by Sharon Booth
'Yes, we do,' I said. I couldn't understand it. I knew we'd upset Castor last night when he stormed out of the house, but why go to Mrs Greenwood's? I'd assumed he'd gone to the pub. It made little sense.
Star sighed and stood up. 'Oh well, back to the shop. It's one long merry-go-round of mysteries and puzzles and worries these days, isn't it? Sometimes, it feels as if my brain will burst.'
She leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. 'How are things with Macho Man?'
I gave her a rueful smile. 'Oh, you know. Same as usual.'
She rolled her eyes. 'He needs a kick up the backside, that one. You can be too much of a gentleman.' She grinned at me. 'Talking of gentlemen, Hector seemed to hit it off nicely with Liz Cadell the other night.'
'The history teacher?'
'Yes. They were chatting away all evening, and he walked her home. Of course, he's far too much of a gent to tell Benedict what went on after that, but one can only hope.'
'Yes,' I said quietly, 'I suppose one can.'
'Right, I'll leave you to it. Have a lovely day.'
I pulled her into a hug.
'Golly,' she said when I finally let her go. 'What was that for?'
'It was great to see you,' I told her. 'I do love you, you know.'
She laughed. 'Well of course you do, as I love you. You are sweet, Celeste.'
She breezed out of the office the conventional way, leaving a trail of Jo Malone in her wake, and I sighed and dropped onto the chair she'd so recently vacated, feeling washed out and thoroughly depressed, without really understanding why. Okay, last night had been a disaster, but it didn't mean the end of the world. Blaise and I had made it up, and he didn't seem to be harbouring a grudge, so what was wrong with me?
About ten minutes later, as I was unwrapping the cheese sandwich, the museum door opened and in walked Hector.
Oh no. Of all people!
'We're closed,' I blurted. Drat, Star must have forgotten to drop the latch.
'Oh, really?' He looked so disappointed I immediately felt horrible.
'It's all right,' I said. 'You can come in anyway.'
'Only if you're sure?' he queried.
I smiled at him. 'Of course I'm sure. Come in. I was just having a cheese sandwich, actually. Want one?'
'Oh goodness, no. I wouldn't dream of stealing your lunch.'
'You're not stealing it. I'm offering to share it with you. To be honest,' I said, looking down at the paper package in my hands, 'Mrs Greenwood's sandwiches are delicious, but so filling. Look, she's made them in these huge sundried tomato rolls, and she's made me two of them. Who could eat two of these'
'I probably could,' he admitted. 'They look lovely.'
'Well,' I said, 'maybe you could, but I'm afraid the offer on the table is for one, take it or leave it.'
'I wasn't hinting!'
I laughed, seeing the horror on his face. 'I know. I'm joking. Here, take it.' I wrapped one in the paper napkin Mrs Greenwood had stuffed inside the bag and handed it to him.
He smiled, and my heart danced at the sight of those dimples. He leaned against the counter and took a bite of the sandwich.
'Mm,' he managed at last. 'You're right. Delicious.'
'Told you.' I unscrewed the cap on the bottle of elderflower cordial and took a small sip. 'What brings you here anyway?' I asked. 'Not that I'm not pleased to see you,' I added hastily. 'It's always a pleasure.'
'Is it?' he asked, sounding doubtful. 'I sometimes worry you see me as a real pest; always turning up when I'm not wanted.'
'Oh no! It's not like that at all,' I assured him, not entirely truthfully. 'My box set looks lovely on my bookcase,' I told him. 'I've got a similar one of the Bronte sisters' works, so it's perfect.'
'I'm glad.'
'So?'
'So what?'
'So, what brings you here?' I asked patiently.
'Oh! If you must know, I wondered if you could give me some advice.'
'Me? Advice about what?'
'It's a bit delicate.'
'Really? I'm intrigued.' My heart sank suddenly. 'Is this about your date with what's her name? Liz?'
'Ah. You know about that.'
'Star couldn't wait to tell me all about it.'
