She was his temporary se
cretary, that was all, and he had just reminded her of it in the nicest way he could. Take it on board and be smart, she told herself silently, protect yourself. For all you know he is probably still in love with his ex-wife, despite all those other women.
"I'd like to say goodbye to Hannah before I leave for Scotland," she said, after a few seconds of absolute silence.
"And of course I shall need to collect some clothes and things. How long do you think we'll be away?"
"Two or three days, four at the most." He looked up and she saw his face was the old expressionless mask again, withdrawn and remote.
"And of course you must see Hannah. The flight is booked for two this afternoon but we need to be at the airport a little earlier. If you want to scoot off now and see to things, I'll pick you up just before one."
She nodded and left the office without another word, but just as she was preparing to leave she picked up the internal phone on impulse and ordered a hot meal from the canteen to be brought up immediately.
He might call it fussing, he might call it a lot worse, but he couldn't carry on at this pace without burning himself out. And she didn't want that. She checked the weakness quickly in her mind but it was no good. She was concerned about him even as she told herself it was foolish.
By half-past twelve she was packed and scribbling a short list of notes to her mother as she sat with a cup of coffee on the occasional table beside her and Tiger purring contentedly on her lap. Her mother had offered to stay at
Lydia's house in order that Hannah's routine was interrupted as little as possible so there was little to organise. Hannah herself had accepted the news quite-stoically in spite of it being the first time they had been
parted since she was born. Several of her friends' parents were often away on business so the idea was not new to her, besides which the present Lydia had mentioned would be brought on her return had been a definite plus.
As Lydia glanced at the small suitcase by the door her lip curled in wry self-mockery. Dashing off to Scotland with him was a little different from her plans of the weekend! She shook her head at her own weakness. But she couldn't let him down in an emergency. There was time to tell him she intended to leave later, once they were back in London again.
His authoritative knock just before one set the butterflies whizzing frantically in her stomach and she took a long deep breath as she opened the door.
"Hi." Was it her imagination or was he faintly sheepish? she asked herself silently as he walked through and picked up the small suitcase.
"Thanks for ordering the meal." He put the suitcase down again and turned to face her, his eyes wary.
"And I never said I appreciate you responding so well to the emergency."
"It comes with the job." She hoped she looked cool and composed because she certainly didn't feel it. He seemed to have more personality changes in the space of an hour than the rest of the people she knew put together.
"You did warn me I might have to take off at a minute's notice at my interview," she said lightly.
"Nevertheless, it was good of you." He looked so gorgeous as he dominated her small lounge that she felt the blood positively pounding through her veins.
"Thank you."
"No problem." She smiled carefully.
"Did Hannah take the news of the trip OK?" he asked quietly as he looked at her steadily through clear silver- blue eyes.
"Fine." She smiled carefully again, aiming for lightness.
"My mother is very good with her, they get on like a house on fire, so I never need to worry if I can't be with her."
"That's good." He eyed her soberly.
"It must be reassuring for you to know she's in good hands."
"It is." She glanced at him, faintly puzzled. It was almost as though he was hesitating about something, but perhaps it was her imagination. She certainly couldn't trust her feelings around this man, that was for sure.
"There's no one like your own mother, after all."
"I should imagine not." The words were faintly enigmatic but she sensed he hadn't meant them to be.
"Do your parents live close by?" she asked quietly, feeling as though she was treading on thin ice. It would have been a normal, polite pleasantry with most people, but with Wolf the normal wasn't, somehow.