The Theotokis Inheritance (6 page)

Presently Oscar said, ‘Would you like to stop for your picnic now? There seem to be suitable places I can pull in.’

Helena suddenly realized how hungry she was feeling. ‘Yes—thanks,’ she said briefly, cringing inwardly as she thought about her ‘picnic’. All she’d done was to empty the fridge of its remaining contents—which were one tomato, a small piece of cucumber, a lemon, a rather sad-looking mushroom and a roll. Plus a chocolate biscuit. Hardly an exciting meal, and not much of it, she thought, because she’d have to ask Oscar to share it. But she had made a good flask of coffee, which she hoped was still reasonably hot. She wondered, rather enviously, what he’d had to eat on the plane… obviously a world away from the rather pathetic things in her holdall.

Within a few minutes Oscar pulled into a lay-by
next to a farm gate, and they both got out of the vehicle, Oscar raising his arms above his head and stretching.

‘It is beautiful around here,’ he commented, glancing across at Helena, who had already opened the gate and spotted a suitable place just inside to set out the food. She was kneeling down and taking things from her bag and she looked up at him as he joined her.

‘When I said “picnic” I think I was exaggerating,’ she said lightly. ‘This is all the food there was left in the fridge. I hope you weren’t expecting anything exceptional.’

‘I wasn’t expecting anything,’ he said, ‘because I’ve already eaten. So it’s all for you.’

‘Well, I can guarantee the coffee,’ Helena said, ‘but we’ll have to share.’ She shot him a rather diffident glance, aware of the easy familiarity of what she’d just said. The words had just slipped off her tongue, and she was rewarded with one of Oscar’s dark, lazy half-smiles as he looked down at her.

Helena uncorked the flask and carefully poured some coffee into the plastic top, before handing it to him. And, as their eyes met, an unspoken thought passed between them. Helena forced her gaze away from him. For herself, she couldn’t even begin to express her own feelings at this precise moment, only that in these surroundings she felt safe, secure—and almost deliriously happy—to be here with Oscar. A month ago, this present scenario would have been unthinkable. If only she could stop the clock now, she thought… to fix time.

Not feeling at all bothered that she was eating and Oscar wasn’t, Helena bit into the tomato carefully, before
breaking off a piece of the roll and putting it into her mouth. And, after a moment, he sat down beside her to drink the coffee.

It didn’t take long for Helena to eat what she wanted and soon, replacing what was left into her bag, she looked around her, shading her eyes with her hand. ‘Oh, look! I can hardly believe it!’ she said. ‘There are cowslips in this field. I haven’t seen any of those for so long!’

‘Cowslips?’ Oscar was mystified. ‘Cowslips?’

Helena jumped to her feet. ‘They’re a really pretty wild flower that you hardly see any more… I’d love to pick some, but I know how rare they are now. I’m just going to take a closer look.’

Sitting with his legs stretched out in front of him, Oscar leaned back on his elbows watching Helena curiously as she trod carefully between the plants, bending to touch one or two of the flowers tenderly without damaging them. Unlike so many of the worldly women he’d known, it took so little to enchant her, he thought, and so little of her to enchant
him
!

Presently, they got back into the car and set off again, almost immediately coming across a herd of cows lumbering along in the same direction. ‘Hmm, this might take some time,’ Oscar said mildly, driving carefully behind, giving the herdsman and the two sheepdogs plenty of space.

‘I hope Benjamin will let me come with him on his walks with Rosie,’ Helena said casually, as they watched the cows being driven into a nearby farm entrance. ‘Not having a dog around was one of the things I missed most, living in the city.’ She glanced across at
Oscar as she spoke, her eyes taking on a faraway expression as she studied the handsome profile. He was the sort of man that every woman alive would want to be with, she thought. She allowed her eyes to slide downwards for a second, all too aware of the firm, rippling muscles of his thighs beneath his jeans. She swallowed, and stared out of her side window. Dream on, she told herself firmly.

