Chapter 30
THIRTY
MAXIMUS STORM
Mathilda
I paced the office floor, Callum’s gaze tracking me. He wouldn’t agree to this without another fight, but with Dad coming and the land agents baying for blood, we needed the issue sorted.
“My house in Bristol… Dad told me he bought it as an investment for me. A trust fund which he anticipated me using to invest in a business. I have two choices now and I’m asking your opinion. But this decision is mine and, if you value your balls, you’ll let me make it.”
With no shred of apprehension, I waited, and he blinked. Then he made a gesture. “Go on.”
“I want to feel part of this family. Fully invested. Look at what you bring to the table versus what I bring. You’d give me this incredible home on a plate—”
Callum waved a hand and interrupted the start of my rant. “Give me the options, woman. If I’m meant to keep my trap closed, you aren’t going to downplay your value on my watch. Move this along.”
“Fine.” Then I told him how much the little house was worth. The neighbours had sold up a couple of months ago, and their sale price was listed online, so a simple search had reinforced my plan. His eyes grew wide.
“Now, I could buy Dominic out of Storm Force and go into business with Dad. It would make him happy and it’s what he intended for me to do with the money. More importantly, you’d get your full contract paid.”
Callum flicked his gaze to the wall, to a huge map of the estate. “Buy in to Storm Enterprises? You’d need to travel, aye? To leave here.”
My own gaze trailed from what looked like the border with Braithar, over the mountain, and down to the farthest farm. “Yes. I’d need to spend part of my week in the London office.”
Callum made a ‘fuck that’ expression. “What’s the other option?”
“I invest in Castle McRae and use my money to start a business. I pay off the debts to create a clean slate, a safe starting place, and then carry out the renovations needed to run beautiful weddings. Bigger than we discussed. I mean the works. We could use the castle as a venue, but I’d also look further afield and act as the agent for other places.
I’d hire coordinators and seize the corner of the market that wants a destination wedding in the Highlands, regardless of the budget. ”
I drew a breath between the ideas flowing out of me, still half-formed but beautiful and shining. This was my dream career, my very own company. Before, I’d had no idea how to start it, and I couldn’t do it alone, but if he’d only say yes and not let his pride derail this…
I swallowed and said, “It would need a lot of time invested, more than I’d asked for from you.”
Callum shook his head, and my heart sank. “Mathilda, I’ll give you everything I have, but nae that. My debts are not yours to take on, and that’s no way to start a business.”
A knock came at the office door. “Mathilda?” Lachlan’s voice interrupted. “There’s a man here to see ye. Looks like you. I’d hazard a guess and say he’s your da.”
Callum and I looked at one another.
“To be continued,” he murmured.
Then we were on our way to the front door. A new battle to face.
Dad stood on the rain-damp steps outside the castle, deep lines in his dark skin around his eyes, and his expression one of bewilderment and worry. I launched myself at him, throwing my arms around his waist. His coat smelled of cigar smoke and airports.
The worst thing, the very worst thing, would have been if he’d stayed away. But he’d come. We had something to work with.
No matter how bombastic Dad was, no matter how controlling and dictatorial he tried to be, at the heart of it, he was a scared little boy trying to find his family.
At points in my childhood, he’d been the best father I could have wished for.
I had wonderful memories of the parties he’d thrown for my birthdays and of when he’d taught me to ride a bike.
He’d shown me how to be ambitious and to go after what I wanted, and right now, the very best outcome was he could be that same kind of father to my sister.
I meant to make that happen. If it hurt, so be it.
Fat rain drops hit his thick, short hair. “Mathilda,” Dad said, and he hugged me right back.
“I’ll give you two a minute.” I heard Callum step away and I lingered for a moment before I broke off the hug.
“I’m glad you’re here,” I said.
“You know, I never met him. Dominic handled all the distillery and site visits.” Dad watched Callum remove himself to a polite distance. “He’s bloody big, isn’t he?”
“His heart is huge, Dad.”
Dad gave me a querying look, and we followed Callum into the great hall. “All the way here, Dominic left me messages, spinning wild stories about you and this laird. How he’s manipulating you, using you. But I know my daughter. Come. Tell me the facts. Why are you here?”
I would, but this was my show, and Dad was on my territory. “First, you need to meet him.”
I led Dad to Callum who tipped his head in silent question. I placed my hand in Callum’s and took my position at his side.
“Dad, this is Callum McRae. My fiancé.”
“Maximus Storm,” Dad clipped out.
Callum reached out and took my father’s hand. “I’m glad to meet you. Welcome to my home.”
Dad’s jaw dropped. Over a slow handshake, his brown eyes expressed a dozen emotions. “Fiancé?”
“Uh huh,” I confirmed calmly. “We became engaged yesterday, but you’ve been traveling so you wouldn’t have heard. But you can share your congratulations later. That’s not why you’re here. We have a more important topic to cover.”
