Читать книгу Christmas At Pemberley - Katie Oliver - Страница 28

Chapter 21

‘And who might you be?’ the woman asked. Although her tone was polite, her glance as it raked briefly over Helen’s trousers, boots, and puffa jacket clearly indicated that she found the outfit wanting. She refrained from remarking on Helen’s red, puffy eyes.

‘Helen Thomas,’ she said as she made her way up the front steps and held out her hand. ‘I’m here at Tarquin and Wren’s invitation.’

‘Indeed?’ She reached out, and her fingers as they clasped Helen’s were long and knotty, but her grip was surprisingly firm. ‘Then I’m pleased to make your acquaintance. I’m Evelyn Campbell, Archibald’s mother. Come in, Miss Thomas.’

As Helen preceded the woman inside, a dun-coloured Labrador lumbered into sight, its tail wagging. She bent down to pat his head. ‘What a lovely dog! Is he yours?’

‘Yes. I take him everywhere I go. He’s my constant companion now that my husband’s gone.’

‘What’s his name?’

‘Archie.’ Her eyes twinkled. ‘It causes a wee bit of confusion round here whenever I call him.’

‘I can imagine.’

‘Grandmama!’

Helen looked up to see Caitlin bounding down the stairs, Coco trotting behind her. The moment the two dogs spotted one another they set up a chorus of barking and growling.

‘Oh, do be quiet, Coco,’ Caitlin admonished as she picked the tiny dog up and lifted her, still growling, to her chest. ‘It’s only Archie.’ She leant forward and gave her grandmother a dutiful peck on the cheek. ‘When did you get back, Gram? I thought you were still in Edinburgh.’

‘I finished my shopping and visited all of my friends...or what’s left of them. It’s most depressing to hold visits with one’s friends in a churchyard.’ She glanced at Helen, then back at her granddaughter. ‘I’d like a word with you, Caitlin Morag, if you please.’

Caitlin’s face fell. ‘Now? Only, I’m about to go for a walk outside with Jeremy...’

‘Your walk,’ Lady Campbell said firmly as Jeremy came down the stairs, ‘and your young man, can wait.’ She turned to Helen. ‘You’ll excuse us, I hope, Miss Thomas?’

‘Of course,’ Helen assured her. ‘I’ve work to be doing, at any rate. It was lovely to meet you, Lady Campbell.’

‘And you, my dear.’

‘Jeremy,’ Caitlin said as she turned to him, ‘will you be a lamb and wait outside for me? I need a quick word with Grandmama. I’ll be out soon, I promise.’

He nodded. ‘I’ll go and warm up the car.’ He gave her grandmother a polite nod and went across the hall to the door, and left.

‘He seems a nice enough young man,’ Lady Campbell observed doubtfully as she watched him depart.

‘He is. He’s a good friend.’

Without further comment the older woman made her way across the hall to the library. Caitlin trailed behind her with Coco in her arms.

‘Now, then,’ Lady Campbell announced as she closed the library doors behind them, ‘it’s time you and I talked plainly, young lady.’

Caitlin set the dog down and perched uneasily on the edge of a chair. ‘Have...have Mum and Dad spoken to you?’

‘Indeed they have. They told me all about your expulsion from university. What, exactly, is going on? I want the truth, mind, not the load of bollocks you told your parents.’

For a moment there was silence. Caitlin sighed. ‘The truth is, I got booted because I was...involved with someone.’

‘Involved? With whom?’ her grandmother demanded. ‘Since I’m aware that college girls these days have—’ she cleared her throat, ‘intimate relations, and on a fairly regular basis, I can’t help but wonder why your involvement with another student would cause such a fuss?’

Caitlin was silent.

Lady Campbell broke off as her confusion cleared. ‘Oh. Oh, I think perhaps I begin to see, now.’

Caitlin’s eyes widened. ‘You do?’

Her grandmother sat down across from her and reached out to take her hands. ‘Are you – are you one of those...lesbians, my dear?’ she whispered, scandalized.

‘What? No!’ Caitlin exclaimed. ‘My God, Gram! How do you even know about such things?’

‘I’m elderly, my dear, not stupid. I know more about all manner of things than you can begin to imagine. So,’ she mused, ‘if you weren’t involved with another woman, then you must have been seeing someone else unsuitable. One of the professors, perhaps?’

A dull flush crept across Caitlin’s face. ‘Yes.’

‘And is this professor married?’

Miserably, Caitlin nodded. ‘Niall. His name is Niall, and yes. He’s married. But he’s getting a divorce.’

Lady Campbell snorted. ‘So they all say. Has he been relieved of his teaching position?’

‘No.’

‘That’s outrageous. I shall see to it that he’s sacked at once.’

Caitlin sat up, alarmed. ‘No, Gram, you can’t do that! Please!’

‘Whyever not? If a professor ‒ and a married one, at that ‒ is having relations with a student, then it’s my duty to report him and ensure that he’s sacked!’

