Chapter Twenty-Four
Serafina closed the door of the final bedroom and turned to Kit, her eyes bright. "Perfect. It's even better than I remembered."
Kit felt a surge of hope. "So, you think it's suitable? You're still interested?"
"Absolutely. This house will make a wonderful luxury development. I can see at least six, or seven, apartments here, and with landscaped gardens and such a beautiful location, I can't imagine I'd have any trouble shifting them."
"And what we said about Jack?"
She smiled. "One apartment included in the price for Jack and Amanda, as part of the deal. I haven't forgotten."
Kit sagged with relief. "Thanks, Seffy."
"What made you change your mind?" She followed him downstairs, the scent of her expensive perfume wafting over him as they walked. "After all these years, I'd given up."
"I need the money," he admitted, opening the door of the sitting room for her and ushering her inside. "The factory needs a major cash injection, fast. This was the only way."
"You really shouldn't tell me that," she reproached him, shaking her head playfully. "It puts me at an advantage. How do you know I won't use that information to haggle the price down?"
"Because I've known you since we were teenagers," he responded, smiling, "and I know you'd never do that."
"Curse my kindly nature," she said, eyes twinkling. "So, would you like to look over the contract?"
"You've had one prepared?" He stared at her, astonished. "But how did you know you'd still want the place?"
"I've wanted Fell House for a long time," she said. "If you remember, my father wanted it, too, but your father wouldn't even contemplate it. Of course, Daddy wanted it for different reasons. He visualised himself living here like a lord of the manor. I only ever saw its investment potential. Tell me, Kit," she leaned forward, handing him the papers that she'd removed from her bag, "does it bother you? The fact that this will no longer be in your family? Or that it will be divided up into apartments?"
Kit rolled his eyes. "You must be joking. I have no interest in, or affection for, this place. All it holds are memories of arguments, bitter silences, and a lot of misery. I'll be glad to be rid of it."
"Yes, I remember your relationship with your father was never easy," she said with a sigh. "I always felt sorry for you about that. I loved my own father so much, and always felt you missed out."
"My father wasn't like yours. He was cold and strict. He and my mother were a good match. She was selfish, hard, and not in the slightest bit maternal. Still isn't. Do you know, she hasn't once set eyes on Tim? Her own grandson. Too busy, apparently. Yep, she was the perfect woman for Dad. I don't think they gave a damn about each other, to be honest. Mind you, it seems to be a Carroll family trait. My grandparents despised each other. Like my parents, they slept in separate rooms and barely spoke. Lovely examples of marital bliss, I must say."
"But Jack and Amanda are happy?"
Kit hesitated, thinking of Tim and everything his brother and his wife were going through. Happy wasn't the word he'd use to describe them at that moment. "They're solid," he compromised eventually. "I think they'll last the course."
"And what about you, darling? Anyone special on the scene?"
Kit eyed her warily, wondering how much to confess. Truthfully, he wanted to talk to someone about it, and he didn't have anyone else. He could hardly pour it all onto Jack's shoulders, after all. "I've been sort of seeing someone," he said carefully.
She squealed with excitement. "Really? About bloody time. Thought you'd taken a vow of celibacy. Who is she?"
He stared at the contract, not really seeing it. "Her name's Marley, and—"
"Marley?" She clapped her hands, leaning forward eagerly. "Not the Marley?"
"You remember her?" Bloody hell, he'd honestly thought she'd have forgotten all about her.
"How could I forget? I spent an entire year mopping your tears and listening to you drone on about that awful gold-digging, selfish, conniving bitch. Remember?"
Kit flushed. "I was very young, and probably a bit too harsh about her."
She shook her head. "From what you told me, she deserved everything she got. Are you sure about this, Kit? What on earth made you give her a second chance?"
How could he explain? In a strange way, he hadn't had any say in the matter. It was as if he'd been waiting for Marley to give him a second chance, even though it was she who'd hurt him. From the moment he'd seen her at The Blue Lamp, it was only a matter of time, really. He knew he'd forgive her anything, even the way she'd used him back then. "She's changed. Grown up." He really hoped he was right about that, though little doubts still niggled at him.
"Oh? What makes you think that?"
He put down the contract and considered the matter. "She really cares about other people. She's my secretary now, believe it, or not." He felt a sudden warmth, thinking how Marley would be giving him an indignant look and reminding him she was his PA, actually. "And she's been worrying about the factory staff. Things haven't been easy here, Seffy, I won't lie. I had to make some unpopular decisions, like scrapping the Christmas bonus, and not taking them all out for their traditional meal. She was really angry with me for messing them around like that. She's been giving me quite a hard time about it, actually," he added with a laugh.
"I take it she doesn't know the trouble the factory's in?"
He blushed again. "No. I haven't told her."
"And why's that?"
"I didn't want her to tell the rest of the staff. Didn't want them all worrying about their jobs, especially over Christmas. She has family working there, and she may have felt obliged to tell them."
"Are you sure that's the only reason?"
"What do you mean? What other reason could there be?"
She leaned back against the sofa, eyeing him sternly. "You're sure you just don't want her to know you may not be as financially secure as she imagines? Frightened she'd suddenly find you a less attractive prospect?"
