Jillian looked up at him, her eyes dark with emotion.“Is it hard for you too?”
He had to be careful with this answer because it was hard, but not for the reasons Jillian might expect.“It’s hard because I know how much you girls miss her,” he answered after a moment.“I am happiest when you and Livy are happy.But at the same time, your mum and I aren’t married anymore, and it was inevitable that one day she’d meet someone who made her happy.And we want her happy, don’t we?”
Jillian sniffed and nodded but didn’t seem convinced.“She could at least answer a text.That’s easy enough.”
“Maybe she doesn’t have her phone on her.”
“Mum always has her phone,” Jillian answered flatly.
“Maybe she is on the beach or in the pool,” he suggested.“Or out on a sailboat.I don’t know that she’d have reception if she’s on the water away from the shore.”
“Then she could have texted mesomethingbefore she went sailing, even if it’s just to say she won’t be available.”Jillian’s voice broke, and she suddenly sounded every bit the child she was.“It’s what she’d sayIhad to do ifIwasn’t going to be available.”
“She’s not trying to upset you, Jilly.The last thing your mum wants to do is hurt your feelings,” he said, holding her.“She probably thinks you are having the best time here—”
“No.I told her we weren’t,” Jillian said against his shoulder.“She knows I want to be with her.”
He held his breath, counted to five before exhaling.Divorce was awful.This wasn’t what Rhys ever wanted for his daughters.“Your mum and I love you, and your sister, very much.We will always be a family, whether we’re under one roof or not.”
Jillian frowned.“Mum says that, and I hate it.”
“The point is, no one will ever replace you.It’s impossible.”He gave her a little squeeze.“I love you, Jilly.”
“I love you, too, Dad.”Then after a long moment, she added, “Can I have some hot chocolate?With extra marshmallows.”
He smiled and tapped her nose, relieved that this was something he could do.“Absolutely.”
*
Olivia was definitelyon the mend, and so far, no one else had caught her cold, which was good with Christmas Eve tomorrow.The earl and his wife had invited them to join them for Christmas dinner, and Rhys had accepted, but that depended on everyone being healthy.
While Rhys worked at the main house, the girls worked on the sitting room floor in a sea of tissue paper and ribbon.Catriona sat cross-legged beside the coffee table, trimming a length of tartan ribbon while Olivia, nose red from blowing it so much, carefully folded paper around a small box.Jillian was hunched over another, her brow furrowed in concentration as she tied a neat bow.
“You two are getting very good at this,” Cat said, reaching for another roll of tape.“At this rate, you’ll have everything wrapped before I even start.”
“That’s because we like surprises,” Olivia said with a sniffle.“We’re making them look too nice to guess what’s inside.”
Jillian shot her sister a look.“Don’t tell her that.It’s supposed to be a secret.”
Cat laughed softly.“Then I’ll pretend I didn’t hear a word.”
The phone on the kitchen wall began to ring, the sudden sound startling in the cozy quiet.“That phone never rings,” Jillian said, glancing up.
“It might be Mrs.Booth,” Cat said, pushing to her feet.“She’s used it before.”In the kitchen, Cat lifted the receiver.“Hello?”
“Catriona?”
Cat blinked in surprise, the warm American accent immediately giving away who the speaker was.“Lady Sherbourne.”
“No, please, just Cara.I just saw Rhys, and he said you are all here, and I thought you and the girls might enjoy a change of scenery.Why don’t you all come up to the house for tea this afternoon?Say two o’clock?Mrs.Johnson would love to have tea with the girls in the kitchen while they help her with some holiday baking, she’s planning on little cakes for the children for Christmas.”
“That’s very kind of you,” Cat said, glancing toward the sitting room where Olivia was now wrestling with a roll of tape and Jillian was offering very serious advice, “but Olivia’s been sick, and I’m not sure she should be among others yet.I know you have little ones.”
“Who were sick over Thanksgiving for weeks.It’s why we didn’t head to Bellingham for Christmas, although we had tickets and hotel rooms booked.”
“Do you go back to Washington a lot?
“No, actually, we don’t.It’s a long trip from here, but it’s my parents sixtieth wedding anniversary January first and we’d hoped to be there for the holidays and party.However, they understand.Traveling with sick kids is no one’s idea of fun… or being home with them for that matter.How are you holding up?”
