Chapter 15: Chapter 15

The expansive manor’s garden was quite possibly more beautiful than the manor itself. Although, I expected as much, yet it still took me by surprise. Spanning the horizontal width of the manor and as a long as a football field; it was breathtakingly impressive. The forest beyond the garden swished invitingly and children darted through it, playing a myriad of games like hide and seek and tag among the vast trees. The sun shone against the clipped grass and I had the urge to take off my shoes and feel the warmth beneath my feet. I looked down at the wooden decking I was standing on, even it was pristine.

“It’s beautiful,” I voiced.

As soon as I spoke, time stood still. The children stopped their game, coming to a standstill as though they were frozen into place. The adults stopped conversing, staring at me as though as I about to spontaneously combust. Even the trees stopped their dancing. The only sound was that of the pop song currently blaring, still, out of the speakers. A man, not taking his eyes from my own, pressed a button to shut it off.

“Why is everyone staring at me?” I whispered to Mason, whose furrowed brow suggested that he did not expect this kind of reaction. I hugged my arms against myself, I really did not like the attention.

Mason did not answer me, instead he held out his arms and placed a large smile on his face. I frowned, it was as though he was a King, addressing his people before him. I watched him, how he puffed out his chest with pride and sent his gaze across the whole garden, ensuring that even the youngest children knew he was talking to them.

“Thank you for coming everyone,” He announced, his deep voice loud enough to reach the children within the forest without so much as raising the volume of his tone. Mason’s welcoming smile turned into a wry grin as he turned to a man on the barbecue, holding tongs so tightly, it was as though he was afraid of dropping them. “Peter, please don’t burn the sausages like last time.”

Laughter erupted across the garden and the spell was broken. Peter’s shoulders dropped with relief, although I wasn’t sure as to why he had been holding his breath in the first place.

“Come on, let’s get you a drink.”

“What was all that about?” I asked, quickening my pace to fall in step with Mason’s long strides.

“It is not often that we invite newcomers into the family. I suppose they were just a little wary.”

“You haven’t told anyone about me?” I asked, unsure as to why I was feeling so hurt. I hadn’t known Mason that long, perhaps it was a foolish way to be feeling.

Mason frowned at the tone of my voice, he cocked his head to the side like a curious spaniel. He passed me a drink, a cool alcoholic beverage that tasted fruity; like berries.

“I have been waiting to find out what exactly to tell them.”

I took a sip of my drink, when I realised I didn’t quite know either. A blush creeping onto my cheeks, I took a much longer gulp of the drink. Sweet and refreshing, it went down quicker than most alcohol.

“What is this?” I asked, dodging around the subject.

“Do you like it?” Came a familiar feminine voice from behind me.

I turned with a smile to greet Jane, who embraced me into a hug. A gust of wind blew her long skirt around her legs and she smoothed it down effortlessly with one hand as she reached for a cup.

“I like your skirt,” I complimented.

“Thank you hon. I couldn’t figure out what to wear for tonight, Dee helped.”

“You called?” Shouted Dee from across the garden.

I frowned, how on earth had Dee heard Jane? Spying me, Dee jogged over. I stared at her, trying to figure out how she had heard Jane. Super hearing? A secret earpiece? Taking a nervous sip of my drink, I turned quickly back to the drinks table when I realised it was empty.

“Hey girl,” Dee said cheerily.

“How did you just hear Jane?” I asked, cutting straight to the point.

Dee froze, “Um, I have great hearing. Besides, sound really travels across this garden. You’d be surprised.”

She didn’t look at me and her eyebrow twitched. I knew she was lying to me, I just didn’t understand why. She made an excuse to leave, the awkwardness of our exchange clearly affecting her more than it did to me. People lied, I understood that. But over something so trivial? Her lying just made it strange.

I felt a large hand on my shoulder and instinctively flinched, my heartbeat flying against my chest. I grasped at it and turned around to see Mason’s face etched in worry.

“I’m sorry Sophie, I didn’t mean to scare you,” He rushed.

I breathed in slowly through my nose and out through my mouth to calm myself. I had to remind myself that I was safe here. The name Sophie didn’t sound right coming out his mouth, but I shook it off. Sophie was my name now, Heidi was gone.

“It’s fine,” I said breezily, “I was just thinking and you caught me off guard.”

“Come, let me introduce you to some close friends.”

I nodded, stepping down from the wooden decking, Mason offering me his hand so that I wouldn’t fall.

“So chivalrous,” I teased as my shoes sank into the grass.

“Would you expect anything less from me?” Mason replied, looking at our entwined hands with a facial expression I couldn’t quite decipher.

