Once Upon a Winter: A totally perfect festive romantic comedy

by Tilly Tennant

  Whether he had heard or not Hannah couldn’t know, but Gina didn’t miss a beat, delivering her piece de resistance, an Oscar winning performance if ever she’d heard one.

  ‘My God!’ she yelped. ‘You have someone in there with you! You’re just going to let him burn while you stand and argue with me!’

  She pushed past Martine to shout at Graham in the house, ‘Sir! You need to get out of the house right now, it’s on fire!’

  It could have been that Graham was more gullible than Martine, or that he had a shorter fuse. Either way, moments later he joined the fray.

  ‘What the hell!’ he boomed. ‘What the fuck are you talking about?’

  ‘Come and see, come and see,’ Gina urged, moving towards Hannah.

  ‘No!’ he growled. ‘Get away from here you mad cow!’

  Gina shouted, ‘IT’S NOW OR NEVER, HAN!’ and Hannah took her cue.

  Dashing from her hiding place, she took in Martine standing in a dressing gown, make up thick and vampish, hair that must have begun the evening in an elegant updo now dishevelled, and an expression on her face that bordered on psychopathic. Graham was still standing in the shadows of the doorway, so Hannah couldn’t quite figure out what state of undress he was in. The way Martine looked would perhaps be evidence enough, so she took her chance, aimed her phone to get them both in shot as best she could and hit the camera button. The flash popped, blasting the gloom into daylight, just for a second.

  ‘You little bitch!’ Martine hissed and, forsaking any thought of Gina, charged down the path after Hannah, who was already running.

  Hannah could only hope that Gina was following, and hoped her sister could run faster than Martine, because it might get very sticky if Martine made it back to Hannah’s car before Gina did. She glanced back to see where Gina was, and clapped eyes on Graham instead, also thundering down the driveway in pursuit.

  Around the corner Hannah fumbled with her car key before she finally managed to get the door open and throw herself in. Just as Martine arrived, close behind, she popped the lock down to stop her getting in. Martine hammered at the window as Hannah tried to catch her breath and calm her thundering heart. She looked past Martine for any sign of Gina, but her sister was nowhere to be seen. Graham, it seemed, had come to his senses and looped his arms around Martine to lead her back to the house so that they didn’t make any more of a scene than they already had. Hannah turned the key and the engine roared into life. Never had she been so relieved to hear it start first time.

  A few streets on and Hannah spotted Gina striding along the pavement, head down and making hasty progress. Hannah pulled alongside her and wound the window down.

  ‘Need a lift?’ She grinned.

  Gina’s face split into a grin too. She skipped around to the passenger side and slid in. ‘That was brilliant!’ she said. ‘Best fun I’ve had in ages!’

  Hannah was still shaking, but she was also buzzing, and she didn’t really know why. She had never felt as alive as she did at that moment. It was the adrenaline, perhaps, the sense of rebellion she had suppressed for so long that had suddenly been set free. Whatever it was, it made her feel like she could run a marathon, or cliff dive, or fight an army.

  ‘I can’t believe they ran out!’ Gina laughed.

  ‘Me neither. You must have really riled him. God, your performance was amazing. Even I was convinced the house was burning down!’

  ‘Did you get a photo?’

  ‘I think so. It wasn’t as clear as I’d have liked but I think it’s enough.’

  ‘I’d call that a good night’s work then.’ Gina smiled, settling back into her seat and closing her eyes.

  ‘You’re tired,’ Hannah said, the mood sobering a little now.

  ‘Yeah. It’s all this running backwards and forwards from Birmingham taking its toll. I don’t think I can do it for much longer at this pace.’

  ‘I can imagine. It will be easier once you’re back here, and it looks as though that won’t be too much longer. Both you and Jess can settle into a new routine and things will be back to normal.’

  ‘At least Chris is still happy to sell me that house as we agreed. It’s very sweet of him and a great load off my mind.’

  ‘Yes, considering that he could have been a lot more upset about Mitchell, it is good of him. I still don’t know exactly what I think about the things he told me about Mitchell, though.’