He sighed, prodding disconsolately at the remains of his sandwich. 'It was terribly kind of them to arrange it,' he said at last. 'It would have been nice to have been warned, mind you. I got a bit of a shock when I turned up at Lily Cottage to discover they'd invited another guest, I will admit.'
'Oh, so you didn't know?' I tutted. 'That's Star for you.'
'Benedict's as bad,' he insisted. 'They seem to have got it into their heads I need fixing up with someone.'
'And do you?'
He was quiet for a moment, then shrugged. 'I've always been of the firm opinion that, if there's a woman who's meant for me, then some higher power will bring us together. No human interference necessary.' He gave me a sheepish smile. 'Sounds stupid, doesn't it?'
'Not at all,' I assured him. 'That's exactly how I've always felt. That's why—' I blushed suddenly, and he grinned.
'That's why you didn't want to be on that date with me before Christmas?'
'Sorry,' I said. 'It all felt so artificial, so forced.'
'Exactly. And that's how I felt that night at Lily Cottage.' He plucked at the sundried tomato roll, pulling off tiny pieces of bread and dropping them absently on the napkin it sat in. 'The right woman, I'm convinced, will find me somehow. And when she does, I'll know she's the one.'
I'd been about to take another drink, but I paused, bottle in hand. 'The one?'
'I'm sort of old-fashioned about it,' he admitted. 'I know in this day and age I probably sound ridiculous, but for me — well, I've always known there'll only be one woman, and it will be forever. That's how I feel.' He shrugged. 'I can't do anything about that.'
'You shouldn't have to,' I said slowly. 'It's — it's a good thing. The right thing.'
'You think?'
I stared at him, as if I'd just seen him for the first time. 'Yes,' I said. 'I do.'
'Of course, it's a high-risk strategy.'
'Is it?'
He nodded. 'She might never find me. Even if I recognise her, she might not realise I'm the one she's meant to be with. Then I could be alone forever.' His forehead creased as he considered the matter. 'I worry about that sometimes. I worry about that a lot.'
'I'm sure,' I murmured, 'that when you find each other you'll both know.'
'You sound very confident.'
'Because I've always believed that myself. It's — it's a question of faith, really, isn't it?'
'I guess it is. And faith is one thing I've never been short of before. Although lately …' He shook his head. 'So,' he said, his voice suddenly brisk again as he straightened and frowned at the sandwich, evidently wondering how it had ended up in such a mess, 'what should I do?'
'Do?' I said, dazed.
'About Star and Benedict?'
'I'm sorry, I'm not following.'
'Oh, forgive me. I never explained. They think Liz and I got on very well. To be fair, we did. She was marvellous company, and we had a lovely evening together.'
'Did you?' I said dully.
'Yes, but the thing is — how shall I put this? I'm not Liz's type.'
'Really?'
'No. She likes her men — how did she put it now?' He frowned, peering up at the ceiling as he tried to recall her exact words. 'Ah yes, less cerebral and built like a brick outhouse. Except she didn't say outhouse.'
I burst out laughing. 'She never said that!'
He laughed, too. 'I'm afraid she did. Tact clearly isn't Liz's strong point. Still, at least she's honest.'
'You poor thing! Good job you didn't like her.'
'Oh, I liked her a lot. She was fun. But even before her little revelation I knew—' He gave me an embarrassed laugh. 'Well, you know. I knew immediately she wasn't the one.'
I nodded, understanding exactly what he meant. 'S
o, why do you need my help?'
'I don't know how to explain to Benedict and Star that I won't be seeing her again and, more importantly, I'd really prefer them not to set me up with anyone else.'
'I don't blame you. That's two of us they've set you up with now and we've both been bitter disappointments.'
'Oh, I wouldn't say that, Celeste,' he said quietly.
I blushed, not certain how to respond, and he blinked then shook his head slightly. 'So anyway, what do I say to them? Because you know those two, they'll keep pushing.'
'They probably will,' I agreed. I tilted my head, looking at him curiously. 'What would you like to say them if you weren't worrying about being polite?'
He hesitated. 'I'd tell them to back off and let me and my perfect woman find our way to each other with no interference from them, thank you very much.'
I grinned. 'Well, there you go.'
