Sebastian - Secrets by Janey Rosen

happy.  I realise how refreshing it is for a man to make simple decisions for me. It is truly what I long for, what I need. Sleep comes easily.
     
    I wake shortly before seven, and gaze sleepily at my room.  It has a dusty splendour of days gone by.  Puddled curtains made of a heavy ochre brocade pool on the floor – I don’t recall closing the curtains last night yet they are closed this morning.  I try to recall how much I drank last night, as I massage my temples, my head muzzy.  I yawn and stretch, and think to myself that I could get used to waking in a room like this each morning.  Heaven.
    I wash and then dress in a skirt, cashmere sweater and knee high winter boots and, satisfied that I have packed all my belongings into my overnight bag, I leave my bedroom and set off in search of breakfast.
    The gaggle of female chatter, tells me that my event colleagues are gathering in the dining hall.  I look forward to the peaceful drive home, as I take a seat next to last night’s top business woman.  She is a gregarious character who is large both in personality and stature.  I congratulate her on her business achievement and we chat while breakfast is served.  She tells me that she received her award following the growth of her online business and I wonder how much she’s worth although I don’t like to ask, which is surprisingly polite and restrained for me.
    “Love, have you met his Lordship yet?” she asks me.  “He’s a strange one.  Doesn’t usually rent out his house for anything so we are very hono ured.” 
    I can sense that there is gossip about to spurt forth , and I draw closer to her conspiratorially, hungry for information regarding Sebastian.
    “When the ‘Women In Business’ organisers were viewing venues, this one had just been made available for the first time.  If you ask me he must need the cash … or the company of a houseful of women.  Rumour has it that his wife’s dead but he’s one for the ladies.  They always are, these rich country folk.”
    I recall the spurious attributes of his Lordship’s staff team who served us last night. 
    “I met him last night,” I say and watch her raise an envious eyebrow.  “He seems rather aloof and, frankly, I found him to be arrogant.”  This appears to whet the woman’s appetite for gossip and she nods her head in agreement.
    “Arrogant or not, I bet half the women in this room wouldn’t kick him out of bed if given half a chance.  He’s gorgeous.” 
    This time I am in agreement with her.  She shovels a gargantuan forkful of scrambled egg into her mouth.
    My mobile phone beeps, indicating that a text message has been received.  I pull it from my handbag and see that it is Ruth asking how the event has gone .  No doubt she’ll require a thorough debrief on the whole event, as she’d been disappointed she couldn’t attend due to a clash of meetings.
    I note that I have received no text message or missed call from Alan or from fire fighter Simon, not that I had expected to hear from either, but I find still find it hurtful.  It would be nice to be missed and thought of.
    The bevy of irritatingly attractive waiting staff are placing hot plates of full English breakfast in front of us all , and I heartily tuck into the delicious sausages, bacon and eggs and enjoy two cups of English breakfast tea served in delicate porcelain cups. 
    B reakfast finished, our group begins to disperse and begin homeward journeys.  I wonder if I’ll see Sebastian again this morning.  I find myself longing to see him one more time, and I can’t fathom what it is about that bossy, arrogant, tall, dark, gorgeous man that has me so mesmerized. 
    I stand in the ancient, vaulted hallway and look around, hoping for the opportunity to thank our host and to see him once more but he does not appear.  Seeing the member of his staff who greeted me yesterday, I take the opportunity to ask if he will be saying farewell to us.
    “His Lordship has