95
She had only been cooped up in the manor for a couple of days and already she felt like she was going stir crazy. A serious bout of cabin fever as Rob came and went. He had business to deal with and overseeing the work which had started on the grounds; there were contractors, vans and strange men milling around, trimming back foliage and trees in various areas around the gardens. From the windows, she could see an army of men erecting wrought iron fences; diggers and excavators in the far distance down the side of the house, before the forest tree line, and a van with security cameras and scrolling script printed on the side.
Men were trailing wire and boxes around in plastic wrap and placing them evenly along the fence line every twenty meters and workmen to start the renovations upstairs had also arrived, making lots of noise and mess and banging about over her head. The hum of power tools and sawing for hours on end was slowly sending her out of her mind. The never-ending trail of people, mess and chaos, as they carried things up and down. Half the house was covered in plastic to protect the walkway they had created, and every inch felt invaded by strangers and noise. Alice was having a breakdown with all of it.
Rose was tense and headachy. Unable to work surrounded by all this chaos and never-ending trundling of strangers in her personal space. Muffin had had to be confined to the cosy room indefinitely and was currently howling his little lungs out in protest but letting him loose would be disastrous with all these trampling feet and open doors.
Alice was fretting and moaning about it all and wandering about like a headless chicken, nagging her poor husband to death, sweeping up and hoovering aimlessly. Hamish was staying well clear of all the changes and had barely been seen since the party while Abby was completely AWOL.
It was okay for Rob, he got to leave and go to his office in the nearby city to escape it all. Even Abby had deserted her, unable to cope with the huge invasion and packed a bag. She had skipped out, completely unaware of the reasons behind the security with a kiss and a wave, before getting into Duncan’s beat up jeep and disappearing in the midst of the machines.
There were three huge round men, all dressed in black, continuously trailing around like they belonged in a ‘Men in black’ or an ‘MI5’ movie. Checking in with her every time she looked even close to venturing near the door and it was driving her insane. It would have been amusing, their radios crackling and obvious mouthpieces, like cheesy commandos, or police wannabes, had it not been so damn frustrating for her.
The house had run out of rooms to explore and even starting lists for her own plans on decor had been abandoned quickly. She could not think straight with all the noise, could not find a single place that was not affected in some way by either tools, sheets, men, or all of them.
She called Rob for the fifth time, agitated and on the verge of a tantrum, complaining about the lock down he had her under and how much she needed to go get some quiet in her own cottage and work.
‘I’m going out.’ Rose didn’t even give him a chance to say hello this time.
‘Baby, you’re not going anywhere today. We talked about this.’ Rob was keeping his tone friendly, that hint of stubborn peeking out, but he knew better than to give her attitude today. Five previous calls had taught him to handle her with kid gloves while he wanted her to do as she was told.
‘You can’t keep me prisoner in this house!.... Especially when you’re not even home to keep me company.’ She started to feel emotional, tears welling up in frustration and stopping temper from moving in. ‘We didn’t talk about it... You made me promise and then seduced me.’ She sniffed dejectedly.
‘Rose.’ Rob sighed down the phone, having a stressful day himself and having to try and placate her on top of it all was taking its toll.
‘Don’t Rose me! Like you’re my father and I’m some petulant child, you have no idea how crazy I am going here with all this upheaval. I need to work Rob.’ She snapped at him, temper flaring and then quickly abating as she returned to tearfulness.
Rob sighed heavily again, a slight edge this time, to his voice.
‘I know this isn’t ideal, but it’s temporary... I love you, I just need you to have some faith in me for a few days and do as I ask.’ His voice faded a little as he moved the phone from his ear, voices in the background taking his attention for a moment.
‘I’m going out.’ She yelled at him this time, feeling angry that he was distracted and even angrier that he was pretty much grounding her without conversation, just ‘NO’.
‘Rose, you agreed to stay put for a few days until I got the place secure, we’re just talking around in circles.’ Coming head on with his tightening voice and contained anger, sparks simmering between them. Rose was pacing around, her mobile stuck fast to her head and gripping it with ferocity. Banging in the rooms behind her were grating on her nerves and as she tripped over yet another cable she snapped again.
‘You made me agree when naked and being distracted, that was hardly fair and now you’re treating me like I get no say.’
‘I’m not doing this to keep you prisoner, I’m doing it to keep you safe.’
‘It feels like the same thing right now.’ She was being childish, frustration oozing from every pore.
‘Baby, why are you being difficult?’ His voice was strained, a tiny tinge of pleading, all anger fading away and turning to indulgent sighing.
‘You said all of this was for your own peace of mind, right? That you’re being over cautious. That tells me that you don’t think it’s probable that she really is a threat, so then why can I not just go to the cottage for a few hours?’
He was silent for a moment His brain turning over, trying to think out a plan of strategy or an argument that would appease her.
‘Look, fine.’ He sighed heavily for the tenth time. ‘But if you go then you take one of the security guards with you and you don’t leave his side.’ Another voice on Rob’s end was informing him of a meeting that he was apparently late for.
‘Not a chance!’ How could Rose relax with some stranger sat there, aware of his presence, this large black clothed, steroid freak, she barely knew. Some looming man filling up her sitting room.
‘Look he can drive down behind you and sit in the garden for all I care. Just have him with you.’ Rob was moving around, probably getting his papers together to leave and trying to not rush her off the phone.
‘No!’ Rose snapped, folding her arm across her chest and putting her foot down literally.
‘For the love of god Rose. You do realise I am in the middle of a meeting and standing outside a conference room squabbling with my girlfriend over house arrest.’ Despite his obvious agitation, he was still trying hard to be gentle and probably clenching his teeth to hold his temper.
‘Then let me go and I will leave you alone.’ She replied sassily, smiling to herself as she could sense his resolve weakening.
‘OKAY, look... I want you to stay put when you get down there. No little trips to town or walking Muffin. Stay inside and don’t go anywhere until I come home and lock the doors. I’ll come for you when I’m done here and drive you back myself.’ He sounded defeated, unable to deny her anything that she really wanted and knowing this could go on all day if he didn’t give in.
‘You love me.’ Rose felt victorious, a smile spreading across her face.
‘That is the only reason I have not strangled you so far!’ He was quick to reply.
‘You wouldn’t, you would miss me far too much!’ She felt happier and lighter; her earlier tantrum subsiding.
‘I mean it Rose. I’m not playing... For me... Please just don’t go anywhere else for today.’ The pleading tone of seriousness in his voice made her take note, she felt a little guilty for being mad at him when really, the root of this was his need to protect her because he loved her. She couldn’t be mad at him for that.
‘I won’t. I need to work on these commissions, I just need some peace and quiet and I will be an extra good girl.’ She beamed, twirling in the room and almost falling over that darn cable for a second time, kicking it away sharply.
‘Well, the cottage has plenty of that I guess. So, we are sorted? No more crazy calls to give me a hard time over having you locked up like Rapunzel?’
‘I promise!’
‘Just be careful baby. Be alert. For me. Just humour me!’
They finally said their goodbyes and Rose hung up feeling pensive. She shook her head, feeling irritated at how much he was taking this to heart, how much he had let Morag mess with his head. This was not like him at all.
Rationally what could the woman possibly do?
Morag didn’t even know where she lived right?