By the time they got to Dorset it was getting quite late. Louise answered Helena’s light tap on her door almost at once—obviously relieved that she’d arrived safely—but surprised to see the much larger vehicle there with Oscar sitting at the wheel.

‘My car wouldn’t start this morning,’ Helena explained, ‘and luckily for me Oscar was able to come to my rescue.’

‘Oh, that was good, then,’ Louise said, her shrewd eyes twinkling.

Oscar got out and came over to say hello and Louise opened her door wider. ‘Come in…’ she began, but Helena shook her head.

‘We’ve got rather a lot to unpack, Louise, thanks,’ she said, ‘so we’ll go on up to the house now.’

‘Well, I’ve left plenty of food—enough for two,’ she added, ‘and all the bedrooms are ready for occupancy… just as Isobel liked them to be.’

Outside the main entrance to Mulberry Court, Oscar and Helena started unloading, and he glanced down at her.

‘Why don’t you go and make some tea—I’ll do this,’ he said.

Helena shot him a grateful look without arguing, and
went to do as he suggested, feeling glad to be home at last. She paused on that thought.
Home?
Yes… glad to be home, she told herself.

In the fridge was one of Louise’s famed meat pies. A few minutes in the Aga and that would be delicious, Helena thought happily.

Presently, after he’d had a wash, Oscar joined her. ‘I’ve put a lot of your stuff in your room,’ he said, ‘but all the books and CDs are in the library.’

Helena smiled quickly. ‘Thank you. And while our supper’s warming, I’ll go and freshen up.’

Upstairs, her cases and bags of clothes and shoes, and the box with her breakables in, were all stacked neatly so that she could reach her bed—which looked so inviting she could collapse into it right now! She’d have plenty of time to unpack after Oscar had gone back, she thought, trying to remember where she’d put her wash bag.

She released her hair from its grip, running her fingers through its long waves. She couldn’t find her brush—that would have to do until she shampooed it later, she decided.

When she went back downstairs, Oscar was standing by the window, his hands in his pockets. ‘Something smells pretty good,’ he said.

‘Louise’s pies were always wonderful, weren’t they?’ she said lightly.

After they’d eaten, Helena said, ‘When are you due back? When have you booked your return flight?’

‘Monday lunch time—but I’ve a couple of things I need to see to in Dorchester before I return.’

Helena nodded, but said nothing, and after she’d
drunk her glass of white wine from the bottle Louise had left chilling in the fridge, she yawned and got to her feet. ‘I suddenly feel desperately in need of a good night’s sleep,’ she said. She looked down at Oscar. ‘Thank you for turning up today,’ she said. ‘I hope it hasn’t inconvenienced you too much.’

He stood up slowly, and Helena’s pulse quickened. She hoped this wasn’t going to be an action replay of what had happened on that other occasion. Too much had happened already, lately… She could only take so much excitement.

But Oscar moved away, picking up their plates and taking them over to the sink. ‘Oh, I never allow myself to be inconvenienced,’ he said lazily. ‘Anyway, it was in my… our… interests to see that you were safely installed.’ He turned to look back at her, a surge of longing hitting his groin. But this was not one of the hot-blooded sisters Allegra, or Callidora, who might have expected him to make love to them tonight, he warned himself. This was Helena, whose heart he had to recapture. And he would succeed, he reassured himself. Timing was everything, and with his usual insight he’d know exactly when the right moment came.

‘Goodnight…
Heleena
…’ he said softly.

M
ID-AFTERNOON
next day, with the windscreen wipers going at full throttle, Oscar made his way back to the house. He hadn’t intended being so long in Dorchester, but he’d unexpectedly bumped into John Mayhew and had joined him for a drink at The Bear Hotel. There’d been no reply from Helena when he’d texted her to say he’d be late.

Now, he let himself in at the back door fully expecting to see her in the kitchen, but the house was silent and Oscar’s lip tilted briefly. She was probably upstairs still unpacking all her clothes, he thought.

He put the kettle on to make himself a coffee, then wandered over to the window… It was dire weather—the rain had been incessant for hours—and Oscar couldn’t help feeling slightly nostalgic for the Greek island paradise that he went to whenever he could. It would be fantastic there now, he thought, the incredible blue-green of the sea competing with the brilliance of a cloudless azure sky. When he was there, time became irrelevant.

