Five Nights by Rachel Wolf

Author:Rachel Wolf [Wolf, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781803287782
Publisher: Head of Zeus

31

I stand outside Mattia and Belle’s cabin ahead of the gathering before dinner. With the morning meeting behind them, and no resolutions reached, Chloe and I have been summoned too.

Why Mattia wants me here, I have no idea. I don’t belong and I’m nervous. I’ve got nothing to gain by leaking news of the baby to the media, and yet here I am. I’ve dressed defensively. Some expensive evening dress Belle has given me. Short, strappy, sparkly enough to ward off any Scarmardo rage. At least I hope it is.

Once Bean had apologised and poured his heart out about Mirka, I’d packed him back to his cabin to sort himself out before this meeting. He seemed to be feeling fine. More lovesick and moping than genuinely ill. Whatever had caused the reaction must have been fast acting but also quick to disperse.

The last glass he’d drunk from had been mine. I still don’t know what to do with this though. I’m no further forward in working out who is doing what.

I’d been trying to process it all when Belle had called to ask me to come round to the cabin before dinner. It feels like things are coming to a head.

I enter the room as the sun is beginning to set and the orange glow lights up the family, scattered round the huge reception area. The warm light of the sun is in stark contrast to the dark faces in the room, as polished and well turned out as the family are. Mattia and Belle sit on the curved sofa, where Belle and I had drunk champagne on the first day. I try to catch her eye but she stares determinedly down. I settle quietly onto a stool. There are spare seats on the sofa, but all the children either stand or perch elsewhere. There’s a ring of space around Mattia. I can’t explain why but it gives me the chills.

Very slowly, he holds aloft an iPad. ‘This,’ he says. That voice. Commanding, distinct. The northern vowels are more pronounced when he’s angry I notice.

‘Only you lot in this room knew about the baby.’ He speaks slowly, staring round the room at each of us in turn. When he locks his gaze on me, my stomach flips. I fight the urge to run back to my cabin, screaming that this is all bollocks as I go. Why am I locked in with his warring children? But I can’t say that to Mattia Scarmardo. I’m terrified of him.

‘Who did it? Who leaked the news? The last thing Belle needs is press attention on this pregnancy. It’s taken her so long to finally conceive. All that effort!’ At this spit flies from his mouth and there’s fire in his eyes. He throws the iPad down on the coffee table and it lands with a bang. I wince, just as I’ve winced at all the casual displays of entitled wealth and easy acts of violence so far this week. That iPad is about a week’s pay for me.

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