‘Hugh, that’s not fair,’ Libby said. ‘She was trying to help.’
‘She was gossiping about me.’ And that hurt.
‘I wasn’t gossiping at all,’ Bella said. ‘Right now, I want to tip this Yorkshire pudding batter all over your stupid head. But I’m not going to waste food and put your mum in an awkward position. Instead I’m going to walk outside in the garden, in this stupid outfit I found to fit your even more stupid idea. And you,’ she said, walking over to him and stabbing her finger into his chest, ‘are going to sit down with your mum and talk. Really talk.’
He was too taken aback to say anything. Not that he could’ve got a word in edgeways, because Bella was on a roll.
‘You’re going to tell her how you feel about your business and how it’s not just your job, it’s your passion, and for you it’s like breathing. And you’re going to tell her that you’re great at business and you don’t take unnecessary risks—that you save being a total idiot for the other bits of your life. You three,’ she added to the dogs, ‘you’re coming with me and we’re going to find some tennis balls, and I’m going to pretend they’re Hugh’s head and kick them as hard as I can.’
‘Bella—’ he began, knowing that he needed to apologise.
‘No. Talk to your mum,’ she said. ‘Right now, I don’t want to talk to you. I’m going out with the dogs.’
‘Take whatever you need from the boot room, love,’ Libby said. ‘And I’ll shout at him for you.’
Bella shook her head. ‘I’d much rather you listened to him,’ she said softly. ‘Even though right at this moment I don’t like him very much, I respect him when it comes to business—and I think you both need to listen to each other.’ And she walked quietly out of the kitchen, followed by the dogs.
Hugh found himself talking—really talking—to his mother about the most important thing in his life. And she listened. Understood. Just as he could now see that the worrying and fussing were driven by love rather than a need to make him toe a family line that didn’t actually exist.
Without Bella’s intervention, this would never have happened, and he knew it.
When he’d finished, Libby said, ‘You owe that girl—’
‘—a huge apology,’ he cut in. ‘I know.’
She hugged him. ‘You’re my youngest son, Hugh, and I love you, but I don’t like you very much today.’
‘I don’t like myself very much, either,’ he admitted.
‘She isn’t Jessie,’ Libby said softly.
‘I know.’ Jessie would never have offered to help prepare the vegetables. Yes, musicians had to look after their hands, because an accidental cut or burn would affect their ability to play an instrument—but Jessie wouldn’t have offered to do something that didn’t risk her hands, either. She wouldn’t have played with Sophia. He knew that his family hadn’t taken to her—they’d been polite but reserved. But everyone had instantly warmed to Bella, from his great-aunt to his brothers and even his father. ‘I need to go and talk to her.’
‘Be nice,’ Libby said softly. ‘She’s got a good heart. She didn’t break your trust. She found a better way to deal with things than any of us did.’
Hugh hugged his mother back. ‘I know.’ And he’d messed this up. Big time.
He went outside to find Bella. She looked as if she’d been crying, and he felt a total heel. How could he have been so unkind to her?
‘Bella. I’m sorry,’ he said.
‘Hmm.’ She didn’t look in the slightest bit mollified by his apology.
‘You were right and I was wrong.’
She folded her arms. ‘That’s rather stating the obvious.’
‘And I’m sorry I was obnoxious to you. I shouldn’t have said any of that.’
‘Also stating the obvious,’ she said.
‘I can’t even blame it on Monday morning-itis.’ He sighed. ‘How do I make it up to you?’
‘You’ve made it clear that you don’t trust me. So, actually, I don’t think you can,’ she said.
He blew out a breath. ‘I don’t have a clue what to say or what to do. Only that I’m sorry for hurting you. And, without you, I don’t think my family would ever have understood what Insurgo means to me. And I wouldn’t have understood how they really feel, either. I appreciate that.’
She shrugged. ‘Even so, I’m not your personal punchbag. Hugh, I don’t enjoy people lashing out at me. I was only playing Miss Ditzy because you asked me to. I’m not an actress. Your mum saw right through the whole thing. And I did tell you it was a stupid idea.’
‘You were right,’ he said again. ‘I know you probably want to be a million miles away from here right now, so if you want me to drive you straight home, then I’ll do it. But I think my family would like you to stay for lunch. They like you. And I mean they like the real Bella Faraday,’ he clarified. ‘The one who looks out for elderly aunts, cuddles babies, plays ball with the dogs, is an amazing artist and brings out the best in everyone. The woman who really is the life and soul of the party—because I’ve never seen my entire family get up on the dance floor before you came along.’
Her eyes sparkled with tears; he brushed away the single one that spilled over her lashes.
‘They don’t hate me for lying to them?’ she whispered.
‘No. They really, really like you.’ And so did he. Though now wasn’t the time to say so. After the way he’d hurt her, she wouldn’t believe him—and he couldn’t blame her.
‘Come and have lunch,’ he said.
‘For your mum’s sake. Not yours.’
‘I know,’ he said softly. ‘And thank you.’
Although Bella didn’t say much to him once they were back in the house, she sparkled all the way through Sunday lunch. She insisted on helping to clear things away and on cuddling Sophia again when his niece had another fit of the grumps. And when his family said goodbye to her, it was with a warm, heartfelt hug rather than the formal handshakes they’d always given Jessie.
‘Come back soon,’ Libby said. ‘And I mean really soon. You have to see the bluebells when they’re at their best.’
‘I’d love to,’ Bella said, hugging her back. ‘Thank you so much for having me.’
His brothers and their partners all got hugs, too, along with the baby. And so did his father, who then shocked Hugh immensely by saying, ‘Come and paint the bluebells for my study, and I’ll cook you my famous chicken biryani.’
Since when had his father ever cooked? Let alone something as exotic as biryani?
Hugh was so stunned that he didn’t say a word until they were halfway home. And then it was only because Bella was the one to start the conversation.
‘I think we need to talk,’ she said carefully.
‘Talk?’
She took a deep breath. ‘I’m sorry I messed up your plans. If you want me to resign and go quietly from Insurgo, I’ll accept that and write you an official resignation letter as soon as we’re back in London.’
‘No, that’s not fair.’ And he didn’t want her to leave.
‘You asked me to play your unsuitable girlfriend, and I didn’t do it right.’
‘I also told you to be yourself,’ he said. ‘And you were. Though