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She looked into kind eyes, a face that said it would understand and that she didn’t have to worry he’d think her incapable of keeping his daughter safe when another kid had been badly hurt in her care. But the choice of telling him was taken out of her hands when James came into the ice-creamery.
‘Arnold pointed me in this direction,’ James smiled, stopping short of leaning in for a kiss as he usually did when he saw the company she was in. ‘Thought I’d give you a lift back to the stables, it’s pouring out there.’
At the sight of this man who had the best intentions, Hazel felt terrible because she knew they needed to talk. She had to end things and she’d tried to call him before coming here, but he hadn’t answered.
Gus picked up on the tension and more than a hint of awkwardness and rallied the kids, suggesting Peter go back to their house.
‘We’ll be up at the stables later on today to see Denby,’ Gus told Hazel.
‘See you both later on.’ And Hazel left with James, who didn’t say much at all as they drove back to the stables.
They pulled into Heritage View and the windscreen washers swiped angrily back and forth, clearing the rain as best they could.
When James parked up and switched off the engine, he turned to Hazel. ‘What’s going on with you and Doctor Dolittle?’
‘You mean Gus?’ She wondered how he knew that Gus was the local vet, but it didn’t really matter.
‘Whatever. So is he more than a client?’
‘No.’
‘But you want him to be.’
It wasn’t a question. ‘James, I don’t want to answer that, but we do need to talk.’ His actions came from a good place, but he was trying to be the knight in shining armour by taking her away from all of this rather than helping her work through it. And he was hanging on to a relationship that had run its course.
‘I knew this was coming.’ He sounded sad and she knew this man, who’d once been her fiancé, deserved so much more.
Heritage View House was barely visible beneath the heavy rain as James said, ‘I made an offer on the house I viewed.’
She turned in her seat to look at him. ‘Already?’
‘When you know, you know. And it was accepted.’ With a gulp, he turned to face her, and she knew by his expression that he’d realised that they were never going to fall back into the relationship they’d had before. It was probably the reason why he’d made a move so quickly on the property he’d viewed.
‘You deserve to be happy,’ she told him, moving across to kiss him only once, on the cheek. She wanted to offer friendship, but she couldn’t. James would never let her go properly if she did. And that wouldn’t be fair on him. ‘Take care of yourself.’
He didn’t say much in reply and the second she climbed out and popped up her umbrella, she heard the crunch of gravel as he pulled away. And all at once, Hazel felt an overwhelming sense of relief, an unburdening that made her feel as though this might well be the way forwards.
* * *
With the rain hammering down as though it was never going to give up, Hazel hunkered down in the office to get things done. She contacted the farrier to arrange for him to come out in a few weeks for the horses’ foot trimming and shoeing as necessary. She returned two calls regarding lessons, telling each person that they were on a waiting list, and got lost in the mountain of paperwork as Tabitha moved from her lap into the little cat basket, having no interest in venturing outside. At a knock at the door, Hazel called out, ‘Come in,’ as she finished printing off her orders ready to file along with the expenses and keep their accounts up to date.
When nobody came in, she assumed it was likely Arnold, carrying something and unable to open the door. But she realised how much she was hoping it might be Gus and Abigail instead, that they were as disappointed as she’d been that their time together today was cut short.
She opened the door with a smile but immediately went hurtling back from the man on the other side, a man she recognised all too well even after all these years, as he sneered at her and advanced towards her, pressing her against the desk.
‘We meet again,’ he said, breath reeking of alcohol. ‘Nobody here to help you now.’
