Persuading Austen

‘Hello, you horrors.’

She quickly held the bag out of the way. So they didn’t get the Haribo, of course. Nothing to do with grubby fingers on the magazines.

‘Where have you been? The car will be here in an hour and I can’t get anything done with these two under my feet. Of course, Charlie was supposed to be home by now to help. You’d think I had nothing better to do than wait on him. No, Archie. Mummy can’t pick you up.’

Marie stood with her hands in the air while Archie leapt up.

‘You’ll ruin my manicure, Archie.’

‘Come here.’ Annie dropped the bag on the table and scooped up Archie before the tears, which threatened, exploded. His bottom lip was trembling and there was a sheen across his eyes.

‘You and Hector are going to tell me all about what happened at nursery today. And Mummy is going to finish getting ready.’ She motioned Marie to go with her head.

As Marie left, she whispered, ‘And then if you are very good, I have a treat for you.’

She lurched through to the kitchen with Hector clinging to her leg and Archie clasping his arms round her neck.

Marie’s house was a magazine idea of a family home. It was warm and welcoming as long as there was no one in it. As soon as you added a small child, or two, then the image was ruined, as were the distressed white surfaces. Annie herded them to the kitchen table and pulled out the bright-coloured table covering that was hidden behind the large dresser full of beautiful glass and crockery.

Paper and crayons were in a small tub in the bottom of the dresser.

Annie prayed that the boys would keep their drawing skills to the table area and not try and re-create the Sistine Chapel on the skirting boards.

***

‘Hey up, is it safe?’ a voice said from the doorway.

It was fifteen minutes later, and a balding man put his head round the door.

‘Hi, Charlie. I’d say we’re at DEFCON 3.’ Annie studied him as he came fully into the room. His suit was crumpled, his tie pulled loose, his hair mussed on top.

‘You look tired,’ she said and was then drowned out by the shouts and yells from the boys when they spotted their dad.

Charlie grimaced and then grinned as the boys threw themselves at him and started climbing him like a tree.

Annie smiled as she watched him wrestle with his kids.

It was weird to think this could’ve been her life. Charlie had wanted to date her first. They’d been friends through uni and Annie had known he had a crush on her. But then there had been Austen. And, much as Charlie was a nice guy …

No. It was silly to think about this. Austen or no Austen, she’d never have gone out with Charlie. They didn’t work that way. Of course, there was no way that Marie knew about Charlie’s crush on her. Annie shuddered at the thought of the fallout if she ever found out.

She caught Charlie’s eye. Surreptitiously she waved the bar of chocolate at him.

Thank you, he mouthed at her.

Annie popped it into the pan cupboard. Marie would never find it there; she never used them.

‘Charlie. Where have you been? The car will be here soon. Hector, let Daddy go. Charles Musgrove, go and change.’ Marie marched back into the kitchen, putting on her earrings. Her dress probably cost the same amount as the mortgage payment on the house in Clapham. Thank God Charlie could afford to keep her.

Maybe he could afford to keep Dad and Immy too?

Annie’s stomach clenched at the thought of going cap in hand to either of them.

No, she needed to work out another way. She was the one who was left with the job of looking after them. Not Charlie.

She stopped thinking about it – it wasn’t feasible – and unclasped the kids from Charlie as he rolled his eyes at Marie’s remarks. He then walked out of the kitchen, briefly air-kissing his wife’s cheek. He’d learnt the hard way not to mess with Marie’s make-up.

‘I don’t know how he can be so selfish,’ Marie said as she finished putting her earrings in. ‘Oh and I forgot to say that Henrietta and Louisa are coming with us tonight. They should be here by now. Selfishness seems to be a Musgrove trait.’ Marie’s lips thinned and Annie could see her father and Immy reflected back to her. Even though Marie was the spitting image of her mum, Molly.

‘Hallo!’

Sound and light burst into the kitchen. Annie blinked.

The Musgrove girls had arrived. They were all long gold hair and caramel coltish limbs. They glittered as if they carried their own light source with them. Annie sometimes struggled to tell them apart unless they were standing together – then it was obvious. Louisa was brighter, bolder, hair more golden, limbs longer. Henrietta was a muted copy. Louisa was an actress. It seemed that no part of the family was immune from the family disease, even by marriage.

‘Annie, darling,’ they cooed.

Why had she been worrying about hugs? She was enveloped by their brown limbs, their fragrant hair drifting over her like thistledown. But yet, it didn’t seem enough; it was as insubstantial as candyfloss.

‘Henrietta, Louisa,’ Marie said and kept them at arm’s length and gave them air kisses.

‘Hey, Annie, how are things?’ Louisa leant against the island in the centre of the kitchen, trying for nonchalant, but Annie could see her quivering like a greyhound ready to run.

‘I’m good, busy. You?’ Annie asked.

‘I’ve got an audition with Les Dalrymple.’ Louisa was now bouncing on her toes. ‘It’s the Pride and Prejudice production. The one everyone’s talking about. Have you heard who’s playing Mr Darcy?’ Louisa looked hopefully at Annie.

‘Be still my heart,’ said Henrietta from across the room. ‘Austen Wentworth. Such a hottie.’

Chapter Three (#ulink_c87cb669-1fb5-5171-a009-de93dd74ce43)

How did she know?

Annie’s head snapped round to look at Henrietta.

It was supposed to be a secret. Cassie would kill her if somehow she had given it away.

Then she saw that Henrietta had found the bag with the magazines and was clutching them. Annie couldn’t help but think her hands looked predatory as they touched his face.

‘Not sure yet …’ Annie mumbled.

Bloody hell. Could the world stop showing her that all roads led back to Austen?

‘He is seriously sexy. I wouldn’t mind playing opposite him,’ said Louisa.

Annie felt sick at the thought of seeing Louisa play Lizzy Bennet to Austen’s Darcy. Not that it would happen. Louisa wasn’t a big enough name yet to play Lizzy. Annie’s stomach cramped when she realized that someone would be playing opposite him though. She would have to tell Cassie there was no way she could work on the production. No way.

‘I’d rather play underneath him,’ Henrietta said as she flicked through the magazine. Annie closed her eyes and swallowed back the nausea. Why didn’t they see that he was another human being and not a piece of meat?