“What are you doing?” she whispered. “I thought we agreed there would be no toasts.”
“We agreed that no one else would make any toasts but I can say what I want in my own house,” Douglas returned, the warmth in his eyes showing he was teasing.
There was a time when she would not have believed that Douglas Ashton could tease.
But he could, very well.
She beamed at him, too happy to be cross, and then turned to the crowd and linked her arm through his.
“Firstly,” Douglas’s strong voice carried throughout the cavernous space, “I’ll tell you that my wife is rather fond of lists so I’ve decided to take my cue from her and recite a list of toasts. I ask you to charge your glasses because there will be several before I reach the end.”
Julia felt a blush creep in her cheeks at the fondness in his tone and leaned into his side. Some of the hired staff (because all of the Sommersgate regulars were guests this day) were wandering around carrying two bottles of champagne each and filling glasses, others were carrying heavy trays on which filled glasses rested for those who had no drinks at all.
Finally, Douglas started, “I would like to thank you all for coming and celebrating this very special occasion.”
“A long time coming,” Patricia grumbled loudly and people laughed.
Douglas wisely decided to ignore her.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. and Mrs. Roderick Kilpatrick for their years of service to myself and my home. They have been faithful to me and my family in more ways than we often deserved. They have been exceedingly kind and welcoming to my wife and my new family and I,” he turned to Julia, “we are lucky to have them. To Roddy and Margaret Kilpatrick.”
He lifted his glass and Julia watched his gorgeous throat as he drank down a sip. She was already near tears, her hand clutching at her husband’s arm. She swiftly took a drink and turned her eyes to the Kilpatricks who were both visibly moved by his toast (indeed, Mrs. K’s eyes shone with tears).
Before she could respond further, Douglas began speaking again.
“I publicly acknowledge the interference of Charlotte Forsythe, interference which greatly hastened this day.” Julia watched Douglas’s chin dip to look at Charlie and he finished. “Thank you, Charlie.”
The last three words were said more quietly as Charlie was standing at the foot of the stairs and they were directed warmly to her.
Julia noted, as the tears pricking the backs of her eyes began to spill, Charlie’s own tears were falling over. The congregation twittered in curiosity but they took their cue from Douglas who lifted his glass in a salute to Charlie and took a sip.
“To Charlie!” Oliver shouted and everyone concurred.
Charlie’s toast complete, Douglas carried on. “I must pay tribute to Patricia Fairfax, a good woman, a fine mother and a wonderful grandmother who has accepted me readily into her family, a position I hold with great honour. To Patricia,” he toasted and Julia gave up the pretence of attempting to control herself and, letting the tears flow freely, she wrapped her arm around Douglas’s waist and went up on tiptoe to put her mouth to his ear.
“I love you,” she whispered, as he shifted his own arm around her waist to hold her tightly.
His only response was to kiss her temple then he looked back to the crowd and continued. “And now, to Elizabeth, William and Ruby Fairfax, who have, these last months, showed great courage and strength. Could you three please join your aunt and me?” Without further coaxing, the children melted out of the crowd and self-consciously (except Ruby who barrelled up to the steps with great vigour) joined them on the stairs. “I ask you all to lift your glasses to the courage of my nieces and nephew.”
“Here, here!” Roddy Kilpatrick sang out.
“To Lizzie, Will and Ruby!” Nick shouted.
Mrs. Kilpatrick and Ronnie burst into loud tears.
Everyone toasted and took their sips and Douglas continued. “And lastly, I should toast my beautiful wife but I will salute her in an altogether different way later.” He turned to give her a sexy smile and Julia’s cheeks, already pink with emotion, flamed. He turned back to the crowd. “I will finish with a toast to two people who could not be here today. To Gavin and Tamsin Fairfax who bestowed on us the great honour of rearing their children in their absence and, in so doing, led me to Julia. I cannot find words to express my gratitude so I shall not try.” When everyone began to lift their glasses to drink, Douglas went on. “But especially to my sister, who always had faith in me, who was, in every way, a kind and loving soul, the light in an often dreary life. To Tamsin Fairfax!” His voice rang loud and Julia forced her face into his neck, too overcome to join in the shouts to Tammy.
“Thank you all,” Douglas, finally, (and thankfully, Julia could take no more) was finished. “Please continue to enjoy –”
“Hold on a blasted minute.”
Douglas quieted and Julia peaked out from her hiding place to see Patricia shouldering her way through the crowd. Luckily she’d divested herself of her hat or she might have caused injury.
“I have something to say,” she announced upon arrival at the step.
The children were shifting uncomfortably and Julia stiffened at whatever dramatic pronouncement might come out of her mother’s mouth. Douglas, however, was the soul of amiability and he smiled, actually smiled (and warmly too) at his new mother-in-law.
Patricia smiled back and turned to the crowd.