I let go first, and I thought I could see a pang of sadness flicker across Mason’s face. It was soon replaced with a smile, however, as he gestured for me to walk with him across the garden. It wasn’t long before I was inundated with questions,

“How come you moved here?”

“How are you liking Penshaw Lake?”

“Are you Mason’s girlfriend?”

The final question came from a little girl, no older than five with long, blonde hair in two french plaits. I bent down to her level and shook my head at her, watching for her reaction.

“No,” I whispered to her, a small smile creeping up on the left side of my face as I watched her curious face turned into relief.

“Oh good, because I’m going marry him when I’m bigger.”

The adults around her began to laugh and she stomped her foot in annoyance. “I am, tell them Mason.”

“Sorry kiddo, I’m going to marry another girl,” He said apologetically, but not hiding the smirk of amusement from his voice.

The girl huffed, folding her arms and pursing her lips in an action I had never seen on a five year old’s face before. “Do you love her?” She asked, raising her eyebrows.

Mason was silent for a moment and I frowned. Was there someone out there that he was in love with? I had to know, I was not about to spend a second longer with a man who would only hurt me emotionally after I had spent the past year healing myself from the torture that Dan inflicted. Mason bent down to the little girl’s level and whispered something in her ear. After a moment her eyes grew wide and she squealed with delight.

“I have to tell Izzy!” She squeaked and ran off towards the forest, her strawberry spotted red and cream dress flowing behind her as she ran.

Mason turned to me with a smile, but I couldn’t return it. My stomach was churning with the thought that we could be over before we had even begun. I hadn’t even decided what I wanted to come of this and yet, it seemed as though there was a possibility I wouldn’t be the one to decide.

“Let’s sit down,” Mason suggested, gesturing to a porch swing set on the edge of the garden, leading into the forest. I nodded and followed him, unable to help my smile as we reached the swing. Years of love had withered the swing and ivy had claimed the wooden stand as its home.

I sat down carefully on the swing, taking a hold of one of the chains as it swung backwards lightly. Mason sat to my side, making the bench swing lightly backwards and forwards. I closed my eyes as a breeze gently blew past my face. We swung for a moment, enjoying the feeling of the wind blowing across our skin and the serenity it brought upon us.

“So,” I began, clearing my throat, unsure of quite what to say and how to say it. Mason turned to me expectantly, waiting for me to say more. “What exactly did you want to say to people?” I chose, then instantly regretting my decision.‘Way to be nonchalant, Heidi,’I thought.

Mason smiled, “You must know by now that I’m interested in you.”

I nodded, I had at least figured that out. His flirting, calling me beautiful, teasing me? I wasn’t daft, I could tell he at least, had a schoolboy crush on me.

And what about me? I knew that he sent me giddy and made me blush more times than anybody else. He comforted me when nobody else could and his arms cocooned around my body made me feel safe and secure. He too, was beautiful, rugged and I could barely keep my eyes off him.

Mason noticed my silence, because he pressed on, “I want to take you out, Sophie. A proper date where I can get to know you.”

“I don’t think you really want to,” I scoffed before I even realised what I was saying, “I mean, I’m a little complicated.”

Mason laughed heartily, “Oh me too, love. But I suppose, that’s part of the excitement of getting to know somebody.”

Could I face dating? I knew I didn’t want to date Jack, but Mason was...different. In so many ways. Mason ignited something within me that I didn’t think I wanted to ignore. I didn’t think Icouldignore it, even if I wasn’t exactly sure whatitwas yet. Lust? Perhaps. But, I knew I had to find out for myself.

Whether curiosity killed the cat or not.

“I...I think I would like to go out with you sometime,” I said carefully and slowly in case I wanted to stop, or swallow my words.

Mason’s face lit up, like a child getting a pony for Christmas. I had never seen a man looked so delighted with me before. It was refreshing. New. Exciting.

“There’s a lovely, little restaurant in the next town over. I can book ahead for next week if you like?”

“What do they serve?” I asked, but I wasn’t fussy. I was sure I’d find something to eat. When your abuser chose if you ate that week, you learned quick not to be fussy about what you ate.

“It’s Italian, is that okay with you?” He asked, worry flitting over his features.

“Italian is my favourite,” I reassured him. “I could live on pasta.”

Mason grinned, “Me too. I’m such a carbs person.”

We sat on that bench, swinging lightly to and fro discussing anything and everything came to mind. Mason was a breeze to talk to, he spoke so animatedly, like he had never told the story before. I felt so at ease, it was like everything I had even been through, that I had ever suffered, was forgotten once I spoke to Mason. He wasn’t just ‘a man’. He wasn’t someone to be afraid of. Fear never entered my mind, never sent a chill coursing through my veins when I was with him.

To me, he felt like something else.

And I needed to figure out what that was.