Josephine Cox Sunday Times Bestsellers Collection. Josephine Cox

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       Chapter 13

      HAVING INFORMED PATRICIA of the date he would return, Leonard half-expected her to be waiting for him when he disembarked at Liverpool. Unfortunately, she was nowhere to be seen, even though he lingered for almost an hour, walking up and down searching every avenue in case he should miss her.

      Finally he hailed a taxi and, bitterly disappointed, travelled back alone. He knew the house would be clean and tidy, thanks to his daily woman, Mrs Riley, who ran the place and used Lucy Baker on a Saturday to do any extra jobs. But it would be cold and lonely, too.

      Arriving at The Manse he paid the driver and went inside; where the warm, earthy aroma of fresh bread filled his nostrils and took him straight to the kitchen. ‘Why, it’s young Lucy!’ He was astonished to see her, sleeves rolled up, taking a crusty-baked loaf out of the oven.

      ‘Welcome home, Mr Maitland,’ she said with a shy smile. ‘Vicky offered to look after Jamie so I could nip in and make you some supper, after your long journey. There’s mushroom soup to go with the bread. I didn’t think you’d want anything too heavy, so late in the day. Oh, and I’ve lit a fire downstairs and one in your bedroom. I hope that’s all right?’ She looked anxious.

      He smiled. ‘It’s more than all right – it’s a wonderful welcome. Thank you, my dear, for being so very thoughtful.’ More thoughtful than his so-called fiancée, he thought.

      Lucy took off her pinny and went to get her coat and hat. ‘Don’t slice the bread while it’s still warm,’ she urged. ‘It’ll only squash up and you won’t get a clean slice.’

      ‘I’ll let it cool,’ he promised. ‘Now go home and get some rest.’ All he wanted was to be alone, put his feet up, eat from a tray and enjoy a strong drink. ‘There’s a chill in the air.’ He held Lucy’s coat open for her. ‘It was cold in Boston, too.’

      ‘Good night, Mr Maitland. It’s good to see you back.’ Lucy hoped she wasn’t being too familiar. She was rather in awe of Leonard.

      He smiled. ‘It’s lovely to be home,’ he told her.

      By ten o’clock that evening, Leonard had bathed and changed, eaten three slices of the best bread he had ever tasted, dipped into a sizeable bowl of hot, thick mushroom soup; the whole lot washed down by two cups of tea and a tot of best whisky.

      God, it was good to be back by his own fireside. Yawning, he was thinking about going to bed when a moment later, he was taken by surprise when the door opened and in walked Patricia, done up in all her finery and looking especially beautiful.

      Purring like a kitten she wrapped herself round him. ‘You smell delicious,’ she whispered, caressing him and deeply arousing him. ‘I’ve missed you, my darling.’

      Summoning all his courage, he drew away. ‘Did you now?’ he asked cynically. ‘So, why did you forget to meet me at the docks?’

      She gave a long, impatient sigh. ‘I didn’t forget,’ she answered rather petulantly. ‘It was just … well, I went shopping. I wanted to look my very best when you saw me. It got late, and by the time I reached the dock, you must have already left.’

      ‘So, you would rather go shopping than come and meet me, is that it?’

      Her expression hardened. ‘No – but does it really matter? I’m here now, aren’t I?’

      Having moved away when she saw he was angry, she now came at him again, her avaricious eyes appraising his body and her roving hands touching him in all the right spots. ‘I’m really sorry.’ She put her lips to his ears and softly blew. ‘I’ve missed you … I want you so much.’

      He wanted her too. All the while he had been in Boston he had wondered if he should end his engagement the minute he got home. But now, when she was close like this, and his need was pressing, he had little control. He was a man, with a man’s hunger, and here she was, a beautiful woman, his fiancée, freely offering herself to him.

      So, he took her hand and walked her to the foot of the stairs, where he swept her into his arms and carried her up to his bedroom, lit and warmed by the fire Lucy had set earlier.

      He carried her inside and closed the door behind them.

      And they did not come out until morning.

      It was eight-thirty the next morning when he took Patricia home to her parents’ grand house on the other side of Liverpool. ‘I’ll see you later,’ she told him. ‘We can talk more about your trip to Boston then. I’m sure Daddy will loan you all the money you need, then there will be no need to sell Overhill Farm. Or you could still sell it and start a different business – nothing to do with farming. I think that would be a good idea, don’t you?’

      ‘I’ve already said, I don’t want you discussing my business with your father,’ Leonard said tightly.

      ‘Why ever not?’

      ‘For reasons you would not understand.’ This woman was suffocating him.

      ‘All right, but I think you’re being selfish.’

      Dear God. ‘Like you said, I’ll see you later.’ He couldn’t trust himself to say anything else at that moment.

      As he watched her go inside, he thought, The more you open your mouth, the more I realise we will never be suited.

      At that СКАЧАТЬ