Sommersgate House

by Kristen Ashley

  Julia had carefully prepared, picking her best little black dress (v-necked, sleeveless and backless it fell to her knees and fit her body lovingly) and added her stiletto-heeled, pointed-toed black pumps and Douglas’s emerald. She pulled her hair up in a loose bunch and let tendrils fall about her face. She was careful with her makeup (as both hair and makeup would have to survive being significantly mussed if she had anything to do with it).

  She was trembling with anticipation as she rushed out of her rooms and down the hall.

  She stopped dead in the door to the dining room, staring at the vision before her.

  A huge crystal vase sat near the end of the dining room table and it was filled with stunning red roses with spikes of greenery shooting out between the buds. A warm fire was burning in the grate and silver candlestick holders held high, white, tapered candles that had already been lit. The table was covered with a white damask cloth and the finest china, crystal and silver were laid out, only two places, hers and Douglas’s. There was a silver bucket of champagne, not opened yet, chilling with a folded linen cloth thrown over the top. Somehow, as it was all set at the head, the enormous table was reduced to being cosy and romantic.

  “I’ve taken care of everything,” Mrs. K whispered, Julia started and looked to her right at Mrs. K whose head was poking into the hall from the doorway that led to the kitchen. “I’ll serve you but I’ll be discreet. Roddy has taken the children to the cottage and Ronnie has already gone home.”

  Julia nodded, a small, expectant (but slightly anxious) smile on her face.

  Mrs. K winked and disappeared.

  Julia heard footsteps down the hall, and voices.

  She went still and listened.

  Voices?

  A man’s and a woman’s.

  Julia walked into the room and the voices became more distinct.

  Before they could turn the corner to the room, she knew. She knew both voices.

  All the breath left her body and she realised there was a good possibility she would faint.

  Then Monique Ashton and Sean Webster turned the corner and entered the dining room.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Archie and Ruby’s Heartache

  Tonight was the night.

  Douglas wasn’t going to allow her to hide in her rooms like she did last night (even at dinner, she gave the ridiculous excuse of a headache making the children eye each other speculatively throughout the meal).

  He was going to ask Mr. and Mrs. Kilpatrick to take the children and he was going to find her, hunt her down if required, and make her agree to marry him using any means necessary.

  Everything was in place; there was not a nuance he hadn’t considered. He had the ring in his pocket and he had an enormous bouquet of two dozen exquisite white roses in his hand.

  He knew about the roses because of Patricia.

  While Julia was hiding last night, nursing her “headache”, Douglas called her mother. He had never told Julia he’d play fair and drastic times called for drastic measures.

  “Douglas, my God, is it the children?” Patricia said upon hearing his voice.

  “No,” Douglas replied shortly, still not believing he was making such a call. “It’s Julia.”

  “Is she all right?” Patricia’s voice was filled with worry.

  “She’s fine,” he assured her calmly, “although I have a problem with her.”

  Silence.

  Douglas did silence very well, this time using it to stall while he contemplated the unpleasant task ahead of him.

  Eventually Patricia was forced to ask warily, “What problem?”

  Through gritted teeth, still not believing Julia had reduced him to this, Douglas forced out, “I seem to be unable to convince her to marry me.”

  Silence again, this time the shock was palpable over the phone line.

  Then, to his stunned disbelief, she asked, “Even after the kitten?”

  Douglas didn’t deign to answer.

  “The kitten was a crowning achievement.” Douglas heard the amusement in his future mother-in-law’s voice, forgot that he actually held some regard for the woman and at that moment would cheerfully have wrung her neck.

  She continued, oblivious. “Jewel is stubborn as an ox and she doesn’t like men all that much, though don’t think I blame her, considering. Must admit, though, she does hold on to things a bit.”

  “A bit,” Douglas agreed sardonically.

  This caused Patricia to roar with laughter. When she was finished, he could practically hear her wiping her eyes.

  “White roses,” she said, apropos of nothing.