  ‘I thought we’d decided that was all Graham’s doing?’

  ‘But what if Mitchell isn’t quite the man I think he is? I haven’t known him long and people show more of themselves over time.’

  ‘What is your gut instinct telling you?’

  ‘We’re not relying on my unreliable heart again, are we?’ Hannah gave a wry smile.

  ‘Why can’t you trust it?’

  Hannah shrugged.

  Gina opened her eyes and looked across at her. ‘Trust it. If you feel he’s a good man, then I don’t think you’ll be far wrong.’

  Hannah was silent as she mulled over Gina’s words. In her heart she felt it, but could she trust her heart? He was married to Martine, and she was about as horrible and ruthless as it got. Did birds of a feather flock together? Had he been drawn to Martine because he was really a little bit like her? Or had he been duped too? And Hannah had trusted Jason, but look where that had got her. She wanted to be comforted by Gina’s assertion, but it wasn’t as simple as that.

  It wasn’t easy, waiting. Not when she had so much to tell him. Hannah paced the floor of her living room, wandering into the front room to peer out of the window, and then back again. Checking her hair in the mirror for the fifth time, she let out a sigh. He had said twenty minutes, but that was half an hour ago. Where was he? Had Martine got there first? Had she told him her version of events? On reflection, Hannah realised that the incident at Martine’s house that night wasn’t going to show her in a very good light. So while it had been exhilarating at first, she was now filled with a sense of doubt and even dread over the outcome of her little shenanigan.

  Gina had gone off to take Trixie out for George. To calm her down, she had said, denying that she intended to walk anywhere near Holly Farm. Hannah knew her better than that, but whatever plan she had concocted with Ross was none of Hannah’s business. By Sunday, it would all be out in the open anyway, for better or worse. Once it was, it had to be less complicated and grubby than Hannah’s situation felt right now. Although the intention behind it was good, what she was about to do wasn’t very nice. At least, it didn’t feel like the sort of thing that nice people did.

  There was a knock and she ran for the door. Mitchell stood on the step, but there was no smile to greet her.

  ‘Hey,’ she said, but he looked at her as though he didn’t know her. Martine had obviously wasted no time putting him in the picture – at least, the bits that suited her. Of course she had, because she had her back against the wall and she had to come out fighting whether she survived or not.

  ‘Hannah…’ he said, his voice low and urgent as he stepped in. ‘What have you done?’

  ‘Martine’s called you.’ It was a statement, because Hannah already knew the answer and he knew she did. She was beginning to wish that she’d told him what had happened, but it hadn’t seemed like the sort of thing to share over the phone. It would have been more painful, but a ruthless text including a photo might have been safer. Now she had her back against the wall, already in the wrong before they had spoken a word to each other.

  ‘She told me you and your sister have been dicking around her house like a couple of adolescents.’

  ‘And did she tell you that Graham was in there with her?’

  ‘He’s often there. He’s been a support for Martine as much as he has for me through all this.’

  ‘Damn right there.’

  ‘What does that mean?’

  ‘Look, I don’t know what Martine’s told you, but don’t you think it’s odd that he’s there so often? Hasn’t it once struck yo
u that something else might be going on?’

  ‘What are you trying to say, Hannah? He’s been a good friend to us both over the years.’

  Hannah rolled her eyes. ‘Jesus, Mitchell, open your bloody eyes! They came to the door tonight wearing dressing gowns and little else. Your good friend has been having sex with your wife!’

  Mitchell clenched his jaw. Hannah’s eyes flicked to his hands curling into fists at his sides. He stared at her.

  ‘Say something,’ she demanded. She’d gone too far and she knew it but she didn’t care anymore. It was time he accepted what she knew he had been trying to deny. ‘Say something,’ she repeated. ‘Try and defend them now.’

  He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. ‘Why are you doing this?’

  ‘Doing what?’

  ‘This…’ He wafted his arms up and down her length. ‘You and Martine! Why are you so hung up about what she’s doing?’

  ‘Martine admitted to having an affair; don’t you want to know who it’s with?’

