Darcey didn’t know what to say but she sure knew what she was feeling: giddy. Nathan continued, ”You’re funny and your honesty is so refreshing. Anyway, before I embarrass you any further, what time shall I pick you up and where?”
Darcey gave her address and meet up time. “Hey, Nathan, I hope you don’t think this is something more than--”
“Darcey, I know what you mean. You need me there, as a friend, I’m your ‘undate’. I will be sure to remember that.” His response was that of people who cold called for a living. But Darcey was too tired to think.
“Nathan, thank you, really. See you tomorrow. Good night.”
“Good night, Miss Vaughn.”
Chapter 10
The drive to Surrey didn’t take much time, especially since Darcey enjoyed her Nathan’s company. The conversation between them flowed like fine wine.
"Oh we're half there. Oh-oh, living on a prayer!” Nathan screamed at the top of his lungs and laughed.
“Why, Nathan, I didn't realise you’re a frustrated boy-band member?"
Nathan shot her a look and warned, "May I remind you you’re indebted to me and insulting my talents really makes me want to do a U-turn and head back home.”
She smiled at him, mock astonishment on her face.
He asked, “A penny for your thoughts?”
“You mean pence?” Darcey chuckled.
“I was just in America,” he said in a Yankee accent.
“I never thought…I mean…Alright, alright, apart from Mick Jagger, you have the best sounding voice in all of England,” she teased him, loving his reactions. That wasn’t exactly what she wanted to say but Darcey didn’t realize how laid-back Nathan could be. Sure, he drove a BMW, was dressed in a preppy cashmere sweater and had polished shoes on. Yes, he looked like he just stepped out of a billboard designed by Marc Jacobs.
The drive to her grandparent's estate was relaxing. The view sublime with vast fields that had dried down from the changing seas. Golden leaves trickled down from the handsome ancient trees and the blue skies were breathtaking. They passed through quaint English villages and old churches, Tudor homes and herds of sheep. It made Darcey smile to see a black sheep.
"A pound for your thoughts?" Nathan grinned at her.
She pointed to a lone black sheep. "It's a black sheep. They always bring a smile to my face. Don't you think that they're overlooked because of their odd colour? Don't you think society is too prejudiced when it comes to accepting what’s different? Maybe if people saw things from the black sheep's point of view they might see that the world isn't always cut for everyone's ideal size, colour or philosophy in life."
There was a comfortable pause. Nathan cleared his throat. "I think the black sheep is a thing of beauty. It’s unique and rare in this wide world full of white sheep. Maybe it just needs to stop living up to everyone else’s expectations. Maybe it needs to leave the herd. Maybe there’s a lot more to life than trying to fit in.”
His words lingered in her mind. They stopped talking about black sheep and drove in more comfortable silence to her grandfather’s estate. Unlike the more famous and expensive English manors with their manicured gardens, Darcey’s grandfather's estate was huge yet it didn’t have coldness and a stately manner to it. The first things that greeted them at the estate were apple trees, plum trees and a small fountain.
During spring, her grandma's gardens would be in full bloom and it was always a delight to see the flowers. Darcey played in the gardens as a child, catching bugs and pretending to be a flower fairy. Her grandmother personally tended to the plants and had an area filled with orchids. Tulips were always the family's favourites, however. When these buds were in bloom, the sight was breathtaking, transporting the viewer to the Dutch countryside. Yellow, red, dark violet and the occasional orange tulips created a spectacular view.
“I used to catch lady bugs over there. And spiders.” Her eyes grew big, giving her the expression of an excited five-year-old. She excitedly told Nathan about her childhood memories.
She began telling him about her family. “My mother has three brothers and two sisters and they all live around the world. Two of them will be joining us and a few of my cousins as well. Bruno’s an extremely intelligent cousin who’s a doctor in London. Would you believe he was part of a cancer research that made him famous in the field of cancer research? He’ll probably be awarded a Nobel Prize.” She couldn’t help but brag about her beloved cousin.
