Claudia grasped at the lab coat, water dripped from her wet gloves. ‘Do I look as if I’m in a party mood?’
‘You don’t have to be in a party mood, you just have to turn up.’ He sighed and then reached his hands towards her. ‘Give me a break, Claudia. It’s not just me, you know it isn’t.’
‘Don’t lay the whole of Wainford on me.’ She then thought for a moment. Natalie’s behaviour was bitchy. She must have known how important it was to Fraser and Tony. She clearly timed it to jerk Fraser’s chain. Although it was tame by comparison, it was akin to her mother’s tactics, and Claudia felt a strange compulsion to make Natalie’s actions ineffective. She looked at Fraser. His face was expectant, his body language willing her to answer. ‘I’ll do a deal,’ she said.
‘Name it. What do you want? A new car, a shopping spree in Paris…? What?’
‘Wow! What an opportunity.’ She stared into his eyes, ‘A car, I can buy. I can even get myself to Paris to shop.’
‘Then what―’
‘A little humility would be nice.’
Fraser held up his palms towards her in a gesture of peace. ‘Yes, you’re quite right, I’m sorry.’
‘We call a truce for the evening. I don’t want to listen to any jibes about Yuri or where I’ve been for the last two years. I’m not going to spend all those hours with you while you’re so―’
‘I get it. It’s a deal.’
‘I haven’t finished. I want to talk to you but not in short bursts, as you pop in and out of the banqueting room. We need to thrash out the past properly, so we can find some kind of level ground and move on. It’s very important to me.’ She noted his look of impatience. ‘Sorry to drive such a hard bargain.’
‘Don’t be cynical.’
‘I’ll be what I like, I’m doing you a favour. We’ll meet up the first morning after your conference.’
‘Wednesday will be the last day.’
‘Make it Thursday morning, no cancellations or excuses.’
‘Agreed,’ Fraser said, as if he was closing a business deal.
‘Good.’ Claudia stirred her potion. ‘See you later then. What time?’
‘Six thirty.’
‘What?’ Claudia’s composure slipped from her grasp as well as her wooden spoon. ‘Six…?’
‘The hosts need to be in place before the others arrive.’
‘Now I’m a host?’ She picked up her spoon. ‘I thought I was just filling a seat.’
‘Yes, next to me. Is there a problem with that?’
‘It’s almost five o’clock, how do you expect me to get ready and back here in that time?’ Claudia knew her cheeks were bright red and shining from the humid heat. She probably still had tear tracks. The scarf began to droop over her forehead, and she tried to move it with the back of her wrist, but the murky water dripped from her wet glove and rolled down her face.
‘Joe will come and pick you up at Heather Brow,’ Fraser said, as if it would solve her problem. He peered into the boiler and added, ‘Although you don’t appear to have left much of it on the hillside.’
Claudia frowned at him. ‘I don’t know why you’re so up-tight. You’re at the top of your food chain, you’re supposed to be able to manage pressure.’
Fraser stared at her. ‘There’s going to be lawyers representing Wainford, investors, bankers, people from my business and Tony’s. I need this evening to be a success. It has to be relaxed, upbeat and positive. But my best shot at achieving all that is standing here, dripping wet, dressed in a tent and stirring a bloody cauldron.’ He glared into her eyes. ‘That’s pressure.’
Claudia laughed and tried to dry her cheek on her sleeve. She then nudged the scarf up a little. ‘Don’t worry, I’m going to cast a spell. I’m sure there’s a newt or a toad somewhere around. A quick dip of bat, and you’ll be a king among men all evening.’
‘This isn’t funny, Claudia.’
She wrinkled her nose. ‘You used to think I was fun in the old days.’
Fraser stopped and sighed and then looked at her for a while. ‘Yes, I remember.’ A faint smile twitched on his mouth. ‘But I never turned up to find you boiling roots.’ He shook his head slowly. ‘You look ridiculous, you know that?’ There was a ring of affection in his voice.
Claudia nodded, painfully aware that she was standing before a man she had secretly loved for five years, her gorgeous, high profile, alpha-male friend. ‘I thought I’d make an effort, just in case you dropped by.’
Fraser adjusted her headscarf, took a handkerchief from his pocket and mopped her cheeks. ‘One good turn deserves another.’
