Page 64 of Love Is: Two Bodies One Soul

ChapterTwenty-One

Late leaving Whyton,Owen and Lexie finally arrived just after noon at a red brick Edwardian house overlooking Hythe.

‘Here we are,’ Lexie said, switching off the ignition, sneaking a look at Owen.

They’d left Whyton in high spirits. Owen relaxed, cheerful and chatty, like she’d never seen him before. He was lovely. But then he’d fallen into gloomy silence as they neared their destination, and now, rigid with tension, he was staring at the house.

‘It will be all right, you know, Owen.’ She leaned across to touch his arm.

‘You can’t know that. You’ve not read it.’

‘True.’ Lexie inhaled deeply, trying to ignore the sharpness of Owen’s reply. She told herself she should stay calm and try to instil some confidence in him before seeing Judge McKinnon and his wife. She should certainly not rise to any thoughtless snarkiness. They’d already had one row that morning. (Entirely her fault). Well, almost. Owen had to take some blame for not explaining his plans more clearly and not realising last night how much she’d wanted him. For someone so clever and in tune with other people, he could sometimes be amazingly blind.

She stroked his arm, sensing the tension in his muscles. ‘I may not have read your manuscript, but I know what a great writer you are.’

Owen shrugged off her compliment. ‘Fiction is different to articles.’

‘I know that, and I also know how assiduous you are.’

‘Assiduous?’ Owen leaned forward in the passenger seat and stared into the footwell, muttering. ‘I’ve been called a few things in my time, but assiduous?’

‘Yes, that’s right.’ Lexie replied, trying not to smile at Owen’s reaction, wondering what on earth he thought she meant. ‘Everything you do, you take care, strive to make it the best. Now come on.’ She squeezed his arm. ‘Remember, you are a brilliant writer. Let’s get in there and see how much you’ve impressed the judge.’

* * *

The studdedoak front door swung open as Lexie and Owen stepped onto the red quarry tile doorstep.

‘Hello, my lovie,’ Sally cried out, flinging her arms wide to Owen.

On their journey, before he’d fallen into silence, Owen had shared some more of his history with the Halcyons, explaining how, after his mother’s suicide, Sally had given him a home and cared for him. He’d said, Sally had saved him, so Lexie had expected them to be close, but as she watched Owen walk into Sally’s embrace, she couldn’t help feeling like the proverbial gooseberry.

After what seemed an unnaturally long time, Sally sighed and released Owen, turning her glittering green eyes on Lexie. ‘So, you’re Lexie Scott. I’ve heard a lot about you.’

‘Good things, I hope.’

‘Yes,’ said Sally. ‘My Georgie is very impressed with your work. He said he wished he’d known about you last year and employed you instead of your brother.’

Lexie couldn’t think of an answer that wouldn’t have seemed disloyal to Xander. Luckily, she didn’t have to reply, since Sally turned back to Owen, and brushed an invisible speck from his shoulder, saying, ‘Henry’s waiting for you in his study. Come in … go straight through.’

Owen took a step past Sally, who said, ‘That’s right. Down to the end of the corridor, the last door on the right.’

Owen turned and looked back at Lexie like he was lost. Her heart contracted. She could see all his self-doubt. It seemed like he wanted to run away from this place.

‘Will you be all right?’ he asked her.

‘Of course, she will.’ Sally laughed. ‘I’ll take care of the lovely Lexie. Off you go, Owen. Talk to Henry. He’s been impatient for this meeting.’

Owen frowned, then set off into the darkened corridor. And Lexie found herself swept into a large sitting room.

* * *

The doorto Henry McKinnon’s study was partially open, and through the gap, Owen could see the judge seated at his desk, head in hands. He looked like a man with all the troubles of the world on his shoulders. Owen considered making a hasty retreat. If Henry’s demeanour had anything to do with what he thought of the book, the next twenty minutes (if it took that long) would be hell.

Owen thought he hadn’t made a sound, but suddenly Henry seemed aware he was there and looked up. ‘Is that you, Owen?’

‘Yes.’ He pushed the door wide.

‘Come in, come in.’ Henry partially rose from his seat before dropping back as if exhausted.

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