A Surprise Christmas Wedding - Phillipa Ashley Page 0,97

it around. They’re getting married at noon for heaven’s sake! We can’t force a bride to marry someone; and we shouldn’t.’

Yet it was partly Lottie’s fault, she thought, and she had to try. ‘I – I could call Keegan and try to explain. I could go and see her.’

‘Wow. That’s a big risk.’

‘It is, but the way things are, I don’t think they can get any worse.’

Shayla thought for a moment. ‘What on earth will you say to her?’

‘I’m not sure. I don’t want to pressure Keegan into marrying Connor, or even persuade her, but I can’t bear the thought of her thinking that I – or Firholme by association – is to blame.’

Shayla shook her head. ‘Honey, I don’t care what she thinks. I may be disappointed that you didn’t trust me but you’re not going to take the fall for this situation. Not in my eyes, or anyone else’s at Firholme.’

But that’s what other people would think, Lottie wanted to shout: her colleagues, Connor’s family, Keegan and her lot – and even Jay. It made her sick to her stomach that after losing Connor and getting over him, he’d overturned her life again and jeopardised her chance of a fresh start.

‘Thank you,’ she said, her eyes brimming at Shayla’s support. ‘I could at least call Keegan and see if she’ll see me, but I’ll have to go straightaway …’

After a moment of thought, Shayla said. ‘I can take you, if you like.’

‘You’re so busy here though.’

‘Well, I won’t have anything to do if there’s no wedding, will I?’ She leapt up, reminding Lottie of why she was the boss of Firholme. ‘Come on, I’ll get the Range Rover out of the garage while you phone. At first, I thought it was a terrible idea, but the more I think about it, I realise this is our only hope of salvaging this wedding and our reputation.’

The holiday house that Keegan’s family had rented was on the edge of the village, behind large iron gates. Lottie had to buzz the intercom and wait in the cold before they opened to let her inside, an experience that didn’t help her nerves.

Shayla sat in the car on the road outside, and Lottie couldn’t help thinking whether it was in case her boss thought she needed to make a quick getaway.

She was amazed to have even been allowed admittance at all. After her discussion with Shayla, she’d texted Keegan, asking if she could come round. Ten agonising minutes later, she’d received a curt reply.

Why not?

That could have meant anything. Steeling herself, she trudged up the drive to the house, rapped the knocker and waited. Was she going to get a hearing, or was Keegan going to throw something at her?

Keegan’s mother opened the front door. She was tall, bronzed and immaculately coiffed, dressed in silk pyjamas and a cashmere cardigan. ‘You’d better come in,’ she said wearily. ‘Keegan’s in her bedroom. This way.’

‘Thanks,’ said Lottie, relieved at least that Mrs Sinclair hadn’t lambasted her as soon as she’d stepped through the door. She wasn’t sure what Keegan’s parents knew, so she stayed silent as she was shown to Keegan’s room.

‘She’s in there,’ Mrs Sinclair said. ‘I’ll be downstairs while you two talk.’ She gave a grim smile. ‘Good luck.’

Strangely enough, Lottie didn’t feel very lucky when she tapped at the door.

‘It’s Lottie,’ she said.

A few moments later, Keegan called imperiously, ‘You’d better come in.’

She was sitting on a stool in front of the dressing table, wearing a silk robe. Her long hair had been swept up into a chignon and she was in full make-up and false eyelashes. Her wedding gown hung on the back of the wardrobe door and her veil was draped over a cheval mirror.

She must have seen Lottie’s sideways glance at the dress. ‘I – I couldn’t bring myself to cancel the hairdresser and beautician,’ she said, with a wobble in her voice.

‘No …’ Lottie couldn’t help but feel sorry for her and hope that this was a sign Keegan hadn’t completely decided against going through with the wedding.

Keegan’s eyes glittered and her tone hardened. ‘I really thought you were nice,’ she said, plunging Lottie’s hopes in an instant. ‘I thought I could trust you, but I half guessed there was something going on between you and Connor. I just had a feeling and I should have followed my gut.’

‘Nothing was going on. Nothing has been, since the day we split up, long before Connor met you,’ Lottie said,