A Roll in the Hay, стр. 40
“You’ve worked your charms on Babs,” Susannah replied, choosing her words carefully. “It’s not just anyone she’ll bring on a wild night out. I’m surprised she hasn’t gone after you herself.”
“I don’t think I’m her type.” Tess opened her mouth as if to follow the thought but seemed to change her mind.
“You never know what people do and don’t like. I know I’m an acquired taste, for instance. Even my sister-in-law seems to hate me these days, but I swear we used to get on before. I told myself grief does strange things to people. It’s only getting stranger.”
They came to a bench overlooking the widest part of the burn. Susannah didn’t feel like sitting; her legs had miles in them yet. Instead she leaned against the back of it. A moment later, Tess followed her cue to do the same. The water trickled on behind them, like a real-life mediation scene.
“Is that why you’re letting her get away with it?” Tess asked, her voice barely audible above the sounds of the water, the trees rustling, and the distant rumble and honks of the main road somewhere ahead of them. “Or hoping she’ll just stop it, anyway? I figured it was out of respect for your husband.”
“Not my style,” Susannah said, and even if they never talked again, she wanted Tess to understand that much. “And in the interests of this new friendship we have, I think there’s a rumour or two worth addressing. Jimmy and I, we were a partnership, a good one. But our relationship wasn’t a romantic one. I get the feeling you’ve picked up on that.”
Tess nodded. “I really don’t mean to pry. It’s just you’re a popular topic of conversation around Hayleith. I take a lot of it with a pinch of salt. You should do the same, if they ever talk about me.”
“I will. I should have done more to become part of village life, I see that now. Nobody likes the snooty noblewoman up there in her ivory tower. Maybe it’s not too late, once I make some big changes around the estate. Meanwhile, attacking Robin buys me nothing and risks quite a lot. If I keep to the high road, in public at least, then I have an advantage over her.”
“So you’re saying you don’t need someone to go round and take a hockey stick to her car?”
“Are you volunteering?”
“Where would I get one?” Tess asked. “You might be all jolly hockey sticks, but I went to the kind of schools where sporting equipment was banned in case it was used for weapons. That, and they couldn’t afford much of it in the first place.”
Susannah gave a wry smile. Although her father had run out of money at regular intervals, she had always made it back to school eventually. The odd relative had paid for nice holidays too, so there had always been something to look forward to. She knew better than to patronise Tess by pretending she could relate.
“Well, I’ll just thank you for the offer. And if I root around in my wardrobes, I might be able to find you a hockey stick, should the occasion arise. I might even have my old uniform in there too.”
Tess turned fully around at that, her grin far more than friendly. “Tell me you’re not talking about those tiny skirts and vest tops. Because that’s really not fair.”
“Fair?” Susannah could play dumb when it suited her. “Didn’t realise you were such a sports fan, Tess.”
That just made her laugh. It felt pretty damn nice, actually, having the power to do that. It was certainly a lovely laugh.
“Still, no vigilante justice for now,” Susannah continued. “I’ll get my way—because most of the time I do—and then afterwards I’ll see if I can mend some bridges. Believe it or not, I don’t actually like having people out to get me.”
“I can see that would be exhausting.”
“It is.” Susannah could get used to this feeling of being understood for a change. “It’s good you’re resourceful. If you really want to go fighting my battles, I’m sure you could lay your hands on something.”
Whoops. That wasn’t intended to sound quite so flirty, but it was certainly getting a blush to rise on Tess’s cheeks again.
This close, side-by-side, Susannah could see the light sprinkling of freckles that dusted Tess’s nose and cheekbones. She had that rarest of things: a perfect nose. Not too long or too rounded. No bumps or deviations. It’s what a surgeon would surely pick out as the default model, if such a thing existed.
“I suppose I am good with my hands,” Tess replied, although the long pause made it seem more of a defence than a witty comeback. “Isn’t being here with me reducing your chances of meeting someone? I assume someone dragged you to the dating pool, like Babs did with me?”
“There’s no rush.” Susannah rubbed her hands on the sides of her thighs. “This is just—what would you call it—an opening salvo. First step on a long path, that sort of thing.”
“So, just to be absolutely clear, with you coming to a night like this and all…and not wanting to go on rumours alone, are you actually interested in dating women? Only with you being married to a man for years…”
Well, well, well. Isn’t the good doctor getting brave? That was downright direct for her. “Like I said before, my marriage was more of an arrangement between two people who didn’t feel able to pursue…other relationships. My family was whatever the opposite of supportive is when I first got caught showing an interest in girls. Jimmy offered me a safe route away from that, and a nice comfortable life to go with it. We were happy, though.”
For once, telling the truth about her situation didn’t feel disloyal. It felt like finally being