“Do you think?” Julia asked.
“I can’t imagine why else. Tammy adored Douglas but she didn’t fool herself about him. He’s a good man but, let’s face it, he’s no father figure.” Julia couldn’t help but laugh out loud at that, Charlotte threw her a grin and carried on. “So, Tammy wanted the kids at Sommersgate and you to raise them because they both thought you were fabulous and everyone knows you love those kids. But they had to know Monique would be a problem. Ergo, Douglas is thrown into the fray, poor man. He worshipped his sister, you know.”
No, she didn’t know. Worship was the kind of thing people did to Douglas, not the other way around.
Charlotte continued. “It’s clear he’s already decided on protecting you, if you know what I mean. So, my advice to you is to take him up on it.”
Julia frowned. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“The possessive arm thing, wasting no time in dragging you in front of the paparazzi as a declaration of your position and his favour. Trust me, everyone in there…” she gestured with her cigarette to the gallery, “knows who you are and why you’re here and that you are not, upon arrival in this country, being hidden away like a poor relation whose role is now nanny of her Lady Sister-in-Law’s children. No, instead, you’re out here, looking fabulous… and you do look fabulous by the way, that dress is amazing… and drinking champagne. And Douglas’s favour is a sought after commodity. He shines his light on you, not even Monique could dim it. Believe me, there is nothing, not one thing that Douglas does that doesn’t have a purpose. This…” she gestured lavishly to the alley, “is his subtle way of telling his mother, when she returns, and anyone else for that matter, to back, the hell, off. Well done him!” She finished, clapping her hands, rather dangerously in Julia’s opinion, considering the lit cigarette.
This news, coming from a woman who had known Douglas for years, was so welcome that Julia felt the tears sting her eyes.
“Oh no, don’t do that!” Charlotte cried, coming close to Julia and squeezing her arm reassuringly. “Your makeup is gorgeous and everyone’s going to be looking at you. You can’t ruin it. Here, have a cigarette, it’ll calm you down.”
“I quit ages ago,” Julia admitted, taking a deep breath to fight back the tears.
“Well, I suppose since you’re currently the moral compass for three children, now isn’t the time to start up again. I must quit too or Ollie will divorce me.” She gave Julia’s arm another squeeze before she took her hand away. She dropped her cigarette and crushed it under the toe of her beautifully-shod foot. She straightened her shoulders, tucked Julia’s arm in her elbow and started forward but Julia pulled firmly back and looked at the woman. For the first time in months she felt less tense and less worried and those feelings lit her green eyes to sparkles, even in the dark alley.
“I…” Julia hesitated, not knowing how to put her feelings into words, then she continued, “thank you. I appreciate you telling me this.”
Charlotte shook her head and patted Julia’s arm, her eyes kind. “Enough of this, let’s go show them how fabulous you are.”
And that was what Charlotte did.
For the rest of the night, Julia had a wonderful time. She was wrong, Charlotte wasn’t just witty, she was hilarious. They drank glass after glass of champagne and Charlotte introduced her to everyone, making outrageous comments that made Julia laugh so hard she nearly cried.
Douglas hadn’t been lost in Charlotte’s determined efforts for the evening, even as she whisked Julia from person to person, and drink to drink, they always came back to Douglas. Charlotte would deposit Julia firmly at his side for just enough time for him to smile down on her or lean over and comment in her ear, showing everyone clearly, and they were most definitely watching, that Julia did indeed have his “favour”. Then Charlotte would whisk Julia away to show her off again.
By the time Julia stood on the pavement beside the Bentley with the paparazzi flashing away and Carter calmly holding the door, Julia was still exhausted but more relaxed than she’d been in months.
After giving her a brief hug and kiss on each cheek, Charlotte pressed a card in her hand.
“My info, phone, mobile, home, my assistant, my e-mail… you need anything, you call me, anytime!”
Julia nodded. “You’re lovely, Charlotte.”
“Charlie, all my friends call me Charlie.” And with those words, and the meaningful look she gave Julia to accompany them, she and Oliver were off.
Once they were in the Bentley and moving safely through the streets, she heard Douglas say, “It appears you had a good time.”
“Charlotte is a love,” Julia declared happily, thrilled to have her first new friend and perhaps an explanation about Douglas’s behaviour, and Tammy and Gav’s wishes, that would make her life a lot easier.
They drove home in silence and alighted from the car in front of the house. As they walked to the front door, Julia tripped, her heel getting caught in a crack in the pavement, and lurched forward. Douglas caught her against his body, an arm going around her.
“Steady,” he warned on a murmur, looking down at her just as she looked up, a small relieved smile still on her face, when the bulb flashed beside them.
“Off with you!” Carter shouted, moving threateningly, yet surprisingly nimbly, toward the photographer as Douglas hustled her inside.
But even with that end to the evening, nothing could stop Julia’s feeling of calm.
Douglas said a curt goodnight, already preoccupied with something else, and went straight to his study.
As for Julia, she checked on the children then prepared quickly for bed and slept soundly for the first time in months.
Chapter Six
The Arrangement