Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
‘You’re to stick to the east wing,’ explained Frank, gesturing for me to follow him into the living room. He was wearing a fitted white shirt with jewelled cufflinks and smart black jeans.
In the short time I’d known Frank, I’ve never seen him looking rough or dishevelled. ‘The west wing is out of bounds.’
I didn’t answer him as I was too busy gawping at the gigantic Christmas tree in the corner of the room. The tops of the branches brushed against the high ceiling. Silver glass baubles and crystal ornaments hung from every branch. They did not like the cheap decorations I’d bought from the supermarket. The tree gave the impression it had been custom designed for one of those glossy country life magazines Maddie used to have on her coffee table before she met Frank.
It was a beautiful living room with an open fireplace at the far end, tall French windows, cream drape curtains, plush brown leather sofas, and several oil paintings on the walls. I couldn’t see Maddie’s influence in the décor. It was all Frank. Even the paintings on the walls were of historic battles. I’d never known my sister to be interested in military artwork.
‘I don’t want any of the locals setting foot inside the house or in the grounds,’ Frank explained. ‘Only you and Eric are to stay at the house. There’s everything you could want here, and no need to go into Harp Brook village.’
‘Sorry,’ I said, thinking I’d misheard him. ‘What did you say?’
Frank cast me a fake smile. ‘You and Eric are to stay here in the house.’
‘Why?’
He took a step back and stared at me. Running a hand through his grey hair he began to walk towards the open fireplace. ‘I don’t see why you would need to go into the village. There’s enough food and wine in this house to feed you and Eric for three months, let alone three weeks. The garden and grounds are big enough for daily walks and if you prefer to exercise inside you have full use of our gym. I have every TV channel, every streaming channel, every subscription, and the best wifi.’
‘For three weeks, you want us to stay here and not venture out?’
Frank nodded. ‘I don’t see a problem with that.’
‘But what about walking Humphrey?’
He shrugged. ‘The grounds and garden are big enough for Humphrey. Maddie walks him out there every day.’
‘Well, that sounds great, but Grandpa and I will be venturing into the village,’ I said, defiantly.
Frank gazed out of the French window. I followed his gaze. Huge snowflakes were descending from the sky. If the snow carried on it would be unsafe for Grandpa to walk into Harp Brook, but I did have the car.
‘I will leave that decision with you, Rachel,’ he said, quietly. ‘However, my wife assured me you would abide by our rules and keep your elderly grandfather safe.’
An uncomfortable silence fell upon us, and he turned away to stare up at a painting above the open fireplace. He spoke first, maintaining his gaze on the artwork. ‘The builder will be here Monday to Friday. The cleaner every three days.’
Maddie showed Grandpa and me where we would be sleeping. The ground floor annexe with its rose-coloured bedroom, an en-suite toilet and a shower room would be where Grandpa would be sleeping. ‘I am going to sit here and take in the beautiful snowy view,’ said Grandpa, pointing to a gorgeous royal blue chair by his bed, overlooking the garden. ‘You girls go on ahead.’
Maddie took me upstairs. She was wearing a crimson dress which was gathered at her slim waist and grazed her brown leather ankle boots. ‘Sorry about Frank earlier,’ she whispered as we crept along the east wing’s landing. ‘He gets power crazy sometimes.’
‘Is that what you call it?’ I cast her a worried glance.
She pushed open the door to my bedroom and I gasped. It was a spacious room with abundant natural light due to the tall windows, a fireplace, an en-suite and a giant wardrobe. The windows commanded a spectacular view over the east side of the garden and grounds.
‘Apologies, I haven’t spoken to you much since my visit last weekend,’ she explained. ‘We’ve had Frank’s company social media team here and they’ve been filming us in the house.’
‘Oh,’ I said, running my hand over the beautiful sage green bedding which was adorned with embroidered silk woven peacocks walking through an array of ferns and green shrubs. It was magnificent and so soft to touch. Maddie sat on the edge of my bed and stared at the beautiful, embroidered birds. ‘I gave you the peacock bedding.’ She smiled. ‘Did you know the peacock is a symbol of rebirth?’
‘Maddie, I don’t need a rebirth, I just need a rest.’ I took her hand. ‘Do you know that I’ve been worried about you?’
She smiled. ‘Me? Don’t be worried, I’m okay.’
I recalled Kate asking about cameras. ‘Does Frank have security cameras?’
‘Yes, but that is a touchy subject,’ explained Maddie. ‘He’s having the old ones replaced when we get back from our holiday. There are cameras outside, but they are not up to his high standards. Frank has great plans for his security system. He wants an American firm to come over and install cameras in every room.’
‘Even in the west wing? The part of the house you and he don’t use?’
Maddie rolled her eyes. ‘Everywhere.’
‘He’s told me that Grandpa and I are to stay here for three weeks and preferably not go into Harp Brook.’
‘Given the snow, I think that’s sensible, Rachel. There’s a snowstorm forecast for Christmas Eve according to Frank.’
I glanced at my sister. She was squeezing her hands together so hard her fingers were almost white. ‘Are you okay?’ I asked.
She nodded and let out a nervous laugh. ‘Pre-holiday nerves. Ignore me.’
‘What is going on with you and Frank?’
‘Nothing, we’re fine.’
I studied her face. ‘You can tell me, Maddie.’
