Dillon had purposely stayed out of the way when Alice had come home from hospital. It was like something from Downton Abbey – all the staff lined up to greet her when Sarah and Ralph drove her back in the Range Rover. He’d watched from a distance as everyone hugged her. Everyone loved Alice. There’d been champagne in the hall and Hugh had been there, of course, watching her fondly. Alice looked so happy, even though she still used a stick when she got tired.
He’d stay out of the way, if he could. At least until after the wedding. If he had the nerve, he’d find another job, but his loyalty to Sarah was greater than his awkwardness at the situation. Just. And a stubborn part of him wanted to prove to Hugh that he wasn’t intimidated by him.
So it took him by surprise when Alice cornered him by the entrance gate where he was clipping the box hedges into perfection before they were decorated for the wedding.
‘Hey,’ he said with a smile.
‘I’ve found you at last,’ she said. ‘Have you been avoiding me?’
‘I’ve been busy. There’s a lot to do.’
‘So much you couldn’t even have a cup of coffee?’
He couldn’t look her in the eye.
‘Never mind,’ she went on. ‘I want to go and choose the tree for the hall. I want you to come with me. Make sure I’ve picked the best one before everyone else gets there.’
There was a small field on the edge of the estate where they grew Christmas trees to sell. People came in early December and picked the one they wanted. It was marked with a label indicating the date they wanted to pick it up, then Dillon would dig it up fresh on the day. The trees made enough money to pay for the estate’s decorations and a staff lunch.
‘Are you sure you’ll make it?’ Dillon looked concerned but Alice waved her stick at him.
‘I’ll be fine.’
He took her arm and they walked across the soft ground around the edge of the estate.
‘Why didn’t you come back and see me in hospital?’ she demanded. ‘You promised you would.’
He hesitated. ‘It wasn’t appropriate.’
She frowned. ‘Appropriate? I don’t understand.’
No, he thought. You don’t. And that’s why I love you.
‘I don’t think Hugh would have liked it,’ he said eventually.
‘That’s ridiculous.’ Alice frowned. She stopped. ‘Dillon. I need you to be honest with me. You don’t like Hugh, do you?’
Dillon felt cornered. This was his chance to tell her what he really thought.
‘It’s more that he doesn’t like me …’ he said finally.
‘But why? Why would anyone not like you?’
‘Because – because he thinks I know the truth about him?’
‘What truth?’
Dillon hesitated. He had to be very careful. Whatever he said now could very easily backfire on him. But he owed it to Alice to tell her his suspicions. He couldn’t just say he thought Hugh was an arrogant cock, but he could warn her about what he’d heard. That might be enough to give her second thoughts.
‘It’s probably just rumours. But the word is he’s a bit of a coke-head.’
‘Hugh?’ Alice laughed. ‘He can’t be. I’d know, surely?’
Dillon shrugged. ‘I’m just telling you what I’ve heard.’
Alice thought for a moment. Then she looked at him with a bright smile. ‘Pub gossip, probably. People say things. What they don’t know, they make up. And Hugh wasn’t brought up round here, so they’ve just tried to fill in the gaps. It’s because he works in the City and he’s got a flash car. It’s just … stereotyping.’
She trailed off. Dillon could see she was desperate for reassurance. He didn’t have enough evidence to contradict her.
‘Probably.’
‘It’s important to me that you two get on. You’re very dear to me, Dillon. And I know you’re being protective, but Hugh’s all right, really. He’s just very different from you. But he’ll be a good husband. He loves Peasebrook and he’s going to help us take it forward. And you’re going to be part of that too.’
Dillon didn’t reply. He understood. It was all about money and power. Hugh had cash and influence and contacts. Of course he was going to take Peasebrook forward. He couldn’t wait to be lord of the bloody manor. That was how it worked. He couldn’t force Alice to see the truth, because it was her truth. He had no power to change that.
‘I just wanted you to be aware what people are saying. And you’re right. It’s because I want to protect you.’
Alice hugged him. ‘Thank you,’ she said.
Then she pushed her hair back and showed him her scar.
‘Look,’ she said. ‘It’s got much better. You can hardly see it now.’
I never did see it, thought Dillon.
‘And I’ve got some special make-up. It shouldn’t show at all. For the wedding …’
She looked at him. He really wasn’t sure what he was supposed to say.
She stopped to lean on the gate he had put up to stop members of the public going up to the folly. It was just starting to rain: a spiteful squall that reminded people not to be seduced by bursts of fine weather and bone-warming sunshine that could easily be whisked away in a trice.
She looked white, an awful grey-green white.
‘Bloody hell,’ she said. ‘My stupid leg. I thought I could do it, but I can’t. I haven’t got the strength.’