Free Trust in Me by Suzanna Ross Page A

to take care of them. They’ve never really grown up – and everything’s a drama in their world.”
    “And nobody’s putting a stop to it?”
    “What can we do? It’s the way they are. But it’s George I feel sorry for – he’s thinking of giving up a place at music college to stay and take care of them. He worries about them.”
    As someone who had taken care of himself from a young age, Theo was shocked. He knew something should be done – particularly with George having to bear the burden of his parents’ irrational dependency. But, like Rosie, he had no idea what.
    “What are you planning for Farnham House,” she asked, brining him away from his thoughts.
    “I had a good look at it earlier, when George showed me around. Structurally it’s sound – definitely in better condition than the manor.”
    He watched as she bit into her lower lip. “Dad kept it in fairly good order because that was where his girlfriends stayed. He didn’t want them in the manor – I don’t know if that was to protect me and Evie, or if he was ashamed of the state the building was in and it was easier to keep the house in order because it’s so much smaller.”
    Theo suspected the latter. He was sure, from what he’d heard, Mick Farnham would only have had his own best interests at heart, but he said nothing on the matter – no point when the man was long dead. “I’ve got a team moving in tomorrow,” he explained. “They’re going to give the place a bit of a facelift. It’s mostly cosmetic, but they’re going to make it habitable for you and Evie.”
    “No. I couldn’t possibly...”
    “You can’t stay here, Rosie.”
    ***
    “But Farnham House,” her nose wrinkled in distaste. Despite having lived on the estate all her life, she’d never been inside that house. As far as she was concerned, it was a place of sin and she had no desire to see it, let alone live in it.
    “The manor’s going to have to undergo a complete renovation and, while it’s all going on, things aren’t going to be too pretty here. You could, of course, move into one of the cottages, but if you’re going to manage the place for me I think you should be away from the tenants.”
    “What?” She was sure she couldn’t have heard him correctly.
    “I think you should live away from the tenants.”
    “No,” she practically screamed with frustration. “What did you say before that?”
    He hesitated and she could have thrown something at his handsome head. “If you’re going to manage the place...”
    She stared at him for just a moment before she took a running jump across the faded tiling of the office floor and threw herself at him – wound her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. As her face burrowed into his warm neck, the smell of his aftershave drawing her closer, she felt him still in shock. Not surprising, she was a little shocked herself. And then his arms came around her and he hugged her back.
    “You mean it?”
    “I’d never joke about something like that.”
    Rosie was completely embarrassed to feel the threat of tears stinging at her eyes. But, really, Theo could have no idea of how much this meant to her. With this job offer, she and Evie now had the right to stay on the estate – they would have a proper place here without fear of eviction. Even if it did mean they’d have to move away from the manor and to the house her father had kept for his mistresses.
    Realising she was still hugging him tightly, she became aware of a blush spreading over her entire body. She shouldn’t have done this, thrown herself at him. What must he think of her? She was suddenly supremely aware of how warm he felt, how strong his arms were around her – and how deliciously wonderful it felt to be held by him. Finding it hard to breathe, she was desperate to put an end to it, she let him go and slid down until her feet hit the floor. “Thank you,” she told him, trying bravely not to cry through a mixture of gratitude, relief