To his surprise, the other man looked almost crestfallen.
‘The truth is I probably don’t,’ he answered quietly. ‘I’ve always felt that my responsibility for raising a family and leaving a healthy legacy for my children after I’m gone was paramount...just as my forebears did. Too serious a matter to take lightly and relax.’
‘You drive yourself too hard. Sam and I have been independent for a long time now, Dad. I’d rather you stopped working so hard and just thought about what you wanted for yourself. Take some time out. Go on an extended holiday. You’ve got plenty of people working for you who could take care of things in your absence. Falteringham isn’t going to go to rack and ruin if you’re not here, as you fear it might. You should make a new priority to have some fun. Maybe even find yourself a nice woman?’
As Henry Treverne Senior’s downturned mouth nudged into a surprising smile the drawing room door opened. Transporting a tray laden with cups, saucers, a plate of sandwiches and a full cafetière, the housekeeper—Mary—came into the room. She was a statuesque middle-aged woman with broad hips, bobbed brown hair and a clear open face that in her youth might have been called pretty.
Aware that they hadn’t been introduced—his father’s last housekeeper had retired a few months ago—Hal automatically gave the woman a welcoming smile. ‘You must be Mary?’ he said as she laid the tray down on the walnut coffee table in front of him. ‘I’m Henry.’ He held out his hand to shake hers.
Clearly surprised at a welcome she hadn’t expected, the woman slid her palm into his and smiled back.
‘It’s nice to meet you, Mr Treverne. Your father is always singing your praises. I’m so sorry about your accident, by the way. But I’m sure it won’t be too long before you’re back on your feet again. Anyway, help yourself to coffee and sandwiches. If you want any more do let me know. In the meantime I’ll be getting your rooms ready.’
When she’d departed, his father sat back in his chair and sighed.
‘She’s a breath of fresh air, that woman. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without her.’
This frank confession, coming straight after Mary had told him that his father was always singing his praises, doubly stunned Hal. It opened the door to a distinct possibility that he had unfairly misjudged the man. Shaking his head in wonder, he said, ‘If you feel like that then all I can say is welcome back to the land of the living. Good for you, Dad.’ Glancing across the room at Kit, he felt his heart warm when he saw that her pretty mouth was curving in what looked to be an approving smile. ‘Why don’t you come over here and tuck into some of these sandwiches?’ he invited her. ‘They look seriously good.’
‘My son is right, Miss Blessington. Or perhaps you wouldn’t mind if I called you Kit? You must be hungry after making that long drive from London. You should definitely eat something.’
‘Thank you. I will.’
When she’d reached the table Hal couldn’t resist reaching for her hand and squeezing it. She didn’t immediately pull away, as he’d thought she might, even though her smile was somewhat tentative and shy. Catching the unspoken question in his father’s eyes, he realised he was watching them. But Hal honestly didn’t care that he’d witnessed the fact that the relationship between him and Kit wasn’t entirely a professional one. There was suddenly a great desire in him to be transparent for once—to be honest and open about his feelings and take the consequences, no matter how difficult or challenging they might be...
* * *
A short while later Kit was returning from the bathroom, just about to open the drawing room door to enter, when she heard Sir Henry’s deeply resonant voice saying to his son, ‘I must say your suggestion that I take an extended break sounds like a good one, Hal. I know I can rely on the staff here to take care of things in my absence. And while we’re on the subject, have you had any more thoughts about one day coming home to take over the estate? I know you probably don’t want to hear it, but I’m not getting any younger, and Falteringham needs some young blood in it again. Perhaps you need to think about marrying and having a family? Are you seeing any nice girls who might be suitable at the moment? The estate is your heritage, as well as your home, and I’d like you to help take it forward into the twenty-first century with a family of your own beside you.’
Outside the door, Kit froze and held her breath.