Spring Blossoms at Mill Grange by Jenny Kane (a court of thorns and roses ebook free txt) 📗

we intend to run. It’ll be great for those guests who want to take the skills they have developed here to the next level. We’ve had plenty of interest, and once the wedding is over, I intend to advertise it properly. So we’ll need tutors. Tom won’t be able to do it all.’

‘I don’t know what to say. I’d like to stay obviously, but—’

‘I can’t pay you as much as the Baths plus, you have a home and life in Bath to consider. That’s why I said I didn’t expect an answer now.’

Taking a large mouthful of coffee, Helen let it ease her throat. ‘Does anyone else know about your offer?’

‘Just Tina.’

‘Not Tom or Thea and Shaun?’

‘No. Tom brought the subject up, but that was after Tina and I had discussed it.’

‘It wasn’t his idea then?’

‘I suppose he had the idea, but so did we – independently of him. Is that a problem?’

‘Not at all. I’m flattered you want me to stay.’ Helen’s cheeks went beetroot. ‘Sam, would you mind if we kept this secret for now? Just between you, Tina and me while I think about it.’

‘Certainly.’

Hoping Sam wouldn’t ask why she didn’t want Tom to know he’d asked her to stay, Helen changed the subject. ‘How are the wedding plans going?’

Saturday March 28

th

‘Why don’t you come with me?’ Tom murmured into Helen’s ear as he kissed the side of her neck.

Suppressing the feeling that she’d love to come and collect Dylan from Tiverton, Helen murmured as Tom hands ran down her arms, ‘Because Sue wouldn’t like it.’

‘She probably wouldn’t know. She never comes out of the house with Dylan. Anyway, our friendship isn’t a secret.’

Helen took his hands, halting their journey towards her chest. ‘Unlike snogging in the store room when no one’s looking.’

‘If we don’t stop soon, I can’t vouch for that being all we do.’

‘Is that so?’

‘And don’t pretend you don’t want to, Miss Rodgers, you give yourself away,’ Tom murmured into her ear. ‘Honestly, woman, it’s only been two hours since we made love. No one told me Roman historians could be so wanton.’

‘We aren’t, unless under the influence of former squaddies.’

‘Is that so, and how many former squaddies do you know?’

Helen stuck out her tongue in lieu of a reply before reluctantly pulling away from Tom ‘There’s something I meant to tell you last night – and then again this morning, before we got, umm… distracted. Mabel knows. She guessed.’

‘Oh.’

‘Don’t worry, she said she’d keep it under her hat.’ Helen stroked a finger over Tom’s chin. ‘I feel awkward not telling people, but…’

‘It’s okay. I’m not ready to tell people either. I’m enjoying having you all to myself.’

Helen wrapped her arms around him, before forcing herself away. ‘I’m glad you feel the same. Although, if Mabel guessed, the others might.’

‘We’ll cope with that if it happens.’ Tom planted a kiss on the end of her nose. ‘Well, if you won’t come to Tiverton with me, will you join Dylan and me for scones at Sybil’s? I’ve reserved a table.’

‘For two?’

‘Three, actually.’ Tom ran his hands down her sides. ‘Dylan has already asked me to invite you.’

A tender glow inflamed the heat that Tom had already started in her chest. ‘Did he?’

‘He likes you very much.’

‘I like him too.’

‘Good, because when we’re ready to tell him, I really want us to be—’

The sound of a vehicle coming up the driveway and passing the store made them jump away from each other.

‘We aren’t expecting a delivery, are we?’ Helen checked her clothing was in order as Tom headed for the door.

‘Mabel didn’t say so.’ As he swung the stores double doors wide, Tom’s face creased into panic. ‘Sue!’

He was already running the short distance to where his ex had parked, before Helen had registered who’d arrived.

‘Sue? What’s going on? Has something happened to Dylan?’

His frantic enquiry was answered by the wave of a little hand out of the car’s open back window. ‘Hi, Dad!’

As Sue climbed out of the Mini, Helen stepped back into the shadows of the store-come-office, her heart thudding in her chest. She wasn’t sure exactly what she’d expected Sue to look like, but the woman she could see standing in front of Tom was nothing like her preconceptions.

Rather than being a bit wild looking, with ripped jeans, piercings, and tattoos up her arms, Sue was tastefully turned out in a white shirt, black denims and a pair of new looking trainers. Her hair, which Tom had told her could be any colour under the sun, depending on her mood, was currently an ordinary deep brown, cut into a stylish bob. The only gesture towards any sort of outrageous behaviour was on the tips of her fingernails, which were painted bright orange.

Tom had described Sue as a woman who went from man to man, sponging her way along. That image didn’t fit with the together looking female stood on the drive with their son.

Their son.

Reminding herself that Tom had said Sue had changed a lot lately, and was making more effort for their child, Helen took a deep breath. Tom hadn’t lied to her. She’d made assumptions about the woman and been wrong. Helen attempted to quieten the sound of her racing pulse so she could hear what was going on outside.

*

‘What are you doing here? I was about to leave to come and fetch Dylan.’

Scooping his son into his arms, Tom wondered if Helen was alright, and if she could hear them.

‘We have some news don’t we, Dylan? And we wanted to tell you together.’

‘Yeah, Dad. I told Mum about those lovely scones. Can we take her for one, Dad? We could tell you our news then.’

‘Well I don’t know, I—’

‘Aww, please, Dad. You did say we could go to Sybil’s today.’

‘Yes, I did, but…’

Sue looked up at the manor. ‘Will you be sorry to leave here once you have custody of Dylan?’

‘Custody?’ Tom jumped on the word, as Sue hastily added, ‘I meant partial custody.’

‘Of course.’ Tom followed Sue’s