Sage grabbed two rugs and belted back to the car with them. Hal was chatting happily away to Grouse, who was resting his silken head on the child’s legs while Partridge stood next to the car.
Sage bent down to stroke him. ‘Hello, boy. Will you mind being left on your own?’
‘No, he will not! He hates the motion, poor old thing. He won’t even get in the car any more. Outright refuses. He’ll be fine here on his own. I’ll ask Clare to let him sleep with her, sheloves him.’ Rafe was firm, putting a hand on Partridge’s head. ‘Go on, back to the yard. You’re on duty. Sole charge.’
The dog seemed to understand and trotted resolutely back to the tack room, his tail waving importantly as he turned the corner and disappeared from sight.
Sage settled Grouse onto the rugs in the back of the car, where he took up the entirety of both spare seats and most of Hal’s.
‘We may have to stop en route, I think we’re going to need a bigger car,’ Rafe said, laughing, as he pulled out of the drive. ‘You thought you’d managed to dodge lunch with my mother, but I think she may have prevailed after all. I’ll phone ahead once we’re closer.’
Sage could still not escape the overwhelming feeling that someone was watching her. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled. Seeing her blanch Rafe put a comforting hand on her arm. ‘She’s not that bad, I promise.’
Sage smiled apologetically. ‘It’s not your mother that’s worrying me, honestly. I can’t shake this dreadful feeling that I’m being watched.’ She could not hide it from Rafe but she kept her voice low, not wanting Hal to overhear.
Rafe put his hand on her thigh and squeezed it tightly. ‘I’m here. He can’t hurt you.’
A couple of hours later, Sage was feeling extremely car sick. The powerful little Audi was low to the ground and the suspension was hard. She had the window down, so talking was impossible, and Grouse was leaning around her headrest from the seat behind, his tongue lolling comically as he tried to poke his entire head out into the fresh air. She had braced herself to turn on her phone again and in return had received a barrage of anxious texts from Casper who had been to North Place that morning. She thought that she had managed to reassure him butnow he was calling her and as a result of looking at the screen for too long she felt even worse. She would speak to him when they were out of the car. Tempted to hang out of the window herself, she focused grimly on the horizon.
‘We can stop here at Crockford to swap cars. It does mean lunch with my parents though, is that all right?’ Rafe shouted over the roaring of the engine and howling wind before he came off the motorway.
Sage, desperate to get out, simply nodded.
‘Yes, please,’ she said, taking deep breaths.
Rafe put a reassuring hand on her knee; she looked green.
‘It’s only ten minutes from here – we’re nearly there.’ The car slowed down and cool air flowed in through the open windows. Sage began to feel slightly steadier.
They wound their way through a picture-perfect little village full of Cotswold-stone houses, following the path of a stream, and past a large duck pond surrounded by a circle of dormant beech trees. An old-fashioned red letterbox stood under a gazebo adorned with bunting.
‘It’s like a postcard, a quintessential English village – you expect a Jane Austen protagonist to stroll through it, brandishing her parasol while being pursued by a large white puddle-duck in a blue bonnet!’ Sage was enchanted.
‘This is the village of Chipping Crockford, it’s all owned by the Chipping Crockford estate.’
Rafe cruised through the village and they climbed up the hill on the other side; the road was surrounded by thick woodland, the ancient, leafless trees forming a canopy high above them. A massive golden dry-stone wall now bordered the quiet road and they followed it along for almost a mile until an imposing gatehouse with a rampant stone monkey holding its pineapple aloft came into view. Ornate black gates opened as Rafe pressed a button on his key fob. Stone statues of Greek gods andgoddesses lined the drive which lay across the park like a silver ribbon and eventually led up to a large, ravishing Jacobean house that sat looking out over the valley on one side and old turf filled with fallow deer on the other.
‘Oh Christ,’ Sage breathed. ‘Is this your house?’ She was completely overwhelmed.
‘Yup. This is Chipping Crockford House. I know it’s a bit much at first but it’s lovely – you’ll soon get used to it. Wait until you see the stables, then it’ll all make sense.’ Rafe smiled at her reassuringly, praying that she would not be put off: the beautiful estate came with great responsibility. He took her cold hand in his large, warm one. ‘I’ve got a spare jersey in the back, you may need it. My father isverytight with the central heating.’
Grouse started to whine with excitement, weaving about from window to window on the back seat; he knew they had arrived and was anxious to get out. Hal woke as Grouse’s pacing grew more exuberant, the dog clambering over his legs. His eyes widened.
‘Are we there? Is this Grandpapa’s castle?’ he asked with childish naivety.
‘No, darling, it’sRafe’s family’scastle,’ Sage said drily, and looked at Rafe imploringly. ‘This car is fine! Can’t we just carry on to Cornwall?’ She felt her hands getting clammy again.
‘Ha! No such luck, we’ve been seen.’ Rafe parked on the honey-coloured gravel next to the large front door. His mother was waving a welcome, flanked by two Labradors: one yellow and one black.
‘Welcome to Crockford!’ Constance strode over to embrace Sage as she got out of the car, then swept around to the other side in order to liberate Hal from his seat. ‘Oh, hello, Grouse!’ she said, giving the dog a friendly pat as she leant down to undo Hal’s straps.
Grouse leapt out and flew to greet the Labradors, whostepped around him on straight legs, ears rigid with curiosity and tails beating in friendly, enthusiastic double time. Hal went to Constance without any protest, grateful to be out of the car and submissive in the face of such authority. She took him by the hand and they clomped purposefully into the house.
‘Hi, Mum!’ Rafe called to his mother’s departing back, now well out of earshot. He caught Sage’s rabbit-in-the-headlights eyes and laughed out loud. ‘You honestly have nothing to worry about. I reckon Mum will dote on Hal enough to keep you off the firing line. She is always loudly despairing that Louis and I haven’t provided her with any grandchildren. Hal’s problem will be escaping her clutches!’ Holding out his hand, he continued, ‘Would you like a tour? I’m sure you could do with some fresh air after that drive, you still look a bit green about the gills.’
Sage held his hand tightly. ‘Do you mind if I quickly call my brother? He’s a bit worried about us. I won’t be long.’
‘Of course. Do you want to use the house phone?’