Dad switched his gaze to me but didn’t say another word.
Rarely had I seen him stunned to silence like this.
The moment drew out, but I wasn’t about to let this get awkward.
Nobody could be prouder of their partner than I was in Callum, and if Dad had allowed his judgement to be clouded, that was his problem.
I needed him onside for Scarlet, and for my investment plan, but his opinion on Callum made no difference. I was a woman in love, fighting for my family. Dad would always be part of that but in a new form, whatever that might be.
“I’ll see what I can do about getting rid of these men.” Callum cleared his throat then beat a strategic retreat, joining Lachlan and the land agents at the fireplace.
Dad gazed around the cavernous room. “Mathilda? What is going on?”
“This isn’t about me.”
“I know.” Dad shook his head, and I gestured to the den.
The battered green couches were as good a place for this conversation as any, and I had high hopes.
Dad hadn’t come with anger holding his muscles tight, or calculation in his eye.
He appeared worn. Battered. Maybe he’d come here to face the music. God knew it was overdue.
And if Scarlet remained absent a little longer, I might have enough leverage to work on him. Bring him to my way of thinking.
But before we cleared the room, a crack of thunder sounded overhead, and the great hall’s door crashed open once again.
Lightning ushered a laughing duo through the door.
As she stumbled inside, my sister threw her head back, crowing in delight at something Alasdair said.
His hoodie, and his arm, wrapped over her shoulders as he guided her in, Wasp absent now but the scene friendly to my eyes.
Brotherly. The two of them dripped with the heavy spring rain.
“Scarlet,” Dad announced under his breath and, somehow, across the open space, she heard it.
Her gaze found his, her smile dropped, and the storm shook the room.
“Hey, Dad, how was your flight?” Scarlet enquired as she tripped lightly across the great hall. She swept past us, and Dad and I followed her into the den.
“Which one? The one I took into New York City to try to secure the future of Storm Force, or the two I suffered to get to this far-flung corner of the kingdom to collect you?”
We sat on the battered green couches, and silence held. Scarlet and I had agreed that first, she needed to tell Dad how he made her feel, and I’d only step in if she became overwhelmed.
“I left home,” Scarlet began. “Because—”
“Scaring your mother half to death,” Dad cut in.
“No. Mom barely notices anything these days. You have no idea what’s been going on.”
Our father blinked at my sister. “Your mother is fine.”
I couldn’t miss the wince on Scarlet’s face and I jumped in.
“I called Mom while we travelled back here. After Scarlet ran away from home. Her painkillers are making her into a zombie as all she could worry about was you and your reaction. Even then her speech was slow, and she barely asked about Scarlet. Our family is falling apart, and we need to fix this. Mom needs help. We all do.”
He squinted at me in disbelief. “Painkillers? She takes pills for her anxiety, but…”
Scarlet and I had compared notes during our little chat in her bedroom. She knew exactly what Mom was taking. All my fears had been confirmed.
“Dad. Scarlet and I love you, but we need to set a few things straight.” I had to get this out before I lost my nerve. “We’re both your daughters, regardless of heritage. Scarlet needs you more than ever, but if you can’t give her what she needs, she’s staying here with us.”
“Because somehow you’re engaged. Tell me, daughter—”
“Oh Jesus, Dad.” Scarlet leapt to her feet, and our father’s gaze darted to her. “Don’t you know what you’re doing? Stop trying to control Mathilda! She nearly married that man Dominic just so you’d let her take me in. Do you know that?”
“What?” Dad’s voice sounded as I slapped my hand over my eyes.
I wasn’t planning to tell Dad about Dominic just yet because I felt fool enough as it was.
Scarlet’s eyes reddened as she continued, “All Mom and Mathilda ever do is creep around you, but you’re hurting them! You hurt me! We never talk about it, but what the hell does it matter that you’re not my bio dad? How does that give you an excuse to be such a shit father?”
The echoes of her final words rang.
Something enormous shifted, just by naming the beast.
Dad swallowed. “I’m sorry, Scarlet. I’ve never given you the opportunity to meet your real father as I didn’t want to hurt your mother. If you want to—”
“You’re my real father. Come on!”
He blinked.
“I think what Scarlet means is that she wants you to step up, Dad.”
With tiny movements, realisation dawned on our father’s face, and he looked stricken. Broken.
“All this time, I thought you’d reject me—” he began, but his voice hitched, and my heart lurched.
I stood, because my sister was openly crying, and this time it wasn’t for me to comfort her. I had so much to say, about how many years he’d missed, about the hurt she’d suffered when he’d turned her away, about the desperation we’d all seen whenever she’d tried to get him to notice her.
But when it came down to it, my sister just needed a hug from her dad.
Dad stood, too. As I walked out of the den door, I glanced back. He’d sat in my vacated seat, right next to Scarlet.
Then he reached out a fatherly arm and pulled her in.