She went on, ”He’s married to an interior decorator, Zoe, and they live in Wandsworth with their two children Bryan and Belle. Belle’s a newborn. Then there’s my favourite cousin, Daniel. He’s an actor in the West End and--don’t quote me on this--is still very much hidden in the closet. How his parents don’t realise this is beyond me.”
Nathan turned to look at her, an amused smile on his face. He was clearly enjoying her company. Darcey returned his smile and continued,” Daniel’s been showing signs since puberty but his parents seem to just play blind to his sexuality. Well, he knows we’ll all love him no matter what so I don’t know why he has to pretend. Oh, and then there’s Emma, another cousin. She’s married to an MP from Wales and they live there with three boys.”
Darcey swallowed, suddenly nervous that she was making things anxious for Nathan. “When we have family gatherings it could be really a circus but don’t worry--today we’ll be spending time with just Bruno and his wife, his mom Gertrude, Uncle Robert, my cousin Gemma and her husband Nigel, plus their daughter Abigail--who has the most adorable strawberry blonde curls. Oh and Aunt Darcey, she’s the designated nanny while everyone else has adult conversations.”
Nathan laughed. Darcey couldn’t believe how beautiful his laughter sounded. “Don’t worry about me, Darcey. I think I can manage your family. If they’re anything like you, I’m sure I’ll enjoy their company tremendously.”
When they finally arrived at their destination, Nathan parked his car, turned the engine off and got out to open the door for Darcey. His good manners didn’t go unnoticed. She thought they were most probably part of his boarding school education. No doubt his looks made him really popular with the ladies.
Darcey, stop it. She had to reprimand herself, reminding herself not to think of this day as anything romantic.
Nathan offered his hand and she took it. She straightened her black dress and grabbed the gift for grandpa—a bottle of his favourite red plus a box of Godiva chocolates, another favourite.
She showed off the presents to Nathan. “Chocolates. Need I say more? They say I inherited grandfather's chocolate addiction. When I was kid I almost thought grandfather could be Willy Wonka because of his stash of chocolates from all over the world. Swiss, American, French, Belgian, Dutch, Japanese but his favourites were dark chocolate truffles.”
They walked towards the front door with Nathan scoping the house, appreciation evident in his eyes as he observed the architecture. The door opened as soon as they got to the front steps and Darcey’s beautiful grandmother stood there beaming.
She gave Darcey a warm hug and smothered her granddaughter’s face with kisses.
“My darling girl. Oh, how I missed you.” Grandma’s attention then turned towards the man beside Darcey.
“Grandmamma, this is Nathan. A friend.” Grandma looked at him kindly and pulled him closer, planting a kiss on both cheeks. Nathan looked pleasantly surprised.
“Nathan, I’m so happy to meet you. We were excited to see who Darcey would bring today and she didn’t disappoint.” Grandma was obviously teasing and Nathan looked happy.
“Come inside, everyone is waiting.” Grandmother noticed the package Darcey was holding. "And that is for my Jules, isn't it? Is it dark truffles?” Grandma gave Darcey a conspiratorial grin.
Jules, Darcey’s grandfather, appeared by the door. He had gun-metal hair with a face that held wisdom from the years. A smile of contentment was plastered on his face. “Darcey, my darling. And you are…” Darcey’s grandfather gave
Nathan a serious look, the same look a police officer gives a suspect. The older man suddenly broke out a smile.
Nathan bravely offered a hand. “Nathan Cromwell. Happy Birthday, sir.” Nathan handed him a small box. Darcey was surprised. She didn’t realize Nathan got something for her grandfather.
The birthday boy took the gift from the younger man and thanked Nathan, giving him a hug. Darcey felt a warm tug inside. Her grandfather made it look like Nathan was part of the family. Darcey could see that her handsome un-date wasn’t used to being hugged or kissed in public. She remembered him talking about how he was raised by his nanny, how rarely he saw his family, thanks to life in boarding school. Darcey remembered Nathan telling her the story of his grandparents’ death when he was a young boy, their passing took away his chances of knowing them.
