It Started with a Secret: The feel-good novel of the year, from the bestselling author of MAYBE THIS TIME

by Jill Mansell

  ‘Don’t lean, you’ll tip us off balance.’ From the seat behind her, Seth pulled her back.

  Lainey let out a yelp of alarm. ‘Oh my God, I’m so sorry!’

  To her right, the pilot said with a grin, ‘He’s having you on.’

  Of course he was. Half turning, Lainey’s gaze met Seth’s and she experienced the jolt of love that had shown no sign of abating so far. ‘Can you believe it’s a year since Kit and I left this place? A ten-hour coach trip all the way from Paris to London. And now this.’ She gestured expansively. ‘Here I am in an actual helicopter, about to land in front of the chateau. It’s just crazy that so much has happened since then.’

  ‘You got yourself a boyfriend,’ Seth reminded her.

  ‘I did, that’s true.’

  ‘What’s he like?’

  Lainey paused. ‘Thinks he’s funnier than he is. But he’s OK, I suppose. How about your girlfriend?’

  ‘You can tell her anything and she’ll believe it,’ said Seth. ‘Totally gullible.’

  Everyone on the ground was watching them now, as the pilot brought the silver and blue helicopter down, settling it skilfully in the very centre of the landing pad.

  When the blades had slowed to a halt, they jumped out and joined the party assembled on the steps of the chateau.

  ‘Thank you.’ Lainey embraced Wyatt, whose idea it had been to arrange the helicopter trip from Charles de Gaulle airport. ‘That was amazing.’

  ‘My pleasure.’ His eyes crinkled. ‘None of this would have happened if it wasn’t for you.’

  And in a weird, fateful, convoluted way, Lainey realised, this was true. Because if she hadn’t inadvertently brought that oversized diamond ring back to the UK with her, Wyatt would never have travelled down to St Carys and ended up breaking his ankle . . .

  Would never have got talking to Kit at the wedding reception and plucked up the courage to come out . . .

  Would never have discovered that this place was on the market.

  It just went to show how one seemingly tiny action could set off a domino chain of consequences.

  The change in Wyatt himself was heart-warming too. He radiated happiness. Lainey said, ‘Is Penny here yet?’

  ‘She is.’ He turned and pointed. ‘Over there with the new boyfriend, talking to Mom.’

  ‘Ooh, what’s he like?’

  ‘Name’s Tim, lives in Kidderminster and he’s a geography teacher. Luckily, he doesn’t look like one.’ Wyatt nodded genially. ‘Couldn’t have chosen a better guy myself. I approve.’

  Later, Bill and Biddy took Seth and Lainey on a tour of the chateau. In its previous incarnation, shabby chic had been the order of the day, but the absolute fortune ploughed into it by the Hilstantons had brought the place up to five-star standard. Each room was gleaming, spotless and perfect. Sumptuous furnishings and painstakingly restored architectural details dazzled the eye at every turn. There were flower arrangements the size of trees.

  ‘You have to see the brochures.’ The couple were like proud parents. ‘So glossy. And you won’t believe the enquiries we’ve been getting. Elton John’s already booked the place for a week in September. Oh, and you can’t imagine how blissful it is when anything expensive goes wrong. All we have to do is find the best local tradesmen and let Mr Hilstanton know, and he pays them to fix it!’

  Tonight a lavish party was being thrown to celebrate the reopening of the chateau. Guests were arriving from all over. The Hilstantons had invited Lainey and Seth, Majella and Dan, and Penny and her geography teacher to join them for the event. India and Violet were back in St Carys, revising for their imminent A levels and looking after Harry and the animals. Richard had been invited too, but was over in LA, filming a cameo appearance in an upcoming big-budget superhero movie, and had taken Nerys along with him as his PA in order to show her the city where he’d met her mother.

  Upstairs in their suite on the third floor, Lainey boggled at the phone in her hand. ‘We never had superfast Wi-Fi in our day. This is fantastic. I’m going to send the girls that video of us in the helicopter— Oh!’ Her phone went ting as a text arrived.

  ‘Who’s that? Not work, I hope,’ said Seth.

