That night, when the twins were safely tucked up in bed and Diane and Linda had finished arguing about who was sleeping on which side, Horatio and Anna found themselves alone, in front of the fire. He was watching her as she sipped at a small tumbler of whisky.
‘So, tell me, did you really send the diary to the newspaper?’
Anna smiled slowly. ‘Of course not. I wouldn’t do that to my aunt, but I did think about it.’
He chuckled. ‘Mother’s living in fear of finding it in print. I think she imagines it’ll come out one sordid episode a week in the Mail on Sunday.’
‘Well,’ Anna admitted, ‘I don’t know why I said it. I think it’s because I knew it was the only way I could get to her.’
He brushed her cheek with his finger. ‘You’re so beautiful.’
‘What are we going to do?’ she said, meeting his gaze. ‘I mean, if Richard gets this cottage, then we’ll have to start looking for somewhere to live. Mum can head back to her house, Diane has nowhere to go, but she’s most likely going to stay around here with Larry, and then there’s us.’ She smiled. ‘I’m afraid I’m no Lady Arabella.’
‘You are everything,’ he said solemnly. ‘I’m sorry my mother is being like this. She’s told me I have to move everything out of the house I live in up on the estate within the week.’ He frowned. ‘I’m not sure that’s even physically possible.’
‘Your father wouldn’t be happy about this,’ Anna said softly. ‘If he were here.’
‘No.’ Horatio clenched his jaw. ‘He wouldn’t.’ Looking back at her, he moved his arm around her shoulders and gently stroked her hair. ‘I’m glad you stayed.’ He smiled. ‘I mean, I’d go anywhere with you, but I’m just glad you’re here with me.’
‘You know you told me that your wife…’ Her voice tailed off.
‘Yes.’ He nodded.
‘How do you ever recover from something like that?’
‘I did it for Jeremy.’ He bit his lip. ‘But, in the beginning, I was a mess. I barely ate, barely slept. Jeremy was my reason to live, he held me together.’
Anna exhaled deeply. ‘It must have been awful.’
‘It was.’ He looked at her. ‘But you had to cope without anyone else in your life.’
‘But I never had anyone to lose…’ She met his gaze. ‘Until now.’ Anna pulled away slightly. ‘I can’t afford to get hurt again. Can you understand that? It’s taken a lot to get even this far.’ A single tear rolled down her cheek. ‘I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve sat alone at night and watched the twins sleeping, thinking, are they OK? Have I failed them?’
‘You haven’t.’ He shook his head firmly.
‘It’s what I’ve often wondered.’
He stopped stroking her hair. ‘Do you think they’re happy here?’
Anna nodded. ‘Yes. Yes, I really do. I didn’t realise how attached they’ve already become to this place and their school before today.’
‘So, there you go.’ He smiled gently. ‘You did that. You made them happy by bringing them here. Though I know they’d be happy wherever, as long as you were in sight.’
‘How about Jeremy?’
‘He’s happy now. We often talk about his mum.’ He swallowed hard. ‘I told you her name was Sophia. Soph for short.’ He smiled. ‘I didn’t want to talk about her ever again, after she died. It was too painful. But Jeremy kept her alive.’ He nodded and stared into his glass. ‘I’m glad of that.’ He paused. ‘You said earlier, you don’t know if you can trust me.’ She nodded. ‘I understand that. You’ve had a lot of things to deal with and you don’t need a man in your life. That much is obvious.’
She pulled away from him, completely now. ‘What’s that meant to mean?’
‘I mean,’ he said, gently tugging her towards him again. ‘You’re a strong and independent woman. In fact, all three of you are. You, your mum and Diane.’ He laughed softly. ‘Quite extraordinary.’ Kissing her on the top of her head, he murmured, ‘My point is that I recognise that and wouldn’t want to take that away from you. I only want to show you how much I love you, and maybe one day you can love me too.’
‘It’s not that I don’t love you, it’s just that I’m sc…’ she began to say.
‘Shhh.’ He put his forefinger gently over her lips. ‘I know. Remember what you said, one day at a time.’
He slid his finger down her chin and tilted her head upward as he brought his lips down to hers, kissing her firmly. Anna’s stomach flip-flopped and she responded to his increasing urgency. He stood and held his hand out and she took it, her body tingling with desire.
They had barely made it to the foot of the stairs when her mother stormed out of her bedroom and down the stairs, pushing past them.
The moment had been broken and she flashed Horatio an apologetic smile.
‘Everything OK, Linda?’ he said.
