‘Have you seen the sign?’ Eleni nodded to the wooden sign hammered into the ground ‘Sold.’
‘Yes, it sold at auction last month. It’ll make a lovely retirement home. I wouldn’t mind ending my days in a place like this.’
‘What’s that over there?’ Eleni took her hand off the wheel and pointed to a freshly cut lawn at the side of the property.
‘A hot air balloon, well I never. I’m not sure if it’s landed or just about to take off. Can you see anyone around?’
Eleni was still staring across the fields when Julia screamed out and pulled at the steering wheel.
Time slowed.
Thud.
Eleni’s eyes darted forward as she hit her foot hard on the brake causing the seatbelts to tighten and the car to screech along the gravel until eventually it stopped.
Julia squeezed her eyes shut, her chest tightened, her breath quick and shallow. She grasped the side of her seat to try and regain control. ‘Shit.’
‘Oh my God, I’m so sorry.’ Eleni’s voice was shaky, barely catching her breath. ‘What have I hit?’
Instantly, Julia felt all the colour drain from her face, her heart was hammering so hard against her ribcage she thought it was going to burst out of her chest at any given second.
‘Are you okay?’ asked Eleni, her knuckles white as they gripped the steering wheel.
‘I think so, are you?’
Eleni could only manage a nod.
For a moment, they both sat still.
‘Please take a look,’ Eleni’s voice was earnest.
Julia, still trying to calm her beating heart as she unclipped her seatbelt, flung open the car door. Tripping up over her own feet she hurried to the front of the car and breathed a sigh of relief. ‘It’s okay, we’ve… you’ve… just hit a cardboard box full of papers.’
Eleni exhaled. ‘Thank God for that,’ she said, resting her head back on the seat rest. ‘I need a moment. I think I’m in shock.’
‘What the hell do you think you are doing? It’s not Knockhill Racing Circuit. You nearly smashed my car into smithereens,’ bellowed a voice from behind them.
Taking a sharp intake of breath, Julia’s eyes widened and for a moment she was frozen to the spot, unable to move. Walking towards them was an angry-looking Flynn Carter throwing his hands up into the air. She watched as he loosened the top button of his shirt, and stared at the battered cardboard box, the papers inside now strewn all over the ground. Flynn was shaking his head in disbelief.
A petrified-looking Eleni slowly climbed out from behind the wheel, she fumbled to answer then blurted, ‘I’m so sorry, it was my fault. I wasn’t looking where I was going…’ She bent down and began scooping up the papers in her arms. She was physically shaking as she handed Flynn a pile of crumpled documents. ‘I’m learning to drive, but it seems I’m not doing very well.’ Eleni attempted to lighten the mood but looked like she was about to burst into tears.
Lifting a single eyebrow, Flynn’s face softened, he looked between them both. ‘No, I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to shout, forgive me. And where are my manners – are you both okay? You must be feeling a little shook up.’
Julia knew he had every right to raise his voice and stepped in. ‘Honestly, we’re fine, just relieved we’ve not actually run over a human being, an animal, or hit your car,’ she said, reaching down and picking up the rest of the papers that were flapping lightly in the slight breeze. ‘I hope these aren’t anything too important.’
‘Only my accounts,’ he replied, taking the papers from Julia and holding her gaze.
Turning slightly pink, she felt herself tingle as his hand brushed against hers. ‘Do I know you?’ he asked, as his gaze intensified. Julia felt her heart skip a beat as she stood there for a second in an awkward silence. Her thoughts were racing all over the place before she decided to come clean.
‘We met a while back now.’
‘Did we? I can’t place it… when and where?’ he asked, his eyes still firmly fixed on Julia.
‘Well, actually, I was a bridesmaid at your wedding.’
Flynn frowned in concentration then took a cautious step back as his eyes swept over her entire body. Then he locked eyes with her once more. ‘Bridesmaid?’
She was momentarily thrown by the strength of his gaze causing her heart to thump a little faster. ‘Well actually that’s not quite true because the wedding didn’t take place… Anais Brown?’
Flynn raised an eyebrow and seemed to bristle at the sound of Anais’s name.
‘Julia…’ she said.
‘Julia…’ he repeated.
‘Julia Coleman.’
‘Julia… of course, please forgive me. How are you? You look great… It’s great to see you.’ He stepped forward and kissed her on both cheeks taking Julia completely by surprise, the aroma of his aftershave not going unnoticed.
‘What are you doing here in Heartcross?’ he asked, clicking his car key and placing the squashed box of papers in the boot of his car.
‘I live here, I own the B&B in the village.’
‘Really? You live here? Such a small world,’ he turned back towards them with a warm smile. ‘I just don’t believe this. How long have you been here?’
‘A good few years now,’ she replied.
‘The local B&B you say?’
Julia watched as he rolled the sleeves of his shirt up over his forearms. He raked his hand through his fringe and pushed it to one side, his eyes still looking down on her.
‘You must be busy this time of year, especially with the gorgeous weather we are having.’
‘Very,’ she replied, knowing she was still staring at Flynn.
‘Are you in a rush?’ Flynn looked between the two of them. ‘And do forgive me,’ he stretched out his hand towards Eleni, ‘I’m Flynn.’
‘Eleni,’ she replied, warmly.
‘Let me show you around the grounds. Would you like to take a look?’
For a second, Julia hesitated. This was the man she had numerous reservations about, but she was dying to take a look around Starcross Manor.
Flynn smiled and acknowledged her hesitation. ‘Come on, I’ll show you the deer park, it’s a place of outstanding beauty,’ he suggested, still staring at Julia.
They began to walk and followed Flynn through a tiny stone archway which led through to a courtyard with twisted vines of coloured roses entwined in the wooden-built lattice roof above their heads. ‘It’s beautiful,’ exclaimed Julia looking up. In that split second, she tripped up the step and clutched the back of Flynn’s shirt to steady herself.
He looked over his shoulder and gave her a lopsided grin. ‘You okay?’
‘Sorry, I was too busy looking at the roses instead of watching where I was going.’
Julia knew she was clumsy, but this was embarrassing. Flynn led them through a paved garden that was enchanted, littered with potted blooms, the whole place was colourful. Just up ahead was a wooden door which let them onto the winding side of the valley and around a quiet millpond, into a wilderness garden.
‘This place, it’s like a maze,’ remarked Eleni, taking in her surroundings, ‘the history of the place is intriguing.’