Man of the Trees Read Online Free PDF Page A

he isn’t.’
    As it was still quite early, coupled with the fact that, had it not been for her Gareth would still be in the company at the Club, Ruth asked him in for a coffee. Ross Hamilton’s name was not mentioned again, but Ruth found she could not get him out of her mind.
    They re-kindled the log fire in the living room and sat on the hearthrug and drank their coffee.
    ‘What are you doing over the week-end?’ Gareth asked.
    ‘Working. I must—I’ve lost such a lot of time lately, and I’ve got to start thinking of buying a house—or find a flat big enough to house me as well as all my paraphernalia. I think my best bet is an old house or cottage with a garage or outhouse I can convert into a studio.’ She sighed heavily. ‘Oh, what a business! I’m not looking forward to it at all—the disruption and everything.’
    Gareth drained his cup and set it down by the side of her empty one, then he stretched himself out fully on the rug and looked up at her.
    ‘Ruthie, why don’t you marry me—let me take care of everything?’
    She smiled and shook her head slowly. ‘Don’t keep on asking me, Gareth. I hate having to keep saying no to you.’
    ‘Then why not say yes? Don’t you want to get married?’
    She frowned. ‘I—I don’t know. I—’ She sighed again. ‘I don’t really know what I want at the moment.’
    ‘I do.’
    Suddenly Gareth pulled her down towards him and took her in his arms.
    ‘No, Gareth—please—’ she protested, not sure quite what his intentions were.
    He brought his lips down on hers. ‘This is what you need—love. You need loving. Let me, Ruth, let me.’
    He kissed her again, more ardently, but she struggled against him and sat up, her heart pounding.
    ‘Gareth, you mustn’t do that, otherwise I won’t be able to have you here. Please go now, anyway. I want an early night. Go back to the Club, they’ll still all be there. I—I’m sorry I brought you out.’
    He grinned and gave her a long look. ‘I think I had better go—but not back to the Club.’ He stood up and gave her his hand to pull her to her feet. ‘Am I forgiven?’
    ‘Yes, of course.’
    ‘And you’ll be at the Club tomorrow night as usual?’
    There was usually dancing and one or two other items of entertainment.
    ‘I might,’ Ruth told him. ‘But I’ll make my own way there.’
    He kissed her gently on the cheek. ‘I’ll let myself out See you tomorrow—I hope.’
    When he had gone she sat down again on the hearthrug and tried to stem the tide of varying emotions which coursed madly through her veins. Gareth was right—she did want love. She wanted very much to be loved. But not Gareth, though she was filled with confusion at the way she had found herself almost responding to him. What was wrong with her? Why was she feeling so unsettled, so emotionally disturbed? Granted that she had a somewhat erratic temperament, she had never felt like this in her life before.
    Into her mind, unbidden, came a picture of the tall, insolent figure of Ross Hamilton leaning against a tree. It was his fault. He had made her angry, he had somehow stirred up inside her all kinds of feelings and emotions. Did he speak to all women in the same way that he had spoken to her?
    Rather than put another log on the fire she made her way to bed, but try as she might she could not put thoughts of Ross Hamilton out of her mind altogether and as she felt herself drifting off to sleep, there was his face with that mocking half-smile only two inches from hers.

 
    CHAPTER TWO
    Throughout all next day Ruth cogitated as to whether to go to the Foresters’ Club that evening. Most of the Forestry crowd went regularly, and until now Ruth had been no exception. She tried to analyse her uncertainty, and would not accept the half-framed thought that it was because Ross Hamilton might also be there. She was feeling restless because she knew she had to find somewhere else to live, that was it. And, of course, she was missing