He hovered closer, watching her smile and laugh with Valentina, Thea and Dev. Gwen and Caitriona had prepared the food and drink for the party, laid it out buffet style, then removed their aprons and become guests. Sheena, Georgia and Peony had replied to their invitations by saying they already had plans. Ebba, Jonas’s wife, was chatting to Caitriona, as she had a young relative who wanted to attend university outside of Sweden and was looking for information. Gwen was laughing with Dilly from the Nature Garden Café, Hadley and his wife. Barnaby was at the children’s table. Grete had put out colouring things, but what the table was mainly being used for was children sliding along it on their bellies – even Ronja – and chattering in a mixture of Swedish and English.
Oh, well. Kids.
He double-checked that Astrid and Alvin were happy, then edged a couple of steps towards Ezz. Rick and Kay Colville hovered nearby as she chatted to Thea, as if just listening to her conversation was enough for them, glancing around the large room with the huge Christmas tree, looking awestruck and shy. It wasn’t hard to believethat as youngsters they’d been swept along by parental wishes.
Then Valentina drew one of Ezz’s birth sisters into the conversation, and Thea drew in the other. He watched the apprehension flit over Ezz’s face as her eyes slid between her adoptive sisters and her birth sisters. One of her birth sisters included Rick and Kay in the group. Rick said something and Ezz laughed. Gradually her shoulders relaxed.
It was like watching a garden grow from seeds. It would take a while for it to ever truly bloom, but at least green shoots were showing.
As the group milled around Ezz, Mats edged closer, until he found himself next to Valentina. ‘Lovely party,’ she said politely.
‘I want to apologise,’ he said at the same time. ‘My dad says I speak first and think later. It was unforgivable of me to assume you knew what had happened.’
She smiled, though it didn’t completely erase the lines of anxiety on her face. ‘Don’t worry. I overreacted and didn’t listen to Ezz or see things from her side. She was trying to protect me.’
Relief melted through him. ‘I’m glad I didn’t cause a permanent rift.’
Valentina shook her head and glanced round. When she located Ezz and found her engrossed in whatever Thea was saying, she turned back. ‘It’s a shame you live so far apart.’
He realised she knew all she needed to about him and Ezz. ‘That’s an understatement,’ he said ruefully. Then Erik interrupted them, introducing himself to Valentina as their paths had never crossed.
It seemed ages before Ezz’s orbit finally coincided withthat of Mats. She’d secured a mug of coffee, probably by wandering into the kitchen and making it herself. He smiled just to have her close. Her perfume, her smile, even the way she held her head, were achingly familiar, and he had to clear his throat before speaking. ‘You might be pleased to know that you can expect Mum and Dad to spend nice long summers in Skye from now on. He’s not going to work so hard. She’s retiring altogether.’
Her beautiful blue eyes lit up. ‘That’s great.’
But before he could ask how she’d feel if he too visited as often as feasible, someone called Ezz. When she realised her sisters – both adoptive and birth – were proposing a photo together, she flushed, then beamed.
‘I’ll hold your coffee,’ he offered, and returned to his role as spectator.
Ebba had volunteered to take the picture, Ezzie in the centre, with Thea and Valentina posing on one side and Julia and Iona on the other. Ezz made a comment, and they all laughed as Ebba fired off shots, then they clustered around the phone to crane at the screen, four darkish heads and one, tall, willowy blonde.
He nursed her drink, like the saddo in a romcom admiring the popular girl at a party from afar. She looked up and their gazes met. Slowly, she detached herself from the group and headed back his way.
But Kay and Rick managed to arrive just as she reached him. Rick eased his collar. ‘We were just thinking, Kay and me. We’d love to know about Maxie and Vince. I don’t want to make you feel awkward, but we owe them so much.’ He halted uncertainly.
From Ezz’s smile, there was nothing more calculated to make her feel kindly towards them. ‘I have photos, and a scrapbook about their careers.’ Then, after a beat: ‘Whydon’t you come to my place tomorrow? I don’t return to work until Monday.’
Mats’ heart lurched, though he’d known from emails between his mum and Ezzie that she’d asked to stay off until January 6th. He could understand why she’d felt it easier, but he hadn’t yet been able to tell her his news.
Kay looked as if she might cry. ‘That would be wonderful. Let me give you my phone so you can put your address in it.’
It would be wrong to barge into such an emotional exchange, and Mats resigned himself to waiting. Then Grete edged in. ‘Ezzie, I am so sorry to speak to you about work tonight, but I wanted to tell you myself that the family is leaving on the 2nd. Many need to prepare to return to work or school.’ She added a smile. ‘And Erik and I need to make appointments ahead of semi-retirement.’
Mats rolled his eyes.Damn. He’d wanted to tell Ezz himself.
Ezz’s smile faded as she visibly drew on her work persona. ‘I can return to work on the 2nd and drive you to the airport.’
Grete glanced at Mats and hesitated, perhaps noticing his black frown. ‘Let me talk to Erik.’ And, after sending Mats an apologetic look, she melted away.
Kay and Rick were now chatting with Hadley and his wife, so Mats decided it was time to get Ezz’s attention. He touched her arm. ‘Shall I tell you why Inger isn’t here?’
Ezz glanced around the room with a frown. ‘I hadn’t noticed. There’s been a lot going on.’
If it was true that she hadn’t noticed Inger’s absence, then Mats was sunk. But he didn’t think it was true, because Ezz had a way of being aware of everyone and everything, and her reply had been too casual. ‘Two daysafter Christmas, Andreas arrived in the superyacht Inger had been cruising on,’ he told her, and felt cheered when she gave him all her attention. ‘It anchored in the Sound of Sleat and Andreas was tendered ashore to Armadale, where he telephoned a taxi to get him to Rothach. Inger was suitably impressed and told me afterwards that it had been rough sailing up the west of England and Wales. Everyone was seasick, but he wouldn’t hear of turning back. They went off for a heart-to-heart and she returned having accepted her engagement ring back and they’ve gone to complete their cruise. The children had her here for Christmas, which is the reason she’d given for coming.’ He allowed a note of irony into his voice. They both knew there had also been an element of jealousy.
Ezz’s eyes were fixed on his face, expression inscrutable. ‘How do you feel?’
‘Relaxed. Relieved. The children know they’ll see her again. For my sake, my family made the best of her being here during the Christmas they’d planned so carefully.’ It would be unkind to say,I was glad to see the back of her,even to Ezz. ‘The three of us talked and put to bed some of the bad feeling and misunderstandings. I was amazed to hear Andreas admit he’s felt jealous of me, not just as Inger’s ex, but because I’m Astrid and Alvin’s father, whereas he’s just their stepfather. He gave a pompous speech about me knowing where I am in life.’ He laughed. ‘That was odd, because when I came here in November I felt as if I’d lost my grip and my life was going to shit. And though I’ve always pointed out that he’s never had to work for his money, I hadn’t realised that it made him feel directionless.’
