the avid clenching
of her stomach any time Douglas was near.
“Do you
think?” Julia asked.
“I can’t
imagine why else. Tammy adored Douglas but she didn’t fool herself
about him. He’s a good man but, let’s face it, he’s no father
figure.” Julia couldn’t help but laugh out loud at that, Charlotte
threw her a grin and carried on. “So, Tammy wanted the kids at
Sommersgate and you to raise them because they both thought you
were fabulous and everyone knows you love those kids. But they had
to know Monique would be a problem. Ergo, Douglas is thrown into
the fray, poor man. He worshipped his sister, you know.”
No, she
didn’t know. Worship was the kind of thing people did to Douglas, not the other way
around.
Charlotte
continued. “It’s clear he’s already decided on protecting you, if
you know what I mean. So, my advice to you is to take him up on
it.”
Julia frowned.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“ The
possessive arm thing, wasting no time in dragging you in front of
the paparazzi as a declaration of your position and his favour.
Trust me, everyone in there…” she gestured with her cigarette to
the gallery, “knows who you are and why you’re here and that you
are not, upon arrival in this country, being hidden away like a
poor relation whose role is now nanny of her Lady Sister-in-Law’s
children. No, instead, you’re out here, looking fabulous… and
you do look fabulous
by the way, that dress is amazing … and drinking champagne. And Douglas’s favour is a sought
after commodity. He shines his light on you, not even Monique could
dim it. Believe me, there is nothing, not one thing that Douglas
does that doesn’t have a purpose. This…” she gestured lavishly to
the alley, “is his subtle way of telling his mother, when she
returns, and anyone else for that matter, to back, the hell, off.
Well done him!” She finished, clapping her hands, rather
dangerously in Julia’s opinion, considering the lit
cigarette.
This news,
coming from a woman who had known Douglas for years, was so welcome
that Julia felt the tears sting her eyes.
“Oh no, don’t
do that!” Charlotte cried, coming close to Julia and squeezing her
arm reassuringly. “Your makeup is gorgeous and everyone’s going to
be looking at you. You can’t ruin it. Here, have a cigarette, it’ll
calm you down.”
“I quit ages
ago,” Julia admitted, taking a deep breath to fight back the
tears.
“ Well, I
suppose since you’re currently the moral compass for three
children, now isn’t the time to start up again. I must quit too or Ollie will divorce
me.” She gave Julia’s arm another squeeze before she took her hand
away. She dropped her cigarette and crushed it under the toe of her
beautifully-shod foot. She straightened her shoulders, tucked
Julia’s arm in her elbow and started forward but Julia pulled
firmly back and looked at the woman. For the first time in months
she felt less tense and less worried and those feelings lit her
green eyes to sparkles, even in the dark alley.
“I…” Julia
hesitated, not knowing how to put her feelings into words, then she
continued, “thank you. I appreciate you telling me this.”
Charlotte
shook her head and patted Julia’s arm, her eyes kind. “Enough of
this, let’s go show them how fabulous you are.”
And that was
what Charlotte did.
For the rest
of the night, Julia had a wonderful time. She was wrong, Charlotte
wasn’t just witty, she was hilarious. They drank glass after glass
of champagne and Charlotte introduced her to everyone, making
outrageous comments that made Julia laugh so hard she nearly
cried.
Douglas hadn’t
been lost in Charlotte’s determined efforts for the evening, even
as she whisked Julia from person to person, and drink to drink,
they always came back to Douglas. Charlotte would deposit Julia
firmly at his side for just enough time for him to smile down on
her or lean over and comment in her ear, showing everyone
of her stomach any time Douglas was near.
“Do you
think?” Julia asked.
“I can’t
imagine why else. Tammy adored Douglas but she didn’t fool herself
about him. He’s a good man but, let’s face it, he’s no father
figure.” Julia couldn’t help but laugh out loud at that, Charlotte
threw her a grin and carried on. “So, Tammy wanted the kids at
Sommersgate and you to raise them because they both thought you
were fabulous and everyone knows you love those kids. But they had
to know Monique would be a problem. Ergo, Douglas is thrown into
the fray, poor man. He worshipped his sister, you know.”
No, she
didn’t know. Worship was the kind of thing people did to Douglas, not the other way
around.
Charlotte
continued. “It’s clear he’s already decided on protecting you, if
you know what I mean. So, my advice to you is to take him up on
it.”
Julia frowned.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“ The
possessive arm thing, wasting no time in dragging you in front of
the paparazzi as a declaration of your position and his favour.
Trust me, everyone in there…” she gestured with her cigarette to
the gallery, “knows who you are and why you’re here and that you
are not, upon arrival in this country, being hidden away like a
poor relation whose role is now nanny of her Lady Sister-in-Law’s
children. No, instead, you’re out here, looking fabulous… and
you do look fabulous
by the way, that dress is amazing … and drinking champagne. And Douglas’s favour is a sought
after commodity. He shines his light on you, not even Monique could
dim it. Believe me, there is nothing, not one thing that Douglas
does that doesn’t have a purpose. This…” she gestured lavishly to
the alley, “is his subtle way of telling his mother, when she
returns, and anyone else for that matter, to back, the hell, off.
Well done him!” She finished, clapping her hands, rather
dangerously in Julia’s opinion, considering the lit
cigarette.
This news,
coming from a woman who had known Douglas for years, was so welcome
that Julia felt the tears sting her eyes.
“Oh no, don’t
do that!” Charlotte cried, coming close to Julia and squeezing her
arm reassuringly. “Your makeup is gorgeous and everyone’s going to
be looking at you. You can’t ruin it. Here, have a cigarette, it’ll
calm you down.”
“I quit ages
ago,” Julia admitted, taking a deep breath to fight back the
tears.
“ Well, I
suppose since you’re currently the moral compass for three
children, now isn’t the time to start up again. I must quit too or Ollie will divorce
me.” She gave Julia’s arm another squeeze before she took her hand
away. She dropped her cigarette and crushed it under the toe of her
beautifully-shod foot. She straightened her shoulders, tucked
Julia’s arm in her elbow and started forward but Julia pulled
firmly back and looked at the woman. For the first time in months
she felt less tense and less worried and those feelings lit her
green eyes to sparkles, even in the dark alley.
“I…” Julia
hesitated, not knowing how to put her feelings into words, then she
continued, “thank you. I appreciate you telling me this.”
Charlotte
shook her head and patted Julia’s arm, her eyes kind. “Enough of
this, let’s go show them how fabulous you are.”
And that was
what Charlotte did.
For the rest
of the night, Julia had a wonderful time. She was wrong, Charlotte
wasn’t just witty, she was hilarious. They drank glass after glass
of champagne and Charlotte introduced her to everyone, making
outrageous comments that made Julia laugh so hard she nearly
cried.
Douglas hadn’t
been lost in Charlotte’s determined efforts for the evening, even
as she whisked Julia from person to person, and drink to drink,
they always came back to Douglas. Charlotte would deposit Julia
firmly at his side for just enough time for him to smile down on
her or lean over and comment in her ear, showing everyone
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