But this was England, and he knew that weather like today’s was fairly normal—though Oscar had to admit that his youthful memories only seemed to conjure up
pictures of long, fine days spent here in the lazy countryside.

Suddenly, he saw Benjamin and Rosie coming down from the grounds to the front of the house, and Oscar smiled faintly. They’d obviously been for a very long walk because both man and dog were soaking wet. When Benjamin saw Oscar standing at the window, he raised his hand and mouthed something, before walking rapidly up to the back door. At once Oscar opened it to let him in, but Benjamin stood back.

‘Mr Theotokis, would you be kind enough to let Helena know that I’ve found this crazy animal?’ Benjamin said.

‘Oh—what happened?’ Oscar enquired.

‘We were up at the top,’ Benjamin said. ‘Rosie was sniffing around, good as gold as usual, when suddenly she took off like a rocket and wouldn’t come back when I whistled—which isn’t like her. I couldn’t believe she’d run right off the property like that and go across the road… Well, a couple of roads it turned out to be in the end.’ He sighed, blowing out his cheeks. ‘When Helena knew the dog had done a runner she insisted on coming with me to help search. She knew where to start looking… Said the local area is known for its rabbit warrens. Then, when we weren’t having any luck, we split up and went off in opposite directions—I went west, and she went east.’ Benjamin pushed some wet hair from his forehead. ‘I was staggered when I found where Rosie had got to… She’d run for miles! I haven’t seen Helena since to tell her but it was really good of her to give me some moral support.’

Oscar shrugged. ‘I’m not sure that she’s back…’ he began.

Benjamin cut in quickly, ‘Oh, she must be by now!’ he exclaimed. ‘And we agreed that when either of us found Rosie, we wouldn’t try and find each other, we’d just come on home.’

‘So—which area were you covering?’ Oscar asked, and when Benjamin told him, he nodded. He knew exactly where they would have been. He knew this part of the countryside almost as well as Helena did, even though it was a long time since he’d been around to do any walking.

Presently, after checking that Helena was nowhere in the house, Oscar made himself a coffee, then opened the Sunday newspaper he’d bought, his eyes glancing at the clock on the wall. He shrugged inwardly. She was sure to be back soon, he thought, noting that she hadn’t taken her mobile with her because it was there on the table in front of him.

After a while, and not really taking in what he was reading, Oscar made a decision. He put down the paper and went into the utility room, shrugging on the wax jacket he’d hung on the back of the door. Helena had obviously been out for a long time now… He might as well go and meet her, he thought.

Leaving the house, he started trudging up through the grounds. He didn’t really know why he was feeling mildly concerned. Although he knew it wouldn’t get dark for a long time yet, the clouds were still ominously grey and heavy with rain. Not an ideal day for a woman to be wandering about by herself.

Oscar increased his stride, soon reaching the main
road, then struck out towards the small wooded area where he remembered they used to take Bella for walks sometimes. In the near distance he could see the tree-lined hill that offered a spectacular view from the top, and he decided to make his way up there. Unsurprisingly, there were no other walkers about, he noted, the only significant sounds being the dripping water from the trees and the thrust of his tread on the soaking undergrowth.

At the top of the hill, he cupped his hands around his mouth and called out. ‘Helena!’ he shouted.
‘Heleena!’

And then he saw her. She was there at the bottom of the field, sitting on a stone stile by a gateway next to the public footpath. She was leaning forward, intent on something, with her head on her knees. Oscar started running down the field, reaching her in a couple of minutes.

She looked up and saw him, a rueful expression on her face. She was wearing a raincoat, but she had nothing on her head and her hair was falling in streaming waves around her face. Her jeans were rolled up to her knees, and her legs and feet were bare and covered in mud.

‘Helena…’ he began.

She cut in quickly, ‘Has Rosie been found?’

Oscar nodded. ‘Yes—Benjamin came back with her more than an hour ago but… why on earth are you…?’

