This was their night. She was going to make sure of it.
‘You look beautiful, Lil,’ he said as she reached the bottom.
‘Right back at you, handsome.’
‘I was just coming to get you. First guests have arrived.’
‘I better greet them, then.’
The night had officially begun.
***
So far, so good. The first half of the evening was coming to an end, and she couldn’t have asked for things to have run more smoothly. Her staff of two teenagers had done a superb job, the dinner had gone down a treat, and judging by the smiling faces she saw at every turn, everyone was having a great time.
Maureen was doing a fantastic job as MC and auctioneer. The auction was progressing quickly and interest was high. A bit too high, she thought, when a fierce bidding war erupted over the first of the vases her mother had donated. She’d almost stood and reminded the room that there was a very similar item yet to come.
Despite the convivial atmosphere, Lily was too tense to enjoy it all. She was really only interested in one thing, and her time to act was rapidly approaching.
The three Murphy boys were up the front next to Maureen. They were standing uncharacteristically proud and solemn, hands clasped in front of them as Maureen called out bids.
The auction for the Murphy’s finished and Lily had just enough presence of mind to be impressed with the result—they should be proud, the bidding had been strong—before anticipatory dread hit the pit of her stomach and she felt the room fade away. She was so nervous she could barely breathe, and thank goodness no one seated around her was expecting her to make lucid conversation at the moment.
Next up was Josh.
He appeared suddenly through one of the French doors and went to stand next to Maureen, tall and steady. Her focus narrowed to him, until all she could see was the grey of his eyes, surveying the room, watchful yet confident. He wouldn’t be nervous standing up there. Not like she was, sitting in the audience.
‘Next item—next person—on the list is one Mr Joshua Farrell …’ Maureen started her spiel and Lily almost jumped out of her seat at the words, though whether this was because she heard his name or because the time had come to act, she had no idea. Her heart was beating like a hammer, and any moment now, she was going to be sick.
‘Now, I don’t need to tell any of you how much ten hours of Josh’s time is worth …’
This was it. She leapt to her feet, cutting Maureen off mid-sentence. ‘Ten thousand dollars!’
The room had been noisy prior to her outburst. Filled with movement, laughter, and excitement. But at this moment, a painting couldn’t have been quieter. Or stiller. Lily was just as frozen as her surrounds, but not on the inside, where her heart was clanging in her chest, and her legs felt like they might give way at any moment.
Slowly, it seemed, Josh looked her way. His eyes met hers, clear, piercing and right now—deadly. But she’d chosen her path and she was sticking to it.
‘I bid ten thousand,’ she offered more quietly. She attempted a smile. She was looking at Josh, but the smile was purely for the benefit of the crowd. The auction was supposed to be a bit of fun as well as a fundraiser, and her guests didn’t have to suffer through her anxiety or Josh’s … fury? She took in the glittery eyes fixed on her with reptilian intensity. Yes, fury.
‘Well.’ Maureen looked uncharacteristically lost for a moment, like she had no idea where to go after a bid like that, but her unflappable nature quickly reasserted itself. ‘Not all of you may realise this, but Lily is in the early stages of developing a business of her own. I have every confidence that Josh’s advice will be worth every penny of that very substantial sum. Any advances on ten thousand dollars?’
No response from the crowd. Not surprising, because who would pay more than ten-thousand dollars for a day’s work? But she was relieved anyway. Her intention had been to go in high and early, because she knew there’d be a lot of competition for Josh’s services, and she wasn’t sure a good host haggled with her guests. Besides, too much time to second-guess herself and she might have changed her mind.
No changing her mind now. What was done was done.
Josh held her eyes the whole time, cold and grim and merciless. Not so long ago, she’d thought him unreadable. She knew him better now. His face might be carefully devoid of expression, but there was no mistaking his contained fury.
‘Going once, going twice … Josh Farrell sold to Lily Schofield.’
Josh broke the searing contact and walked straight back out the ballroom doors, back into the garden where the clean-up had commenced.
She plonked back down into the chair, dazed, dimly aware that the room around her was returning to life.
‘That wraps up the auction part of the evening,’ she heard Maureen say. ‘Thank you to everyone for the generosity of your bidding. We will all retire to the morning room and verandahs for dessert, while the room is readied for dancing.’
Lily sat, unable to move, as the room emptied. She was attracting more than a few curious stares, but she just forced herself to smile as if everything was totally fine, and everyone smiled back. Uncertain maybe, about what had just happened and why, but not unfriendly.
Unlike Josh. He’d definitely not been feeling friendly.
When her two waitstaff came in and started to gather the plates and glasses still left on the table, she stood and helped them, folding and stacking linen as the tables were cleared.
Josh entered the ballroom again minutes later, accompanied by Saxon and the Murphys. Needing to touch base, she moved towards him. ‘Josh.’
‘Later,’ he said curtly. He turned from her and organised his team of five, working calmly and efficiently as always to clear the room as they’d rehearsed.
Okay. He was not a happy camper right now, but hopefully that would change when she explained her plan to him. Later. Whenever that was.