Claudia allowed herself to feel comfort from the fact that her tear tracks were mingled with the water, and he was wiping them away. If only he could really do that. ‘I’d better switch all this off.’
‘Yes, go and dig out a posh frock.’ Fraser made for the door and then turned back with a startled look on his face. ‘You do have one, don’t you? Please tell me you’ve got a prom dress or something.’
‘On a scale of one to ten, how posh does it need to be?’
‘Twelve,’ Fraser answered, quickly, his eyes showing his doubts.
‘And all the other women will be dressed up to the twelves?’
‘I’m sure they’re going to look sensational, but don’t worry yourself about them, just get as close as you can.’
‘Sure, I’ll give it my best shot and see if I can stagger up to a seven. How about that?’
‘Claudia!’
‘Don’t worry, I can scrub up and find a frock.’
‘You can?’
She scooped up a skein of wool with her wooden spoon. ‘I’ll have to, won’t I? I don’t have time to knit one.’
‘Oh hell! This is going to be a train crash. Six thirty…prompt.’ He left the room as noisily as he’d approached it. His brisk footfall sounded along the passage, and then his voice echoed across the butler’s hall and along the corridor. ‘I’ve missed you, Claudia Hamilton.’ It was as if it was safe to say it at a distance.
Chapter Eight
Fraser, Eliot, Tony and Lizzy waited at the entrance to the marquee. Waiters, holding trays of drinks, stood just inside. Fraser looked around at all the stylish trappings of corporate hospitality. It was a family joke that Irena could arrange the weather, and this evening was no exception. Yesterday’s rain had quenched the thirsty ground, perked up the blooms in the rose garden, and now the air was still and scented. All Fraser needed now was a partner, but he was regretting his hasty, selfish actions in enlisting Claudia’s help. He questioned why he went directly to her instead of examining other options. He wondered if he would always have this knee-jerk reaction of turning to Claudia when life challenged him.
‘Fraser, stop pacing about,’ Eliot said, ‘everything’s going to be fine.’
‘I shouldn’t have done it.’ Fraser unfastened his dinner jacket, as if it was stifling him. ‘I pushed her into it, expected her to bail me out. She wasn’t prepared. I didn’t give her enough time.’ He looked back at the house. The last couple of hours had been horrendous. Natalie’s well-timed phone call had the desired effect, it completely threw him but not enough to give in to her. Her priorities had changed dramatically. She wanted a future, somebody for life, and a gold band to seal the bargain. Maybe she always wanted that and was biding her time until she won him over.
‘Fraser,’ Lizzy approached him. ‘Claudia’s made of tougher stuff than that, she’s quite capable of turning you down if she didn’t want to come.’
‘She said she doesn’t go out in the evenings. She’s going to hate me for this.’
‘No, she isn’t,’ Lizzy insisted, ‘she’s got more integrity than that. You don’t know very much about her, but I’m sure you found that out.’
Fraser smiled at her. ‘Yes, I know.’
Grace, Tony’s sister, arrived. ‘Look at you all,’ she called out, with a beaming smile. ‘You look fabulous.’ She embraced each of them. ‘Charlie’s really sorry he couldn’t
make it. I feel awful coming to a party when he’s going to be on his feet half the night.’
‘Special people, surgeons,’ Tony said.
‘So are doctors,’ Lizzy told Grace, as if to redress the balance. ‘You’re not on call, are you?’
‘Not tonight. I wouldn’t miss this for anything. Tony and Fraser…partners.’ She smiled and looked around. ‘Isn’t this great? We haven’t all been together for ages. Time we had another wedding in the family.’
Eliot winced and caught Fraser’s eye. ‘She means us, doesn’t she?’
Fraser raised his brow. ‘Don’t look at me, I’ve got enough woman trouble.’
Grace hugged Fraser. ‘I heard, Tony called me. Is there anything I can do?’
‘Thanks, Gracie, I’m fine.’
Eliot looked back at the catwalk. ‘Heads up! Here’s your partner, Fraser.’
Tony laughed. ‘So this is the poor, stressed-out woman who doesn’t go out in the evenings?’
‘She made it. Good for her,’ Lizzy said. ‘Wow! She looks amazing.’
