Chapter 8 #2
For the rest of the morning, I mingled with Ella’s musician friends, some of whom I’d met when I’d visited her at university a few years back. They got down to the business of chopping up the track they were recording, and I watched for a little while before making myself scarce.
A woman swept into Braithar’s great hall, two blond children at her heels, entering through the front door while I emerged from the dining room. It was Mathilda, Ella’s sister-in-law.
Also best friend to Beth, James’s wife.
In the same way I’d avoided William on my few visits to the Highlands, I’d also avoided his extended family, knowing they’d think badly of me.
I’d been the alternate bride for James, causing strife in his family, though he and I had nothing to do with each other, other than by the arrangement. Beth would certainly dislike me. Her closest friend would be with her in solidarity.
I wouldn’t blame them one bit.
“Hey, if you’re looking for Ella, she’s just started recording. She might be a while.” I plastered on a smile and hid my nerves.
Mathilda gave me a curious look, her gaze flicking over me subtly.
“We popped by so Lennox could pick up a sketchpad he left here.” She gave a nod to the two pretty children, and the boy and girl vanished down a corridor.
“But I need a second pair of eyes on a contract I’ve been offered. I was going to ask Ella’s opinion.”
I knew Mathilda ran a wedding business. I also knew a decent amount about contracts. Not that I thought she’d accept my help. Still, I opened my mouth. “I have a business degree. If you like, I could…?”
The older woman blinked then tilted her head, blonde spiral curls bobbing with the movement. “That’s kind of you to offer. Yes, I’d appreciate that.”
At my gesture, we moved to a table under a window. Mathilda brought out a tablet from her bag and found the document from a food supply business. In a few minutes, I’d read over the salient parts and understood the issue.
“This isn’t a strict supply arrangement. The offer they are making is to share the management of this whole function. Fifty-fifty ownership of a segmented part of their company. Is that what you wanted?”
She shook her head. “Not at all. I said I could maybe provide staff—we have several casual workers who help with the weddings. Teenagers mostly. I didn’t want to do them out of a job by hiring this company.
But I don’t need the headache of having another part of this business to run.
My office manager quit a couple of weeks ago, so it’s all on me right now. ”
I skimmed the next set of paragraphs. “I don’t think you should sign this.
Go back to them and explain your offer—to hire them to provide the full service as you described, using your pool of staff at their discretion.
Otherwise you take on liability and all kinds of trouble.
” I checked the dates. “This is for the autumn? You’ve got time. ”
She sighed, her gaze tracking the children as they returned, the boy scowling at a pad of paper in his hands. “Time maybe, but there’s not enough of me to go around. I knew this was too good to be true. Thank you. You’ve saved me.”
I went to reply, but my words got stuck. My degree, my whole education, had languished, unused, and I hadn’t really cared. But this buzz from helping out, from spotting a potential problem… I felt smart.
“Let me give you my email,” I blurted. “Forward me the next version. Or I can write back to them. If you want.”
Mathilda’s eyes widened. “Really? That would be incredibly helpful. Are you sure?”
We exchanged details, and I promised to help however I could. She left, and I sank back into my seat, a little freaked out.
Other than Ella, I had few female friends. More acquaintances who associated with me because of my name. I didn’t know how to act around women. At least, I didn’t think I did before that conversation.
Buoyed, I took out Charity’s diary from my purse and, for the first time, read it through from end to end.
Against each of the entries, she’d added notes in an untidy scrawl, like a tick list of goals or achievements.
Perhaps aiming to follow everything she did would be stretching my time, but not all were location-based.
As I worked my way through the list, only half were tied to actual places.
Like, Stand under the Eiffel Tower and look up.
Some were so way out there, they made me snicker out loud.
Scream into a storm on the edge of a cliff.
Laugh until I pee myself.
Where others had sadness rearing its head once more.
Make love to someone I’m in love with.
She’d crossed them all off, adding details but omitting others, and I wondered who her beau had been on the latter point. She’d never married, so it clearly hadn’t worked out.
I wouldn’t make it to the end of the list, but I’d make every effort to see the world through her eyes. If William could be by my side for the beginning, I’d have a good time, too.
Which made me consider an idea. A proposal for the Highlander. I wanted more than the flight together. After last night, maybe he’d thawed to spending more time with me.
I just had to think of a way to convince him.