Free The Ice Seduction (Ice Romance) by SK Quinn Page A

under his arm again.
    I watch him stalk away through the snow and the brown bracken.
    He’s so much a part of these woodlands. The way he moves so effortlessly over the rocks and through the shrubs. I bet he knows his way through these trees blindfolded.
    It’s only when he’s gone I realize how fast my heart is beating.

28
    Bertie and I spend the rest of the morning walking around the woodlands. He doesn’t say anything, but sometimes he stops to look at things. Birds. Insects. He’s really interested in the wildlife.
    At lunchtime, we head back to the hall and Bertie fills up on liquorice sticks and milk, while I have Vicky’s steak and kidney pie with a mountain of mashed potato. Then we head back out into the woods and spend the afternoon walking around.
    I can tell Bertie is, well … not exactly happy, but he likes it out here. I guess if he’s been playing Xbox for months and has been banned from using the grounds, he must feel like a caged bird set free.
    And l feel like that too. Which surprises me. I thought I loved the city, but I have to admit that I feel clean and fresh and free out here. So different from a day in Camden, when I can’t wait to jump in our foot pump shower and get the pollution off my skin.
    The air is so clear that just breathing it in makes me feel healthy. And the mountains – wow, everything is just so beautiful.
     
    It gets dark early up here, so when dusk falls Bertie and I head in for supper.
    Bertie has liquorice and milk again.
    I have roast chicken and apple crumble.
    ‘Are you sure you don’t want to try any of this?’ I ask, digging my spoon into the crumble. ‘It’s really good.’
    I’m not expecting any response. But to my amazement, Bertie shakes his head.
    ‘No?’ I say.
    Bertie drops his head down and looks at his plate.
    Fin ally. A response. Okay, so Bertie only shook his head, but it’s something.
     
    After supper, Margaret Calder arrives to give Bertie his tutoring.
    She has a mean-looking face like her mother, but unlike her m other she wears bright red lipstick and has her raven black hair cut into a sharp, chin-length bob. And she’s dressed in a fitted black business suit with swoopy designer shoulder pads.
    Margaret walks right into the hall while Bertie is still finishing his milk. She taps him on the shoulder without even looking at me.
    ‘Come along, Bertie. Time for your lessons.’
    Her brown eyes are covered with designer black-framed glasses, and she would be strikingly pretty, if her face didn’t look so annoyed.
    ‘Hi,’ I say, pushing the bench back. ‘You must be Margaret.’
    Margaret gives me a curt nod, then ignores me. ‘Come along Bertie. We have work to do.’
    ‘What sort of work do you do with him?’ I ask.
    Margaret throws me a pitying glance. ‘Nothing a nanny needs to worry about. Things that will prepare him for the adult world. Mathematics. Grammar. But he’s very behind. Very, very behind. Not the best of pupils.’
    ‘T here are no bad pupils, only bad teachers right?’ I say innocently, dropping my spoon into my crumble dish. ‘Isn’t that what they say?’
    Margaret ’s brown eyes narrow. ‘Not where Bertie is concerned.’
    ‘Doesn’t Bertie need some other kids around at his age? Maybe that would help him learn better.’
    Margaret looks me up and down. ‘I wouldn’t expect someone like you to understand, but children like Bertie learn better alone. Come on Bertie.’ She pushes Bertie’s shoulders.
    ‘Should I come with you?’ I ask.
    ‘Why would you do that?’ says Margaret.
    ‘ Well. It’s my first day with Bertie. I want to spend as much time with him as possible. And also, Bertie can show me where his bedroom is when he’s done. I get kind of lost in this place …’
    ‘Yes.’ Margaret looks me up and down again. ‘You look like the sort of person who gets lost.’
    I raise an eyebrow. ‘Meaning?’
    Margaret ignores me again. ‘Come on Bertie.’ She’s just shepherding him away,