Fraser was speechless as he stared at Claudia. Earlier today, he told her that he just wanted her to turn up in some kind of posh frock, but now she looked so fabulous that the wooden walkway across the grass could be a red carpet under her feet.
‘She’s gorgeous,’ Grace said and nudged Fraser’s arm playfully. ‘You didn’t waste any time.’
‘Oh, she’s just a friend,’ Eliot said with a laugh. ‘The kind of good chum you turn to when you need somebody to bail you out.’ He slapped Fraser’s shoulder. ‘Don’t stand there choking on humble pie, go and meet her.’
Fraser’s feet remained on the spot as he continued to stare. Claudia, confident and at ease, approached as if she did this all the time. She wore a black dress, with thin shoulder straps. The skirt was slightly above her knee and had a dressing of beaded chiffon that swung and danced about her thighs with every step she took. A far cry from her Peter Pan hair, a glossy cascade of waves bounced as she walked. Fraser had never met a woman who could go through a metamorphosis like this in such a short time. She had joked that she was brewing a spell to make him a king among men, but she was the one who had been magically transformed. Tension drained away as he walked towards her with his hands outstretched. He felt a huge surge of admiration for her, or was it just plain lust? To his surprise, restraint was needed to keep his greeting to a polite, chaste kiss on the cheek. Nevertheless, he ventured to kiss both sides of her face. The touch of her skin made his lips tingle, as he savoured the delicate, sweet scent of her. He felt vulnerable, like a teenager on his first date, afraid to flirt, scared that he couldn’t control the powerful physical reaction below his bespoke belt. He called on his age and experience to help him out of this gripping reaction. ‘You look…’ His throat dried and made it twitch. He swallowed and said, ‘You look sensational.’
Claudia smiled, it lit up her beautiful, brown eyes. ‘Did I get close to a seven?’ she teased.
Fraser shook his head slowly. ‘Please don’t give me a difficult time over it.’ He nodded towards the family. ‘They already did that on your behalf.’
She brushed his cheek with a kiss. Her mouth lingered by his ear as she whispered, ‘I’m not promising.’
The illusive touch of her breath on his face was intoxicating, and she wasn’t even flirting with him. If she did, he was going to be in big trouble.
They joined the family group.
Lizzy embraced her. ‘I love your hair, how on earth did you do it in such a short time?’
‘I don’t have to do it, I was born with it,’ Claudia said. ‘I didn’t have time to straighten it properly.’
‘Nor me,’ Grace laughed, as she ran her fingers down her straight, glossy, dark hair that was cut in a neat bob. ‘Hi, Claudia, I’m Grace, Tony’s sister. We’ll get to know each other better during the evening, yes?’
‘Yes, we’ll do that.’
Eliot took Claudia’s hands and smiled. ‘You look a million dollars,’ he told her, ‘but I’m so disappointed.’
‘What?’ Claudia looked startled.
‘I hoped you’d come in your shabby chic. That lab coat is really something.’
‘I almost did,’ Claudia said, ‘I don’t recall packing my posh frocks.’
Eliot spoke to Grace, ‘Let’s get a drink, Gracie, and make ourselves scarce. The hosts can do the meeting and greeting bit.’
Claudia turned to follow, but Fraser seized her hand. ‘Will you stay?’ he said. ‘Greet the guests with me?’
Claudia smiled. ‘Sure. No problem.’
Fraser felt ten feet tall. The pressure he experienced just a few minutes ago was history. Claudia had, as usual, come to his rescue. There was never a time when she wasn’t there for him. Her apartment was a haven, a place to go where he closed the door on the fast lane outside. An evening with Claudia was a shot in the arm, a tonic that wiped away the frustrations of business and set him back on his feet. Now he realised that he knew no more about her than that. It never occurred to him to dig into her life, to ask about her past, school, college, boyfriends… Those were things that you asked when you dated somebody. Every day, since she arrived at Larchwood, he had learned something new. But the most significant discovery was that he had befriended just a small corner of an amazing woman.
‘Fraser, Yuri’s here,’ Lizzy called out to him.
For a moment, he was still lost in his thoughts. Then he looked towards the walkway.
‘Is that his girlfriend?’ Claudia asked. ‘That dress is fabulous, but she still looks very business-like, cool and confident.’
