The Lady of the Manor

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"I need to call Vincent."

Ben wobbled on the ladder he was standing on. I grabbed the bottom, stabilising it before it could knock him off.

"Now that's something I never thought I would hear you say." Ben called down.

He was trimming and pruning some of the fruit trees in the orchard and I was holding the ladder for him. Well I was pretending to hold the ladder. Really, I was just using it as an excuse to stare at the denim clad arse hovering above me.

"I don't particularly want to, the thought fills me with dread and anxiety but I need to get this whole thing sorted. Periwinkle House is opening to paying guests in a couple of weeks and I do not want him coming here and ruining it."

"Hmm. It would be nice to see the back of him once and for all, especially now we have your family tree to back us up."

"Mr Barnes, my grandmother's lawyer, came back to me. He said it was all in order."

Ben climbed down the ladder and I stepped back so that his heavy work boots didn't trample my fingers. As Ben climbed, my gaze landed firmly on his backside, watching the muscles clench and tighten as he moved his legs.

"If you're finished drooling over me like I'm a piece of meat, we could call him now. This was the last tree I needed to look at." Ben smirked at me, coming to stand in front of me on the ground.

I blushed. "I can't help it. Your arse shouldn't be so damn distracting." I wrapped my arms round his waist, my hands squeezing through the denim to make my point.

"My arse has been known to win competitions and stop traffic. I'm surprised that I've lasted this long without getting mobbed." Ben chuckled as he slung an arm round my shoulder.

I allowed myself a few moments of resting my head against Ben's chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart before I disentangled myself from him. "Right, I'm going to call Vincent now. Get it over and done with."

"Ok, let me know what he says. I'll be over by the pool." Ben kissed me quickly and watched me walk back to the house.

I entered the house into the kitchen and picked up my phone. "House, I'm going to call Vincent. He has to come over here one last time so that I can put this whole business to rest. Please just this last time, be nice to him."

House groaned in response as though the task of being nice to my slimy cousin was the hardest thing it had ever had to do.

Dialling the number I thought I would never need, I put the phone to my ear and listened to the rings. I almost gave up when Vincent answered after ten rings.

"Go for Vincent."

"Hi, Vincent, it's me, Ella." I felt his ears perk up like a meercat's at the mention of my name. "Can you come over to Periwinkle at some point this week. I have something I really need to discuss with you."

Even though I couldn't see his face, I knew that it had just lit up with joy. I presume, Vincent thought I would be signing over Periwinkle House to him. I smiled, thinking how his face would fall when he found out why I wanted to see him.

"Yeah sure. I always have time for my favourite cousin. I have a free afternoon today if that suits?"

"Um, yeah..." I started before Vincent cut me off.

"Great! I'll see you then."

He hung up before I could specify a time or say anything else. Well, at least he was coming over today and I could finally sort this whole mess out.