  ‘No…’ He shook his head, and his body suddenly seemed to sag. His tone was quieter now, less assured. ‘It wouldn’t be Graham.’

  Hannah hated what she did next. She unlocked her phone and held it up. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said quietly. The picture of the man Mitchell had called friend, standing with his wife in the doorway of his marital home, must be cruelly painful.

  ‘There could be an explanation for that,’ Mitchell replied, but he sounded as unconvinced as Hannah was. He looked as though he’d had all the air punched out of him and then been kicked in the balls just to make sure he stayed down. He let out a huge sigh and looked up at her. ‘Why?’

  Hannah didn’t know what to say. She felt like the worst person who’d ever lived. Why had she found this exhilarating, even for a second? ‘I didn’t mean to cause any harm; I just wanted –’

  ‘I didn’t mean you,’ he cut in. ‘Why did they do this to me? I never did anything but treat him as a friend and equal; I showed him respect, taught him all I knew about the business, took him into my confidence…’ He raised his eyes to the ceiling, and Hannah wondered if the emotion might just choke him. God knew she was barely keeping the tears at bay. ‘God!’ he groaned, ‘I told him everything about me and Martine – our problems, my fears… how they must have laughed. Mitchell Bond, the stupid, trusting twat. They must have thought I was such a dick.’

  The first tear slid down her cheek, and Hannah wiped it hastily away. Mitchell was the one who’d been hurt here, and she had no right to cry. ‘I’m sorry you had to find out like this,’ she said.

  ‘I suppose a bit of me knew,’ he said. ‘I didn’t want to believe it. In a way his betrayal hurts more than Martine’s and I didn’t have the strength to face it. I always knew that, deep down, she had the capacity to be that cruel, even when we were first married, but I loved her and I was enthralled by her – she was so glamorous, so driven, so intelligent and beautiful – totally out of my league and yet she chose me and I couldn’t believe my luck. But Graham… I thought he was my friend. I thought we were the same…’

  He dropped into a seat. Hannah sat beside him and stared into the fire. She wanted to reach for him, take him in her arms and kiss him and tell him it would all be okay. But the void between them felt vast and she couldn’t reach across it. There was so much more of the story to tell him, and he needed to hear it. But should it be now, hot on the heels of this shock? And did he need to hear it from Hannah? She felt sick at the thought of sharing the rest of Graham’s betrayal, but she knew that neither Graham nor Martine would come clean any time soon. Mitchell had a right to know, and he needed to protect his company, probably the only thing he had left now that meant anything to him. Hannah had a duty to tell him, but also to choose carefully how the story came out.

  ‘There’s something else, I’m afraid. Gina looked at a house today in Millrise. It was being sold by Graham.’

  Mitchell looked at her but his eyes were vacant.

  ‘I’m right in thinking that Bond Construction doesn’t deal in residential properties, aren’t I?’

  ‘We never have and I doubt we ever will.’

  ‘So it’s not a new direction that the company’s going in under Graham’s leadership?’

  Mitchell shook his head. ‘I am still in charge, even if I’m not in the office; he would have had to run it past me and I’d have said no. I’m surprised Graham has got involved in anything like that; we always agreed that it was too much hassle for too little profit. That’s why the company concentrated on bigger projects.’

  ‘The vendor of this house was definitely Graham.’

  Mitchell gave a vague shrug. ‘I suppose he needs to make a little pocket money now to keep Martine in fur knickers,’ he said in a dull voice. ‘It’s not really my concern what he does away from the company.’

  ‘Only… he’s selling more than one and I think he’s buying them at auction through your company.’

  Hannah waited. It was going to prise the wound open a little more, but she’d told him everything now and it was up to Mitchell to decide what to do next. It wasn’t the way she had wanted to share this news and she’d have preferred to be certain she was right first, but her hand had been forced.

  ‘Impossible,’ he said. ‘I’d know.’

  ‘Not necessarily. You’ve trusted him to do so much that it’s not such a stretch of the imagination, is it? He could easily be creaming off funds to buy places, and then sell on and pocket the profits before you’d even seen the money leave your account. I don’t know whether the initial funds are going back into the pot each time, but even if it’s not strictly illegal, or he’s only borrowing it, it’s still massively taking the piss.’

