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  “Shall we get a drink?” he asked, offering her his arm.

  “Sure, that would be nice,” Jane, replied, and she took hold of his arm. He led her across the foyer and towards a double set of doors.

  “Oh what’s in there, you never showed me this room,” she said, curiously.

  “No, it was being set up for the party, it is the banqueting hall.”

  “Banqueting hall?” she repeated in question, and she gasped as he pushed open the double doors.

  “Holy cow,” she said, as it was stunning. It was a huge room, with a large fireplace at one end, tables laid for dinner and a parquet dance floor. The windows were floor to ceiling and the French doors, were open, and led onto the terrace.

  “Can this house get any better,” she whispered, and she let go of his arm, and wandered around admiring the fine architecture. He smiled at her, and walked over to the bar that had been set up for the evening.

  “Champagne please, Rick,” he asked the young lad behind the bar.

  “Yes, Sir,” he replied, pouring him two glasses.

  “Thank you,” he said, as he took them from him. He walked over to Jane, and she was studying the fireplace.

  “There you go,” he said, offering her the glass.

  “Thank you,” she replied, her heart fluttering as he looked at her. “You know you are full of surprises,” she remarked and she took a sip of her drink.

  “Good surprises?” he asked, leaning one hand on the fireplace as he leaned towards her. She took a deep breath, at his closeness.

  “Yes, good surprises,” she replied. They both glanced towards the doors as they opened and a flurry of guests poured into the room.

  “Oh shit, what is he doing here,” he groaned, moving his hand off the fireplace.

  “Who?” she asked wondering which person he was referring too within the crowd.

  “Him, the bald guy with the blue suit on, it John Marcaine, from Marcaine Publishing, he is one of our main rivals. I cannot believe my mum invited him, he is such an ass.”

  “Alexander,” he bellowed across the room as he saw him.

  “John, great to see you,” he lied, and he held his hand out in greeting. John shook it and his eyes wandered straight to Jane.

  “So, who is the beautiful woman, yours?” he asked, lifting an eyebrow at Alex. Alex wanted to say she was, as he knew John was a womaniser who bedded them, promised them the world, and dumped them when he was bored.

  “Erm, no, this is Jane, my new PA,” he said, holding his hand out to her. Jane took it and allowed him to pull her alongside him.

  “Really,” John replied. “So, Jane, how is it working for A.H.S Publishing?”

  “Great, thank you,” she replied. He was older than Alex around forty-five, she would have put him, not unattractive. Although the way he was staring at her cleavage instead of her face was damn rude.

  “Well, Jane, if you ever get bored of Mr Hartley-Stone here you could always come and work for me, double your salary of course,” he said, with a laugh. Alex’s neck muscles tightened, and he swallowed to keep his temper in check.

  “Now, John, stop trying to poach my staff. This is my mother’s birthday after all,” he said.

  “Of course, how rude of me, still,” he said, turning to Jane. “The offer still stands. As does yours, Alex,” he added and he turned and walked back towards the people that he had arrived with and sat at the dinner table.

  “What does he mean by that?” she asked. He shook his head.

  “Nothing, he is an arsehole,” Alex muttered under his breath. Jane sniggered. He glanced at her.

  “Double the salary, are you tempted?” he asked.

  “Hmm sixty grand, that is a lot of money, a girl could buy quite a few shoes with that,” she teased, pretending to consider it. The fear in his eyes pulled on her heart, and she lifted a hand to his chest and gave a gentle shake of her head. “No, not in the least,” she replied, and he smiled, relieved.

  “Come on we had best sit down,” he said, and he placed his hand on the small of her back as he ushered her towards a table. They sat, Alex next to his mother and Jane beside him. Jane said hello to everyone, and she listened to the conversation around the table as they ate. After they finished desert, and coffee, Alex leaned into her.

  “Boring isn’t it,” he said, in a whisper. She shivered at his breath on her ear.

  “A little,” she agreed. “But you mum seems to be enjoying herself,” she added. He glanced at her and she was laughing and joking with her friends. People were up from their chairs and mingling with one and other.

