Donald glanced at his watch. “No, I suppose we don’t,” he agreed. “This is one of my favorite charities, after all.”
“What charity is it tonight?” Fenella asked as she grabbed her handbag and checked that she had her keys.
“Manx Cloan,” Donald replied. “Cloan is the Manx word for children and the charity does wonderful things for any and all children on the island.”
“How nice,” Fenella replied, feeling as if it sounded exactly like every other charity that Donald supported.
“It’s a wonderful group, but I mostly support it because the woman in charge, Liz Martin, is amazing,” Donald laughed. “But you’ll see when you meet her.”
Fenella was pretty sure that when Donald said “amazing” he meant gorgeous, but she tried to reserve judgment about Liz Martin until later.
“Where is the party?” she asked as Donald slid behind the driver’s seat of his racy black sports car. He’d already tucked her into the passenger seat.
“On the grounds of Peel Castle,” Donald replied. “Liz loves the island’s history. She holds the event at a different historical site each year. I’m sure Liz hopes that she’s promoting the island’s history as much as her charity.”
“I’ve only been to Peel Castle twice since I’ve been on the island,” Fenella said. “It’s a wonderful site and once I’m driving I hope to visit it regularly. I have to say, I can’t quite imagine it as a location for a fancy charity fundraiser, though.”
Donald nodded. “You’ll be surprised what Liz will have accomplished. There will be marquees, tents in American English, and I’m sure the catering will be excellent. It’s going to be a wonderful evening.”
Fenella nodded, but she knew that she’d be worried about Shelly no matter how nice the event was. Donald drove across the island at a steady pace. Fenella found herself staring at him, wondering if she was right to want to end their relationship. When traffic forced Donald to slow down, he reached over and took her hand.
“I don’t know what you’re thinking about, but I hope you aren’t planning to break things off with me,” he said softly.
Fenella sighed. “I feel as if I should,” she admitted. “We aren’t right for each other.”
Donald chuckled and squeezed her hand. “I know I don’t deserve you, but I’m trying hard to be a better person. I’m tired of playing games with beautiful women who are only after what my money and social position can bring them. You aren’t interested in either of those things, which means I have to win you on my own merits. It’s quite distressing to find that my merits are rather lacking.”
Fenella shook her head. “That isn’t it at all,” she said quickly. “I’m just not ready for a serious relationship right now. I’m still sorting out my new life and getting over my last relationship.”
“And yet, I suspect if I were Daniel Robinson you wouldn’t be saying the same thing,” Donald said softly.
Fenella felt herself blushing brightly. “Daniel isn’t even on the island right now,” she said.
“Which is why you’ve been letting me take you out so much,” Donald suggested. “And now he’s due back in a few weeks and you’re getting rid of me.”
It sounded awful when he put that way, but Fenella knew there was some truth in what he was saying. She really did like Daniel a lot.
As they approached Peel, Donald pulled his hand away so that he could shift into a lower gear. The twisty roads that led to the castle needed his concentration, so Fenella sat and stared out the window instead of replying. Once Donald was safely parked in the castle’s parking lot, he turned and took both of her hands.
“Just for tonight, maybe you could forget about Daniel and try giving me a proper chance,” he suggested in a low voice. “Forget everything you’ve heard about me and all the warnings I’m sure you’ve been given about me. Judge me tonight on how I treat you and how I behave. If I do anything that upsets you, we can end things after the party.”
Fenella nodded slowly. Donald was right. At least some of the reason why she kept him at arm’s length was because she’d been warned about him so many times. Maybe she should start judging him on his behavior, rather than on what other people said about him.
He climbed out of the car and raced around it to hold open her door for her. As he helped her from the car, he kissed the top of her head. “I already care far too much about you,” he murmured as she adjusted her dress and then took his arm.