  ‘Buying and selling houses is a lengthy process. He’d know that I’d find out before it all had time to go through.’

  ‘Would you? Perhaps you wouldn’t see anything going on unless you were looking for it? He’s counting on your trust to play you.’

  Mitchell was silent for a moment. Hannah could see his jaw working in the firelight; clenching and grinding as he mulled things over. ‘It looks as if he’s getting quite good at it,’ he said finally.

  ‘Do you believe me?’

  ‘I don’t know what to believe anymore. But I believe in you. I know that you wouldn’t say any of this unless you had a damn good reason.’

  ‘I hate being the one to tell you. It feels like I’m deliberately trying to screw you over and I swear I’m not.’

  He reached for her and pulled her close, kissing the top of her head. ‘Throughout all this you’re the only person who hasn’t been trying to screw me over. You’re the only one who has truly cared for me.’

  Hannah was moved by a rush of love for him, so strong, so fierce it burned. But her heart ached for his sadness. If she could have absorbed it all for him, taken it into her own heart and kept it there, she would have done without a second thought.

  ‘What’s next?’ she asked.

  ‘I need to go through the books to find out for sure what’s going on.’ He was quiet for a moment as he held her, breathing in the scent of her hair. Finally, he spoke again. ‘Does he know that you know about the house? Does he know Gina? Who else knows? How on earth did you find out?’

  ‘Whoa there. That’s a lot of questions and none of them have simple answers. You might want me to open a bottle of something first.’

  ‘I might. But right now I’d love it if you could just hold me. I think I could do with some of your healing power.’

  ‘I doubt that. I seem to get people in a tizzy mostly, but not much else.’

  ‘I don’t think you realise the effect you have on people. You’re the kindest, sweetest, most genuine soul I know. I’m just sorry that I didn’t meet you years ago; we could have had a great life together.’

  ‘You make it sound like you’re about to croak,’ Hannah smiled. ‘We can still have a great life together. Why don’t we start right now?’

&nb
sp; The Sunday had arrived. Gina had taken to calling it this, although the way it dominated their thoughts, it hardly needed accentuating. Right now, Gina was in the passenger seat of Hannah’s car, trying valiantly to listen to Hannah fill her in on the latest developments in the Martine/Graham/Mitchell saga, but Hannah had to wonder just how much of it was going in.

  ‘Mitchell had his accountant go through everything and he found the discrepancies without much effort,’ she continued. ‘I think Mitchell was more amazed by Graham’s arrogance than the actual crime; he didn’t even try to hide the transactions, he just assumed that Mitchell was so out of the loop he wouldn’t find out…’ Hannah glanced across at her sister. ‘Gina?’

  ‘Yeah, I’m listening.’

  ‘I’m sorry. I bet you’re stressed enough without listening to me blab on.’

  ‘It’s fine. It’s helping to take my mind off how much Briony is going to hate me by five o’clock.’

  ‘She won’t hate you.’ Hannah gave her an encouraging smile. ‘She’s half in love with you already after our last visit. They might be a bit surprised at first but I think they’ll be fine.’

  ‘I hope you’re right. So go on, tell me about the rest of what Mitchell found out.’

  ‘That’s it, really. He confronted Graham about it, who tried to deny it all, of course, but then shat himself when Mitchell told him he had evidence. Obviously Mitchell told him he knew about the affair with Martine too. Graham was a bit cockier about that, until Mitchell reminded him of the photo I took that night we caught them out. So I guess he’s well and truly screwed.’

  ‘Is Mitchell going to get the police involved? Graham has basically committed fraud.’

  ‘I don’t think he’s worked it all out yet. I think he’s still getting his head around how the two people he trusted most in the world could do this to him.’

  ‘What now then?’

  ‘He’ll cite Graham in divorce proceedings and then he’ll be free of them both for good.’

  ‘Leaving you happy ever after,’ Gina smiled.

  ‘I don’t know about that.’