‘I’m not doing this to hurt you,’ Sebastian said, his tone conciliatory as he looked between the two women. ‘None of this has been easy, for any of us. But I’ve found a moment of happiness with Jess. Can’t you just be pleased for me?’
Dee tried to laugh, but the sound caught in her throat. ‘If only finding happiness was that simple for all of us.’
Turning on her heel, she stalked from the room.
Despite Dee’s outburst in the kitchen, Jess was determined to make Christmas lunch in Kirkshield Castle a meal everyone would remember for years to come. She wasn’t going to let Sebastian’s mother put a damper on the festivities, and each course was met with enthusiasm. Even Vivi – installed in pride of place at one end of the table at Sebastian’s insistence – had very little in the way of complaint.
Jess had even thought to have a few extra crackers in reserve, which was as well after Freddie and Karl pulled all the ones they could get their hands on before the turkey was carved.
Although she was seated at the table alongside Vivi, Jess found herself avoiding much of the conversation, especially with Sebastian. After Dee’s words in the kitchen, Jess tried to work out how to navigate a way through the situation without ruffling anyone else’s feathers. It was one thing to feel comfortable with Sebastian when they were one-on-one, but it seemed to Jess there would be a long way to go to make inroads with the rest of the family. Olivia had been civil since the shooting incident but was yet to display much in the way of warmth towards her, while Dee was clearly fighting her own demons, demons which Jess only seemed to have managed to add to.
In fact, apart from Sebastian, the only family members who seemed to have welcomed her without rancour were Freya, her husband and her children.
As if on cue, Freddie poked her in the arm from his seat beside her. ‘Look what I got in my cracker. It’s a pencil sharpener. You put the broken pencil in here,’ he pointed to the barrel, ‘and then twist it around. My pencils are always broken, so this is a really good cracker gift. What did you get, Jess?’
Jess waved a key ring at the little boy. ‘I got this.’
‘Nice. I haven’t got a key ring.’ Freddie stared at the shiny disc hanging from a clip with the gaze of a magpie.
‘Would you like it?’ Jess said, handing it over.
‘Jess gave me her key ring!’ he shouted, waving it in the air in triumph. ‘I’ve got a key ring, and Karl hasn’t.’
‘World War Three initiated,’ Olivia said as Karl began to protest, making Jess feel as though she’d made the wrong move yet again.
As everyone began leaning back in their chairs, refusing a second helping of Mrs Keel’s beautifully spiced and remarkably light plum pudding, and the meal began to wind down, Jess started to think she might be on the home straight, with the food at least.
Olivia stood, gathering up the bowls. She turned to Candida.
‘Are you going to help me, then?’
Candida rolled her eyes. ‘Oh my God, anybody would think I was your wife, or something.’
‘Well, someone’s going to have to take on the role, sooner or later.’
Candida’s brows pinched together. ‘Is that your way of asking me?’
Olivia shrugged. ‘Maybe.’
‘Dear God, that’s the worst proposal I think I’ve ever heard,’ Freya said, crossing her arms as she stared at the two of them.
‘Are you getting down on one knee, then?’ Candida said, her focus entirely on Olivia now, all thoughts of dishes clearly forgotten.
‘You can sod right off,’ Olivia said, grinning. ‘But after you’ve finished sodding off, can you come back, because yes, I would very much like to marry you, Candy.’
‘At last,’ Freya said, clapping her hands.
‘Congratulations,’ Christian said as Dee swooped in and hugged Olivia, an arm around Candida, too.
‘I’m so thrilled for you,’ she said, her words thick with emotion.
Jess glanced at Sebastian, wondering if he felt it, too. The rejection she’d felt from Dee in the kitchen had stung, even though she’d done her best to make light of it. But he was caught up in the celebrations, too. Up on his feet and clamouring for his turn to hug the pair.
Quietly, Jess began to collect dishes and was about to head for the kitchen when the bell for the castle’s front door sounded. She slipped away, using the walk along the passageway to get herself under control, to do her best to push away the feeling that maybe she didn’t belong here after all.
She pulled on the heavy lever, hefting open the solid oak door, wondering who on earth could be calling in on them, unannounced, on Christmas Day.
At the door was someone Jess didn’t recognise, someone completely unfamiliar: a stunningly beautiful young woman with green eyes framed by delicate features, long glossy auburn hair tucked unselfconsciously behind one ear. She was taller than Jess by a good deal, and slimmer too.