“I’ve been waiting fifteen years to do this, as long as it took him to figure out he was in love with my daughter. He may have a head for business and a reputation for quick decisions but I’m here to tell you, there are some ways he can be very slow.”
The crowd laughed but if Julia was stiff before, she was rock solid now. She would not allow her mother to badmouth her husband in front of hundreds of guests. She was about to interrupt when her mother continued.
“But, the longer we wait, the sweeter our victory, eh, Douglas?” Patty grinned, any sting in her earlier words taken out by the dancing light in her eyes.
Douglas merely inclined his head.
“I, for one,” she told the crowd, “feel damned lucky to call Douglas Ashton my son. He’s a good man, has taken care of my grandchildren during a very trying time and has, finally, after I fretted for years that it would ever happen, made my daughter unbelievably happy. I mean, look at the girl, she’s glowing!” There was more laughter and Douglas’s other arm wrapped around Julia.
“So please,” Patricia continued, “join me in raising your glasses to Douglas Ashton, my daughter’s husband, my grandchildren’s uncle, my new son and a very fine man. To Douglas!”
“Oh Mom!” Julia cried, reached across Douglas to embrace her mother and after she did so, Patricia gave Douglas a loud kiss on his cheek.
“You should know, my boy, I’ve put you in my will,” she informed him grandly.
He nodded gravely, as if he needed to be put in her will and didn’t have enough money to buy a small country. Patricia winked at Julia then hustled the children down the stairs.
Douglas kept hold of his wife, his arms loosely wrapped around her.
“That was well done of you,” Julia praised him.
“Let’s go,” he answered, completely ignoring her compliment.
Julia laughed, light-hearted and carefree, the music of her laughter sounding through Sommersgate.
When she sobered enough to speak, she realised he was serious and therefore protested, “We can’t leave our own wedding reception.”
“We can,” he insisted.
And Douglas was correct.
Because, without delay, they did.
Epilogue
Sommersgate House
Julia Ashton, Baroness Blackbourne, finally bested Douglas in the present giving stakes.
That evening they arrived at The Ritz (several hours earlier than expected) for their wedding night.
Their honeymoon flight to Fi
ji would leave early the next morning.
Sometime deep into the night, when the room was dark and they lay naked and replete in each other’s arms, in a low voice, Douglas explained his arrival during her wedding preparations. He expected her to have cold feet and was going to warn her that if she left him, he’d find her and drag her home. Upon her announcement that he should buy them a small island where they could live in sin, he realised she wasn’t going to leave him.
Julia rewarded him for this admission by giving him his wedding present.
She shared her secret with him and informed him she was pregnant.
He was, for Douglas Ashton, beside himself with delight.
They named their daughter Margaret Tamsin Fairfax Ashton.
* * * * *
A great number of happy years later, Douglas insisted to Roddy Kilpatrick that they lay his wife to rest in the family plot on the grounds of Sommersgate House.
No one, really, could think of anywhere more appropriate for Mrs. K to spend eternity.
Roddy joined his wife there shortly after.
Flowers were delivered to their graves, as well as the graves of Tamsin and Gavin Fairfax, on a weekly basis for as long as Douglas was alive.
Unfortunately, Margaret and Roddy’s version of heaven meant that their ghosts, forever, benignly and often hilariously haunted Sommersgate and all of its inhabitants.
* * * * *
Many, many, many years later, Sommersgate was inherited by William Fairfax as Douglas’s only male heir and because Douglas wanted his sister’s beloved home to go to her only son.
Will kept his father’s mellow, friendly ways but, after years spent with Douglas, acquired more than a hint of his uncle’s arrogance and commanding authority.
Will eventually married a beautiful woman named Rebecca (under rather romantic circumstances) and sired three children of his own.
* * * * *
Elizabeth Fairfax married for love, the son of some friends of her Aunt Jewel’s who had survived leukaemia many years before. Lizzie moved to Indiana and hosted the family Christmases there every third year and brought her ever-increasing family to Sommersgate for the other two.
Lizzie became a social worker, specialising in helping others to survive loss.
* * * * *
When she was in her teens, Ruby Fairfax helped Nick to investigate the murder of Lady Ruby Ashton (the children were eventually told of the lovers’ release but that was the only thing they were informed about regarding that night) and the Sommersgate House Curse.
As the trail was cold, they found very little but both agreed that it had something to do with a woman whose cottage was burned down with her in it. The townspeople thought she was a witch and police suspected arson but the inquest was inconclusive. Her son, however, was discovered to be serial murderer who strangled his victims. Most of those victims were unveiled at the trial but in his dying moments he hinted at another, the first woman who didn’t want him and, therefore, had to die.
* * * * *
In adulthood, Ruby followed (unknowingly) in her uncle’s footsteps, a noted clairvoyant and a very clever girl, she worked for MI6 (though never told her aunt and uncle, siblings, Ronnie or the Kilpatricks) and she did a variety of other things that would have caused distress or, indeed, heart failure.
