Page 21 of Where We Belong

Hating to break up what looked to be the start of a beautiful friendship, Cam intervened. ‘We’ve got a lot of work to do this weekend, but I’m sure there’ll be plenty of time over the summer to arrange a visit.’ He turned to Hope. ‘I wouldn’t mind a look around myself, if that’s okay?’

‘Of course. We can work out a date tomorrow when we go through everything.’ She raised a hand, stifling a yawn. ‘Oh, excuse me! I’m so sorry.’

Cam checked his watch and was surprised to see it was after ten. ‘Look at the time, we really should be making a move.’ He caught Barnie’s eye.

‘It’s been a wonderful evening,’ Barnie said, tucking one of the small gin bottles in the pocket of his linen blazer so he could shake hands with Zap and then Ziggy. ‘Really great.’

‘I’ll give you both a lift back if you like,’ Rhys offered. ‘I put the longwools in a new grazing paddock this morning and I want to check they’re doing okay.’

Cam glanced down at Hope. They would have plenty of time to talk tomorrow. ‘It saves you turning out as well.’

‘I can do it,’ Hope said as she stood. ‘You’ve had a long day, Rhys, I’m sure you must be tired.’ Cam felt something soft and warm glow inside him at the thought she might want to extend their evening together a little longer too. The next minute, her entire face was scrunched in another enormous yawn.

‘You can barely keep your eyes open.’ Placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, Cam urged her back into her seat. ‘I’ll see you in the morning.’

She raised a hand to cover his. ‘I’ll be over straight after breakfast so we can get cracking. Is half-eight too early?’

He wanted to stare at where her hand covered his, to turn his palm up so their fingers would slot together. Instead, he reminded himself that this was a family who were free with their touches, and she likely meant nothing by it. Across from them, both Stevie and Rowena were exchanging cheek kisses with Barnie, as though to prove his point. Like a whisper of silk against his skin, her touch slipped away, leaving him wondering for a moment if he’d imagined it. ‘I’ll have the kettle on ready,’ he promised, making himself take first one and then a second step away from the table.

The women stayed inside, but both Zap and Ziggy came outside with them to move the dogs and their cushions back into the kitchen. A little dachshund walked on dainty paws towards Cam and leaned against his leg. Bending down with just a hint of a groan for his aching limbs, Rhys scooped up the dog with a laugh. ‘You’re such a little flirt,’ he said, as the dog curled up in the crook of his arm. ‘Come on, let’s get you inside.’ Rhys pointed the remote in his hand towards the bank of Range Rovers and the hazard lights flashed on one of them. ‘I’ll be with you in a sec, just let me get madam here settled.’

Cam and Barnie let themselves into the back of the car, Barnie’s gin bottles clanking together as he sat down. ‘Well, that came very close to being a disaster,’ his friend said with a grimace. ‘Well done you on saving the day.’

‘It was all a bit tense for a moment,’ Cam agreed. ‘We’ll have to tread carefully when it comes to the archive. Maybe talk things out just between us before we share stuff with the family, especially around this grandfather of theirs.’

His friend nodded. ‘He sounded like a right piece of work. There’s a lot going on we don’t know about. I mean they’re nice enough people, but talk about having to walk on eggshells.’

‘More like tiptoeing through a minefield, I reckon,’ Cam said, thinking about the tension between the older Travers siblings and Hope’s muttered complaint about secrets. ‘Well, whatever is going on with them, it’s none of our business. We’re here to do a job for them, so let’s try and not ruffle anyone’s feathers.’

11

Hope lay on her back, staring at the thin sliver of light shining across the white plaster through the crack in her curtains from the security light in the yard below. She should get up and close them properly, but she was too tired to bother moving. Tired, but not sleepy – was there anything worse? She could feel the weight of exhaustion tugging at her, the pressure of a headache starting, that dry, stale feeling in her eyes.

Everything felt sluggish apart from her mind, which was darting around like a squirrel. Bits of the half-argument between her uncles and her mother kept popping up. She hadn’t known her great-grandfather personally, but she’d never heard anyone say much about him before. Nor had Rhys, from what he’d said. Certainly nothing along the negative lines of him bullying Ziggy into taking on responsibilities his father had shirked. She knew Monty hadn’t been interested in running the estate, but she’d always been led to believe Ziggy, Zap and her mother had taken over things by choice rather than obligation. How had she never known?

Secrets. Always secrets.

With a frustrated sigh, Hope threw herself onto her side with a huff and forced her eyes shut. That lasted all of about thirty seconds before she decided her pillow was too high and she raised herself up on one elbow and punched the pillow flat with the other fist. She settled down again and started one of the counting and breathing exercises from her relaxation app. Two slow exhalations later and her brain was off again. Why had she all but held Cam’s hand like that? God only knew what he must think of her! The way he’d tried to ease his hand away without saying anything. Her face felt like it might burst into flames as she recalled that slow slide of his fingers from beneath hers. How was she going to face him in the morning? She rolled back over and stared once more at the sliver of light. Rhys must still be out checking his sheep because the last person in for the night always turned off the outside light. Hope fumbled for her phone and checked the time. It was only ten minutes since she’d turned her light out, but it felt like an hour or more. She chucked it onto the bed beside her with a groan as the squirrel started repeating phrases over and over.

Don’t you dare defend him…

What a saint you are, big brother…

What’s past is past…

Feeling like she wanted to scream, if only to drown out the nonsense in her head, Hope sat up with a jolt and flicked her light on. Grabbing one of the spare pillows from beside her, she propped herself up then retrieved her Kindle from the bedside cabinet. Perhaps if she read for a bit, she could turn off that mental loop, and make herself sleepy in the process. She’d barely scanned the first couple of lines, trying to remind herself where she’d left off in the book she was reading, when there was a tap on the door. Mum poked her head in, saw Hope was sitting up and let herself into the room, closing the door behind her.

‘I was just on my way to bed when I saw your light come on. Is everything all right?’

Hope lowered her Kindle to rest on her lap. ‘I couldn’t sleep so I thought I’d read for a while.’

Her mother nodded but didn’t make any move to leave. ‘I was talking to Ziggy just now. He said you were thinking about moving into the spare lodge next door to Cameron.’

‘I haven’t decided yet,’ Hope said, keeping her tone neutral. ‘I wanted to wait until Cam has his team finalised, as it may be that someone who is participating in the dig might need something more comfortable than a tent to sleep in.’ That was true, but she’d also listened to Ziggy’s advice and decided not to rush into anything. So, why had he raised the subject with Mum, and what else had they been discussing? No doubt they’d waited until both she and Rhys had gone to bed before they’d revisited that scene at the dinner table earlier. The thought didn’t do anything to reduce Hope’s growing annoyance at being kept out of things once again.

Her mother’s smile was soft and a little sad. ‘You’re staying here because of me, aren’t you?’

Now the door was opened, Hope decided to lean against it, just a little. ‘You haven’t exactly been enthusiastic about my plans to move out.’

---