to believe that someone related to Patrick Dawnay could be decent, I trusted her.
Henry was over by the keeper, so I headed in that direction.
“We’re shooting wild birds today, not grouse reared on the estate.” Matt stepped up beside me, dressed in a light-green tweed suit, brown socks up to his knees and a flat cap to match.
At a distance, he could have been fifty years older than he was. I’d drawn the line at headgear, and although Stella had wanted me to wear breeks and wellies, I’d insisted on trousers and walking boots. “Are you ready?” he asked.
“As I’ll ever be,” I replied.
Stella had insisted that I do my homework on what a grouse shoot involved. I was usually well prepared, but I’d been resisting it, rejecting every part of this way of life—perhaps because I’d been rejected by it in the first place. Patrick Dawnay hadn’t wanted me, had pushed me and my mother aside, and I didn’t want to want any part of it. But, as Stella said, if I wanted the Dawnay building, I had to do whatever it took.
“Do you like shooting?” Matt asked.
“Golf is more my thing,” I said.
“Excellent,” he said. “Perhaps we should play a few holes when I’m back from my honeymoon. The girls can get together for lunch and leave us boys to it.”
Why on earth would he think I’d want to spend time with him? He was Stella’s ex-boyfriend. And even if he wasn’t, I had enough friends. Five super-competitive arseholes were enough to contend with. There weren’t any vacancies in my friendship circle.
“How are you enjoying Scotland?” he asked. “That rain yesterday was dreadful, but at least we’re seeing the sun today. I didn’t want to have to cancel.”
“You don’t call off a shoot because of a spot of rain, man,” Henry barked at Matt as he came up beside us. “We wear waterproofs and get on with it.”
“I enjoy the rain,” I said, because it was the truth. “I never miss a run because of weather.”
“Quite right,” Henry said. “You’d never go outside in Scotland if you were afraid of a bit of water.” He sniffed, then turned to me. “So, you’re Stella’s new chap, are you?” he asked.
“Yes, sir.”
“Well, she’s a lovely girl. I’m very fond of her. Known her since she was a small child. She was always clever but never shouted about it. I liked that about her.”
Henry and I agreed on one thing at least. “She underestimates herself,” I said. “Very modest despite being quite . . . wonderful.” It was easy to be honest when I was talking about how great Stella was.
He nodded. “Puts other people first. Other people who frankly don’t deserve it.” He shot a glance at Matt, who had the good sense to be pretending not to hear what we were talking about.
“I’ve just seen Phillip. Please excuse me,” Matt said. “I must go and ask him about his speech.”
“Yes, he should scuttle off,” Henry said. “The way he and my god-daughter have treated Stella has been absolutely terrible. Selfish and entitled—both of them. Stella’s better off without him.”
A grin filled my face. “I couldn’t have put it better myself. But his loss is my gain.”
“Just make sure you realize what you’ve got in that girl.”
I’d liked Stella from the moment I’d met her, found her attractive, enjoyed her feistiness. But getting to know her had brought an entirely new level of captivation with her. I respected her as well as enjoyed her company and couldn’t keep my hands off her. “Every day I realize it a little more,” I replied.