Never While the Grass Grows by Betty Neels

Author:Betty Neels [NEELS, BETTY]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General, Fiction, Romance, Contemporary
ISBN: 9780373199860
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2011-03-11T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

Octavia, thinking about it much later on, knew that she would never have got through the next few days if Lucas hadn't been there. He seemed to know exactly what to do and how and when to do it with theleast possible fuss, attending to the sad details without bothering her at all and spending long hours driving her round the countryside or walking her relentlessly so that home, when they returned, wasn't a house of shadows but a haven for eating and sleeping. And he did all this with a calm friendliness and a solid sympathy which did much to ease her grief, talking, when she felt like it, of his home and work in a rather vague fashion which had left her with the impression of a fair-sized practice, a pleasant home and enough money to live on.

Perhaps, if she hadn't been so engrossed in her own thoughts, she might have wondered how he could afford to run a Rolls-Royce as it was she barely gave it a thought, accepting her unexpected future with a docile mind. Lucas was a good man, she knew that, and even though there was no love between them, there was a strong liking. Whenever she thought of that future it was with a sense of relief that he would be in it, too.

And once the funeral was over there was no time to think too much about the time ahead.

Lucas had driven up to London and arranged everything at the hospital without telling her too much about it: she had accepted the fact that it had been dealt with, just as she had accepted his practical arrangements concerning the house. For the time being it was to remain empty; they would return in a month or so when they could decide what was best to be done about it. There had been very little money, barely enough to pay for the expenses of the house for the next year and settle her father's small debts, but money hadn't seemed important.

She packed the best of her clothes, washed her hair and went early to bed at Lucas's suggestion. They were to be married in the morning and travel straight to Holland; an early night seemed sensible. Octavia was almost asleep when she remembered something. She jumped out of bed, pulled on her old dressing gown, because her best one was packed, and ran downstairs. Lucas was in the sitting room, sitting at the table, writing, and she thought fleetingly and with gratitude that it was just like him not to use her father's study.

"I've forgotten something," she told him as he got to his feet.

"Mrs. Lovelace—Father didn't leave her anything, and he would have, if he'd known… I'm not sure just how much money there is, but she must have something."

Lucas walked round the table to stand before her. Her face, unmade-up and pale with sorrow, was still utterly charming, her hair hung loose round her shoulders and the elderly shapeless dressing gown quite failed to conceal her splendid shape.

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