After some rather significant troubles with a dashing agent, she married him and spent a great many years driving him delightfully mad.
* * * * *
Ronnie married her (fourth) English boyfriend and they travelled widely during all their vacations but she always worked at Sommersgate.
Although Ronnie looked on it more as taking care of her family.
She took over the role of Housekeeper after Mrs. K left this world.
Many years later, William Fairfax, Baron Blackbourne, insisted to her husband that she be buried in the family plot and he made certain flowers were delivered to her grave every week.
* * * * *
Nick never left the Gate House, never married (although he had a great deal of fun), spent most of his evenings at the dining room table at the main house and he watched over the Ashton family until he died in his sleep at the age of eighty-seven whilst having a particularly good dream.
* * * * *
Carter retired the year after the Baron and Baroness married and spent the rest of his days close to his daughter and grandchildren in sunny Devon.
* * * * *
Charlotte and Oliver Forsythe stayed the best of friends with the Baron and Baroness and Charlie and Jewel’s antics, for decades, were the cause of great hilarity amongst their set and in the media.
Charlie cried loudly and dramatically when both “Gregory” and Julia gave her stunning salutes at the retrospective honouring her contribution to fashion that was held at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
* * * * *
Sam Thornton invested her life savings in some stock her boss had suggested, made an absolute fortune, quit her job and travelled the world.
She met an Australian who was the only being she’d ever known (besides her ex-employer) who couldn’t be cowed by her energy, intelligence and wit.
So she married him and had five children which quickly depleted her energy but lovingly challenged her intelligence and wit.
* * * * *
Patricia Fairfax moved into the Ashton Dower House in Clevedon and meddled freely in the lives of her family, the Kilpatricks, Veronika, Nick, Samantha and the Forsythes and anyone else who wandered through their tight circle.
She also let slip a family secret during a public altercation with Monique Ashton, calling her an unfit mother and a few (well maybe a number) of other choice words.
The stunned reaction easily read on the faces of the Baron and Baroness, both of whom witnessed this diatribe, laid testimony to the truth of Patricia’s attack.
Monique was disgraced (most people never liked her anyway) and she spent most of the rest of her life alone. This was until her son and daughter-in-law (mostly her daughter-in-law) insisted she be cared for at Sommersgate when she eventually fell ill and infirm.
She was also buried in the family plot, as was her due, but her delivery of flowers was much smaller than the rest.
At the permission of the current residents, Patricia’s ashes were sprinkled over the pond in the front yard of what used to be her family farm in Indiana.
The fish were very happy.
* * * * *
The Baron and Baroness only had one child as their home was already full of three others, three cats, a dog (a mastiff, not named Babykins), six horses (those in the stables, of course) and a number of beloved servants.
They felt that was enough to watch after.
Julia learned to enjoy riding horses.
Douglas learned to tell his deepest secrets.
Douglas never lost interest in his wife, indeed, year after year, he fell deeper and deeper in love with her.
Julia lived her life always about ready to expire from the rapture of being loved so splendidly by her husband and enjoyed living a life of doing the same right back.
* * * * *
Tamsin and Gavin’s vision of heaven did indeed mean they were somewhere beautiful and they could see their family. They watched over their loved ones with humour and delight (and, in the beginning, not a little bit of frustration), thrilled when Archie and Ruby finally joined them.
One, the other or all four of them would come to open the window to their family’s world at Sommersgate House, open it over and over, and watch their family grow in happiness and in love.
Precisely the purpose for which Sommersgate House was built in the first place.
####
About the Author
Kristen Ashley lives in the beautiful West Country of England with her husband and her cat. She came to England by way of Denver, where she lived for twelve years, but she grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana. Her family and friends are loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you wan
t to write.
Kristen’s Mom moved her and her brother and sister in with their grandparents when she was six. Her grandparents had a daughter much younger than her Mom so they all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched). Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.
And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.
Discover other Titles by Kristen Ashley at Smashwords
Rock Chick Series:
Rock Chick
Rock Chick Rescue
Rock Chick Redemption
Rock Chick Renegade
Rock Chick Revenge
The ‘Burg Series:
For You
At Peace
Golden Trail
The Colorado Mountain Series:
The Gamble
Sweet Dreams
Other Titles by Kristen Ashley:
Lacybourne Manor
Penmort Castle
Three Wishes
Connect with Kristen Online:
Official Website: www.kristenashley.net
Kristen’s Blog: www.kristenashley.net/menu/blog.html
Kristen’s Facebook Page
* * * * *
Author’s Note
Sommersgate House, Douglas and Julia’s home in the book, is loosely based on Tyntesfield, a National Trust property. Tyntesfield, located in Wraxall, North Somerset, UK is an extraordinarily beautiful, gothic Victorian mansion that is, as far as I know, not haunted.
The National Trust is a UK charity dedicated to conserving and opening to visitors historic houses, gardens and large parts of the countryside and coastline.
Sommersgate House Page 44