The steps up to the castle were uneven and Fenella was glad she’d taken Donald’s arm as she walked up them in her heels. They seemed a very bad idea when she thought about the uneven terrain within the castle walls, but she soon discovered that she had nothing to worry about. Wooden boards had been laid all along the ground from the front of the castle into the tents and beyond. While they weren’t as stable as solid floors, they would keep Fenella’s heels from sinking into the ground as she walked.
They’d only gone a few steps when a pretty blonde woman rushed toward them. “Donald,” she exclaimed. “I knew you’d turn up eventually.”
Donald made an exaggerated glance at his watch and then shook his head. “The invitation said seven and it’s only quarter past. I’m right on time.”
The woman, who was probably in her mid-forties, laughed. “I suppose you are. You know I prefer everyone to be early.”
“And generous,” Donald suggested.
“Oh, yes, of course, that,” the woman replied. “But where are your manners? Who is your lovely friend?”
“I am sorry. Liz Martin, this is Fenella Woods. Fenella, this is Liz, the amazing woman behind Manx Cloan,” Donald said.
Fenella took the offered hand and smiled at the blonde. “It’s very nice to meet you,” she said.
“Likewise, I’m sure. But don’t let Donald fool you. I’m only a tiny part of Manx Cloan. There’s an entire committee who do ninety-nine percent of the work. I just stand out in front of them and steal all of the glory,” Liz said.
“That isn’t even close to true,” Donald laughed. “Manx Cloan is Liz’s baby, really, although she has plenty of real babies to keep her busy, as well.”
Liz laughed again. “My babies are all growing up,” she said. “I have five children,” she told Fenella. “But the oldest is eighteen now, so not a child at all.”
“Five children?” Fenella echoed. “I can’t imagine.”
“My husband and I didn’t exactly plan it that way,” Liz said in a confiding tone. “But if we had to go back, we wouldn’t change a thing. Bill is here somewhere with the little one. He’s meant to be taking her home before the auction gets started, but knowing him, he’ll let her stay. He’s terrible at disciplining the children, even after five of them.”
“You wouldn’t change that either,” Donald said.
Liz looked surprised and then laughed again. “You’re right, really. Bill is an amazing father and the kids adore him. I wouldn’t change him, even if I do get frustrated with him sometimes.”
“But what else have you been doing lately?” Donald asked.
“Me? Nothing much. Raising the kids, running Manx Cloan, oh, and I went back to school again,” Liz said.
“What are you studying?” Fenella asked.
“Manx language and history,” Liz replied. “I’m hoping to do a PhD, actually, but it’s going to be a lot of work.”
“You have a PhD, don’t you?” Donald asked Fenella.
“I do, in history, actually,” Fenella said, feeling a bit like she was showing off.
“Really? You must meet Marjorie,” Liz said. “She’s the librarian and archivist at the Manx Museum. Maybe you’d like to do some research there?”
“I hadn’t really thought about it, but maybe that would be interesting,” Fenella said.
“Marjorie will be here later. I’ll try to remember to introduce you,” Liz said. “But now I must dash. I’m sure someone needs me to do something somewhere.”
The woman gave Donald a quick hug. “D
on’t forget to bid on everything and spend lavishly,” she told him. Donald laughed.
“I’m exhausted just from talking to her,” Fenella said as they watched the woman dash away.
“She loves life and she squeezes as much as she can into every moment. Her children are lovely, by the way, and her husband is very nice, even if he does spoil the children,” Donald told her.
“I’m almost jealous,” Fenella teased. “You sound quite enamored of Mrs. Martin.”
“I am,” Donald admitted. “If she weren’t so happily married, I might even be tempted to try starting something with her. Sadly for me, she and Bill are absolutely devoted to one another.”
“Do you know this Marjorie she wants me to meet?”
“I’m sure I must have met her at one event or another, but I don’t remember the name. Still, if Liz wants you to meet her, she’ll make sure it happens.”
“I can believe that.”
“When I first met her, maybe fifteen years ago, she was almost shy,” Donald said. “Working with Manx Cloan has energized her, though. Or maybe it’s the five children.”