She turned and glanced at their entwined hands. ‘I suppose you two were just heading upstairs.’
‘Yes, quite tired now,’ Anna said, faking a yawn.
‘Yes, well, me too and Dee hasn’t even got into bed yet… because she says she has to recite the alphabet backwards three times or else she’ll have nightmares.’
‘Oh, yeah,’ Anna said, ‘I forgot to mention her routine, didn’t I? I’ve just got used to it.’
Her mother put her hands over her face in distress, her curlers bouncing up and down in her hair as she tried to slow her breathing down.
‘Don’t hyperventilate, Mum,’ Anna said. ‘It’s not worth it.’
‘No, not worth it is Diane’s reciting the alphabet backwards and now she’s trying it in French.’ She paused, shooting them a look of incredulity. ‘French? This house is just too small for all of us.’ She sat on the sofa, pulling the throw over her. ‘I’ll sleep down here where I can get some peace and quiet.’
‘I didn’t even know Dee spoke any French.’
‘She doesn’t,’ her mother said, settling on the sofa. ‘That’s why it’s so goddamn painful.’ She looked at them. ‘Tony lets me have a full night’s sleep. He understands you don’t always have to talk, that there are some moments meant for quiet.’
‘Yes, but does he understand there are some moments where speaking might help?’ Anna said and followed Horatio up the stairs. ‘Goodnight, Mum.’
Once safely ensconced in the narrow bed upstairs, Horatio held Anna close to him.
‘I don’t think I can,’ she said. ‘You know. Not with mum downstairs, the twins upstairs, Dee reciting French next door.’
Horatio cuddled closer to her. ‘I’m happy to wait. I would wait for ever.’
As she was dropping off, she rolled over and murmured, ‘Did you speak to Lucinda today, by the way?’
‘No.’ He kissed her cheek. ‘Why?’
She rolled back over and smiled. ‘No reason, no reason at all.’
Anna hadn’t felt so safe in a long time and she quickly fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, she watched him sleeping peacefully as she slipped on her dressing gown and pink fluffy boots before heading downstairs.
She had barely made it into the kitchen when Diane came right up to her. ‘I want to hear everything. I mean everything,’ she whispered.
Her mother, curlers still in, turned. ‘Come on,’ she said, perhaps too loudly, ‘we want all the details.’
‘Mum,’ Anna warned quietly, putting her finger over her lips. ‘Actually we didn’t, and even if we did, I wouldn’t tell you all that private detail.’
‘Why not?’ Diane pouted. ‘I told you all about me and Larry.’
‘Did I ask to hear about you and Larry?’
Diane shrugged. ‘I think it’s healthy for women to talk about this stuff. Otherwise, there’s a danger you might turn into some sort of prude.’
‘Um,’ Anna said, sitting, ‘aren’t those “prudes” actually good, normal people who don’t divulge details that most people probably wouldn’t care for anyway?’
‘In your boring world, Anna,’ her mother chimed in, ‘yes.’
‘Thanks, Mum.’
‘So how come you didn’t do the business?’ Diane pushed, one leg up on the chair next to her.
‘Because it’s not exactly private around here.’ Anna helped herself to cereal. ‘It didn’t feel like the right place or time.’
Diane and her mother looked at each other and nodded. ‘Prude,’ they said firmly.
A knock at the door caused Anna to jump and she watched her mother swan off to answer it.
‘You can tell me now your mother’s not here,’ Diane whispered. ‘Was it good?’
‘We genuinely didn’t,’ Anna said, amused. ‘Sorry to disappoint.’
Her mother returned. ‘Your sort-of-cousin’s at the door.’
‘What?’ Anna got up. ‘Richard?’
Richard stood in the front room, wringing a tweed cap. ‘Anna,’ he said, smiling as she entered. ‘How are you?’
‘How do you think? You’re threatening to take this cottage from under my feet, but, otherwise, great, thanks for asking.’
He tilted his head to one side. ‘So beautiful when you’re cross.’
‘Go away, Richard.’ She moved past him to the door. ‘This is the second, no third, time you’ve seen me in my nightwear and it will be the last, so please go.’ She looked at him pointedly. ‘Now.’
Diane stuck her head around the door. ‘She means sod off.’ Smiling sweetly, Diane added, ‘Comprendez-vous?’
Anna heard her mother groan and Diane’s head retreated.
‘Yes, sod off, Richard.’
