One hazy late afternoon when even the bees could hardly be bothered to hum, Bronte was down at the lakeside with Colleen and Maisie.
‘What are you doing?’ Colleen demanded grumpily when Bronte reached for her phone. ‘You can’t be ringing him again?’
‘Yes, him again,’ Bronte confirmed, firming her jaw. ‘Heath gave me this number, and some time or other I’m bound to get through to him.’
‘Dreamer,’ Maisie commented. ‘When he takes his phone off call divert,’ Colleen added.
‘Well, I’m not going to give up.’
‘What a surprise,’ Maisie murmured, brushing a harmless hover-fly away.
The phone droned. Bronte waited. And then sprang to attention. But it was only Heath’s PA, who put her off in the same weary tone. Colleen and Maisie were right. Heath had no intention of speaking to her ever again.
‘When are you going to get it through your head—’ Colleen began as Bronte snapped the phone shut and tossed it on the ground.
‘Don’t,’ she said. ‘Just … don’t.’
Bronte’s friends fell silent as she flung herself down on the grass. Lying flat on her back, she gazed up through a lace of leaves to the hint of blue sky beyond. What if Heath sold the estate? What if he’d already sold it and they were all ejected? She should spare the girls that. They could be arrested. This was so unfair. They were seeing progress. They had a routine going. And a goal—Christmas in the Great Hall, recreating one of Uncle Harry’s famous Christmas parties. Bronte imagined inviting everyone in the village. How could she disappoint Colleen and Maisie now when they’d worked so hard to achieve that?
What Heath might think about them planning a Christmas party without his say-so was something she would think about another day.
‘The lake’s too cold for swimming,’ Colleen announced, distracting Bronte from her thoughts. ‘I’m going home. Are you coming, Bronte?’
Maisie was on her feet too.
‘No, you go on,’ Bronte said. ‘I’m going to have a quick swim.’
Pulling off her clothes as the girls disappeared through the trees, she stretched her naked body in the sun. Before she had chance to chicken out she scampered to the edge of the lake and plunged in. The shock of the icy water sucked all the breath out of her. She flailed around for a moment before steadying and starting to swim. Powering out to the centre of the lake with a relaxed, easy stroke, she turned on her back and floated blissfully in the silence.
Silence?
What silence?
Shooting up, she turned her head, trying to locate the source of a steady rumbling noise. It sounded like an armoured tank division coming down the drive. She swung around in the water, trying to work out how she could claim her clothes before anyone saw her—
Forget it, Bronte concluded as the rumbling grew louder. She’d never make it in time. She would just have to stay here, treading water.
Where was she? Heath frowned as he peered through the windscreen. Bronte was his first—his only thought as he drove up the drive. He’d called in at the cottage. She wasn’t there. The old lady next door said Bronte would be up at Hebers Ghyll—as if it was a regular thing. He’d been angry since that moment—concerned and furious that Bronte had ignored everything he’d told her. But still, he’d hoped to see a flash of purple leggings—a glint of sun-kissed hair. Instead, all he could see were two other girls, sauntering out of the woods at the side of the lake as if they owned the place. So where the hell was she? And what the hell was going on?
Swinging down from the cab of his utility vehicle, he waited for the other men to assemble. Having issued preliminary instructions, he strode towards the girls. He wasn’t interested in entering into conversation with them. He wanted the answer to one simple question: ‘Where’s Bronte?’ he demanded, addressing the bleached blonde with a confident air.
‘Heath Stamp,’ she murmured. ‘Is it really you?’
‘I need to see her,’ he said, ignoring the girl’s attempt to distract him.
‘I’m Colleen,’ the girl persisted. ‘Don’t you remember me? And this is Maisie—’
‘Where is she?’ he cut across her in an ominous growl.
‘A real charmer,’ Colleen murmured.
‘So what’s changed?’ Maisie agreed beneath her breath.
Both girls were staring at him warily now. So they remembered him. ‘Are you going to tell me where she is?’
‘I-in the lake,’ Maisie stammered.
‘In the lake?’ he said, swinging round.
‘Swimming,’ Colleen hurried to explain.
As he turned to look he saw something that had him storming across the lawn, tugging off his clothes as he ran.
SHE’D got trapped in the weeds. She’d been so traumatised by the truck invasion she’d blundered about in the water wondering what to do next and had got her leg caught. Throwing her arms around as she struggled to free herself, Bronte had attracted the very type of attention she had been trying to avoid. The long line of wagons and builders’ vans, led by a rugged Jeep with blacked-out windows, had parked up in front of the hall. Her heart jolted painfully to see Heath spring down from the lead vehicle. Having spoken to the girls, he turned to look at the lake at the precise moment she started thrashing about. Impossibly bronzed and muscular, Heath, having tossed his shirt away as he ran, was clearly intent on launching a one-man rescue. The only option left to her was to swim as fast as she could in the opposite direction.
Forget it, Bronte concluded, treading water. Her best effort wasn’t nearly good enough. Heath was streaking towards her with a strong, fast stroke and had soon cut off her escape route. Before she had chance to change direction he gathered her up like a rugby ball and kicked for shore.
‘Put me down!’ she shrieked the instant Heath found his feet and started wading. ‘I’m warning you, Heath—let me go. There’s no need for this.’
‘There’s every need for this.’ Heath sounded less than amused. Dumping her on her feet on the middle of the lawn, he stood back.
She had never seen anyone quite so furious. She hunched over, acutely conscious of her nakedness.
Heath seemed disappointingly unaware of it. ‘What did I tell you before I left?’ he demanded.
Bronte’s face flushed red. ‘I haven’t been near the old buildings—’
‘So you swim in the lake on your own? Brilliant.’
Heath’s expression was thunderous. All male. All disapproval. And the sight of his naked torso—powerful beyond belief, wet, tanned and gleaming in the sun—was an unnerving distraction. She jumped alert the moment she realised Heath’s narrowed gaze was roving freely over her naked body as if it were his to inspect. ‘Do you mind?’ she flared, covering herself as best she could.
‘What the hell did you think you were doing in the lake?’ Heath snapped as if they were both fully clothed.