Page 118 of The Gathering Storm

‘I don’t think you need to worry,’ Lennie said. ‘Your Barlow listened to her with exquisite politeness, then said he didn’t think Hollywood would suit him, if she would excuse him, madam, and might he bring her a little more sherry.’

Polly laughed. ‘I can just hear him saying it. All the same, it’s not cricket to accept my hospitality, then try to poach my servants. I shan’t feel safe until she and the whole film company have packed up and gone.’

She heard the words just after she said them, and looked up at Lennie, whose smile faltered. ‘I can’t believe the week’s almost over,’ she said. ‘It’s flown past.’

‘Yes,’ he said, and seemed to be hesitating on the verge of saying something, when Kithra, the youngest of the dogs, dashed up with a stick and obliged Lennie to throw it.

‘Not in the moat!’ Polly cried. ‘He’ll come back and shake, and soak us.’ Lennie threw the stick as far as he could and Kithra dashed off, and Polly used the hiatus. ‘I wish you weren’t going away. We haven’t had any time to talk – not properly.’

‘I don’t have to go,’ Lennie said, looking down at her.

She caught her breath. There was so much in that look. ‘Don’t you?’

‘I’m a free agent. I can stay as long as you like.’

‘Don’t you have to take Rose back?’

‘She’ll travel back with the company. There are plenty of people to look after her, on the journey and in California. And she’s a grown woman now – off my hands. Would you like me to stay, Polly?’

She felt ridiculously shy, as if she were eighteen again. ‘I wish you would,’ she said awkwardly. ‘You haven’t so much as been on a horse yet. All you’ve seen is the house. I expect there’ve been lots of changes on the estate. I could take you round the farms: the tenants would love to see you again. And I know Jessie would like to entertain you at Twelvetrees. And—’ She heard herself babbling, and stopped. Kithra came running up again, and as Lennie removed his gaze from her to deal with the stick-throwing, Polly was able to shake herself into composure again, and say politely, ‘I would like you to stay.’

He looked down at her for a long time. But he only said, ‘Then I shall.’