The Lady of the Manor

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

That night, I slept in my grandmother's room at the manor. Once I had finished looking through the house again, it had started getting dark so I ate the sandwich I packed in my bag that I forgot to eat at lunch time, took off my jeans and slipped in between the covers of the huge double bed in the equally huge room.

When I awoke the next morning, it took me a moment to recognise my surroundings but when I did, I flopped back on to the pillows and grinned until my face hurt. I couldn't wait to show Oliver all of this. My mind was racing with ideas to spruce this place up and make it into the beautiful house it once was.

I got up and went into the ensuite, turning on the shower. I stripped off my clothes and stood under the hot jet of water. When I had cleaned myself, I stepped out and not having a towel with me, I let myself air dry.

Once I had redressed, unfortunately in yesterday's clothes, I headed back downstairs to the kitchen. As I walked down one staircase, the banister almost winked at me. When I reached the second staircase, I could resist it no more and slid on the banister, sliding down until I reached the ground floor. I giggled, turning towards the hidden servants stairs leading towards the kitchen. As I reached the door, the house seemed to giggle with me.

"Hello House. I'm Ella and I think I'll be staying here." I glanced around me as I felt the house settle happily around me as though it was accepting me as the new owner. I continued down to the kitchen, knowing I was in safe hands and that the house would protect me.

Over the following week, I moved all my clothes and belongings into Periwinkle House, taking over the lord and lady's bedroom. The house aided my move by clanking pipes, smooth opening doors and swishing a breeze through an open window. I had met Mrs Fleet, a kind, sweet old woman and over tea and biscuits in the main library, she had told me all about the house, how long her family had worked here and the village where she lived.

On Wednesday, I was restocking the cupboards in the kitchen with all my essentials when a lumbering oaf of a man appeared at one of the kitchen windows. I screamed in fright as he knocked on the window.

I opened the side door as he opened the outer door and we met in the middle. "What the hell are you doing?" I screamed at him.

The man laughed, causing a cute dimple to show on his cheek and a shot of lust to ping straight through me. He ran his hand through his unruly mop of brown hair, causing it to shoot out in all directions instead of tame it down as he obviously hopped it would.

"I was just digging over the rose patch. I'm sorry for the mess. Connie normally lets me take off my boots in here before I come into the house." Seeing my confused look he added, "I'm Benjamin Button, the gardener and general handyman. Mr Barnes mentioned that you had moved in. I'm so sorry to hear of Connie's passing. She was such a character, always up for a good chat."

I swept my eyes over him, taking in his muscled chest, strong arms, tanned from working outside and solid build. "I had been expecting someone a bit older. You look like you are barely past 20."

He grinned again. "You would be right. I'm 24. Took over from Grandad when he died five years ago but I've been helping him since I could walk. Is there any chance of a cuppa, I'm gasping?"

I nodded curtly, stepping back into the kitchen. This handsome man couldn't be the same Mr Button that my lawyer had told me about. He was going to get on my nerves though if he kept up with his over the top cheerful and seemingly chatty persona even though he made me feel more alive than my boyfriend ever did. Five minutes alone with Benjamin and I was ready to strip him of his clothes, lay back and test just how strong the kitchen table really was.

As I boiled the kettle, I banished all thoughts of undressing the gardener. I have a boyfriend, for crying out loud. Benjamin toed off his heavy work-man's boots and sauntered into the kitchen, his giant build fitting right in with the kitchen.

"I'm sorry for the fright. I thought you were still out. Let's start again. I'm Benjamin Button, but please call me Ben. I'm the gardener and handyman." He held out his hand.

I sighed. "I'm Ella Green." I took hold of his hand and shook it, his warmth enveloping my hand completely, making me want to wrap my arms round his body to see if it had the same affect. I withdrew my hand sharply and turned back to the whistling kettle.

"Milk, sugar, Mr Button?"

"Ben, please. And just a splash of milk. Don't like any of that weak piss some people call tea around here."

I made the tea and passed him his mug. Our fingers brushed causing a spark of electricity to shoot up my arm. I dropped my hand and curled my hands round my own mug, resisting the impulse to keep touching Ben.

"So Mr Barnes said that I should talk to you about the walled garden." I asked in an effort to keep my hands from wandering over his lovely chest.

He nodded. "Yes. Connie wanted to grow her own vegetables and fruit to serve here. She thought it would be a great draw for the crowds. There is a collection of fruit trees by Button Cottage."

"Wait. Hold up. Serve what? To who?"

"Connie wanted to open Periwinkle House as a hotel, something to earn money from. But when your mother died and she stepped into the role as carer, her plans fell to the back burner. She still came here, I presume when you were at school but didn't make any more headway on the hotel front."

I had guessed that Grandma wanted to do something with the house what with all the refurnished rooms and plans for a pool and vegetable plot but to have this stranger tell me my own grandmother's plans was not okay. It's as if he knew her better than I did, which I had to remind myself, Ben knew about Periwinkle House when I didn't.

"Have you lived here long?" I asked, shoving any murderous thoughts down.

"All my life." He answered. "Mum and dad live in the village but I spent all my free time here as a child, learning about the garden from my grandfather. I moved in with him permanently when I was ten. Mum and dad are bakers so it worked for them. They make the most amazing breakfast pastries. I'll bring you some next time I'm in the village."

I made polite noises to show I was listening when really only half my concentration was on his words. The other, stronger half, was concentrating on watching his lips move as he spoke. A girl sure could get used to such attractive sights around here.

He drained the rest of his tea then and stood up. "Thanks for the cuppa. I'm going to head back to the rose plants. Have a think about the walled garden and I'll pop into town and buy seeds."

"Okay, I'll let you know what I decide on." With that he shrugged on his coat and boots and stomped back outside. I watched him go, his legs marching with purpose. I sighed, I could watch those legs all day, not to mention the firm butt that made even scruffy work jeans look runway worthy.

"No, Ella, you have a boyfriend. Get a grip with yourself." As if in agreement, the house clanked noisily, as though it was telling me to stay away from the dangerously hot gardener.