She felt sadness sweeping through her. Who would have thought that a man who appeared so confident could be so vulnerable during a family get-together?
“Come in. It's freezing out here,” Grandpa Vaughn said.
“Happy Birthday Grandpa.” Darcey gave him a big hug and a kiss on the cheeks before handing him his favourite wine and chocolates, along with another box wrapped in beautiful paper.
“Oh Darcey. You know how to make me happy.” Grandpa Vaughn looked teary eyed. Despite his silver thinning hair and the wrinkles on his face, her grandfather looked dashing in his cashmere plum-coloured jumper and brown trousers.
He motioned for everyone to get inside. The house was about three hundred years old and had been in the family since the first wave of Darcey’s ancestors built the home with oak wood. Even with a reasonable amount of renovation over the years, it still had that magnificent Tudor feel to it.
While the house boasted a new roof, the guesthouse kept the original thatched roofing. The upper levels were bigger than the ground floor and were designed to be overhang. The casement windows made of bricks and the interior design was quintessentially English. The carpets belonged to Darcey’s grandmother, inherited heirlooms from grandma’s own mother. The cabinets held exquisite Wedgewood and Royal Albert Porcelains along with crystal wine glasses and flutes that continued to be used for parties.
Once they walked inside the impressive home, they saw every expected guest had arrived. Nathan looked like he just walked inside a lion’s den, a nervous look upon his brow.
“Relax, Nathan, our family just isn’t used to seeing Darcey with a date,” Lucia whispered.
Sure enough, everyone held a look of surprise on their face. Daniel gave Darcey a thumbs up. She introduced Nathan. They all shook hands and welcomed him warmly, happy greetings and laughter were back in the air.
“This is a nice surprise.” Katherine, Darcey’s mother, walked in from the kitchen.
“Mother, this is Nathan Cromwell, a friend of mine.” She emphasized the word ‘friend’ as she could already see her mother calculating wedding expenses at the back of her mind. Or perhaps she was wondering what her future grandchildren would look like? “Nathan, my mother, Katherine.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Katherine.” Nathan held out a hand and Katherine gave him a kiss on each cheek. Nathan didn’t appear awkward at that point. Darcey was glad to see him relax.
Her uncle Robert offered Nathan a glass of wine and some hor d'oeuvres. The men pulled Nathan aside and Darcey heard them talk about sports. She wasn’t fooled by her family’s antics, however. They obviously wanted to grill Darcey’s new ‘friend’.
She shrugged as there was no secret to keep. Nathan was her friend, no matter how handsome or charming he was, no matter how stronger the attraction she felt towards him grew as she spent more time with him.
Get a grip. There is no place for you in his world. Darcey scolded herself right before walking over to cousin Bruno, his wife Zoe and little Bryan.
"Hello, Bryan. Does Aunt Darcey get a hug?"
The cute child puckered his lips and Darcey bent down for a big hug and he slobbered her with kisses. Zoe and Bruno laughed.
“He really loves you, Darcey.” Bruno proceeded to tell her how little Bryan had been asking if Aunt Darcey was attending that day’s party. Darcey tickled the laughing little boy and put him down, her attention stolen by the sight of a baby bundled and held tightly by Zoe.
With careful hesitation, Darcey asked, "May I?"
“Of course.” Zoe carefully placed the babe in Darcey’s arms and the happy aunt got a whiff of the sweet scent of milk and baby powder. Baby Bella whimpered just a tad but didn't cry. Darcey cradled the newborn ever so gently in her arms. “Hello there, precious angel.”
Bella involuntarily placed her head on one of Aunt Darcey’s shoulders. With a thumb, Darcey carefully stroked the baby’s soft head. She glanced at Bryan who was looking jealous and glaring. Darcey couldn’t help but let out a gentle laugh.