Helena grimaced. ‘Oh, it’s just that I’d completely forgotten about the bog down there at the bottom,’ she said, obviously annoyed with herself. ‘I was running along and stumbled right into it—and the rain today has made it like glue.’ She shuddered. ‘Anyway, I was
squelching my way through it and I lost my footing and, unfortunately, one of my trainers—which is still stuck down there somewhere.’ She leaned back for a second, looking up at him. ‘However hard I tried, I could not get it back, and anyway I don’t think I’d want it back now. So… I’ve been trudging along with just one on, and it’s very uncomfortable—and cold,’ she added, shivering slightly.

Oscar pulled her to her feet. ‘Come on,’ he said briefly.

Together they made their way slowly back. Oscar had his arm tightly around her waist and Helena leaned against him gratefully, saying ‘ouch’ once or twice under her breath because her feet were beginning to feel very sore by now and she’d been stung by all the prickles and more than one really cruel nettle. But the only thing she cared about was that the dog had been found.

‘I bet I know where Rosie had made for,’ she said, glancing up at Oscar. ‘After all, it’s her job to find things, and this time of year it’s an Aladdin’s cave to a Retriever.’ She paused. ‘Poor Benjamin was getting really worried.’

Oscar made no comment, and presently they arrived back at the house.

‘I think I need to go up and have a long, hot bath,’ Helena said as they hung their wet coats in the utility room. ‘Though would you pass me that towel first?’ she asked Oscar. ‘I can’t walk through the house with my feet in this filthy condition.’

‘Sit there for a minute,’ Oscar commanded, pulling out a wooden stool.

With his back to her, he filled a small bowl with warm water, then took soap and a clean towel and knelt down in front of Helena. He paused for a second, then looked up at her slowly, a quizzical expression in his eyes, and in spite of this most unpromising romantic scenario, Helena felt a tremor of sexual excitement ripple through her. She knew she was looking dreadful, her hair in soaking wet waves around her mud-spattered face—yet Oscar’s penetrating gaze made her feel utterly feminine, utterly desirable. A heated flush stained her cheeks as their eyes met.

Slowly, he began soaping her feet, one at a time, moving his fingers carefully over each toe. Then his strong brown hands began massaging the calves of her legs, behind her knees, moving down to cup her heels in his palms, moving rhythmically, his touch reaching every part of her bare flesh, and with her head dropped back and her eyes half-closed in pure ecstasy, Helena gave a long sigh of uninhibited pleasure. She could not remember a time in her life when anyone had bathed her—even partially, or touched her in the way that Oscar was doing—and it was making her feel guilty to be revelling in the sensuous experience.

‘Oh… that feels… so… lovely…’ she murmured.

After a few blissful moments she opened her eyes to see him looking at her with that dangerous, penetrating gaze that had always reduced her to helplessness. What he was doing to her was going far beyond the call of duty, she thought—but she didn’t want it to stop! Wanted it to go on and on!

Finally, Oscar lifted her feet from the bowl and began to dry them carefully, his dark head bent to the
task, his manipulating, sensitive fingers continuing far longer than was necessary because he knew that she was enjoying the warmth of his hands, the erotic pressure of his touch that might easily lead to something far more. He allowed himself a wry inward smile. He had never made love to a woman in such surroundings… but he was all too aware that place was unimportant as long as the chemistry was there. And he knew that he and Helena had enough chemistry between them to last them two lifetimes.

Alerted to the strength of feeling that had developed between them, Helena got up quickly, a familiar, persistent warning bell bringing an end to her passionate reverie. ‘Thanks… thanks… that’s OK—that’s fine,’ she said. As she made for the door she turned to look back at him. ‘I’ll make supper for us in an hour or so,’ she said.

Much later, as they sat in the conservatory with their coffee, Oscar said casually, ‘I bought you a car this morning, Helena.’

Helena frowned, looking up at him quickly. ‘What do you mean?’