  “Pardon?”

  “White roses, she loves them, her favourites. Start with that and then whisk her off to Fiji. She’s always said she wouldn’t consider that she’d truly lived until she went to Fiji, God only knows why but once that girl gets something in her head, she doesn’t let it go.” Douglas made no response, he’d lived that nightmare. “And let’s face it,” Patricia spoke into his silence. “The girl needs a vacation. If you go, I’ll come out and see to the children.”

  It took a moment for the realisation to dawn that Patricia was helping him and he hadn’t had to convince her.

  “I take it I have your blessing?”

  Three months ago, Douglas wouldn’t have cared less.

  Now, he did.

  “Let me tell you something, my boy, you’ve had my blessing for fifteen years. I saw the way you looked at her all this time, Tammy and Gav did too. Not to mention the way she looked at you. Why do you think you’re in this pickle? Tammy would be beside herself with sheer, unadulterated glee. By God, you’ve taken your sweet time.”

  He was trying to cope with being called her “boy” and was definitely not willing to think of the rest of what she said.

  “You want me to talk to her?” Patricia offered helpfully.

  “No,” Douglas responded forcefully.

  She laughed again and then, after a moment of contemplative silence, she said softly, “She’ll make you happy.”

  He felt something reminiscent of the dazed feeling he’d had in the hall the night before but set it aside and said, “I’ve been trying to convince her that it will be the other way around.”

  She gave an uninterpretable “humph” then she demanded, “See that it is.”

  Now he was walking up the hallway toward the voices in the dining room.

  He was looking forward to this. He didn’t know what he was looking forward to most, sliding his ring on her finger or taking her to bed while she was wearing it.

  He rounded the corner and came to an abrupt halt at what he saw.

  The room was set to a romantic glow with softened lighting, a fire burning at the grate and candles on the table. An elegant table, set for two, ready for an intimate dinner. Julia was standing in front of the fire looking ravishing in a stunning black dress with her hair softly pulled up at the crown, tendrils tickling the glowing skin of her neck where his emerald hung.

  And Sean Webster was standing opposite her staring at her with earnest intent.

  For the second time in his life, Douglas Ashton, Baron Blackbourne, completely lost control.

  “What the fuck is going on?” he demanded, his voice rumbling with barely controlled rage.

  Julia jumped, a reaction that took her dangerously close to the fire. She didn’t seem to notice it, her face snapped toward him and he saw that she was pale.

  And her green eyes, usually alight with some emotion, were completely, frighteningly, blank.

  “Douglas!” Sean exclaimed, the other man walking toward him beaming. “Good to see you, man.” And then he stopped and his gaze shifted to the flowers. He looked from Douglas then turned to Julia and started to ask, “What the –?”

  “Julia?” Douglas barked, completely ignoring Webster and she jumped again, taking her closer to the fire, so close she could easily get burned. “Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Douglas finished tersely and he walked forward, threw
the flowers unceremoniously on the table as he passed, grabbed her upper arm and yanked her unresisting body away from the flames.

  “Do you want to explain this to me?” he clipped, not taking his hand from her arm.

  “I was –” she started to speak and her voice was small in a way he’d never heard before, in a way that, hearing it, made his heart squeeze painfully. She looked up at him and her eyes cleared.

  As she gazed at him, he saw raw emotion take the place of the blankness that preceded it. He’d seen that look in her eyes twice before, once after the first time they made love and again, in the hall Christmas night after Ruby’s outburst. Both times, seeing it, he’d nearly come undone.

  He surveyed the room, his hand gentling on her arm.

  Julia wouldn’t invite Sean Webster to a cosy, romantic dinner in his dining room.

  Julia wouldn’t invite Webster anywhere.

  Douglas turned to the other man. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came to talk to Julia. I heard about Gavin and –” Sean was also surveying the room, Julia’s dress and the flowers and the cosy scene finally dawned on him making his face get red. “What are you doing with my wife?” he demanded hotly.