  Work was something else that had changed over the course of the last six months. Lainey had begun helping Seth with Faulkner Travel whilst Majella scaled back in order to spend more time with Dan. Lainey was the one who’d come up with the idea of expanding into activity holidays for single-parent families, and bookings had taken off like a rocket.

  But no, she saw the name on the screen and breathed a sigh of relief. ‘It’s Dawn. Apparently the contractions have started, her waters have just broken and she’s on her way to the hospital, all systems go.’

  She swiftly texted back: Wow, good luck! And then smiled, because the friendship that had developed between Dawn and herself had been as nice as it was unexpected. Dawn’s whirlwind romance with Niall might only have lasted a few weeks before he’d revealed his true colours, but it had nevertheless had the desired result. A week after discovering his devious skinflint ways and giving him the boot, she’d discovered she was pregnant. With no regrets whatsoever, she had begun to prepare with characteristic efficiency for single parenthood. As she’d explained to Lainey when they’d run into each other on the beach shortly after Niall’s departure, men were fickle creatures who could come and go, but a baby was for life. She had let Niall know the state of play; he couldn’t have been less interested, and that was absolutely fine by her. From now on, becoming a mother was all that mattered. Lainey had found herself admiring her honesty and can-do attitude.

  ‘Come and look at this.’ Seth beckoned her over to join him at the window.

  ‘Dawn’s about to have the baby.’

  ‘So I gathered. I’m sure she’ll be brilliant at it.’ Seth was less interested in hearing the details of Dawn’s labour than Lainey was. He slid his arm around her waist and pointed out of the window at the group of three people below. ‘Isn’t this great? Something else that’s changed in the last year.’

  Lainey leaned against him and smiled. ‘Just so you know, I’m planning on taking all the credit for that happy ending too.’

  On the freshly mown lawn below, his mother was proving unstoppable, shouting orders like a sergeant major, taking endless photos and showing no signs of giving up any time soon.

  ‘Now turn your head a little to the left, honey, that’s right . . . Rest your right hand on the back of the chair and smile . . . No, not that much!’

  Wyatt was doing his best to obey orders, but really, how could he not smile this much when he was bursting with happiness? After so many years of trying to please his parents and get on with living a life that didn’t come naturally, what a relief it had been to discover how blissfully easy it was to be his true self. It was as if the pieces of an impossible-to-complete jigsaw had morphed into new shapes, leaving everything fitting and feeling right at last.

  He said, ‘Mom, have you taken enough now?’ because she was still darting around like a studio photographer. ‘You’ve got plenty.’

  ‘Just a few more, honey. Now turn to face each other and look into each other’s eyes. I need you both in profile.’

  This was no hardship. Wyatt turned and did as he was told.

  ‘Don’t worry, it’ll be over soon,’ Kit murmured, struggling to keep a straight face.

  ‘C’mon, you two, stop talking. I want a really great one to go on Instagram.’

  Amused, Wyatt said, ‘Don’t tell me, Charlene had one of Ricky and his boyfriend on hers and you want yours to be better.’

  ‘And why not? You and Kit are better! Now just let me do this . . . Place your left hand on Kit’s hip . . . Oh yes, that’s it, that’s perfect.’

  Who could have imagined that his mother would have become his greatest cheerleader? Against all expectations, and probably at least in part because of the long-standing rivalry between herself and Charlene, she had embraced his sexuality with enthusiasm. His b
rothers had teased him, of course, because they were his brothers and that was what they’d always done, but there had been acceptance too. And when over Christmas his friendship with Kit had grown and eventually blossomed into a relationship, it had felt like a miracle to both of them, a dream come true. Kit had worried at first that being so newly gay, Wyatt should really be getting out and about, widening his social circle and gaining experience. But Wyatt wasn’t like that, had never been that kind of operator. A relationship with someone he cared for was what he craved, far and away above casual dates and meaningless sex.

  Which was nice, because that was how Kit felt too.

  Even better, upon meeting Kit’s mother early in the new year, they’d got on wonderfully well together, and then his own mom had pretty much fallen in love with Kit from the word go.

  ‘These are great.’ Finished at last, she scrolled through the dozens of photos, then, eyes shining, darted between the two of them and cried, ‘Now a selfie of the three of us! Oh my beautiful boys, aren’t we having the best time? This is one of the happiest days of my life!’