Fenella laughed. “I should think five children would have the opposite effect.”
“Whatever, she’s one of the busiest and most productive people I know, and I admire her immensely.”
“I can see why.”
The pair had been standing just inside the entrance doors while they’d been talking. Now Donald sighed. “We need to mingle,” he said. “There are at least a dozen people here that will be expecting me to say hello.”
“I won’t remember anyone’s name,” Fenella sighed.
“It doesn’t matter in the slightest,” Donald assured her.
In the next hour Fenella felt as if she met a hundred new people. As she’d expected, she struggled to remember names while she was speaking to people and as soon as she and Donald moved on to the next group, she forgot everything about the previous one. She was relieved when they finally reached a table with food and drinks on it.
“We should have started here,” Donald murmured as he handed Fenella a glass of champagne. “The last hour would have been a lot easier with a few glasses of champagne inside of me.”
“I thought you enjoyed this sort of thing,” Fenella replied. “You certainly go to a lot of similar events.”
“I go because it’s expected of me, not necessarily because I enjoy it. If I had a choice, I’d much rather be somewhere alone with you, maybe Paris or on a cruise in the Caribbean, but you wouldn’t agree to that. At least you were willing to be here tonight.”
“Nothing like a long night of chatting aimlessly with strangers to make Paris sound more attractive.”
“Really? Because we could leave in the morning.”
Fenella sighed. “No, not really. I mean, it’s very tempting, but it would be, well, I’m not sure what it would be.”
Donald laughed lightly. “It would be an admission that we’re more than just friends,” he said softly. “It would be the beginning of a beautiful and intimate relationship that could be exactly what both of us need. It would be an amazing chance to experience everything that Paris has to offer when money is no object. It would be…”
Fenella held up hand. “It would be more than I’m ready for,” she said, letting him hear the regret in her tone.
“It may well be more than I’m ready for as well,” he surprised her by replying. “I’ve been on my own for a long time now and I quite enjoy my freedom. You aren’t the sort of woman with whom I can simply play games, though. Perhaps we both need time to think.”
Fenella sipped her drink and then filled a plate with a little bit of everything that was on offer. It was all delicious, and she ate while she thought about what Donald had said. It had sounded very much like he was rethinking their relationship. Maybe she didn’t need to end things with him. Maybe he was going to end things with her.
“Donald, I knew you’d be here somewhere,” a stunning redhead who looked no more than twenty-five said as she pulled Donald into a hug. “I miss you,” she added in a low voice that Fenella just overheard.
“Leslie, this is Fenella Woods. Fenella, this is Leslie Grant,” Donald said.
The woman looked Fenella up and down and then shrugged. “She’s older than your usual companions, but maybe she hasn’t had any work done yet.” Leslie leaned closer to Fenella. “Some advice from a younger woman, get it done now. The earlier you start, the better the results.”
“I’m not interested in having work done,” Fenella said. “But thank you, anyway.”
Leslie shrugged. “I was just trying to help. If you want to keep a man like Donald interested, you’ll have to give it some thought, though.”
“If Donald is only interested in superficiality, he isn’t the man for me,” Fenella said sweetly.
The other woman frowned. “That sounded like an insult.”
“It wasn’t meant to be,” Fenella assured her.
Leslie looked at Donald. “Is she richer than you? Is that the appeal?”
Donald laughed, but it sounded forced. “She may be richer than I am, actually, but no, that isn’t the appeal. Fenella is, well, special in many ways.”
“I thought I was special,” Leslie simpered.
“You’re married,” Donald replied.
“What does that have to do with anything?” Leslie replied.
Fenella was still wondering if it was possible that she was actually wealthier than Donald was when she noticed someone new arriving.
“Who is that?” she asked Donald, interrupting his reply to Leslie.
Donald turned to look where Fenella was looking. “The gentleman with Liz? I don’t believe I know him,” he replied.