He strode over to her and tilted her head upward with his forefinger. ‘Please forgive me. I was just angry about everything with my mother and Horatio. It had nothing to do with you.’ He smiled. ‘You can keep the cottage. I won’t contest but,’ he paused, ‘I want you, Anna. I want you so badly it’s eating away at me.’
‘You’ve already told me you wanted me as a way to get under Horatio’s skin. How do you think that makes me feel?’ Anna’s eyes flashed with anger. ‘I mean, seriously, you go around treating women like that and you may end up a very lonely man.’
‘I didn’t mean it. Again, I said it because I was lashing out.’ He held her face gently with his calloused hand.
‘No, Richard, just go.’ She shook off his hand and opened the door. ‘We are half-cousins and you are, in the words of my son, a plonk-ah.’
‘Anna, I’m offering to drop the case. I’m saying you can keep your house, and we can be together.’
‘I don’t think she needs any of that, do you?’ came a gruff voice from behind. Anna turned to see Horatio standing, in jeans and no shirt, on the stairs. ‘She asked you to leave, brother, and this is her house, after all.’
Richard sneered. ‘Oh, it didn’t take you long, did it, Anna? Horatio wins again. Hallelujah.’ His words dripped with sarcasm. ‘Firstly, Horatio, don’t call me brother. I will never view you as my brother, and as for this being Anna’s house…’ He paused. ‘Well, now I’ve seen how quickly she’s moved on, I retract my offer.’ He looked at her. ‘Anna, I will go ahead with my plans and you can bid farewell to all of this.’ Richard placed his cap firmly on his head, his jaw twitching. ‘This will not end well.’
Horatio walked down the stairs and took Richard by his arm. ‘Go.’
Anna stood back and allowed Horatio to escort Richard outside. She watched from the doorway and, moments later, to her horror, Richard swung his hand up, slicing Horatio’s jaw and sending him reeling back towards the house. Anna ran towards him but Horatio was already on his feet.
‘Well, she’s my woman, Horatio. What did you expect?’
‘She is called Anna,’ Horatio breathed heatedly, ‘and Anna is no one’s property, including mine.’
‘Oh yeah,’ Richard snarled, circling Horatio, ‘Anna is just a divorced woman with children from London. What has she got to offer to any man?’
Horatio lunged at Richard, moving his hand so fast Anna barely saw Horatio’s fist meet Richard’s nose, and the next thing she knew, Richard lay sprawled on the ground. Horatio stood over his half-brother and nodded. ‘You never talk about the woman I love like that. You understand me?’ Then, to Anna’s amazement, Horatio held his hand out to help Richard up. Richard ignored the gesture but Horatio didn’t budge. ‘Don’t be proud, Richard. Get up.’
Richard took his hand and got to his feet, albeit unsteadily. ‘This isn’t over, Horatio. You might have a good swing but I can get you, get you both,’ he said, looking at Anna, blood dripping from his nose, ‘where it hurts. I know your mother has disinherited you, Horatio, because I spoke to her. She’s keen to give me everything. So, not only will I contest the will, I’ll own Ridley Manor too.’ A smile spread slowly across his face. ‘So, you see, I’ll win in the end.’
Richard hobbled back towards his car and got in slowly, before starting up and moving off down the hill. Horatio turned to Anna and looked at her.
‘Sorry,’ he said.
A pang of sadness touched her heart as he walked towards her. ‘For what?’
‘For bringing Richard to your door.’
She carefully felt the purple bruise forming on his chin. ‘If it’s what brought you to my door, then I’m eternally grateful.’ She paused. ‘So, I thought you had never hit a man before?’
He laughed softly. ‘I haven’t. It was complete fluke.’
She joined in his laughter. ‘Welcome to my life.’
She knew then: she loved Horatio.
Horatio hurried upstairs to wash his face and change before the twins came down to find out what all the commotion was about. Diane and her mother started to hum the ‘Diet Coke break’ tune under their breaths.
‘I just want to make,’ they paused and smiled at each other, ‘love to you.’
‘Now, I haven’t been jealous of you many times in my life, Anna, but you get to sleep with someone who has a body like that.’ Diane saluted. ‘You are officially sleeping with a sex god.’
‘Amen,’ said her mother then, quite seriously. ‘Why have you got that funny look on your face, Anna?’
Anna grinned broadly. ‘Oh my God, I love Horatio.’ She smiled even saying the words. ‘I love the way he looks at me, I love the way he laughs, I love the way he protects me, I love him!’ Anna squealed and, circling round the room, whispered to Diane and Linda, ‘And he loves me too!’