She held my gaze. ‘I’m overthinking everything. A lot is going on. Listen, did I tell you that Olivia was the reason why Frank and I chose to live in Harp Brook?’
‘Olivia?’
Maddie nodded. ‘Remember Frank and I came back from the States after… everything over there had got to me.’ She took a breath. I sensed the memory of her being so unhappy out in California last year was still painful. ‘About that, Rachel, I wanted to say thanks for keeping what I was going through out there to yourself and not telling the family.’
‘You don’t have to keep thanking me, Maddie,’ I said, ‘I’m just glad Frank listened to you and was decent enough to set up home over here.’
‘Anyway, Frank and I were looking for houses over here to buy. He’d seen this house and was organising for us to have a viewing. You and Olivia had come to London to meet me for brunch. Remember?’
‘Yes, I do.’ A memory came rushing back to me. The previous day had been particularly tough as my cat, Flossy, had been put down after suffering a stroke. I’d woken up to find her unable to get out of her basket. My vet managed to see her at nine in the morning. It was severe and the best thing was to have her put to sleep. In the afternoon I’d been told my job was at risk due to a cost-cutting restructure and in the evening Connor and Kate messaged me to ask whether I knew that Sam had proposed to Chantelle live on Instagram with Rupert holding up the ring box. I mainly spent that brunch crying in the loos of the café.
‘Well, you were in the ladies, and I happened to mention we’d found a house in a place called Harp Brook. Olivia said she’d rented a house there once and it was beautiful.’
‘Oh, wow,’ I said, trying to think whether Olivia ever told me she knew Harp Brook. ‘She never mentioned anything to me.’
Maddie smiled. ‘You were going through a hard time back then.’
I nodded and she came over to pull me into a hug. ‘I hope you get a chance to have a break, Rachel. You need a rest.’
The urge to tell her about Grandpa wanting to live dangerously and have a Christmas adventure was strong, but it would worry her on holiday. I remained silent.
We walked towards the bedroom door. ‘I’ve always been jealous of you, Rachel.’
I laughed. ‘Maddie, how can you be jealous of me when you live in these surroundings and your husband is… Frank Baxter.’
She held my gaze. ‘You’ve always been free to do the things you wanted to do.’
Reaching out I touched her shoulder. She nibbled on her thumb nail. Her glassy blue eyes were trying to tell me something. I opened my mouth, and she swiftly left the bedroom. ‘The driver will be here any minute. Have fun, Rachel.’
Frank and Maddie’s sleek white chauffeur-driven Mercedes headed down the drive and away from the manor house. After Maddie had cried buckets over leaving Humphrey and Frank’s chauffeur had nearly put his back out while lifting out my suitcase, they’d finally left for the airport.
Grandpa was talking to Layla and keeping Humphrey distracted with a ball in the kitchen. I was standing by the front door. The Mercedes was getting smaller and smaller as it travelled down the driveway. The talk with Maddie in my bedroom upstairs had not put my mind at rest. It had left me with a thudding heart. The snowfall had eased and there was only a thin covering on the ground which was one good thing.
My phone began to vibrate. Taking it out of my pocket, I saw that it was Mum. She was facetiming me. I pressed the accept button and she appeared from her sun lounger looking bronzed in a bright pink bikini. ‘Have Maddie and Frank left yet?’ she asked, before sipping on a colourful cocktail.
I nodded and flashed the phone camera towards the driveway. ‘Just left.’
‘Oh, it has been snowing then,’ Mum said, peering closer at her phone screen.
‘Yes, but it has stopped now.’
‘Isn’t their manor house beautiful?’ cooed Mum. ‘I am so proud of Maddie living like royalty and now going off to Malibu. Some days I must pinch myself. She’s living a perfect life: she’s married Frank Baxter and she’s surrounded by luxury. She will never endure what I went through with your father.’ She took a mouthful of a cocktail, placed it on the table and took up her lit cigarette. She took a drag. ‘Guess what?’ she said, before coughing and erupting into a cackle of laughter.
‘What?’
She laughed and pointed her phone at the sunbed next to her. ‘Guess who has come out and joined us in Tenerife?’
I stared in horror as Aunty Karen and Uncle Robert grinned and waved back at me. They were both in swimsuits with a drink in one hand and a ciggie in the other. Aunty Karen was in a bold tangerine one-piece suit with frilly edges which didn’t match her orange hair and Uncle Robert was in navy shorts. His dark hairy chest resembled a sample from my local carpet shop.
‘What are they doing with you?’
Mum laughed. ‘They needed a break from looking after your grandfather. It was your cousin Fay who suggested Karen and Robert fly out for Christmas.’
Aunty Karen held aloft her cocktail. ‘Cheers, Rachel, and Merry Christmas.’
Uncle Robert chuckled as he held his drink up. ‘Be a good girl, Rachel.’
Irritation at my family made me prickle. I was here in Harp Brook with Grandpa, confined to the Manor House with a mad dog and a head full of worries about my sister, and they were all partying in Tenerife. I opened my mouth to start shouting about my cousin Fay when Grandpa yelled something from the kitchen. ‘Got to go, Mum. Bye.’
After ending the call, I went to shut the front door. It was an old, cumbersome door and tough to close. As I battled with the door something shot past my legs in a flash of chocolate brown. ‘Humphrey!’ I yelled, but it was too late. Maddie’s dog raced away up the driveway.