Fiance For Christmas

‘How scrummy—I wish I’d known!’ said the irrepressible Polly, dodging the pillow Cassie hurled at her.

After a short interval in the bathroom, Cassie rushed back to her room to drag a brush through the tousled ringlets, then, ignoring Polly’s entreaties to tell all, she raced downstairs as she was, shivering in her striped pyjamas and old blue dressing gown. She turned the heating up and went into the sitting-room to find Nick still out for the count, his mouth open slightly, but not snoring. It was the only point in his favour. The growth of black stubble along his jaw had grown thicker overnight—Polly wasn’t far wrong with her pirate description. ‘Sleeping like a babe’ was hardly applicable. There was nothing helpless about Nick Seymour, awake or asleep.

Cassie shook him ungently and tried to pull the covers off, but Nick muttered ominously and held on like grim death, refusing to wake. With a sigh of exasperation Cassie went over to the windows and drew back the curtains on a sunny, frosty morning, the bright light doing more to penetrate Nick’s consciousness than all her shaking. He sat up suddenly, blinking like an owl as he saw Cassie standing over him, arms folded and a militant expression on her face.

‘The usual line is “where am I?”,’ she informed him tartly.

Nick shot to his feet, shivering, and rubbed his jaw in distaste. ‘I know where I am, Cassie, but why the hell am I still here?’

‘It wasn’t my choice, believe me,’ she assured him. ‘But when you sleep, you certainly sleep, Dominic Seymour. I couldn’t rouse you last night so I left you there. I hoped you’d wake up in the night and tactfully take yourself off. Instead you gave one of my fellow tenants a nasty shock this morning.’

He grimaced. ‘Sorry. I’ll apologise later. At the moment I need a bathroom. I don’t suppose you’d have a spare toothbrush?’

‘Polly might. I’ll find out.’

Polly, now fully dressed in skin-tight leather trousers and a curve-hugging ribbed sweater, was happy to oblige. ‘Always keep one for emergencies, pet,’ she said cheerfully, rummaging in a drawer. ‘Would Bluebeard like to borrow a razor, too, while I make breakfast?’

Nick accepted both offerings from Cassie with gratitude, and came downstairs later, hair relatively tidy and his jaw clean-shaven. Despite his rumpled clothes, he looked a lot better, and to the impressionable Polly obviously very fanciable indeed.

‘Hi, I’m Polly Cooper,’ she informed him jauntily. ‘Want some coffee?’

‘Nick Seymour,’ he returned, with a dazzling smile. ‘I’m told I gave you a shock earlier. My apologies.’

Polly assured him she’d suffered no ill effects.

Cassie took her eyes off the toast under the grill. ‘Want some breakfast, Nick?’

‘If you don’t think I’ve trespassed too much on your hospitality already,’ he said wryly, sitting at the table.

‘A few minutes more won’t matter, I suppose,’ said Cassie. She put the toast rack on the table and handed him a sales-slip from the well-known source of the previous night’s dinner. ‘I’m sure you’ll enjoy breakfast more if you settle up for this.’

‘Cassie!’ remonstrated Polly in horror. ‘You’re not making him pay for his dinner?’

‘Why not? It was meant for Rupert,’ said Cassie, filling three coffee mugs. She pushed the butter towards Nick.

‘I ruined her evening, so she’s entitled to make me pay. Though I think it’s for more than just dinner,’ added Nick, looking Cassie in the eye.

‘I was joking,’ she muttered, and snatched the sales-slip back.

Nick looked unconvinced. ‘Right. I’ll just finish this and be on my way. I need a bath and a change of clothes before I pick up Alice.’

‘Will you come back for me?’ asked Cassie.

‘Is that what you want?’

Polly looked on in fascination as the two pairs of eyes locked, one pair dark-rimmed blue, still shadowed with fatigue, the other pair oval, the velvety brown irises surprisingly dark below the fair hair.

Cassie nodded. ‘I’ve got something to suggest. So if you get back here in an hour it should give us time to talk before fetching Alice.’

Nick glanced at his watch, then finished his coffee quickly. ‘I’ll get off, then. I’ll be back as soon as I can.’

‘Wow!’ said Polly after Nick had gone. ‘Why have you never mentioned him before?’