His mouth fell open, then he burst out laughing. 'As easy as that! But you're right. I should stop being a wimp.'
'It's advisable around those two,' I agreed. 'Otherwise they'll walk all over you. Although,' I added, in case he was in any doubt, 'their hearts are in the right place, really they are.'
'Oh, I know that. I do.' He took a bite of his sandwich and chewed, looking more relaxed.
We finished our lunch in amiable silence and I thought how nice it was, though how strange, that I could sit with someone I hardly knew, and not feel a pressing need to prattle on to fill the void.
'Yum,' he said at last, 'that was gorgeous. I'll pass my compliments to Mrs Greenwood when I next see her.'
'Do that,' I said, taking the napkin from him and dropping it into the waste bin under the desk, along with my empty paper bag.
'Are you okay, Celeste?' he asked, considering me carefully. 'You look ever so tired.'
'Thanks,' I said. 'Give a girl a compliment, why don't you?'
'Sorry. I wasn't being rude. Just, you don't seem your usual sparkling self.'
'I'm fine, honestly. Just had a bit of a rough night.' I realised how that might sound and backtracked furiously. 'That is, I didn't get much sleep. I mean, I was thinking about the museum. Easter coming up. New exhibits to design.'
'Ah, right. Understood. I'll get off and leave you to it. Thanks so much for the sandwich. And the advice.' He headed towards the door, then turned, his fingers curled around the door handle. 'How's Blaise? Still in Castle Clair?'
'Still here,' I said lightly. 'He's doing fine, thank you.'
'I'm glad to hear it,' he said. 'I'll see you around, Celeste.'
'You will,' I promised.
He closed the door behind him, and I hurried over and dropped the latch.
'Okay, steady on, girl,' I gasped, as I threw myself against it and took a deep breath. The world had gone mad. I had no idea what was going on, or what I wanted any more.
'Right,' I decided suddenly, 'enough's enough. One problem at a time. I need help, and it's time to ask for it.'
Chapter Twenty-One
By the time I got home, Blaise seemed to have forgotten all about last night's awkward encounter. He greeted me with a hug and a kiss and proceeded to tell me all about his day. He'd been gardening during the morning and had spent the afternoon studying.
'What were you studying?' I asked, smiling at his obvious enthusiasm.
'The Second World War,' he said. 'It's fascinating stuff.'
I pulled a face. 'If you say so.'
'But it is! The way so many events conspired to make it all possible—'
'Possible? You sound like it was a good thing!'
'Oh, no, I didn't mean it like that.' He chewed his lip thoughtfully. 'That Hitler chap was rather compelling, though. I don't mean in a good way,' he added hastily. 'I mean, the way he convinced people to behave in the most uncharacteristic manner. How he persuaded them to follow him, even though his ideologies would have seemed absurd and obscene not long before. He had a strong interest in the occult, did you know?'
'Yes,' I said grimly. 'Maybe you ought to read about something else.'
'But you told me I needed a balanced view of world history,' he reminded me. 'It's fascinating to see how this society has formed — what led you to this point in time. It's different for you. It's all in the past. To me, it's the future. I'm looking at it from the viewpoint of a man who's just lived through a civil war and the only point in British history when it was a republic. You must see why it interests me so much?'
'I do,' I conceded. 'Sorry. I'm just tired. It's been a long day at the museum.'
'You know, if you need any help, I could always come with you tomorrow. I'd be happy to do some work there. I'd like to feel useful, and it would give us the chance to be together all day.'
'Um, thank you. I'll think about it,' I said, brushing past him and heading towards the kitchen.
'Are you still annoyed with me?'
I turned back to him, feeling a pang of guilt at the obvious hurt in his voice. 'Of course not. We've already been through this. It's all done and dusted.'
He smiled, and I smiled back. What's wrong with me? This is Blaise St Clair, my hero. Why am I being so offhand with him? I held out my arms, and he walked into them, wrapping his own arms around my waist and planting a kiss on the top of my head.
'I missed you,' he murmured. 'We must start planning our wedding soon.'