  “Yes, she is. Fancy a walk?” he asked.

  “Yes please,” she agreed, and wiping her mouth with her napkin, she stood up and followed him towards the patio doors.

  The evening was still warm and light and he led her to the rose garden.

  “Sorry it is a little boring,” he said, making conversation with her.

  “No, I have enjoyed myself, Alex, you have a lovely family. They have made me very welcome.”

  “Good,” he said, with a nod. He was deliberating, was now a good time or not, should he make the first move.

  She inhaled a rose, it was a wonderful scent, but there was something else, another scent closer to her that was more tantalising, Alex. Had he brought her out here for a reason, was he going to kiss her, oh god she hoped so. As she leaned over to smell another rose, his hand captured her waist from behind, it was strong and possessive and so familiar to her. She glanced over her shoulder at him, her eyes meeting his. The longing in them, the sexual urge that she felt pulsating from him, turned her body into jelly.

  “Jane, I know you work for me and everything…”

  “Alex, Alex, where are you?” Uncle Joe’s voice yelled through the rose garden. Alex let go of Jane, at the sound of fear in Joe’s voice.

  “Joe, over here, what is wrong?” he asked, and taking Jane’s hand, he pulled her back towards the house. Joe ran into him.

  “Come on, your mum’s collapsed, we have rung for the doctor.”

  “What?” Alex cried in a panic, and he dropped Jane’s hand and ran as fast as the wind back to the house.

  They had carried her up to her bed, so Alex shot up the stairs. He burst into her room, and Maria was there, offering her a glass of water.

  “Mum, what has happened are you okay?” he asked in panic.

  “Oh, for goodness sake, will you stop fussing, I have had too much to drink that is all,” she growled. Maria stepped back from her.

  “I have called Doctor Brown, and he is on his way,” she said.

  “Thank you, Maria,” he said.

  “Alex, I am fine, too much champers. Now please go and make sure our guests are okay.”

  “Mum, your guests are fine, it is you I am worried about,” he said, as he sat.

  “Where is Jane?” she asked.

  “Jane? Erm, downstairs,” he replied.

  “Get back to the party and make sure she is alright, before that bastard John gets his mitts on her. I only invited him here because I was hoping you might see some sense in letting him buy the company.”

  “Mum, for god’s sake, I told you not to interfere with all that.”

  “I know you did, but Alex, I want to see you happy before I go.”

  “Mum, do not talk like that you have years left in you. For crying out loud you are only sixty.”

  “Yeah, I know. These last few weeks, since Jane arrived on the scene you have been so happy. I want you to stay like this, I want you to get married, and have children.”

  “Mum, I do too okay, more than anything, but you have to let me do this my own way, okay. You must not worry yourself about it or interfere, you promised.” He glanced behind him as Doctor Brown appeared at the door.

  “Hello, Alex,” he said. “Elizabeth, now what’s going on?” he asked, as he approached the bed.

  “Nothing, James, they are a bunch of old fusspots, I am fine, I have drunk to much Champagne
,” she protested.

  “Yes well, let me be the judge of that shall we,” he said. Alex rose from the bed, and left the doctor with his mother. He thought of what she had said about John and Jane, and he shot back down the stairs to find her. He found her in the living room and as his mother had suspected John was trying to make a move on her, but Jane looked uncomfortable. When she caught site of Alex coming towards her she smiled in relief.

  “Alex, how is she?” she asked, pushing her way, passed John to get to him

  “She is okay, the doctor is with her now,” he replied.

  “Oh, thank goodness,” Jane said.

  “Well, I guess the party is over,” John remarked. “Best we leave her to rest, don’t you think?” he said to Alex.

  “Yes, I do,” Alex, replied.

  “Jane, the offer still stands,” he said, and he rubbed her shoulder and walked away.

  “Arsehole,” she muttered, and Alex laughed. She caught his eyes and smiled at him. “Well, he is,” she said.

  “Come on I had better end this party and send everyone home.”