Polly was a recent addition to the household. Knowing she wouldn’t let it rest, Cassie gave her the bare bones of her acquaintance with Dominic Seymour, leaving out the fact that he was in some way to blame for the break-up of Julia’s marriage. And when Cassie added the worry of the night before over Alice, Polly was full of sympathy.

‘Poor little thing. You’d think her father could have got home in time for Christmas.’

‘He may do yet—still four days to go.’

‘And what happens in the meantime?’ demanded Polly. ‘Will this housekeeper person look after her? Or does Nick have a girlfriend likely to lend a hand?’

‘No idea, on both counts. I hope we can sort something out later. Whatever happens,’ added Cassie firmly, ‘I’m going to see Alice this morning, let her know there are people who care about her.’

When Nick returned later, dressed in a cream twill shirt and heavy navy sweater with thick-ribbed cords and a fleece-lined suede jacket, he looked considerably better.

‘Polly’s gone shopping,’ said Cassie, letting him in. ‘Jane, another friend you haven’t met yet, stayed overnight with the boyfriend, so we’ve got the place to ourselves for a bit. We need to talk.’

‘I know.’ He shrugged out of his jacket and hung it on a peg in the hall with a familiarity Cassie noted with disapproval. She didn’t want Nick Seymour to feel he was part of the scene in the house. This was her territory.

‘I’ll get the coffee. You can resume your former place on the sofa,’ she said firmly. ‘Won’t be a moment.’

When she returned with a tray Nick was eyeing the arrangement Cassie had finally achieved with Rupert’s flowers.

‘From your merchant banker,’ he commented.

‘Lovely, aren’t they?’ She put the tray down on the table beside them and handed Nick a mug. ‘Sugar? Milk?’

‘No, thanks.’

Cassie waved him to the sofa and curled up in her usual chair. During Nick’s absence she’d showered and dressed in a white shirt and russet wool sweater with a short tweed skirt. She wore thick, patterned wool tights and gleaming chestnut leather boots, and a broad brown velvet ribbon did its best to restrain her hair.

Nick eyed the result with unconcealed approval. ‘Are you meeting Rupert today?’ he asked.

‘No.’ Though Cassie had hoped to.

Nick got up restlessly, losing interest in Rupert. ‘Cassie, I’m hellish worried. There’s no news of Max, and Christmas is only four days away. I’ll move into the house in Chiswick, of course, but it’s going to be grim for Alice with just the two of us, poor kid.’

Cassie frowned. ‘Isn’t there a woman in your life these days?’

‘Several I could ask out for the evening.’ Nick’s mouth twisted. ‘But no one likely to help entertain a little girl.’

She nodded, unsurprised. Nick had never been short of female company, but in the past he’d been attracted more to social butterflies than earth mothers. ‘In that case I’ve a plan to put forward. I made a couple of phone calls this morning as a contingency plan, in case there was no news of Max.’

Nick sat down again, his eyes intent. ‘I’m grateful for any suggestion, Cassie, believe me.’

‘First I rang Julia, then I rang my parents and explained the situation.’

‘Their opinion of Max must be at a new low, then,’ said Nick bitterly.

‘Their concern was all for Alice.’ Cassie brushed back a stray, escaping curl. ‘My father is driving up from Gloucestershire to collect Julia and Emily today. Julia’s staying at home in Chastlecombe until the New Year. I’m joining them on Christmas Eve.’ She looked at Nick searchingly. ‘Alice could go back with them, spend Christmas at home with all of us. If you agree.’

His eyes blazed with such gratitude Cassie was dazzled. ‘It’s not up to me to agree or not. But I think it’s a fantastic idea.’ He paused, sobering quickly. ‘I’d have done my best for her, but she’d be so much better off with your mother and that cute little cherub of Julia’s. And if Max objects, what the hell?’ He breathed in a deep sigh of relief. ‘Cassie, you don’t know what a load you’ve taken off my mind.’

‘And you’ll be free to keep to your own plans, of course,’ she said, rather pointedly.

Nick’s jaw tightened. ‘My “plans”, as you put it, involve a couple of days on my own in a hotel near Worcester, booked before I went to Saudi.’

Cassie stared at him in surprise. ‘In that case Alice will definitely be better off with the rest of us in Chastlecombe.’ She jumped to her feet. ‘I’ll ring home now and tell them you approve—’

‘Would you mind if I spoke to your mother personally, to thank her?’ he put in. ‘Or do your parents regard me as the villain of the piece?’