There was too much to do to worry about it right now. All of a sudden, Lily was needed everywhere at once. She ensured that Katie had everything under control assisting the band set up, that the hay bales left in the room were formed into seating as she’d planned, that the girls were okay with everything they had to do in the kitchen, and that everyone was enjoying their dessert in the morning room.
The rest of the evening passed in a blur. A blur of people and activity and minor crises. Her rushed state didn’t stop everyone making comments about her bid for Josh, and she wondered if he was getting the same treatment, but she couldn’t do anything about it right now. She fetched and carried and directed and mingled, and tried to stay on top of everything.
As far as she could tell, the evening was an unqualified success. The band was great, and people were making use of the dance floor. Others stayed in the morning room chatting, or walked along the verandahs, soaking up the balmy, spring-scented night air. Some were merrier than others, but no one was out of control. Even the Murphy boys kept a lid on it.
And always, as she hustled here and there, in and out of the various rooms, she felt Josh’s eyes on her. All night long, they circled each other. He made no effort to approach her, and she took her cue from him and left him alone. As he’d said: later.
He was just as busy as her, anyway. In addition to preparing the ballroom, he’d taken responsibility for the hay bales stacked outside, the hired spits they’d used to cook the meat, and the pits they’d roasted the potatoes in. And if that wasn’t enough to keep him well occupied, there were his social duties, because everyone in town, young and old, male and female, loved talking to Josh.
Despite the both of them being so busy, she could feel him there, all night. Funny, she’d never noticed before tonight, but the grey of his eyes made him look something like a shark … A menacing, circling predator.
At ten-thirty, the first people started to leave, and from then on, she spent most of her time at the door. She wanted to thank everyone for coming, and everyone wanted to thank her. Each time
a group left, it took a good ten minutes to say goodbye, and there was another group waiting. But hey, who was she to complain when all everyone wanted to say was what a good time they’d had, and how nice it was to finally see Mirabook.
The band packed up and left shortly after eleven-thirty, and a wave of people left with them. By midnight, they were down to a handful of stragglers.
Mrs Murphy packed her boys up and drove them away.
Maureen, Helen and Louise came to say good night, with the two teenage girls in tow, who with a quick goodbye, crawled straight into the back seat of Maureen’s car.
The committee looked at each other and smiled. The night had been a success. One-by-one, they stepped forward and hugged her. She would have been hard-pressed to say who had hugged her tightest. Without another word, they left.
And then they were four.
Turning, she found Saxon, Katie and Josh all walking towards her where she stood on the front steps waving at the back of Maureen’s car.
‘Kate and I are going to take off now.’
What? Tonight of all nights Saxon decides to go home with Katie? Leaving her alone with the shark.
‘Where are you when I need you?’ she whispered in his ear as he hugged her goodnight.
‘You’ll be fine,’ he whispered back. ‘This was the plan, remember?’
She wasn’t so sure. Josh was about as pissed as she’d ever seen him.
She hugged Katie as well, and spent a long time, a good long time, waving goodbye as they drove away. No more avoiding it. After the noise and energy of the evening, it was quiet and still. Just her and the shark, who looked like he’d had enough of circling and was about to go in for the kill.
Chapter 17
Lily finally finished waving and turned to face Josh. ‘Cup of tea?’ she asked, as if there was nothing wrong.
Keep calm and carry on, Lil?
‘No, I’m good for tea.’
‘Well, I’m as dry as a whistle.’
Dry as a whistle. He’d have to remember that Lily reverted to talking like something from the beginning of last century when she was nervous. She should be nervous, given how pissed he was. He followed her back into the house.
After the noise and energy of the previous six hours, he was struck by the post-party stillness. The evening was over, and one thing was clear: there would be no problem financing the rebuilding of the hall. It was all thanks to Lily. He should remember that and try to think kindly of her, because right now, he felt like wringing her pretty neck.
What the hell was that stunt she’d pulled ‘buying’ him at the auction? The bidding hadn’t even started before she’d called out that ridiculous figure in front of the whole town. People whose respect was important to him. People whose respect he wanted to keep. Ten thousand dollars for a day’s work. Like that wasn’t going to raise a few eyebrows. He’d spent the rest of the evening fielding jokes about being a bought man and Lily getting her money’s worth.
Had she aimed to make him a total fucking laughing stock? Or was that just a side bonus? Which begged the question: what had she been aiming for?
He waited while she fussed around with the kettle, prepared her cup of tea, and ‘retired’ to the sitting room. Once she was seated on an elegant chaise lounge, he figured it was time.
‘So, tell me about buying me for ten thousand dollars.’
‘You’re angry.’
No kidding. ‘You made a laughing stock out of me.’
‘That wasn’t my intention.’
‘Yeah? What was your intention exactly?’
She took a sip of tea, then spoke calmly. ‘To buy some of your time.’ The effect was betrayed by the slight shake of her hand as she returned the cup to its saucer.
So, artless was how she was going to play it. ‘Where’d you get the money? Last I checked, you were in dire straits to the tune of four hundred dollars.’
‘I sold my Lexus,’ she replied matter-of-factly, and took another sip of tea.
That gave him pause. He should have noticed its absence, but with all the ball-related activity of the past days, he hadn’t. ‘You almost starved rather than lose that car. I thought you were never going to sell it.’
