Stuart Nettles, Howenstow's estate manager met them at the door.
"Welcome home sir, it's been a while."
"Yes it has. Good to see you Stuart."
He accepted Lyndley's bag without a thought and had to reach for Barbara's before she realized she should hand it over. She quickly slid it from her shoulder and passed it to him.
"Thank you ma'am." He said curtly before heading off with their bags.
That was still something Barbara could never get used to. Someone waiting on her.
Lyndley turned to her as soon as Stuart disappeared from view. "How about a quick bite before you unpack? I'm starved."
"That sounds good." She took her time following him to him kitchen. She always loved taking in the surroundings at Howenstow. The hand carved moldings. The intricately inlaid ceiling tiles and of course all the antiques scattered about the place. She seemed to find something new every time she visited.
Lynley was rummaging around in the estates industrial sized refrigerator when she finally arrived. There was already a bottle of wine opened and breathing on the Butcher-block. A loaf of French bread had been sliced, and he was pulling a large tray of tapas from the fridge. Stuart had been busy. Must be nice, she thought; to arrive home and have everything waiting on you. No cooking, no cleaning. Just like living your life in some posh hotel.
"Ahem." She looked over at Lynley How long had he been standing there holding out that glass of wine to her?
"Sorry. I was just…"
"Thinking, I know. You keep that up Barbara and I'll have to get out my credit card."
She couldn't help but blush as she accepted the glass from his outstretched hand. And he couldn't help but smile.
Barbara had to admit, brunch was exquisite. A selection of local cheese, imported Italian prosciutto, newly picked grapes that had been growing from the estates many arbors and a plate of fresh kippers. She hadn't had kippers in years. Did anybody still eat kippers anymore? Obviously the rich did.
As she finished her glass of wine, Lynley made a move to refill her glass. "Not thank you sir, I'm good."
He set the bottle down with a thump and gave her a stern look. "I know it's been a good six months since you've been out here Barbara, but do I need to go over the rules of the house again?"
"There's nobody here but us sir. I didn't think the usual rules of etiquette would apply."
"Tommy." He said firmly.
Oh…that one. She didn't think that one should apply either.
"No thank you Tommy, I'm good."
"Better." They'd been co workers and friends for the better part of nine years now, so why was it always like pulling teeth with her to get her to use his name?
Barbara refused a refill because she was already filling a bit light headed as it was, and she didn't need to embarrass herself further by becoming ass over tits drunk before noon.
She needed some air. "I think I'll go walk the gardens, if that's ok?"
"Feel free to do what you want and go where you want. Like I said when I invited you, you're here to relax. I, on the other hand; am going to find Stuart and get started on my list." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a well folded piece of legal paper.
"Have a nice time." He downed the last of his wine and headed out the door, but stopped suddenly and turned back towards her. "You're in your usual room by the way."
"Ta." She replied.
Left alone in the kitchen, she wondered if she should put away the left-overs. Posh Hotel, she reminded herself and headed out to gardens.
She wandered around for the better part of and hour and noted how the usually pristine flowerbeds and hedges were beginning to look a little wilted under the relentless summer sun. It was approaching noon and she was beginning to feel the heat herself. She had carelessly grabbed jeans and a lightweight pullover in her haste to leave and she was beginning to sweat. She headed to her room to change. Hell, she might even take a bath or maybe even a nap if she felt like it. She liked having options.
She decided on all three once she got to her room. After a cooling bath she slipped into her favorite spaghetti strap floral sundress and lay down for a nap. She was roused from her sleep a short time later by the sound of furniture being dragged past her door and down the hallway. Damn this place echoed.
She refreshed her face, gave a quick fluff to her sleep flattened hair, slipped into dainty pair of sandals that complimented her dress and headed downstairs to see what all the noise was about.
She caught up to Lin…Tommy, she reminded herself, struggling on the stairway with an obviously heavy, wooden, sure to be expensive, Louie the something-or-other, straight backed chair. He'd obviously been hard at it since they'd parted. He was sweating buckets. Her nap left her refreshed and in a mood to tweak the nose of his lordship. She stopped on the stair above him.
"How's the moving going?" She asked, a little smile playing across her face.
He grunted again before looking up. When he saw her he set the chair down a kilter on the stairs and raised his right arm up to wipe his forehead on his shoulder. "What have you been up too?" He asked mainly out of politeness, not really needing to know.
She placed her right hand to her chin and tried to look pensive before she replied. "Let's see? I took that walk in the garden, went back to my room, had a cool refreshing bath and then a relaxing nap. How bout you?"
He bent down, and with another grunt gave the chair a lift before replying to her taunt. "Rub it in Havers, rub it in."
She made to pass him but hesitated as she drew along side. "Barbara," she reminded him and continued on down the stairs.
Damn, her for reminding him of his rules, and damn her for taunting him…and what was she wearing now? He turned his head just in time to see her and her sundress disappear around the corner. And Damn it, what was that smell? Jasmine, no Lemongrass. He shook his head to rid himself of its sweetness and continued on with the chair till he reached the landing. He sat down in it to catch his breath and to wonder what was wrong with today, something was very wrong. He just didn't know what. He did discover one thing though, as he squirmed uncomfortably. Why in the hell did he want this chair?