  “How is she?” Uncle Joe asked, as they found him hovering at the bottom of the stairs.

  “Okay, docs up there now. Go on up, she is your sister after all,” Alex said, patting his arm. “I will shut this party down and get everyone out.”

  “Okay, thanks, Alex,” he replied, and he hurried upstairs.

  After he shut the door on the last guest, the doctor walked towards him.

  “Is she okay?” he asked.

  “Yes, I have given her a sedative so she will sleep now until the morning. I would like her to come in for a few tests though, as I am a little worried about her heart, and think it best if I check it out.”

  “Sure, Doctor, and thank you for coming out so quickly,” Alex said.

  “No problem I was in the village. Take care,” he said, and he left. Alex locked up for the night.

  “Why not stick the kettle on Jane, I will just nip upstairs and check on her.”

  “Okay,” she agreed, and she watched him as he went back up the wide staircase.

  As she went into the kitchen, Tom was sitting at the island in the middle of the room, and he was drawing on a piece of paper.

  “Hi, Tom,” she said. “What are you drawing?” she asked. He shrugged. She filled the kettle and switched it on. “Would you like a drink?” she asked.

  “Juice, please,” he replied.

  “Juice, right,” she mumbled, and she began to search the cupboards, the kitchen was huge. She found some blackcurrant and made him a drink.

  “There you go,” she said, giving it to him.

  “Thanks,” he replied. She looked over his shoulder at the picture.

  “That’s lovely Tom, is that your family?” she asked. Tom covered the picture with his arm so she could not see.

  “Okay,” she said to herself. She took a piece of paper from his pile, picked up a pencil from his case, and began to draw. Tom glanced up at her, and curiosity getting the better of him he leaned towards her to see what she was doing. He laughed, and Jane smiled, she glanced behind him to see Joe standing there, but he did not move towards them, he watched. She scribbled more on the picture, and Tom laughed again. She looked at Joe, he had tears in his eyes, and she wondered why.

  “Snuggles,” Tom said, pointing with his finger.

  “That’s right, Tom, Snuggles. Would you like this picture?” she asked, and he nodded. “Can I see yours?” she asked. He wiggled his nose thoughtfully, and he nodded. Tom shoved his paper into her hand, grabbed her picture of Snuggles and his blackcurrant juice, and jumped off the stool. He turned to see his dad standing there. Joe smiled at Tom.

  “Snuggles,” Tom said, and he laughed again, and hurried out of the kitchen. Jane smiled as he left; he was a sweet boy. She looked at his picture, and it was good. There were five people in the picture. Tom himself, Joe, Elizabeth, Alex and, she smiled, as he had drawn her, holding Alex’s hand.

  “Do you have any idea what you did?” Tom said, striding towards her. Jane looked up at him, startled by his tone.

  “No, why, have I done something wrong?” she asked in a panic. Alex walked through the door.

  “Wrong my girl, no, not wrong,” Joe said, walking up to her.

  “Hey what is going on?” Alex asked, as he looked at Jane’s worried face.

  “She only made Tom laugh,” he said, with a grin, and looking straight at Alex. “Straight up, he laughed, three times.”

  “Really?” Alex replied, surprised. He walked up to her. “What did you do?” he asked her.

  Jane was not sure what the fuss was, so the boy laughed, what was the big deal?

  “Nothing, I drew a picture of Mr Snugglebum the second and he thought it was funny and laughed.” Joe looked at Alex and lifted an eyebrow.

  “Mr Snugglebum?” he said. Alex smiled, and raised his shoulders in a chortle.

  “I’m sorry, but I don’t understand, so he laughed,” Jane said, looking at Joe and Alex.

  “Jane, my cousin has not laughed since the accident. Never in four years, not one snigger, not one chortle, nothing,” Alex explained. Her blue eyes widened at him.

  “Oh gosh, I wish I had known, I would have made him laugh even more,” she said.

  “Perhaps, you could try tomorrow?” Joe asked of her.

  “Of course, I will. Although I cannot promise he will find me funny twice,” she said.