Bruno smiled at his cousin. “You’re a natural. If you love children that much, have a baby." Zoe nudged him, a mild look of annoyance on her face.
Someone quickly interrupted without reservation. “No, Uncle Bruno, Aunt Darcey needs a prince before she has a baby, unless a stork gives her one, but there’s a long waiting list.” The adults burst out laughing at five-year-old Abigail’s announcement.
Abigail was a bright girl who loved to talk, ready to give explanations about pretty much everything she deemed important.
Darcey by then was too preoccupied with Baby Bella and her family. She didn’t notice Nathan standing by one of the pillars nearby, a pillar that led to the drawing room. An amused look on Zoe’s face made Darcey turn around, catching Nathan looking back at her. His face was inscrutable, his eyes holding her own with so much depth in them.
In the short amount of time she had known him, she thought Nathan was someone who didn’t show emotions. His poker face was a sort of defence mechanism, perhaps. But there were times she witnessed a side of him that was gentle and warm.
Catching her by surprise, Nathan let out a sigh and his guarded grey eyes softened, unveiling admiration. Darcey swallowed and took a deep breath, holding little Bella closer to her chest. Nathan continued looking at her, leaning against the pillar with one hand in a pocket, looking very much like a posh male model.
This handsome gentleman was studying her and it gave her an uneasy feeling in her gut. His gaze had tickled the butterflies in her tummy before but, at that very moment, his eyes were sending electrifying shivers down her spine, tingles that spread to the tip of her toes. She looked away and pretended to laugh at Abigail’s stories.
*****
The luncheon was succulent. They had Wellington beef, roast chicken, honey-glazed gammon, sandwiches, pies that were both fruity and savoury. Plenty of wine were served, a fantastic drink selection that perfectly matched the meal.
When everyone had their fill and grandfather Vaughn blew out his birthday candles, they all moved into the drawing room to enjoy tea and biscuits with some sherry. The kids played with each other and Grandpa began opening presents.
He looked so happy as soon as he saw the gifts that everyone clearly selected with much care. There were grey cashmere socks from Zoe and Bruno, plus a red cable knit jumper and a new pair of gloves to match. Daniel, the cheeky cousin, gave grandpa funny boxers but made up for the quirky gift by adding a signed Rooney shirt.
“Oh you are such a kiss-ass," Bruno joked. "It doesn't work, bud. Darcey is Grump's favourite."
Daniel winked and replied, “Favourite granddaughter and I’m the favourite grandson.”
Then it was time for grandfather Vaughn to open Darcey’s presents. He smiled at the chocolates approvingly then he opened a card that was wrapped with a picture frame. Inside the frame was a photo of grandpa standing next to his horse, Sable. Darcey was on the saddle as a little girl. The picture was taken when she was seven, the same year her parents divorced. Her grandfather became her father figure ever since.
Grandpa looked at her with tears in his eyes and smiled. "Darcey, you sweet child. My birthday wish this year is t
hat someone will soon take my place as your favourite date.”
The comment wasn’t lost on any person in the room and a few of the guests cast Nathan a significant look.
Grandpa went on, “You deserve to be happy and you will one day make someone really happy, just like your grandma makes me." Darcey wanted to cry at her grandfather’s words.
Her granddad was indeed her favourite date. He used to make her hot chocolate with marshmallows on top when she felt sad as a child. During a heartbreak when she was eighteen, her grandfather took her to see a movie and eat lots of ice cream.
Grandpa Vaughn was the only family member who truly believed that writing was the career for Darcey and even paid for her college tuition, despite her mother refusing the help. During her gap year, he gave Darcey travel money. Luckily, none of her cousins seemed to be envious of the special attention she got. She would rather think they understood that she didn't have a father and since she once lived with her grandparents, it was only natural he held a soft spot for her in his heart. Deep down the cousins knew Grandfather Vaughn loved them all equally.
Be Mine This Christmas: A Lovers in London Book Page 9