"It's not like that!" His denial sounded hollow, even to his own ears. Wasn't that what had nagged away at his subconscious all this time? The voice that whispered in his ear, even while he tried to drown it out with protests that she wasn't like that anymore, that the feelings between them were real? Marley had got what she'd always wanted, after all. She was dating the boss of Carroll's Confectionary—sort of. Wasn't that what she'd planned, way back when they were besotted teenagers?
At least, he'd been besotted, he remembered bleakly. She'd soon shown her true colours, when she realised he wanted more from life than to run a sweet factory. She hadn't wanted to be with him when he went to Africa. She hadn't wanted to embark on a real adventure with him, to share the experience of a lifetime. She'd thrown it all back in his face, going on about the lack of luxury, and how she wouldn't be seen dead in a tent. And at that, he'd told her they were over, hurling insults at her in a panicked attempt to get her to change her mind, to tell him she loved him and would happily go anywhere with him, whatever the conditions. But she hadn't. She'd simply stared at him, all wide-eyed and pale, and told him to go, then. So, he had.
Seffy had been one of the other gap year students on the project, and they'd bonded very quickly. She'd had the patience of a saint, quickly becoming his confidante and never complaining, when missing Marley had overwhelmed him at times and he'd had to fight the urge to rush back home to make it up with her. Marley had never got in touch with him, and he’d guessed she'd found someone else.
He'd gone home a year later to start uni, and had wanted to find her, but hadn't dared risk the rejection. Then, on a night out with some fellow students in Whitby, he'd seen her with a man. It was nearly Christmas, and she was slow dancing with some denim-clad bloke. He'd seen the expression on her face. She'd looked a million miles away, and he'd felt sick with jealousy and hurt, and gone straight home. He'd never attempted to find her again, and had pushed her to the back of his mind. Or, at least, he'd tried to. Marley had a habit of forcing her way forward at the most inconvenient moments. He'd never really been free of her.
Truthfully, he didn't think he wanted to be free of her. He had to believe in her. What choice did he have? "She's going through a hard time at the moment. Her great uncle's seriously ill."
"I'm sorry to hear that," she said, "although I don't see what that's got to do with anything. Just be careful, Kit, that's all. I'd hate for you to go through all that heartbreak again. On the other hand, if she genuinely has changed, I couldn't be more delighted for you. I'd like to meet her one day."
He smiled faintly. "Would you like a drink?"
She shook her head, blonde hair bobbing. "No thanks. Peter's taking me out for dinner. It's our wedding anniversary."
"God, I'm sorry, you should have said. You could have come another day."
"Not at all. This house is the best present I could ever ask for," she said, standing up and smoothing her skirt. "Have a look through the contract, then show it to your solicitor. Any problems, or queries, get in touch with me."
"I'm sure there won't be," he assured her.
She laughed and held out her hand. "Pleasure doing business with you, Mr Carroll."
"Likewise, Mrs McCoy."
She released his hand and threw her arms around him. "It's been lovely to see you again, Kit. I have missed you. You must let me know how it goes with Marley. I really do hope it all works out."
"Thanks, Seffy." He smiled and showed her to the front door.
"Don't forget," she said, "any problems, just call me." She leaned forward and kissed him gently on the cheek. "Take care."
"See you soon," he promised, and waved as she rushed over to her car, clearly keen to get out of the freezing evening air and into the warmth again. He stood on the step, waving until her car cleared the drive and disappeared from view, then turned to go back inside.
"Kit?"
He spun around, shocked. "Marley? What the hell are you doing here?" God, she looked frozen, and so pale. She was standing by the wall, just staring at him. "What's wrong? What's happened?"
"Great Uncle Charles." She swallowed. "He died a couple of hours ago."
Kit slumped against the door. "Oh, my God. Marley, I'm so sorry." He shook himself, realising suddenly that he was freezing, so she must’ve been even colder. "Come in. It's like ice out here."
She didn't move, still staring at him. "Who was that?"
"What? Oh, you mean ..." His voice trailed off. She was looking at him most peculiarly. "Her name's Serafina. We're old friends. Known each other since we were teenagers."
"I don't remember you mentioning her before," she said, teeth chattering.
He frowned. "You wouldn't. We met in our gap year. She was in Africa with me, working on the project I told you about."
"And you're still in touch?"
He shifted, feeling in the wrong, but not knowing why. "She became a good friend. We got on well."
"Clearly."
Her eyes were boring into him, and Kit felt a spark of annoyance. What was she insinuating? And did it matter, given that she'd just lost her great-uncle? Surely, she had better things to think about? "Are you coming in?"
She turned and started to walk towards the gate.
Kit glared at her. "I said, are you coming in?" he called.
"No thanks. I just wanted you to know about Great Uncle Charles. Goodnight."
Kit was about to run after her, to stop her from leaving, to make her listen, but a growing weariness stopped him. Why was it always so difficult with her? Why did she always seem to believe the worst of him? Obviously, she'd seen Serafina kiss him, put two and two together, and made a million out of the scenario. That was Marley, all over. How much had she really changed?
He walked into the house and slammed the door behind him. Maybe Seffy was right. Maybe he was being stupid trusting her, after the way she'd behaved. And, being honest with himself, how much did he trust her anyway?
Wasn't the truth of it that he'd just been waiting for her to revert to type? Didn't he know, deep down, that when she found out how broke he was, she'd run a mile?
Kit sank into the sofa and stared with unseeing eyes at the contract on the coffee table. Why the hell had he ever got involved with Marley Jacobs again?
More importantly, how could he ever stop loving her?