Christmas At Pemberley: And the Bride Wore Prada

‘Nothing’s wrong.’ Caitlin stared down at her hands, twisting the onyx ring on her finger round and round. ‘I just have a lot to think about at the moment.’

‘You’ve changed your mind, haven’t you?’

Caitlin looked at Wren, and the words she’d started to say ‒ no, of course I haven’t – remained unsaid. What was the point in lying? She had changed her mind, because of Niall, because he wanted her and he wanted this child she was carrying.

‘You’re keeping the baby,’ Wren said evenly.

‘I – yes, I am. I’m sorry,’ she added in a rush, ‘but Niall asked me to marry him, which caught me completely by surprise, and he wants this baby—’

‘What about me?’ Wren’s words were low but fierce. ‘What about what I want? You said you wouldn’t keep the child, that you were giving it up for adoption. To us. To Tarquin and me.’

‘I know I did,’ Caitlin said. ‘But things have changed. I’m sorry, Wren, truly—’

‘Sorry?’ she echoed, and let out a sharp, bitter laugh. ‘No, you’re not sorry. You’re enjoying every minute of this, aren’t you?’

Caitlin stared at her, stunned. ‘What? How can you say that?’

‘You don’t like me, Caitlin. You never have. That’s plain enough, and has been from the day I married Tarquin and moved in here. You resent me – for living in the castle, for having a place in Tark’s life, for taking attention away from you. Because everything’s always all about you, isn’t it? Caitlin Campbell, the golden girl.’

‘That isn’t true!’ she retorted, incensed.

‘It is true! Despite the fact that you’re a spoilt, over-indulged girl who’s never wanted for anything, you’ve always been jealous of me. All the little digs, the barbed comments...did you think I didn’t notice?’

‘You swanned in here and acted as though Draemar was yours, right from the very first day. You redecorated the drawing room – there was nothing wrong with it – and you let your stupid dogs have the run of the place. You made me feel unwelcome every time I came home from university, like I didn’t belong any more. “Why did you bring your dog home, Caitlin?’”’ she mimicked. ‘“You’re upsetting the household! You know we have dogs at Draemar.”’

‘Well,’ Wren said, her voice unsteady as she stood up, ‘you got your revenge for my supposed sins, didn’t you? You offered me something you knew I wanted – a baby of my own – and then you snatched it back away again. That was the plan all along, wasn’t it?’

‘Do you honestly think I planned this?’ Caitlin said incredulously. ‘I told you, I changed my mind because Niall wants to marry me! It is his baby, after all.’

‘Ah, yes – Niall. He’s nearly twice your age, he’s cheated on his wife with you, and he’s broken up his family for you. He’s quite a catch, isn’t he?’ She strode to the door. ‘There’s one consolation in all of this, though.’

‘Oh? And what’s that?’ Caitlin snapped.

Wren’s smile was tight. ‘It’s only a matter of time before he cheats on you, Caitlin. Because those sorts of men always do.’

So saying, she flung open the doors and left.

Chapter 43 (#ulink_6a0730be-ed6d-5b6e-92b0-d8ab0703ac5f)

Late that afternoon, Helen got in her car and drove the short distance to the gatehouse. She was determined to talk to Colm, to make him understand why she’d done what she did and to admit that she was wrong to do it.

She marched up the steps and rapped on the door.

Of course, there was no answer.

You stubborn bloody Scot, she thought grimly. Next, she tried the door, but it was locked. She couldn’t call him, either, as he didn’t have a telephone.

‘What need do I have for a phone?’ he’d told her once, full of scorn. ‘Anyone at the castle who needs me knows where to find me.’

‘But...what about anyone else who might need to speak to you?’

‘There isn’t anyone else,’ he retorted, and changed the subject.

Well, Helen told herself, he couldn’t stay locked inside that damned gatehouse forever.

‘I know you’re in there, Colm MacKenzie!’ she shouted at the door, her gloved hands clenched at her sides. ‘You’ll have to talk to me, sooner or later.’

Silence.

Furious, she turned away and strode back to her car. She stalked down the walkway, lost in black thoughts – stupid, stubborn man; why couldn’t he mind his own bloody business, snooping on her laptop like that – when she slipped on a patch of ice, and fell.

With a cry of mingled pain and rage at her own stupidity, she tried to stand. Pain radiated through her ankle and half the way up her calf. Tears threatened; she blinked them away and gritted her teeth as she tried once again to get to her feet.

But with nothing to pull herself up on, no wall or hedge for leverage, she couldn’t get back up.

Helen let out a breath of frustration. If she could only manage to stand, and if she took it very slowly, she might – possibly ‒ make it back to the bloody car—

A hand reached out and gripped her arm, none too gently. ‘What the hell do you think you’re doing?’ Colm growled as he bent down to glare at her. ‘Why can’t you ever leave things well enough alone?’

‘Why can’t you ever tell me anything?’ she flung back. ‘Why do you guard every scrap of information about yourself like it’s...like it’s radioactive?’

‘Because some things are none of your business, Miss Thomas, that’s why.’

Helen bit her lip as her ankle throbbed with pain. She’d been downgraded once again to ‘Miss Thomas’, she noticed. ‘You’re...you’re right,’ she admitted. Her voice was barely audible.

‘What was that?’ He raised his brow and cupped a hand behind one ear. ‘Did I actually hear you say I’m right?’

She glared at him. ‘Yes, damn it. You’re right. It wasn’t my business. I shouldn’t have gone snooping online. I’m sorry.’

He made no reply but scooped her up into his arms and made his way back to the gatehouse. Thrusting his foot out, he kicked the door open, then deposited her on the sofa.

Almost, Helen thought suddenly, like a husband carrying his bride over the threshold for the first time.

Except that Colm wasn’t her husband. And he was beyond furious with her.

And she could hardly blame him.

‘You’re a pain in the arse, Miss Thomas,’ he informed her as if he’d read her thoughts, ‘and no mistake. And you’re a problem I can do without.’

‘Just get my handbag from the car,’ she gritted, ‘and I’ll have someone from the castle come and fetch me back. I’ve no desire to inconvenience you any further.’

Then, with a sinking sensation, she remembered she hadn’t brought her handbag. She’d been so focused on confronting Colm, on making him listen to her, that she’d left the damned thing behind in her room.

‘No one at the castle has time to ferry you back and forth, any more than I do.’ He disappeared into the kitchen and banged around, making enough noise to make her wince. ‘They’ve work to be doing, same as me. And looking after you,’ he added with a scowl as he returned with a basin of warm water in his hands, ‘is a full-time job.’

Helen eyed the basin he set down on the floor by her foot with suspicion. ‘What’s that?’

‘It’s Epsom salts, is what it is,’ he retorted, ‘to soak your blasted foot in.’ He reached in his shirt pocket and thrust a couple of aspirins at her. ‘Take those. They’ll help with the pain and swelling until you can get to a doctor.’