  At his words, Douglas, already furious, became incensed.

  “She’s not your wife!” Douglas exploded, “She’s going to be my wife!”

  Webster’s eyes rounded and then immediately narrowed. You could see the anger fill his face the second before he masked it.

  His gaze moved to Julia and his voice turned urgent, pleading. “Jewel, baby, you have to listen to what I was saying earlier.”

  Julia shook her arm free of Douglas’s hand and he swung back towards her, ready to do battle for her, ready to throw Webster bodily from the house if she wanted him to, not ready to let her withdraw.

  Instead of retreating into her shell, though, she grabbed Douglas’s hand and tugged gently on it.

  “This was for you, you know,” she said, her voice, still small, was getting stronger. “Mrs. K helped me, and Ronnie and Lizzie.”

  What he suspected was true. Julia would never strike out at him that way.

  Never.

  That was when he knew he’d won and he felt the exultation of his victory tear through his entire system.

  Unable but also unwilling to control his reaction, Douglas pulled her hand sharply, she fell into his body and his arms shot around her, crushing her to him. Then his mouth came down on hers brutally, victoriously, her head was tilted up to him, ready for it, inviting it and he kissed her.

  Douglas kissed Julia with the dazed passion that surged through his body, exultant in the triumph at her sweet capitulation. It was hot and wet and delicious and better than he would expect it to be even with all the kisses they’d shared before.

  And Julia kissed him back without even the briefest hesitation.

  “Excuse me! I’m still in the room!” Webster shouted but neither Douglas nor Julia looked at him.

  “Say it,” Douglas commanded when he lifted his head.

  She smiled, it was tremulous but it was genuine and he felt his body respond to it.

  “I want to marry you.” Her voice was back, full, low and husky and he kissed her again. He couldn’t have stopped it if a freight train was pulling him from the opposite direction. She wrapped her arms around his neck, slid her fingers into his hair, pressed her soft body into his and he groaned his satisfaction into her mouth.

  When he let her go, he kept one arm locked around her while he pulled a box out of the breast pocket of his suit jacket.

  He flipped it open with his thumb and then ordered, “Give me your hand.”

  She didn’t hesitate but stopped idly playing with the hair at his collar and extended the fingers of her left hand toward him. He let go of her waist, took the ring out of the box and tossed it casually onto the table making her emit a little giggle.

  “You’re going to ruin the table if you keep throwing things on it,” Julia muttered.

  Douglas ignored her.

  “This is unbelievable,” Webster seethed from behind them.

  They ignored him.

  Douglas slid the diamond, a round, four-carat, perfect solitaire set simply yet elegantly in platinum, on her finger. Then his hand closed around hers and he brought the ring to his lips. He watched her the entire time, heat surging through his body when he saw her lips part in pleasure at first sight of the ring and then she bit her bottom lip when her knuckles made contact with his mouth.

  “It’s beautiful,” she whispered.

  He didn’t give her a moment to let it soak in, keeping her fingers held firmly in his, he turned on his heel and dragged her across the room.

  “Douglas where are we –?” she began.

  “Julia you can’t –” That was Webster who was pale-faced and tight-lipped and staring at them both like they’d grown two heads.

  Douglas walked right by him as if he wasn’t there.

  He took her to the study, not letting her hand go. He stopped at the side of his desk, jerked at her hand gently and when her body came close to his, he dropped it and drew her up to his side with his arm around her waist.

  He picked up the phone and punched in a number.

  “Nick?” he waited for a response then continued. “We have an unwanted guest.” He looked at the door to see that Webster had trailed behind them and was standing in the doorway of the study looking confused and angry. At Nick’s response, Douglas finished. “Yes, he needs to be disposed of.”

  “I’m leaving,” Webster stated but then hesitated, looking at Julia, obviously hoping she’d stop him.

  Julia was paying no attention, she was holding her left hand with her right, her head bent, staring down at the ring, her face awash with feminine delight.