  “It doesn’t matter, I heard him laugh, and that my darling, was wonderful. Thank you.” He reached over and gave her a hug.

  “Okay, right, tea anyone?” she asked, embarrassed as they both continued to stare at her.

  “No thanks. I will pop up and check on him, make sure he has gone to bed. Good night, Jane, Alex,” Uncle Joe said.

  “Good night,” the both replied, simultaneously.

  “What is that?” Alex asked, as he noticed the picture in her hand.

  “I swapped it with Tom, for the Snuggles picture, he drew it.” She showed the picture to him.

  “Looks like he has made you part of the family, he must like you,” Alex said, as he looked at her.

  “I like him too,” she replied. Alex took over making the tea and they went and sat in the orangery. It was two in the morning, and she gave a gentle yawn.

  “Tired?” he asked. She nodded.

  “Yes, it’s catching up,” she replied.

  “It has been a long day,” he concurred. Alex knew the moment had past, and he was going to have to bide his time for at least another week. Next weekend was Jackson’s event up in Aberdeen, perhaps then. They drank their tea and went to bed, separately, much to Jane’s dismay. She had hoped this weekend may have turned into something else, but his mother taking ill had put a stop to that. Still, next weekend they were going to Aberdeen, maybe he would then.

  The next morning Jane popped in to see his mother, she was looking much better, and she insisted she was fine. Jane thanked her for the weekend and left her to have a breakfast in her room.

  They were leaving early, as Alex had to be back in London for the christening of his friend’s son. The only problem was he had not gotten around to buying a present. He had pushed it to the back of his mind thinking that it did not matter, but after the fuss Jane had made about getting something for his mother’s birthday, he felt bad that he had not brought something.

  “Jane, this christening I have this afternoon, I have not brought a present, is that acceptable?” he asked. She glanced over to him as they drove up the M5.

  “How well do you know them?” she asked.

  “Well, he was my best friend at school. I mean, we do not see much of each other now, because of work and stuff, but yes we are pretty close I guess.”

  “No that is not acceptable, Alex,” she reprimanded. She glanced at the clock on the dashboard.

  “Do we have time to stop in Bristol, you could get something at the Cribbs Causeway?” she asked. He looked at the time, and it was
eleven thirty.

  “Yes, it is not until four,” he said, and he was already wearing his suit.

  “We will stop and I will help you pick something out,” she offered.

  “Thanks, Jane,” he said.

  “What is it and how old?” she asked.

  “It is a boy, Jacob, and he is three months, I think. The card is in my jacket pocket, it has his birthday on it.” She turned and reached behind her and drew the invite out of the pocket.

  “Ten weeks old, this Thursday,” she said, and she stuck the invite back into his pocket.

  “So what do you get a ten week old baby?” he asked.

  “Well, at this short notice, it may be difficult. Normally you would get something with his name on or something in silver. He is not your godchild is he?” she asked, and he shook his head.

  “No, no.”

  “Okay, that makes it a little easier. You could just get away with buying some clothes, or even gift vouchers.”

  Twenty minutes later, they parked up and headed into the shops. They went into a baby store, and she started to lift out various outfits.

  “Jeez, I cannot remember when my boys were this tiny,” she said. “Alex, look at this, oh my god they are so cute,” she said, picking up a tiny pair of boots. He laughed, and gave a gentle smile as he watched her, each time falling in love with another outfit.

  “Jane, we need to pick something,” he said, following behind her.

  “I know, but it’s so hard. They had nothing like this when my boys were babies. Look at that,” she said, lifting up a tiny tuxedo. “Have you ever seen anything so cute in your entire life?” He shook his head, agreeing with her. They settled on three outfits and some vouchers for the store and luckily, the store offered a gift-wrapping service.

  “Thank you,” he said, as they grabbed a take away coffee.

  “No, problem, that was fun,” she said, and she linked her arm through his as they walked back towards the car. He placed the present into the boot of the car and slammed it shut. He caught her image in the side mirror as she drank her coffee, Aberdeen, definitely, Aberdeen.