‘No. That’s Max’s role,’ she assured him, then smiled suddenly. ‘Don’t tell her I told you, but Mother always had a soft spot for you, anyway.’

‘That’s music to my ears. I’m glad someone does,’ he said morosely. ‘You weren’t exactly friendly last night—nor Julia.’

‘Did you expect us to be?’

‘I make it a rule, Cassie, to expect as little as possible. It saves disappointment,’ he said bitingly, then looked at her very directly. ‘It’s a long time since I was in love with Julia, no matter what you think, but she’s still someone I regard as very special. It was painful to see her in those circumstances last night. It hit me for six.’

‘I could tell!’ She picked up her large leather satchel bag. ‘Right. Here’s my address book. The number’s on the first page, with Julia’s.’

Cassie went into the kitchen with the tray, leaving Nick to talk to her mother—a conversation which obviously went well judging by his reluctance to hand over the receiver for her to confirm arrangements with her delighted parent.

‘Mother’s so relieved,’ she told Nick as they got in the car. ‘She’s been worrying like mad over Alice’s Christmas anyway. She went up like a rocket when she heard what happened last night.’ She paused. ‘Are we taking things for granted, Nick? We’ve been busy making arrangements on Alice’s behalf, but we haven’t consulted her in any way.’

‘If she doesn’t like the idea, I’ll cancel my hotel booking and stay in Chiswick with her,’ said Nick promptly. ‘Whatever Alice decides, I’m grateful for your help, Cassie.’

‘I’ve done nothing much—’

‘On the contrary. You’ve organised everything, me included. This team you support is damn lucky.’

When they reached the house in Chiswick, Nick rang the doorbell. ‘I’d like to hang on to the key,’ he muttered. ‘I don’t want another scare like last night.’

The door was opened by a young woman dressed in jeans and jersey.

‘Hello, Janet,’ said Nick, smiling, and her pleasant face lit up with relief.

‘Good morning, Mr Seymour. Sorry I worried you by making off with Alice last night, but my fiancé was coming home on leave from the Army, and I wanted to be there when he arrived.’

‘Don’t apologise, Janet. I’m just grateful you took care of Alice,’ he assured her.

‘She’s ever so worried about her dad,’ she whispered.

‘I am too,’ he admitted, and introduced Cassie.

‘It’s so nice to meet you at last,’ said Janet, ushering them inside. ‘I’ve heard such a lot about you from Alice.’

Suddenly there was the sound of flying feet and a small figure came hurtling down the stairs to throw herself at Nick, who leapt up to meet her halfway and picked her up, giving her a smacking kiss on both cheeks.

‘Uncle Nick,’ cried Alice Seymour, burying her face in his neck. ‘Daddy hasn’t come home.’

‘I know, poppet. But he will, don’t you worry. In the meantime, look who I’ve brought to see you.’

‘Cassie!’ cried the child with delight, and raced down into the arms held out to receive her.

When the hugs and kisses were over, Alice tugged Nick and Cassie by the hand to pull them towards the Christmas tree, which was half trimmed, with open boxes of baubles and tinsel scattered round it.

‘We started on it this morning. I thought it would be nice to have it ready,’ said Janet quietly.

‘Brilliant idea,’ agreed Cassie. ‘Shall we finish it off together, darling?’

Alice agreed with enthusiasm, a lot less forlorn as she helped Cassie and Nick rummage in the boxes.

‘I’ll make some coffee then,’ said Janet, and Nick jumped up.

‘I’ll help,’ he said promptly. ‘I need a word with you, Janet.’

Alice Seymour was a thin little girl, rather tall for her age, with a mop of short tawny curls, freckles, and eyes the colour of moss, just like her father, with no resemblance at all to the photograph of the pretty blonde young mother who’d died when she was born.

She chattered happily to Cassie as they worked, full of questions about Julia and Emily.

‘I’ve got a present for Emily,’ she confided. ‘Janet helped me choose it. Will you give it to her, Cassie?’

‘I may be able to do better than that, darling,’ said Cassie, her eyes questioning as Nick came back with a coffee tray.

‘I’ve told Janet the plan and she thinks it’s a brilliant idea,’ he announced.