Fenella nodded, unable to take her eyes off the man who was smiling and chatting with Liz just inside the tent’s entrance. It seemed strange that a man who’d only just moved to the island had managed to get himself invited to the party, but Lance Thomas seemed quite at ease in the crowd.
3
“Should I be worried about him?” Donald asked a moment later as Leslie walked away. “You seem mesmerized by him.”
Fenella looked over at Donald and smiled. “Sorry about that. I met him earlier today, that’s all. He’s the man who upset Shelly.”
“Did you tell me that he was looking for her husband?” Donald asked.
“Yes, at least that’s what he said. He claims that he and John were childhood friends but that they’d lost touch in the last few years.”
“He claims? You don’t believe him?”
“I don’t know,” Fenella sighed. “Maybe I’m just suspicious of everyone. Shelly wasn’t sure either, but she said something as a test and he passed with flying colors.”
“But you still don’t trust him.”
“No, not at all,” Fenella admitted. “Something about him worries me and I don’t really want him around Shelly. Even if he is exactly who he claims to be, he upset Shelly quite badly.”
“So do you want to go and talk to him or not?”
Fenella shrugged. “Yes,” she said.
Donald chuckled. “And women wonder why men don’t understand them.”
“Let’s leave it for a few minutes, anyway,” Fenella said after watching Lance for a while longer. “Tell me about the people he’s talking with and then we’ll see.”
“I’m afraid the people in that little group are all strangers to me.”
“I thought you knew everyone on the island.”
“Not at all. I do have a great many business connections, but beyond that I don’t actually socialize very much. Anyway, I’d be willing to wager he and his friends are all from across.”
“All of them? He’s brought quite a few guests, then. Seems a bit rude for a man who only moved to the island today.”
Donald raised an eyebrow. “He only moved here today? I wonder how he managed to get a spot on the guest list for tonight on such short notice. I may have to have a chat with Liz about that
.”
“And not just for himself, but for several friends as well,” Fenella pointed out.
“Yes, the next time Liz goes past, I’ll try to catch her.”
Fenella watched as Lance and his friends began to slowly circulate around the room. She sipped her champagne and tried to look as if she wasn’t staring at Lance as they went.
“I was wrong. I do know one of them, but only slightly,” Donald said after a while. “And we really need to stop staring at them, I think.”
Fenella turned back to the table full of food and selected a few more items while Donald did the same. Then the pair walked over to a quiet corner and settled into chairs.
“So who do you know?” Fenella asked as soon as she was sitting.
Donald grinned at her. “Evenings with you are never boring. The shortest of the men, the very slender man in the, um, unattractive suit, he’s the one I know.”
“It is an awful suit,” Fenella agreed after she’d worked out which was the man in question. “Why would anyone want a suit in that muddy brown color?”
“An excellent question. Perhaps I’ll put it to Neil later.”
“Neil?”
“Oh, sorry. That’s his name. He’s Neil Hicks. We’ve worked together on a few small projects over the years, but it’s been, oh, at least twenty years since the last one.”
“What’s wrong with him?”
Donald laughed. “What makes you think there’s something wrong with him?”
“If there weren’t, you’d still be working with him.”
“Perhaps, but I wouldn’t say there was anything wrong with him, exactly. The two projects we worked on together both went well and made me money.”
“But?”
“But what?”
“If they did well and made you money, why haven’t you worked together again?”
“Perhaps the right project simply never came up again.”
Fenella frowned at him. “There’s more to it than that, but you don’t have to tell me what it is if you don’t want to.”
Donald shrugged. “I’m not trying to be difficult, truly I’m not.” He reached over and took her hand, leaving her temporarily unable to enjoy the food on her lap. “Let’s just say that he made me uncomfortable, shall we? The projects did well, but things weren’t always dealt with in the way that I would have preferred.”
An Isle of Man Ghostly Cozy Collection - DEF Page 51