‘I wasn’t.’
‘So why did you? I thought we’d already agreed I’d take a look at your business plans.’
‘We did.’
He shifted on the chaise next to her. Something was up, something he didn’t know about, and he hated surprises. ‘So you didn’t need to buy my time. You sold your precious car for nothing.’
She laughed low. ‘You want to know the truth about that car? You know when my father gave it to me? August. You remember my birthday?’
Of course he remembered her birthday. He remembered everything about her. But he didn’t interrupt her flow.
‘February,’ she went on. ‘He forgot my birthday. Dad forgot my birthday every year, so that was no surprise. But then this beautiful red car shows up. And at first I thought, maybe, for an instant, he’d dragged himself away from his desk long enough to feel bad. But then I found out that one of his colleagues had bought his daughter a Mercedes. So I had to have a Lexus.’ She paused for a sip of tea. ‘I wanted to believe that car meant he cared, but it just didn’t. It wasn’t really about me at all. So I swapped it for something much more valuable.’
What exactly? That was what was making him antsy. Like he’d said, he’d already agreed to look at her plans.
‘Anyway,’ she went on. ‘It was costing me a fortune to run. Do you have any idea how much petrol a car like that goes through?’
Maybe he’d appreciate her attempt at levity if he wasn’t feeling so on edge. He didn’t like being bought in front of a room full of people, not by her and not for that ridiculous sum. It was humiliating. ‘I’m sure the Town and Country Club appreciates the donation, but I still don’t understand the why. We’d already agreed I’d help you out.’
‘That’s not what I want from my ten hours.’
‘That’s what was on offer,’ he responded curtly.
She placed her tea cup and saucer carefully on a side-table. ‘No. No one specified exactly what the hours had to be used for. I bought ten hours of your time, and I don’t want to spend them working on business plans.’
I don’t want to spend them working on business plans.
Like it was up to her. Like she could just command him to do what she wanted. ‘So, what? We’re back to the Schofield nobility commanding their Farrell serfs?’
She drew in a sharp breath, then released it in an outraged explosion. ‘Where the hell did that come from?’
He wasn’t sure himself. The words had just shot out of his mouth. Maybe if it had sounded more like a joke, she would have taken it as one. But it hadn’t. It had sounded angry and grim. Like he felt.
She looked up at him, the beginnings of temper in her eyes. ‘I thought we were past this. I really thought we were past this. But we’re not, are we?’
He’d thought he was over it too. He’d forgiven her for telling the lie that’d cost his father his job. More than that, he’d all but come to terms with the fact that there really hadn’t been all that much to forgive. He wanted her to have Mirabook, he’d called his business partners and made moves in that direction. He’d done his one-eighty on all of that, so why was he so angry again? Why was he so angry all the time? He hated feeling like this. Miserable, angry, and something else. Something worse.
‘Jesus, Josh. It’s beyond time you got over this. I cannot help the fact that I was born a Schofield and you were born a Farrell.’
‘There’s nothing wrong with being born a Farrell.’
‘I didn’t say there was.’
‘“I cannot help the fact that I was born a Schofield and you were born a Farrell.” You’re going to sit there and try to tell me you weren’t insinuating something with that?’
‘Josh! I’m not insinuating anything! You are.’
Yeah right. When he didn’t bother
saying the words out loud, she went on. ‘My family owned Mirabook and yours worked it. It’s a fact. It’s the reality of our past. It doesn’t mean anything to me, and it’s not something I want hanging over us for the rest of our lives. Can’t we forget all the class bullshit and just be Josh and Lily?’
‘Forget about the past, hey? All the messy facts and realities. Wouldn’t that be nice? Let’s just forget about the way your family treated mine.’
She was right. He wasn’t over this.
He wasn’t ever going to be over this.
‘My father is dead. I can’t just forget about that.’
‘I’m not suggesting you forget about your father! But why are you still linking my family to his death? We’ve been through this. He died of cancer. It was no one’s fault. Looking for someone to blame isn’t going to get you anywhere.’
He wasn’t looking for someone to blame. He knew exactly who he blamed.
The thought came and his mind went blank. He drew in a sharp breath and jerked upright.
That feeling, the one that lived in the pit of his belly, at the base of everything, grew, until he was so overwhelmed with hot red rage, he was like a wild beast. He wanted to grab every porcelain vase in this room and smash it. Wrench oil paintings off the wall and tear them to pieces. Fling his head back and howl at the moon.
He knew exactly who he blamed.
It hit him, a sudden terrible terrifying jolt of pain, like the car crash that hadn’t happened but had been part of him, living in him, in his body and his soul, since she’d returned. He let out a cry, a pure high note of anguish. He knew exactly who he blamed. He knew why he was so angry. And that feeling, that cold hot half-dead all-encompassing swampy feeling, the one that was underneath everything else, took over.
He shattered. Something in him just fell to pieces. He sank backwards onto the arm of the chaise, head in his hands. He couldn’t get enough oxygen into his lungs. He could hear the noisy, tortured, desperate way he kept trying to pull it down there. For some stupid reason, he seemed to be shaking.
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