  Chapter 48

  It was midnight and the party had ended, following a firework display that had lit up the sky with dazzling chrysanthemum bursts of colour choreographed to accompany Stravinsky’s Firebird.

  It had been truly spectacular; even the local dignitaries had been impressed.

  Seth listened to the murmur of voices in the distance as doors closed, limousines departed and those guests staying overnight made their way upstairs to their bedrooms. Now it was just the two of them left outside, gazing up at the star-studded sky and listening to the sound of crickets chirruping in the grass nearby.

  Lainey, lying next to him on one of the garden sofas with her head resting on his chest, said, ‘I could stay out here for ever.’

  He stroked her hair. ‘We don’t have to go in.’

  ‘But I want to go in.’ Sitting up, she rolled over and rose to her feet.

  ‘What are you doing?’ As he asked the question, she was already lifting her strappy oyster silk dress over her head in one smooth movement.

  ‘I want to go in to the pool.’ Standing there in her pale pink bra and knickers, she wiggled her bare toes and dropped the dress to the ground.

  ‘You’re mad. That water’s cold.’ Wyatt’s parents had taken the decision not to heat it just yet, in order to dissuade partygoers from jumping in.

  Lainey’s eyes sparkled. ‘So maybe you should come in and warm me up.’

  Seth watched as she made her way over to the pool, glowing iridescent turquoise thanks to the underwater lighting, and dived in. She swam a full length underwater like a mermaid, before coming up for air at the far end, slicking back her hair and bursting out laughing at the look on his face.

  ‘Is it very cold?’

  ‘Nooo!’

  Seth bent over at the side of the pool, testing the temperature. ‘I think you’re lying to me.’

  ‘I would never do that.’

  ‘You’ll be even colder when you get out.’

  ‘Hey, you two!’ In the upper reaches of the chateau, a window had been flung open and Majella’s head popped out. ‘You’re completely mad.’

  ‘She’s mad.’ Seth shook his head, pointing to Lainey. ‘I’m the sensible one.’

  ‘Here, have these.’ There was movement behind the window, then two white towelling robes came tumbling down like dancing ghosts.

  ‘Enabler,’ said Seth.

  Majella gave him a cheery wave. ‘Night!’

  He collected the robes, then returned to the side of the pool.

  ‘Help, help,’ whispered Lainey, beckoning. ‘I’m drowning. You need to rescue me.’

  Seth gazed down at this woman whom he loved beyond measure, more than he’d ever imagined possible. Over the last year, those feelings had only deepened; when he wasn’t with her, his mind was able to conjure up a mosaic of images that never failed to fill his heart . . .

  Lainey dancing in and out of the surf with the dogs along Menhenick Beach, doubling up with laughter in the kitchen at one of Richard’s outrageous comments, putting on an impromptu puppet show with a crab and a king prawn to entertain Grace’s boys, taking part in a piggyback race along the sand with Harry bouncing along like a jockey on her back . . .

  Oh, there were so many unforgettable snapshot moments. And hopefully a million more to come.

  Seth stripped off and dived in.

  Fuck, it was freezing.

  When he reached Lainey, her teeth were chattering. She wrapped her icy arms around his neck and murmured, ‘My hero, you came to rescue me.’

  But in reality, she was the one who’d rescued him, and he knew how lucky he was. In every way. He kissed her on the mouth, which was cold on the outside but warm on the inside. Her body was pressed against his and her hair was fanned out around her in the illuminated water. Anyone looking out of the window would have a clear view of them.

  ‘Come on, we need to warm up.’ He disentangled himself. ‘Let’s swim.’

  And for the next ten minutes they did, chasing each other up and down the pool, splashing, twisting, turning and raising their body temperatures by a much-needed couple of degrees before climbing out of the water and wrapping themselves in the thick towelling robes.

  Lainey was squeezing water from her hair, her teeth still chattering like castanets. ‘See?’ She grinned at him. ‘Wasn’t that fun? Don’t you just feel more alive?’

  Her sparkling eyes, those wet lashes clumped together, that incorrigible joie de vivre . . .

  ‘Are you going to marry me?’ said Seth.

