‘My cleaner’s due in the morning. It really isn’t a problem.’
No. Grace swallowed hard. They had another problem now, though, didn’t they?
But she could feel the distance between them accelerating. She wasn’t the only one who needed to escape, was she?
They hadn’t just crossed a barrier here. They had smashed through it with no consideration of any repercussions.
And maybe they were just as big for Charles as they were for herself.
But Grace couldn’t afford to feel any empathy right now. The need to protect herself was too overwhelming.
With no more than a nod to acknowledge her being excused from cleaning up the mess she had created, Grace took her leave and fled downstairs with Houston.
She had no mental space to feel guilty about escaping.
Besides, Charles had created a bit of a mess himself, hadn’t he? By kissing her like that.
That was more than enough to deal with for the moment.
‘OH, MY...’ VANESSA DAVENPORT looked slightly appalled as she peered more closely at what was being held up for her admiration. ‘What are they?’
‘Cookies, Grandma.’ Cameron was using that patient tone that told adults they were being deliberately obtuse. ‘We made them.’
‘And Gace,’ Max added.
‘Gace?’ Vanessa was looking bewildered now but Charles didn’t offer an explanation.
He was kicking himself inwardly. He should have known exactly what his mother’s reaction would be to the less than perfect cookies, but he couldn’t forgive the slap to his boys’ pride that had prompted them to insist on bringing their creations to the family afternoon tea.
It was the complete opposite end to the spectrum that Grace was also on. She’d been just as proud of the boys at the results of their efforts. This morning, she’d sent him the photo she’d taken of them sitting on the bench, their hands clasped and eyes shining with the tray of cookies between them. It even had Horse’s nose photobombing the bottom of the image and Charles had been so taken with it, he’d thought of using it for his Christmas cards this year.
Maybe not, if his mother was going to look like this.
‘Let’s give them to Alice.’ Vanessa was an expert in ignoring anything that she didn’t approve of. ‘She can put them in the kitchen.’
Alice was hovering in the background, ready to help with hanging coats up in the cloakroom, but she moved swiftly when there was another knock on the massive front door of the Davenport mansion. His father, Hugo, was coming into the foyer at the same time and the twins’ faces brightened.
‘Look, Grandpa...look what we made.’
‘Wow...cookies...they look delicious.’
‘Did I hear someone mention cookies?’
Charles turned towards the door. ‘Miranda. Hey... I’m glad you could make it.’
His half-sister had two brightly wrapped parcels under her arm and the twins’ eyes got very round.
‘Presents, Daddy. For us?’
But Charles had been distracted by someone who had followed Miranda into the house. He hadn’t seen his youngest brother, Zachary, for such a long time.
‘Zac... What are you doing here?’
‘I heard there was a birthday celebration happening.’
‘But I thought you were in Annapolis.’
‘I was. I am. I’m just in town for the day—you should know why...’
Charles had to shake his head but there was no time to ask. The shriek of excitement behind him had to mean that Miranda had handed over the parcels and, turning his head, he could see his mother already moving towards the main reception lounge.
‘For goodness’ sake,’ she said. ‘Let’s go somewhere a little more civilised than the doorstep, shall we?’
Charles saw the glance that flashed between Zac and Miranda. Would there ever come a day when Vanessa actually welcomed Miranda into this house, instead of barely tolerating her?
His father was now holding the platter of cookies.
‘Shall I take those to the kitchen, sir?’ Alice asked.
‘No...no...they have to go on the table with all the other treats.’
Charles felt a wash of relief. Families were always complicated and this one a lot more than most but there was still a thread of something good to be found. Something worth celebrating.
He scooped up Cameron, who was already ripping the paper off his gift. ‘Hang on, buddy. Let’s do that in the big room.’
Zac had parcels in his hands, too. And when the door swung open behind him to reveal Elijah with a single, impressively large box in his arms, Charles could only hope that this gathering wasn’t going to be too overwhelming for small boys. He thought wistfully of the relatively calm oasis of their own apartment and, unbidden, an image of the ultimately peaceful scene he’d come home to last night filled his mind.
The one of Grace, asleep on the couch, cuddled up with the boys and with a dog asleep on her feet.
So peaceful. So...perfect...?
‘I can’t stay,’ Elijah said, as they all started moving to the lounge. ‘I got someone to cover me for an hour at work. I’ll be getting a taxi back in half an hour.’
‘Oh...’ Miranda was beside him. ‘Could I share? My shift starts at five but it takes so long on the Tube I’d have to leave about then, anyway.’
‘Flying visit,’ Zac murmured. ‘It’s always the way with us Davenports, isn’t it? Do your duty but preferably with an excuse to escape before things get awkward?’
‘Mmm.’ The sound was noncommittal but Charles put Cameron down with an inward sigh. This vast room, with a feature fireplace and enough seating for forty people, had obviously been professionally decorated. Huge, helium balloons were tethered everywhere and there were streamers looping between the chandeliers and a banner covering the wall behind the mahogany dining table that had been shifted in here from the adjoining dining room. A table that was laden with perfectly decorated cakes and cookies and any number of other delicious treats that had been provided by professional caterers.
Cameron, with his half-unwrapped parcel in his arms, ran towards the pile of other gifts near the table, Max hot on his heels. A maid he didn’t recognise came towards the adults with a silver tray laden with flutes of champagne.
‘Orange juice for me, thanks,’ Elijah said. Miranda just shook her head politely and went after the twins to help them with the unwrapping.
‘So what’s with your flying visit?’ he asked Zac. ‘And why should I know about it?’
‘Because I’m here for an interview. I’ve applied for a job at Manhattan Mercy that starts next month.’
‘Really? Wow...’ Charles took a sip of his champagne. ‘That’s great, man. And there I was thinking you were going to be a navy medic for the rest of your life.’
Zac shrugged. ‘Maybe I’m thinking that life’s short, you know? If I don’t get around to building some bridges soon, it’s never going to happen.’
Charles could only nod. He knew better than anyone how short life could be, didn’t he? About the kind of jagged hole that could be left when someone you loved got ripped from it.
But