AN: A bit of a longer chapter than late; rosetintedblindspot found my missing muse and gave it PF porn. :D Alright, it wasn't porn, but it was lovely pictures of his feet, which for some reason, I love on that man; and I'm not a foot woman. Hopefully more tomorrow, I've an idea what the next chapter is bringing, it's just getting it onto paper. Sorry Mja, I don't think there'll be any major snogging sessions next chapter either, but you never know, the muse might change its mind. :)
"Harry, I think we need to talk," Ruth says as she comes to a stop in the front hall, her hands moving to the zip of her coat. The children have run to the back of the house as soon as their coats were removed and she can hear their muted voices through the walls, worry nipping at her even though Harry's assured her they're perfectly safe. As Harry hangs up his coat and undoes Scarlett's lead, she moves to the open doorway of the sitting room – and freezes.
The entire room is furnished in elegant, antique furnishings of gleaming dark English oak and a deep navy paisley pattern, balanced by the lightness of the cream wool curtains and the silk Damask wallpaper. Along the far side wall is a large, wood burning fireplace made of gray stone and lined in the same dark oak as the furnishings. Flanking it are two narrow floor-to-ceiling windows; their style matching the twin sets overlooking the front garden. The floor is covered in a large oriental rug, the edges of the room the same polished oak. And all throughout various decorations sit.
Behind her, she feels Harry step close, and she tenses as his left hand settles in the center of her lower back. Through the material of her shirt, she can feel the heat of his skin.
"Relax," he whispers, his breath hot as it moves against her ear.
Turning to her right and looking over her shoulder, she locks eyes with him. "Harry, we really need to talk."
"We do, yes, but it's not what you're thinking." As he says this, he shifts his hold on Matthew, making her aware for the first time that as she's been gazing about the room, he's taken the time to remove the thick winter suit from the boy and pulled him from his carry cot. Now he rests against Harry's chest, held securely with his right arm and hand.
"What am I thinking?" she inquires, ignoring for the moment the warmth that floods her at seeing him hold the infant so naturally. Stepping forward, she moves away from his hand and further into the room, hearing him sigh behind her as she crosses to settle in a wingback chair to the side of the unlit fire. "Could it possibly be that I concede to both our feelings of exploring a relationship between us and you shoot ahead at lightning speed, and for all appearances', buy a fully furnished house?"
"Yes," he says with a smile, sitting down in the chair next to her. "I was thinking you'd think that, but I can promise you, it's not what you're thinking." Adjusting his hold on Matthew, he settles the boy on his knee, ensuring that the infant is fully supported as he lies back against his chest. "I've owned this house for some time, though I've never lived in it. It's always been much too big for just me."
"Then why own it?" she asks, eyebrows crinkling as she tries to follow along, but finding herself more confused then she had been before.
"It was my dad's and his before that and his before that." He stops a moment, shifting himself in the chair. "Actually, it's been in the Pearce family for at least 200 years, though we've not always lived in it. The last was my father, moving into it again a few years ago after my brother died, so he was closer to my children and me, but when he passed last year, it came to me. Aside from having the entire house modernized with new windows, a new furnace, and more up-to-date appliances and plumbing, the place has stood empty."
"Oh Harry, I'm sorry about your father." Reaching out, she lies her hand over his and squeezes, ignoring for the moment the elephant in the room; the apparentness of his wanting to give her his family's home."
"It's alright," he says, smiling at her as he tightly squeezes her hand in his. "He developed Alzheimer's a few years ago and was not well that last year. He's much better off now; with my mum and brother; then he was during his last year." Sliding his fingers between hers, he lets their hands rest on the arm of the chair.
"Still," she says softly, trying to ignore the butterflies settling in her stomach that seem to always develop with prolonged physical contact with Harry. "I'm sorry. You never said anything."
He shrugs a shoulder, not having a good reason except for his being a private person, even where Ruth is concerned. They sit in silence for a few minutes, Ruth's hand still held in his as she looks around the room with a new regard for it. As her eyes meet his again, she smiles and shakes her head.
"It's a beautiful house, but Harry, you can't just give it to me."
"I wasn't planning on it," he tells her, mentally adding 'at least on paper'. "I'm loath to sell it as it is a piece of my family history, but I also don't wish to lease it to just anyone. Your current flat is much too small for you and three children."
"And this is entirely too grand a house for me to rent. Harry, you know how much I make, there's no way I could ever afford the rent for a month."
"Ah," he says with a smile, squeezing her hand. "But you can."
"No, I can't. Harry, I won't accept charity." She moves to take her hand from him, her smile slipping at the thought that he thinks she needs financial assistance to care for her niece and nephews.
"Ruth," his voice is low but pointed as he keeps his grip on her hand tight, "it's not charity. You need the space, I need to lease this house to someone I can trust. I've already spoken to my solicitor and had him come up with a reasonable but fair price for renting the house." What he doesn't add is the monies collected would be put in an account for Ruth and the children; to be given to her should anything happen to him, as well as the house fully transferring to her. "He's drawn up an agreement that you'd just need to sign."
She's quiet a moment, thinking over everything he's said. She does need a larger; she had been thinking of that before Harry had shown up the night before; and had been dreading the thought of trying to find something reasonable in her price range. The house is so large though, and has to be so completely out of her budget range. "We'd have a written agreement?"
"On file with the solicitor." He confirms, thumb gently stroking the top of her hand.
"The rent has to be comparable to houses of the same size in this neighborhood."
"It will be a reasonable amount for the house, not the neighborhood. You're doing me a favor by renting it," he throws in quickly at the look on her face, wanting to cut off any arguments she may come up with. "Any money is more than I was making previously."
"Alright," she says softly a few minutes later, her eyes on his, a smile pulling at her mouth as she watches him break into a huge grin.
"We'll go and sign them in a bit. I want to show you the house first."
If you've a moment, I'd love a review to know what you thought; good or bad. :)