I stared at the wall, seeing myself walking down the aisle of All Saints' Church, just as Star had done only last year. I saw Blaise turning to greet me, felt him slip the wedding ring on my finger. It was beyond belief. All I'd ever dreamed of. Me, Blaise's wife.
And it terrified me.
'There's no rush,' I said, forcing myself to sound calm. 'We haven't known each other long, have we?'
'I feel I've known you all my life,' he said. 'And you told me the same, remember?'
So I had. And I did. Nothing had changed. Well, not really. I just wasn't ready for marriage or commitment. I'd thought I was, but it had all got real suddenly, and I wasn't so sure any longer I wanted my life to change that much. Being Blaise St Clair's wife was the stuff of fantasies, not real life. Maybe, I thought with sudden hope, that's the problem. Maybe it just doesn't seem real, or possible, and that's why I'm struggling to adjust.
'Come on,' I said. 'I need a cup of tea.'
He followed me into the kitchen, and I thought, rather irritably, that he didn't have to clamp himself to my side. I could make a cup of tea on my own. Then I hated myself for being so mean and unfair to him.
'Be a darling and ask the others if they want a drink,' I said, giving him a wide smile so he'd know I still loved him.
Everyone did, apparently. 'Oh, and your father's here with Aurora,' Blaise told me, 'and they want one, too, please. And biscuits. Aurora wants biscuits.'
I made seven cups of tea, put them on a tray, balanced a small plate of chocolate digestives on top of Aurora's mug and passed the lot to Blaise, who'd insisted he carry it, as it was apparently far too heavy for my delicate feminine arms.
Aurora and Mother were deep in excited conversation when I walked in, and Aurora couldn't wait to tell me her news.
'We got it, Celeste! They accepted our offer on the house.'
I was ashamed to admit I had no idea which house it was she'd put a bid in for.
'Castle Gate Cottage,' she squealed. 'Isn't that amazing!'
'That is amazing,' I said, surprised. 'I didn't even know it was up for sale.'
Castle Gate Cottage was a solid, square brick house standing almost directly opposite East Gate, so had a wonderful view of the castle. It had a fairly small back garden, but with the castle grounds just a few steps away, Aither certainly wouldn't lack outdoor space close by.
'We were so lucky,' Aurora said. 'The family who live there found out Raiden and I were looking, so they offered it to us before it even went on the market. It's got four bedrooms and a big kitchen, and gorgeous sash windows.'
'But isn't that out of your price range?' I asked, c
ertain her single wage wouldn't cover a mortgage on a property that size.
Mother smirked. 'Well, it would have been normally, but it's in a dire state inside. So much work needs doing to it. Aurora knocked them down to a price they could afford, and they can do the repairs and renovations themselves.'
I nodded. 'Ah. I see.'
'No,' she said, with undisguised glee. 'You don't.'
'Aurora has decided,' Father said heavily, 'it wouldn't be honourable to do up the property by magical means when we've got it so cheaply, so she's insisting I do all the work inside the traditional way.'
Aurora looked pleased with herself. 'And why not? You were the one who wanted a larger house. That comes at a price, so you must be the one to pay it. Aither and I would have been perfectly happy with the house down Applecourt Avenue, but you wouldn't have it, even though I still prefer it to Castle Gate.' She leaned towards me and said, 'It was a lovely house, Celeste. Three bedrooms and a larger garden. But it was too far from the castle and the Lodge, apparently,' she added in a disapproving tone, giving Father a sideways look. 'And it was semi-detached so he wouldn't even contemplate it. The trouble with your father is, he's a snob. So, that being the case, he can jolly well roll up his sleeves and do some hard work. Anyway, it will keep him occupied, so that's a good thing.'
I grinned. It seemed Aurora was well and truly in charge of Father, and that was what he needed.
'I don't understand,' Blaise said. 'Why would you make your husband do the work manually when you could save him all that effort, and yourself a lot of time, by fixing the house magically?'
Aurora blinked. 'I thought I just explained that.'
'Not in any way that made sense,' he told her. 'These are strange times. I understand that women have equality now, but it seems to me they're not only equal but, too often, in charge of their men. How can that be right?'