  She had been laughing and shivering; now she abruptly stopped. ‘I don’t know. Are you going to ask me?’

  ‘Well, you’re the only woman I’m going to love for the rest of my life. You’ve ruined me for anyone else. And you make me a better person. So yes.’ He clasped her icy hands in his and drew her against him. ‘I am asking, and really hoping you’re planning on saying yes.’

  Lainey gazed up at him, eyes wide.

  After several seconds, Seth cleared his throat. ‘I can’t help noticing you haven’t said anything yet.’

  ‘Shh.’ A flicker of a smile. ‘I’m fixing this moment in my mind so I never forget it.’

  The crickets were still chirping around the pool. Overhead, the stars continued to shine.

  ‘It’s actually been quite a few moments now.’

  ‘Has it?’ The smile spread across Lainey’s face. ‘In that case, I’d better say yes before you change your mind.’

  ‘Good choice. Now come here.’ He kissed her again, aware of the pulse beating at the base of her throat, matching the beat of his own heart. ‘I love you.’

  ‘I love you too.’

  ‘Love you more.’ He paused. ‘I haven’t bought you a ring.’

  ‘You absolute cheapskate.’

  ‘I was going to buy one and wrap it up in a hankie, then slip it into your pocket, but . . .’

  ‘I know. I might have thrown it away, never to be seen again.’

  ‘And I thought we should choose one together. So you end up with one you’ll be happy to wear.’

  ‘That’s a better idea.’

  ‘Majella thought of it.’

  ‘I love your family,’ said Lainey.

  ‘They’re going to be your family too, before long. You’re still shivering,’ said Seth.

  ‘Still waiting for you to warm me up.’

  He took her hand. ‘I think it’s time we went inside.’

  ‘What are we going to do when we get inside?’ Lainey slid her arm around his waist and leaned against him.

  ‘Celebrate,’ said Seth.

  If you loved IT STARTED WITH A SECRET, don’t miss Jill Mansell’s deliciously funny Sunday Times bestseller . . .

  Get your copy now!

  Turn the page to read the opening chapters of MAYBE THIS TIME . . .

  Chapter 1

  So this was it then, the countryside. Wel
l, there had been a few previous rural encounters over the years, but to a lesser degree. Whereas this definitely ranked as up close and personal.

  Feeling intrepid, Mimi stepped down from the train and breathed in the mingled green scents of spring grass, new leaves, damp earth and the smallest hint of cow poo, presumably drifting across from the field visible through the lattice of trees on the other side of the track. A couple of black and white cows lazily lifted their heads in order to observe the train as it departed, before swishing their tails and returning their attention to the serious business of tearing up clumps of grass.

  It had to be the world’s tiniest station, very cute indeed, comprising a single track dotted with wild flowers and weeds, and a small stone shelter. It would probably faint if it ever saw the gigantic edifice that was Paddington. Making her way towards the rickety metal gate, Mimi realised she’d made a fundamental error in having assumed there’d be a friendly local taxi driver outside to be of service.

  The only other passenger to have disembarked, a sixty-something woman in a brown tartan skirt and brutally sensible lace-up shoes, said, ‘Excuse me,’ in a pained way, probably because Mimi was hesitating in front of the gate.

  ‘Oh, sorry! It’s just . . . I thought there’d be a taxi rank.’

  The woman’s eyebrows lifted. ‘Seriously?’

  ‘I’ve just come down from London,’ Mimi explained. ‘I mean, I knew this station would be small, but I didn’t realise it wouldn’t have . . . anything here at all.’

  ‘Well, it doesn’t. You live and learn.’

  Helpful. Mimi tried again. ‘OK, could you point me in the direction of the bus stop?’

  The woman was now looking at her as if she’d landed from Mars. ‘There isn’t a bus stop. Because there aren’t any buses.’

  What?

  ‘But that’s just crazy. How am I supposed to get to where I want to go?’

  Mrs Tartan Kilt took out her car keys and said impatiently, ‘Where are you headed?’

  Oh thank goodness. Mimi beamed with relief. ‘Goosebrook.’

  ‘Well in that case you need to turn left at the end of the lane, then just keep on going. Follow the signposts.’