Page 60 of Where We Belong

They met up in the lobby a few minutes later. While she’d been getting changed in the office, Hope had run a printout of their current guest list. As Ziggy read out the car registrations Justin had written down, Hope checked the list and highlighted the affected guests. ‘Eleven,’ she said with a sigh as she capped the highlighter. ‘Twelve, if we include Mr Willoughby.’

‘We’d better start making calls,’ Stevie said. ‘Do you want to split the list, or shall I speak to them all?’

‘I’ll help you,’ Hope replied. She turned to her uncle. ‘What are we going to offer them as compensation?’

‘A full refund for their costs this weekend, all repairs and the option to return at another date should they wish,’ Ziggy suggested. ‘It can come out of the contingency fund.’ He stood. ‘Can you run off another copy of the list for me and I’ll make contact with the police?’

‘Of course.’ Hope rose and led the way back towards the office. As they reached the door, she hesitated and turned back to her uncle. ‘This is really serious, isn’t it? It’s not just kids messing about.’ The break-in at the site cabin had cost enough; even though the hire company had only needed to change the lock, they’d threatened to uplift everything from the site without a hefty deposit as surety against further damage. With that and the installation of security lights and wiring an alarm to the fence, her own small contingency for the dig was already eaten up. This, on the other hand, was going to cost them thousands, never mind the damage to their reputation once word got out, as it inevitably would.

‘No. It’s not just kids.’ Ziggy placed a hand on her shoulder. ‘We’ll get through this, Hope. I know I have no right to ask this of you given everything, but I want you to trust me now.’

He looked shattered. Though she was still angry with both him and her mother for keeping secrets, Hope needed to make something clear to both of them. ‘Someone is trying to break us and I’m not going to let that happen. This is our home, our livelihood, our family.’ A family that had several holes in it, but those were problems to be dealt with on another day. ‘I’ll get you that list.’

* * *

It had taken all of her reserves and most of the day to deal with their understandably unhappy guests. Some, like Mr Willoughby, had packed up their things and left, but a few had been persuaded to stay. Their wine cellar was several bottles of champagne lighter, but given how much the whole mess was going to cost them, Hope had agreed with her mother that it was a small price to pay.

There’d been a few grumbles about lack of CCTV in the car park and it was on Hope’s list of things to talk to Ziggy about in the morning. They’d avoided it so far as there’d never been a problem before, but there had to be a way to add some discreet cameras without damaging the exterior fabric of the building. Perhaps Declan could point her in the direction of the security contractor who’d installed the alarm and lights at the dig compound? Hope pulled out her phone and tapped in a reminder. Her head felt so full, she’d reached the point where if she didn’t note things down the minute they occurred to her, then they were likely to be forgotten.

She hoped a shower and a change of clothes would make her feel better, but she still felt soiled from the ugliness of the day. Someone had marred the beauty of the idyll they’d created, had spoiled the special weekend of all those poor people at the Hall. As she sat at her dressing table to brush her hair, she tried not to cry as she recalled the tears of a woman whose husband had brought her away for a rest after a gruelling series of cancer treatments; at the brave faces put on by the couple who’d saved all year to celebrate their first wedding anniversary, only to have it ruined.

By the time Hope made her way along the familiar path to Cam’s lodge, she was more than ready for the day to be over. She’d let the dogs off their leads and was happy for them to roam ahead, as they knew by now which way she was heading. She turned down the almost hidden entrance to the lodge and let her hand trail through the climbing plants along the wall. The sweet scent of jasmine filled the air and she breathed deeply, letting it soothe all the jagged bits inside her.

The dogs’ excited barking stirred her, and a smile came to her lips as she heard Cam fussing and talking nonsense to them. She rounded the corner of the lodge to find him on his knees, one arm around each of the dogs as they returned his affection with doggy licks and nuzzles. ‘You look awful,’ he said, coming to his feet as she climbed the stairs towards him.

‘Gee, thanks. You sure know how to make a girl feel special.’ Hope still lifted her head to accept his kiss.

‘Upstairs,’ Cam ordered when they came up for air.

As much as she wanted to fall into his arms and forget about everything, she was too stressed and wired from the day to be in the mood for anything other than a cold glass of wine and to slump on the sofa. Something of her reluctance must’ve shown in her face because Cam shook his head with a grin. ‘Not that.’ He kissed her mouth, just the merest brush of his lips. ‘Well, maybe later. Come on, I’ll show you.’

Intrigued, Hope let him lead her upstairs. The bed had been made up with crisp white linens and Cam had folded the balcony doors back to let in the soft evening air. She might’ve faceplanted into the middle of that sea of white cotton if Cam hadn’t tugged her hand and led her across the room and through the open door to the en suite bathroom.

‘Oh, Cam.’ The roll-top copper tub was full of inviting bubbles and a dozen candles had been lit to bathe the room in a soft golden glow. The doors here were open, too, letting that same sultry evening air in. The faint hint of jasmine teased her nose, either carried in on the breeze or from whatever soothing concoction he’d poured under the hot water when filling the tub. A small table had been set next to the bath and a glass of wine stood waiting for her. Tears pricked the backs of her eyes.

‘Here, let me help you.’ Cam knelt and tugged at the laces of her trainers. She stood still as he carefully helped her out of her clothes. His hands were gentle, his words soft as he urged her to lift her leg or extend her arms so he could pull her top over her head. Too numbed by the sadness of the day, Hope moved compliantly to his instructions. When he pulled a hair scrunchy she must’ve left there another night off his wrist and combed his fingers through her hair, the first tear fell. As he curled her hair into a loose knot on top of her head and kissed the tender skin of her nape, a second followed it. By the time he’d helped her into the tub and the warm cocoon of the water enveloped her to her shoulders, the tears were falling freely. She didn’t sob, didn’t hitch her breath, she just let the pain and the ugliness of the day seep away in salty trails that were swallowed by the bubbles. Cam sank to the floor beside the tub, holding silent vigil until with a sigh she dipped her hand into the warm water and washed the last of the tears from her cheeks.

‘Do you want to talk about it?’ he asked.

Hope laughed, a cracked, slightly wonky sound, but the best she could manage. ‘God, no.’

Resting one arm on the side of the tub, Cam grinned at her. ‘Then let me tell you all about my equally shitty day and perhaps that’ll make you feel better.’

It didn’t exactly cheer her up as he outlined Mr Willoughby’s awful behaviour at the site, followed by a further afternoon of cataloguing all the rubble and stones they’d unearthed so far from the trenches, but at least it distracted her enough from her own woes. Having taken a sip of her wine, Hope offered Cam the glass. ‘Sounds like you need this more than I do.’

Cam took a drink then passed it back. ‘I’ve definitely had better days.’

‘And you’re still no clearer on what’s going on with the site?’

‘Nope. It’s such a complete and utter jumble at the moment. All we can do is keep clearing them and try to sort out what’s coming out.’ He scrubbed a hand through his fringe, the way he always did when he was frustrated. ‘It’s like someone mixed half a dozen jigsaw puzzles together – having thrown away all the corner pieces first.’

Hope offered her glass back to Cam. When he shook his head, she took a sip while she tried to think of other positives she could add. ‘It’s still very early days.’

He swirled an idle hand through the warm water of her bath. ‘You’re right, of course, and that’s exactly what I’ve been telling the rest of the team.’

Sitting up, Hope curled her knees up under her chin and shuffled along the tub until there was an empty space behind her. ‘If you’re going to sulk about it, you might as well join me in here.’

Cam laughed. ‘Is that the new rule? Sulking is only permitted in the bath.’

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