Getting Dirty by Rachael Stewart

Getting Dirty by Rachael Stewart

Author:Rachael Stewart
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2019-11-06T19:58:01+00:00


* * *

Dinner is all one would expect from a Michelin-starred restaurant, but I’m not really tasting anything. The starter was swallowed in silence, the main amidst a smattering of small talk. Clara looks bored beyond measure and I’m doing my utmost to ignore my darling stepmother. I’m eager to get the night over with, so I can make my excuses and hurry back to Ash.

I’m more tired than usual too, and I know I have our nightly antics to thank for that, but dealing with the force that is my brother and the women flanking him is always hard work. His mother even now is raking a critical eye over me and sending the hairs on the backs of my exposed arms prickling. I rub them and do my best to ignore her.

‘Are you cold?’ Clara asks me, frowning at the move.

‘A little.’

His mother sips her wine and offers me a disparaging smile. ‘Perhaps if you dressed more appropriately you wouldn’t be.’

‘You ought to know,’ I snap, regretting it as soon as it’s out.

My dress is an elegant sleeveless black number, down to the knee, nothing indecent about it. She’s just getting at me. But fighting with my stepmother never did me any favours. Normally I can ignore her, but not tonight. This meeting has me on edge and I want it over.

‘But we’re not here to discuss my attire, are we? We’re here for Granny. So why don’t we get that out of the way and then we can all get back to our lives?’

‘Goodness, you make it sound like it’s such an inconvenience, having to talk about your grandmother.’ My stepmother looks to Philip. ‘Doesn’t she, darling?’

‘Yes.’ His eyes narrow on me. ‘Have you someplace else you need to be, Coco?’

I feel my cheeks colour. I know they’re baiting me, and I shouldn’t rise to it, but it’s so hard. Especially having endured them for over an hour already, with their mundane sniping at people about whom they have the pleasure of gossiping.

‘It seems you’re rarely at home these days,’ he continues. ‘And I’ve heard some interesting tales on the grapevine as to what has you so occupied.’

Is he serious? Could he know about Ash? Or is this just another gibe? A continuation of his questioning over my whereabouts in front of Granny?

Both his mother and Clara look from him to me, smiles that send my blood cold playing on their lips. I try to ignore them.

‘I’ve been home enough to spend time with Granny—that’s all that matters.’

‘You’ve been just as doting as ever.’ He nods, overly sincere. ‘As have I, for that matter. But it isn’t enough—hence this meeting.’

My sudden panic about Ash morphs into a greater fear now. ‘What do you mean?’

‘I don’t think her living at the London residence any longer is a good idea.’

‘But it’s her favoured home. It’s close to her oncologist, her friends, the h—’

He waves his hand to cut me off. ‘You misunderstand me. I think we need to convince her that a hospital—a specialist hospice unit—would be a better place.



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