‘I bought you a car,’ he repeated. Before she could say anything, he went on, ‘It occurred to me that you’re going to need transport for the time you’re here, and I’ve a contact in one of the garages in the town who was able to sort it out quickly for me.’ Oscar drank from his cup. ‘It’s registered in your name and they’ll be delivering it tomorrow morning—it’s the newest model of the one you’ve been driving,’ he added.

Helena could hardly believe what she’d heard, and she felt mildly irritated. He’d done what? She did not
want Oscar buying her expensive things, she thought. She’d already told him she had enough money of her own for now—but it did not include the possibility of purchasing new cars! She’d never owned a brand new car in her life! That huge expense would have to wait until… well, until next year.

‘Oscar, I’m not ready to buy a car yet,’ she said firmly.

‘You haven’t bought it—I have,’ he said. Then, seeing the expression on Helena’s face, he said coolly, ‘We can call it the Mulberry Court car if you prefer, purely for present, temporary use. And I was not expecting any financial input from you,’ he added bluntly.

Helena shook her head briefly. Spending big money so casually was nothing to Oscar—which only showed the huge difference between them, she thought. The difference that could never be breached. Then something else struck her—perhaps this was him attempting to ‘buy her out’ of their inheritance? To persuade her to take the money and run? As she knew he wanted her to.

Feeling slightly guilty at that uncharitable thought, Helena put it out of her mind at once. Buying the car had been generous—and thoughtful—of him, though if it had been left up to her she’d have merely hired one. That would have been sufficient for the short time involved.

For a few moments there was an uneasy silence between them, Oscar sensing that Helena wasn’t particularly happy. Well, she’d had a very long and wet walk today, and had obviously been anxious about the dog… He glanced at his watch, getting up suddenly.

‘I’ve just remembered that I’ve left something I need in the car,’ he said briefly, leaving the room.

Helena got up and went over to the window, her mind still fixed on those moments when Oscar had bathed her feet. Even now, her thighs tingled at the memory. Why had no other man ever been able to raise her to such sensual heights? And with such ease? And was her unsatisfactory experience in other relationships all because of Oscar? Was she always chasing an impossible dream—
their
impossible dream? And would no other dream, no other man do?

Helena frowned at all this introspection. It was foolish to ask herself these questions, she told herself.

Just then the mobile phone on the table rang and, without thinking, she turned to answer it. And, too late, she realized it was Oscar’s mobile which she’d automatically picked up.

‘Hello?’ she said uncertainly, glancing towards the door.

The voice on the other end was female. ‘Oh… Oh, hello?… Hello?’ Then, ‘Who is this, please? I wish to speak to Oscar Theotokis.’

‘Um… well, he’ll be here in a moment,’ Helena said. Then, ‘Can I give him a message?’

After a brief pause, the voice said—in a rather heavy, imperious tone, ‘Yes… why not?’ She continued speaking in English, but with a heavily laced accent. ‘Tell him that, most unfortunately, my sister Allegra has lost her baby… again.’ Silence, then a long sigh before the woman continued. ‘I know that Oscar will want to know that,’ she added. ‘Tell him, also, that I would like to speak to him soon… This is Callidora speaking.’

Helena swallowed over a dry tongue. ‘Look… um… I’m sure he will be back in a moment,’ she said, ‘if you’ll just hang on…’

‘No—I have to go. Please make sure he gets this message.’ And with that, the phone went dead.

Helena put the mobile back down on the table, wishing with all her heart that she hadn’t answered it. It had been an instinctive act on her part to do so, but the call had obviously been a very personal one, and she’d rather not have known about it. She stared down at the instrument as if hoping it might reveal more information. So this woman—Allegra—had lost her baby, the caller had said—and it seemed important that Oscar knew about it…

Helena shook her head briefly and began putting their coffee things on to the tray just as Oscar returned carrying a large file. Without looking at him, she said, ‘I just answered your mobile—sorry—I should have let it ring.’ She reached for the small cream jug and put it down carefully with the mugs. ‘It was someone—a lady—Callidora… and she rang to let you know that her sister has just lost her baby. And also that she would like to speak to you—soon.’