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OF COURSE, with her having had hardly any sleep at all, it was perhaps understandable that Hazel should have fallen so deeply asleep just before dawn that she had slept right through her normal waking-up time, she realised grumpily, reluctantly opening her eyes.
Someone was knocking on her bedroom door, Katie no doubt, wanting to know why she was still in bed, so she called out, ‘Come in’.
She was just lifting her head from the pillow preparatory to getting up when the door opened, only it wasn’t Katie who came in—it was Silas.
‘Hope I didn’t wake you,’ he was apologising, ‘only I thought you might like a cup of tea.’
Hazel stared at him, completely lost for words. He was dressed in well-worn jeans and a clean shirt, unbuttoned at the throat. His hair was damp and as he came towards her she caught the scent of soap on his skin.
He was carrying a china mug of tea, which he put down on the table beside her bed.
‘How’s the headache?’ he enquired.
Hazel blinked at him. What headache? It was her heart that was behaving oddly, not her head. It was beating so erratically, so loudly that she automatically placed her hand over it on top of the bedclothes, trying to steady it.
‘Er—it’s gone.’
What on earth was happening? She wasn’t used to men invading her bedroom, bringing her cups of tea, enquiring about her health…especially not men like this one.
She was suddenly mortifyingly aware of the shabbiness of the nightshirt which had originally been Katie’s, the untidy tangle of her curls, and the fact that sunshine was streaming through her curtained window and sending far too sharp fingers of light across her bed and her face…
She wondered if he had taken Katie a cup of tea, and, if so, if he was now comparing her youthful freshness with the unattractive sight of her own early morning paleness.
‘Katie tells me you’re an illustrator,’ he remarked conversationally, apparently in no hurry to go.
‘Er—yes…children’s books.’
‘Are you working on a commission at the moment?’
‘I’m just about to start one,’ she told him truthfully.
She saw him frown as he exclaimed, ‘Won’t it be inconvenient for you, having me here?’
Honesty warred with loyalty to Katie and loyalty won.
‘Not at all,’ she fibbed. ‘I’m looking forward to it. I expect they’ll ask me to give a talk about it at the WI.’
What on earth was the matter with her? She was behaving like a complete fool.
‘Ma.’
She saw Katie coming in through the door with relief.
‘Not interrupting anything, am I?’ Katie enquired archly as she entered.
Hazel could feel herself flushing, protesting automatically, ‘Really, Katie, I—’
‘Just teasing, Ma,’ Katie assured her. ‘Mm—tea in bed. You lucky thing. Why didn’t I get one?’
‘Perhaps because you didn’t merit one,’ Silas told her drily, causing Hazel to stare at him in confusion. What was he trying to do? Make Katie jealous? Of her own mother? Ridiculous. Of course not…
‘I… I—er—think I’d better get up,’ she announced quickly.
‘Good idea,’ Katie agreed. ‘What shall we do today, Ma? I thought Silas might appreciate a guided tour of the area. You know, Gawsworth and that sort of thing.’
‘That sounds like a good idea,’ Hazel agreed. ‘Will you be gone all day or will you come back for lunch?’
Katie was frowning.