  Douglas placed the receiver into the cradle and immediately picked it up again, dialling two numbers this time. He watched Webster turn and leave without another word and Douglas completely dismissed the other man from his mind.

  When Sam picked up the phone he said simply, “Send out the press release.”

  Julia’s head snapped up and she stared at him as Sam whooped in his ear, “Hurrah!”

  “What press release?” Julia asked.

  “Does this mean I might get a holiday in this decade?” Sam asked cheekily.

  “What press release?” Julia repeated.

  “Possibly,” Douglas answered Sam and then put down the phone.

  “What press release?” Julia’s lips had puckered and she was regarding him out of the corners of her eyes.

  “The one that’s announcing our engagement and subsequent wedding in March at Wells Cathedral.”

  Her mouth dropped open. “You’re joking,” she breathed.

  “You’re not backing out on me again,” Douglas retorted.

  Julia gasped.

  “How long have you had this planned?” she demanded then stopped and blinked. “Wells Cathedral? Tammy and Gav were married there.”

  “All the Ashtons are married there,” Douglas explained, moving her around to face him and sliding his other hand across her waist.

  He was about to kiss the partially-stunned, partially-mutinous, partially-amused look off her face when there was a sound at the door. They both swung toward it but Douglas didn’t let her go.

  He might, he thought, never let her go.

  It was Mrs. Kilpatrick. “What’s happening? I had to run up to the cottage because Ruby had gotten into a muddle. When I came back to see if you wanted the first course, no one was there.”

  “Is Ruby all right?” Julia asked, her face turning worried.

  “Fine, something about… doesn’t matter. Kid stuff,” Mrs. Kilpatrick looked from one to the other. “Do you want the first course?”

  Douglas opened his mouth to tell her they would be eating later, much later, but Julia spoke before him.

  “We’re getting married,” she announced and Douglas could have sworn he heard pride in her vo
ice. His fiancée extended her hand the way any woman shows off her engagement ring and Mrs. K gasped then clapped with unrestrained excitement.

  “Congratulations!” she gushed as she dashed forward and, to Douglas’s stunned surprise, she hugged them both. Even though he hadn’t let go of Julia, Mrs. Kilpatrick’s arms extended around both of their bodies and she laid a big, loud kiss on Julia’s cheek and then turned shyly to brush her lips against Douglas’s cheek as well. “It’s about time we had some good news in this house!” She paused as she disengaged. “Do you want the first course?”

  “Yes please,” Julia said at the same time Douglas said, “Later.”

  Mrs. Kilpatrick chuckled, shook her head and walked away, pausing at the door to look back at them, her face filled with a happiness Douglas had never witnessed from her before.

  When she disappeared, Douglas didn’t know which one of them she would obey.

  Julia turned toward him again, resting her hands lightly on his chest.

  Douglas tilted his chin down to look at her and asked, “What did you have planned for tonight?”

  She was fiddling with the lapels of his jacket and he was thinking he quite liked standing there with Julia in his arms idly touching him like she did it every day.

  “Well, I was going to cook dinner for you then Mrs. K took over. And then I was going to tell you I wanted to marry you, which I’ve already done.” Her eyes lifted to his and they were dark, nearly jade, and intense and he felt immediately robbed of breath at the depth of feeling in them. “And then I was going to seduce you.”

  He should have taken that golden opportunity to kiss her but instead he threw his head back and roared with laughter.

  The thought of her seducing him was just too much. Any seduction she had planned would take a nanosecond to succeed.

  “Am I interrupting something?” It was Nick at the door to the study and Douglas kept his head tilted back but instead of amusement, he now looked toward the ceiling in frustration.

  Who was next? Carter? Ronnie? The children? Would Charlie and Oliver stop by for an impromptu visit from London?

  “All right, Jules?” Nick walked in, completely unfazed by the tender scene he should have noticed unfolding in front of him and completely ignoring the meaningful glare Douglas levelled at him.