Page 48 of The Last Casterglass
Seph shrugged, her eyes on the order form she had been completing, for a load of butternut wood for her new sculpture. She was calling itGraceand it was going to be lots of sinuous curves and long, straight lines, flowing together, creating a pattern. “I don’t know that he declared himself,” she answered cautiously. “It’s just that we spent a lot of time together, and got to know each other, I suppose.” Since returning from Prague three weeks ago, they’d spent just about every moment they could together—sunset walks, afternoons chatting over coffee or playing board games, the occasional stint of babysitting, and one whole, gorgeous day away at Windermere, which had been brilliant and really quite romantic.
“Do you think it’s serious?” Althea asked, and Seph hesitated, her gaze still on the order form.
Her family had been surprisingly unfazed by her and Oliver’s romance, not that they’d announced it from the rooftops. They’d just quietly gone about their business, and everyone had more or less accepted their new status without anyone having to say anything outright. This was, in fact, the first time Althea or anyone had come fishing for details. She supposed she ought to be grateful that they’d been granted that long a reprieve.
“I suppose it is,” she answered, her tone still cautious, although the truth was, she didn’t actually know—at least not for sure.Shefelt serious about Oliver, and when she caught him looking at her with that lovely, blazing intent in his green eyes, well, she was pretty sure he felt serious about her, as well. At least she hoped he did. But the truth was, his internship was coming to an end in less than a month and they hadn’t talked about the future at all. Would he return to Pembury? Seph had looked on Google Maps and the drive from Casterglass to the North Yorkshire Moors was two and a half hours. Not impossible, but not all that great. Would they keep up some sort of long-distance relationship? And what about her own life, the plans she’d barely begun to formulate?
Since returning from Prague, she’d been flirting with ideas of moving on from Casterglass, maybe going to university, opening a new chapter of her life, but she hadn’t really got any further than that. She hadn’t made any decisions, and she wasn’t even sure how to begin.
“I asked Oliver if he wanted to stay on at Casterglass for another year,” Althea said. “He said he’d think about it.”
Seph nodded. “I know.”
“That would be good, wouldn’t it? Considering?”
“Maybe.” She and Oliver hadn’t talked about him staying on here, either, and Seph still wasn’t sure how she felt about it. Did she want to spend the rest of her life at Casterglass, even with Oliver here, too? The answer, she thought, was probably no.
“Why only maybe?” Althea asked. “The two of you at Casterglass sounds perfect, to me. He can manage the orchard and you can do your woodworking. If things continue to get serious between the two of you, you could move into the cottage I showed you.” Althea gave a little shrug as if to say ‘sorted.’ And it did sound sorted—but in a way Seph knew she didn’t want. As much as she was coming to care for Oliver—and she was—she did not want to spend the rest of her days here. She knew that right down in her bones.
Seph took a deep breath and met her sister’s narrowed gaze squarely. “Althea,” she began, and her sister raised her eyebrows.
“Uh-oh, that sounds serious, and not in a good way. What is it?”
“I don’t want to move into that cottage.” Seph kept her voice firm even though inside she was quaking. She wasn’t good at confrontation; her former sulky stuff had run away from it, time and time again, but she knew she needed to talk to her sister about this.
“Okay,” Althea replied after a moment, sounding slightly hurt but like she was trying to hide it. “That’s fine. It was just an idea, after all. There are loads of other places you could live on the property, I’m sure—”
“No.” Seph shook her head to forestall her sister from mentioning all the hidey-holes she could be put up. “I don’t want to live in some converted barn or potting shed or dovecote or whatever else you’re thinking of.”
“Well, not apottingshed,” Althea protested, and now she sounded affronted. “Do you want to stay in the castle itself? Because we might be able to manage that, if we change the plans for Sam and Olivia’s flats—”
“No,” Seph cut across her. “I don’t want to stay at Casterglass at all.”
Althea’s mouth opened and closed soundlessly. “What?” she finally asked faintly. “What…what do you mean?”
Everyone else had found their home at Casterglass, Seph knew, but she had, conversely, found her freedom. “Before you came back,” she told Althea, “Dad was thinking of selling this place.”
“Yes, I know—”
“And I was thinking of moving. I didn’t even know where, just somewhere new. Somewhere I’ve never been, which is basically anywhere.”
“But…” Althea was looking completely flummoxed. In any other situation, it would have been comical, but Seph felt too emotional about this even to smile. “You love Casterglass,” she protested. “Out of all of us, you love it the most. You’ve been here the most—”
“Because I never had the opportunity to leave. Or if I did, I wasn’t brave enough to take it. Well, I am now. I hope I am.” She squared her shoulders while Althea stared at her, dazed.
“Where would you go?”
“I don’t know. I’ve thought about getting a degree, or a job, or even travelling. I’ve saved up some money, since I never do anything or go anywhere.”
Althea blinked slowly, clearly trying to absorb everything Seph had said. Seph still needed to absorb it herself. Even though she’d said as much to Oliver, saying it out loud to Althea felt different. More serious. “And where does Oliver fit into this?” her sister asked finally.
“I don’t know,” Seph admitted. “His heart is back at Pembury, but I think it’s likely his uncle will sell the farm and give the money to his cousin, so that’s probably a non-starter, unfortunately.”
“So he’ll be free.”
“Yes, that’s true.” And yes, shehadconsidered whether Oliver would be willing to strike out with her, wherever they decided to go. Paris, Prague, or maybe only as far as Preston. Somewhere new…together. But she was way, way too scared to mention that kind of commitment after just three weeks of dating, even if she felt so sure. She didn’t know if Oliver did.
“Both of you leaving Casterglass.” Althea shook her head slowly. “What about the woodworking shop? And the orchard?”