‘What plan, Uncle Nick?’ said Alice excitedly. ‘Is it something nice?’

‘Very nice—’ he began, then broke off as the phone rang.

Janet answered it, spoke briefly, then called Nick over, shaking her head in response to Alice’s eager demand to know if it was Daddy. ‘No, pet. It’s Mrs Cartwright. Have you found the fairy yet? It must be in one of these boxes.’

‘Mrs Cartwright sent her love,’ said Nick, hunkering down beside Alice. ‘I told her you were fine and she needn’t worry. She says you can go round and spend time with Laura whenever you want.’

‘Not today,’ said Alice promptly, clutching Cassie’s hand.

‘No,’ he agreed. ‘Not today. After Christmas some time. Talking of which, Cassie’s made a fantastic suggestion.’ He drew her to the stairs, sat down on the bottom step and took her on his knee to warn her that Daddy might be held up in New Guinea and not be able to get back in time for Christmas. Alice smothered a sob, and leaned against him so miserably Cassie badly wanted to snatch her from Nick to comfort her. Her eyes met his over the curly head, and she turned away quickly, busying herself with the search for the missing fairy.

Nick quickly outlined the plan for Alice to spend Christmas in the Lovell household with Cassie and her parents. ‘And Julia and Emily,’ he added.

Alice sat bolt upright, staring at him in disbelief, then jumped up and ran to Cassie. ‘Is it true?’ she demanded passionately. ‘Can I really have Christmas with Julia?’

At that moment, if Max Seymour had walked through the door Cassie would have caused him grievous bodily harm and revelled in it.

‘You bet,’ she said huskily. ‘If your father can’t get home for Christmas, I’m sure he’ll be happy to know you’re having a lovely time with my parents and me. And Julia and Emily, too,’ she added.

At which point Janet went off to have a private cry in the kitchen, while a supercharged Alice, in transports of delight, hindered Cassie’s efforts to finish decorating the Christmas tree, giggling wildly at Nick’s mutterings as he tried to get the fairy lights to work. Afterwards they sent out for pizza, and enjoyed a lively, noisy lunch in the kitchen with Janet.

‘I hope this New Guinea tribe of his eats Max for Christmas dinner,’ said Cassie viciously, after Janet had taken Alice off to pack.

Nick grinned. ‘I doubt they celebrate Christmas.’ He sobered. ‘It’s all a bit sad, really. Max and I used to be quite close for stepbrothers. But since the break-up that’s finished. I haven’t been in the country much at the same time as Max since, but when I’m in the UK I take Alice out for the day as often as possible.’

‘I know. She’s told me all about her outings with Uncle Nick.’ Cassie looked thoughtful. ‘Are there any women in Max’s life?’

Nick shrugged. ‘Not as far as I know. Alice never mentions anyone. But he probably keeps that side of his life from her. Lord knows he has ample opportunity. Alice doesn’t see much of him.’

‘Some people,’ said Cassie malevolently, ‘shouldn’t be parents. Come on—let’s hurry Janet up. Dad’s due at my place with Julia in a few minutes, if everything’s going to plan.’

After a grateful, emotional parting with Janet, the three of them set off for Shepherd’s Bush in a general mood of euphoria which intensified when they found a familiar, battered Range Rover had arrived before them. It was a good ten years older than Rupert’s, in need of a wash, and crammed with a highchair and baby seat, and a mound of luggage behind the wire mesh screen fitted to pen in the family dogs.

‘They’re here,’ said Cassie. Alice, white with excitement, her freckles standing out in relief, followed close behind as Cassie unlocked the door to reveal her father and Emily in the hall on all fours, playing trains.

‘Hi, Dad—be careful, you’ll do yourself an injury!’

Her father jumped up, smiling sheepishly, and gave her a hug. ‘Hello, sweetheart. Your friend Polly let us in.’ He peered behind her at Alice, his smile broadening. ‘And who’s this grown-up young lady, may I ask? Not Alice, surely!’

Alice greeted him shyly, delighted when he gave her a smacking kiss, then she dropped on her knees in front of the toddler. ‘Hello, Emily.’

‘Lally!’ said Emily, beaming.

Alice hugged her in delight. ‘She remembers me, Cassie! And her hair’s grown. It’s like mine.’

‘And the freckles,’ said Cassie, aware that Nick was watching the little scene with narrowed eyes.

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