‘Let’s go and put our things upstairs,’ Hugh said.
‘Come down when you’re ready. Everyone will be in the dining room,’ Libby said. ‘And it’s a pleasure to meet you, Bella.’
Bella followed Hugh up the sweeping staircase and all the way to the end of a corridor.
The Blue Room was enormous. It was very plain, with cream walls and a polished wooden floor with a navy rug in the centre, but what really caught Bella’s attention was the ancient wooden four-poster bed. She’d always wanted to sleep in a bed like that. ‘This is amazing,’ she said.
‘I’ll put my things next door. I’ll call for you in a few minutes,’ he said.
Was Hugh’s bedroom anything like this? she wondered. Were there things from his childhood that would give her a clue about what made him tick?
Not that she should be thinking about any of that. She was simply doing him a favour and playing a part. None of this was real, she reminded herself.
To distract herself, she went and looked out of the window. The room overlooked the garden at the back of the house: a perfectly striped lawn, with borders all full of tulips, and a stone wall at the end of the lawn with what looked like espaliered trees full of blossom. It was a million miles away from her own suburban upbringing. How wonderful it must have been to have a garden like that to run around in and explore as a child.
Then there was a knock at the door. ‘Bella?’
‘Come in.’
Hugh remained in the doorway. ‘Ready?’
She nodded. ‘I was just looking at the view. It’s gorgeous.’
‘Yes, it’s pretty good. I guess I didn’t really appreciate it when I was younger.’ He took a deep breath. ‘Let’s go and face the hordes.’
She walked over to join him. ‘Though you might have to roll your eyes at me to remind me to be Miss Ditzy. I already made a couple of mistakes with your mum.’
‘It’ll be fine,’ he said. ‘I know you’re going to do a great job. That’s why I asked you.’
‘So you didn’t ask me just because you were desperate?’
His eyes crinkled at the corners. ‘That, too. But mainly because I think you’ll do this brilliantly.’
Funny how the compliment warmed her all the way through. Maybe that was because he was being sincere.
Then again, she hadn’t spotted Kirk’s lies, had she? For all she knew, Hugh could be lying, too.
She took a deep breath. ‘“Once more unto the breach, dear friends.”’
He laughed. ‘It won’t be that bad.’
Once they got downstairs, Bella wasn’t so sure. The dining room held the biggest table she’d ever seen in her life. And every place was already filled, except two.
Hugh introduced her swiftly to everyone before they sat down. She’d already met his mother, but now there was his father, his brothers and their partners and baby Sophia, various aunts and uncles, and his grandparents. And it was all just a little bit overwhelming—especially as Bella could see the shock on all their faces, even though it was quickly masked and everyone was very polite to her.
She knew that she was playing a part and Hugh’s intention had been to bring someone home who was so out of place that his family would stop pressuring him to settle down, but even so she didn’t enjoy their scrupulous politeness. It looked as if this was going to be a very long weekend.
A maid came in carrying a tray with silver teapots and what Bella guessed were silver jugs of hot water to refresh the tea. Porcelain jugs of milk and dishes with slices of lemon were already on the table, along with a selection of finger sandwiches, tiny pastries, slices of cake and what looked like still-warm scones. A butler followed the maid, carrying a magnum of champagne; once everyone’s glass was filled, Hugh’s father made a brief speech and proposed a toast to Nigel and his new fiancée, Victoria.
The food was amazing, and in other circumstances Bella knew she would’ve really enjoyed it. It was a shame that she had to play a part. Until she’d had a chance to work out who was who and the best way to play it, she decided to keep quiet.
But then the old lady sitting next to her—Hugh’s great-aunt Lavinia—went very pale and looked as if she was about to faint.
‘Are you all right?’ Bella asked her, worried.
‘I do feel a bit odd,’ Lavinia admitted.
‘Can I get you a glass of water?’
Lavinia looked grateful. ‘Yes, please.’
Miss Ditzy might not know what to do, but Bella couldn’t possibly keep playing that part when the old lady clearly wasn’t very well and needed help. Hugh wouldn’t mind her breaking out of role for this, would he? So she had a quiet word with the maid to get some water, persuaded Lavinia to eat a sandwich, and sat quietly with the old lady until the colour had come back into her face.
‘I think I might go and have a little lie-down,’ Lavinia said.
‘I’ll see you up to your room,’ Bella said. ‘As long as you can direct me, that is. I’m afraid I don’t know my way round the house.’
Lavinia patted her hand. ‘Thank you, dear. That’s very good of you.’
‘My pleasure.’ Bella helped the old lady back to her room, and stayed with her for a little while to make sure she was quite all right.
‘You’re a lovely girl, very kind,’ Lavinia said. ‘I can see what Hugh sees in you.’
Which was totally the opposite of what Bella was supposed to be doing. And she knew that Hugh didn’t see anything in her anyway, apart from her being his graphic designer who was probably too outspoken and had been crazy enough to agree to help him in his even crazier scheme. She’d have to hope that her outrageous clothes would distract everyone else from seeing who she really was.
But going back to face everyone in the dining room felt really daunting. She didn’t have a clue what to say. To her relief, Hugh met her in the hallway. ‘Thanks for looking after my great-aunt. Is Lavinia OK?’
‘She’s fine—just having a little rest,’ Bella said, and gave the same reassurances to Hugh’s mother when Libby asked her the same question.
Libby gave her a searching look, then a nod of what looked very much like approval.
Oh, help. She’d really have to work at being unsuitable now. Hugh’s mother wasn’t supposed to approve of her. She was meant to stick out like a sore thumb.
After the tea party, everyone disappeared to get changed for the cocktail party.
‘Come and knock on my door when you’re ready,’ Hugh said when they reached her bedroom door.
‘OK.’ Bella wished again that she’d brought a normal black dress with her, rather than going along with Hugh’s plans, but it was too late now.
When she’d changed, she knocked on Hugh’s door.
‘Come in,’ he called.
When she pushed the door open, she could see that he was sitting on the end of the bed, checking something on his phone. He looked up and burst out laughing. ‘Well. I really didn’t expect that. You actually found that in a charity shop?’
‘The material, yes—it was originally a pair of curtains. One of my friends from art school specialised in textiles, so she ran this up for me.’ She narrowed her eyes at him. ‘Why didn’t you expect it?’
‘I guess I really ought to give you advance warning,’ he said. ‘The curtains in the ballroom are, um, exactly