‘You can’t, Gram,’ Caitlin said firmly, ‘and you won’t, because, you see,’ she lowered her voice, even though the doors were closed ‘Niall is Jeremy’s father.’

Lady Campbell regarded her granddaughter in shock. ‘Do you mean to tell me that this professor of yours, this married man, this...this person you slept with at university...is that nice young man’s father?’

Caitlin didn’t respond. But her silence spoke volumes.

Her grandmother groped behind her for a chair and lowered herself onto the cushion with a dazed expression.

‘Gram, are you all right?’ she asked, her expression anxious. ‘Can I...can I get you something?’

‘I really don’t know,’ Lady Campbell said faintly. ‘I’d ask for smelling salts if such things still existed. Since they don’t, kindly pour me a wee dram, if you would. Neat.’

‘Of course.’ Caitlin went to the drinks table and poured a healthy measure of whisky into a tumbler, then carried it to her grandmother and handed it over.

The older woman nodded her thanks and took a lengthy sip. ‘A vast improvement,’ she murmured a moment later, and set the glass aside. ‘Now I shall be much better equipped to handle this mess.’

‘Mum figured it out,’ Caitlin admitted. ‘Or she very nearly did. She thinks I’m sleeping with Jeremy.’

‘You’re not, are you?’

Caitlin bristled. ‘No, of course I’m not! What kind of girl do you think I am?’

‘You don’t really want me to answer that, do you?’ Lady Campbell retorted. ‘Whatever were you thinking, Caitlin Morag, sleeping with that young man’s father?’

‘I didn’t know Niall was his father! I borrowed Jeremy’s notes in economics class, and afterwards he bought me a coffee at The Grind, and we talked a bit, and became friends. It wasn’t until,’ she blushed ‘until later that I realized he was Niall’s son. And by then, it was too late.’

Her grandmother pursed her lips in disapproval. ‘Well, it’s a fine kettle of fish you’ve landed yourself in, young lady. Have you broken it off?’

‘Yes. I’ve told Niall we’re through, and that I never want to see him again.’

‘And did you mean it?’

‘Yes, Gram, of course I meant it!’ Caitlin said indignantly. ‘Getting involved with Niall MacDougal was the stupidest thing I ever did. I never, ever want to see him again.’

‘Hmph.’

‘Don’t you believe me?’

‘My dear girl,’ Lady Campbell announced as she pushed herself to her feet, ‘I do believe you. But I also remember from my own footloose and fancy-free days that a young woman’s mind is a very, very changeable thing.’

Natalie came down the stairs just as Rhys returned. She stopped halfway down, one hand resting atop the banister. ‘Oh. Rhys. You’re back.’

He glanced up. ‘Natalie.’

‘Where have you been? I was worried…’

‘Sorry. I went for a walk. I needed to clear my head.’ He took off his gloves and thrust them in his pocket.

‘And did you? Clear your head, I mean.’

‘Yes. The walk helped, and having time alone to think. But it was Colm who set me straight.’

Natalie blinked. ‘Colm? You can’t mean it! What could Colm possibly know about being a father?’

‘Nothing,’ Rhys said equitably, ‘which was exactly his point. None of us know anything about being a parent until we become one.’ He frowned. ‘I didn’t exactly have a stellar example to follow, you know. My stepfather was a nightmare.’

‘Yes. But he wasn’t your real father, Rhys,’ Natalie pointed out, ‘Alastair was ‒ is. And even though Alastair didn’t know about you until you were grown – which wasn’t his fault – he’s a wonderful man.’ She paused and added, ‘So...you’re not still angry with me?’

He looked up at her, startled. ‘I was never angry with you. Annoyed, perhaps, and thrown off balance by the news – but not angry, no.’

Relief made her knees wobbly. ‘Good. I thought...oh, never mind what I thought.’

‘You thought I didn’t want the baby.’

She caught her lip between her teeth and nodded. ‘I cried for ages.’ She felt tears welling up even as she said it. ‘Sorry.’ She dashed the tears away with the back of her hand. ‘My hormones...they’re all over the place at the moment.’

‘No, I’m the one who’s sorry.’ Rhys let out a pent-up breath. ‘I shouldn’t have shouted at you, I shouldn’t have run out on you like I did. I was wrong, and I acted like an arse.’

Natalie sniffled. ‘It’s all right. It was a shock. For both of us.’

‘It scares the hell out of me,’ he admitted. ‘Imagining myself as a father? It’s inconceivable. But after thinking it over, I realized that we’ll figure it out together, you and me.’

‘Of course we will,’ Natalie agreed. ‘Just imagine a little Natalie or Rhys running around in a few years’ time. It’ll be fun!’

‘Dear God,’ he muttered. ‘Baby clothes. Prams and cribs. Nappies.’

‘Rhys!’

‘Never mind all that, I’m sure we’ll manage very well with little Natalie or Rhys. More importantly ‒ how are you feeling, darling?’ he asked as he came up the stairs and drew her into his arms, his face etched with concern.

‘Much better,’ she answered truthfully, and smiled as she relaxed into his embrace, ‘now.’