‘No, that’s Paige Morgan, joined the company a few weeks ago, keen to work in the UK. She’s a very shrewd, ambitious woman, hungry for success. I’ve asked her to work with Yuri.’
Yuri approached, with his Russian charm in full flow. ‘Ah, what a wonderful surprise, my beautiful countess is here after all.’ He took Claudia’s hand. ‘I did not expect to see you this evening.’
Fraser deemed Yuri’s flirting to be bad form, but he could see how skilful Claudia was at finding a balance between dignity and self-preservation. Even so, he was glad that this overbearing flirt wouldn’t be sitting next to her. He’d already seen to that.
Claudia stepped back a little, seemingly putting more space between them. ‘I hope you enjoy the evening, Yuri.’ She gestured to the waiter. ‘A glass of Champagne would be a good start, don’t you think?’
Yuri nodded and smiled, then moved on.
Fraser shook Paige’s hand. ‘Welcome to Larchwood,’ he said. ‘And thanks for making such a quick decision.’
‘No brainer,’ Paige said. ‘I can’t wait to join Yuri’s team in London.’
‘Keep him focused, will you?’
Paige nodded. ‘I’m on it,’ she said with a crisp, positive tone.
‘This is my good friend, Claudia Hamilton.’ Fraser chose his words carefully, making sure not to take liberties with Claudia’s status for the evening.
Paige smiled and shook Claudia’s hand. Then she suddenly stared at her, and after a long, potentially embarrassing pause, she said, ‘Claudia Hamilton?’
‘Yes,’ Claudia’s brow puckered a little at Paige’s stare.
Paige then slowly shook her head and a look of wonder came into her face. ‘It is you, isn’t it? I was thinking that you reminded me of somebody but…you’re not a lookalike, it really is you.’
‘I’m so sorry?’ Claudia said politely, ‘I don’t think we’ve met before.’
Paige smiled. ‘You haven’t met me, but I’ve met you, Claudie Hamilton…Bobbie.’
A good-humoured wince came into Claudia’s face. ‘Oh dear, are you going to blast my past at me?’
Paige clasped Claudia’s hand in both of hers. ‘But you’re very much part of my past too.’ Her words were warm and genuine.
‘I’m surprised you recognised me,’ Claudia said.
‘You look exactly as you did in the Christmas special is
why. English Girl on the Ranch,’ she chanted and softly sang a couple of lines from the credit song. ‘I was such a big fan. I watched you every Saturday. A feisty little tearaway, that’s what they called you.’
‘Both sides of the camera I’m afraid.’
‘Back then, I had a lot of surgery. I couldn’t get about or go outside for a long time. But every Saturday afternoon, I could be a little tearaway, with Bobbie. I went with her on all those adventures. Fearlessly riding that horse, hanging from trees, falling into rivers…God, how that used to scare me. I’d hug a cushion while I watched you hanging onto floating logs, grasping at overhanging branches…’
‘Bobbie was always falling into the water.’
‘Next time you see that feisty little tearaway, you tell her that she changed the life of a wimpy, sick kid, pulled her through a real hard time, taught her how to fight back. I wasn’t expected to amount to much, but look at me. I just landed my dream job in a tough business.’ She smiled. ‘Who knew? Catch up with you later.’ She moved on and, once more, became an executive.
Tony, Lizzy and Fraser turned and stared at Claudia.
She frowned at them. ‘What?’
‘English girl on the ranch?’ Lizzy queried.
‘I was in an American TV series when I was a kid. They needed an English girl with a lot of unruly, curly hair. Some feisty kid, who could ride, swim, climb trees and not freak out when she had to fall into a freezing cold creek. It didn’t come over here.’ She shrugged. ‘My mother’s a casting agent. I worked all the time until I was 14.’
‘What kind of work?’ Fraser said.
‘Kid’s work…films, TV, commercials for baby soap, school kit, toys, cough medicine… Whatever my mother could persuade me to do.’
Fraser shook his head in disbelief. Two hours ago, he invited a woman who was boiling bits of heather. Now she stood by his side, charming, dignified, gracious and not the least bit phased by the flow of guests arriving at the marquee. He always had a fabulous woman with him at times like this, world-class stunners that could be seen on magazine covers, but tonight, he wouldn’t change his partner for any other woman on the planet. She was, through and through, beautiful.
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