‘Not everyone’s as airheaded as you two,’ I snapped. All eyes turned to me in horror. Whoops… did I just say that out loud? I felt my face burning up.
Mimi and the twins were glaring at me, but neither were as disgusted as Jeannie and Toots.
‘How rude!’ exclaimed Toots.
‘Well, now, that was very uncalled for, Olivia,’ said Jeannie in the most matronly tone ever.
Even Miles and the kids were looking at me wondering why I couldn’t keep my emotions in check. I swear if anyone else had said it, no one would bat an eyelid, butmoi, the quiet outsider? Somehow that was shocking to them. I had two options: I could say sorry or I could own it.
‘Was that rude? Oh, I’m sorry,’ I said in a faux-sweet voice, ‘I thought I heard you making snide jokes, but I must have been mistaken.’ I didn’t take my eyes off them. I had no idea what they had said about Martha, but the innate desire to lurch forward screaming like a banshee and rip them a new one was burning hot.
They tried to stare back, but the intensity of my gaze proved too awkward and they eventually looked away. I continued to study them as Beebee’s frown deepened and she nudged her sister and pointed to something on her phone screen. Ceecee’s eyes shot to hers in alarm and they abruptly stood up to leave and made their excuses to Jeannie.
‘Are you sure, girls?’ Jeannie said forlornly. ‘It’s not because Aunt Olivia was mean to you, is it?’
They looked back at me and said, ‘It’s just all so much to cope with, Grandmama, first Daddy, and now this…’
Assholes.
‘Oh, I understand, my petals.’ Jeannie cut me a look.
‘If they’re leaving, can I?’ asked Callum.
‘No, you may not!’ Jeannie snapped.
As the girls were heading out, Ceecee stooped down in front of Uncle Fergus and held her phone screen to his face. The blue light illuminated every pore and pock mark of his skin as he looked at it bleary-eyed.
‘See those numbers, Uncle Fergus? That’s what will pay for our gap year.’ Ceecee smirked.
Beebee chimed in, ‘But who’s going to pay for that?’ She flicked at his whisky glass, causing it to tilt and splash onto his hand.
Fergus spluttered, too inebriated and flabbergasted to come up with an immediate retort. Clem sucked in a sharp breath. ‘Well, I never!’ she exclaimed, watching them go.
I watched their retreating backs. Had Callum completely abandoned his plan to get those videos taken down? He did say it would take a few hours… But why was nothing happening yet?
I caught Toots whispering loudly to Jeannie, ‘Artie Peverill knows a private detective from his army days. He’s looking into things for me.’
Jeannie nodded in earnest.
I glanced around to see if anyone else had heard, but they were all absorbed in their own conversations.
Miles stood, looking out of the window. ‘Oh no,’ he said, his voice barely audible.
‘What?’ I jumped up to see what he was looking at, ‘What is it?’
He shook his head and pointed into the darkness beyond.
I looked out. The white grasslands were blanketed as far as the lights could illuminate. And now more snow, flurry upon flurry, falling heavier than before. We shared a concerned look before turning back to the people left sitting in the room.
Miles leaned closer to whisper in my ear, ‘Will weeverget out of here?’ We sat back to resume the game with a sinking feeling.
An hour later a text from Callum appeared on my phone. I nudged Miles and showed him the aeroplane, red heart and sun emoji, which we took to mean that the job had been done… Whatever the ‘job’ entailed. Callum sat across from us, grinning from ear to ear.
* * *
I woke up with a start. The moonlight streaming in through the gap in the curtains hit right where Miles was sleeping soundly. Squinting, I rolled over and checked the time– one a.m. With a sigh, I rolled onto my back and closed my eyes, willing myself to go back to sleep. I pleaded with my brain not to think about the damn book and the incessant deadline hanging over me like the blade of a guillotine.
Too late. I’d thought about it.
