CHAPTER FIFTEEN – SYLVIE #2
I blinked at it. “Is that how it’s done these days? Just a knock with the toes? You don’t get up anymore?”
With a hefty sigh, Thomas made a great show of getting up, walking around the little table, and slowly sweeping the chair over the old wooden floors, turning it towards me. “Your seat, m’lady,” he repeated in a very staunch British accent.
That was saying something.
He already had quite a fancy one.
“Thank you.” I sat down and crossed my legs, setting my bag by my feet. “Start talking.”
Thomas sat back in his chair. “You don’t have anything to drink.”
“Thomas, I’m here for information, not a date. You’ve kept me waiting all day, so if you aren’t going to help me with the veil, then I’m leaving.” I waited, and when he didn’t start talking, I jerked around and got to my feet.
“Oh, sit down.”
I glared at him.
“Julian’s mum has a veil,” Thomas said.
I sat back down, putting my bag between my feet again. “She does?”
He nodded. “Mum said that it’s an old family heirloom, passed down through Julian’s line. His great-great-grandmother, I think… It was made for her wedding and destined for any female heirs, but they’ve only had boys in the family since Julian’s great-grandma.”
Frowning, I counted on my fingers as I tried to figure it out.
“Exactly.” Thomas laughed, sitting back and lacing his fingers over his stomach. “It was only ever for the female bloodline, so married-in members weren’t allowed to wear it.”
“That’s some elitist bullshit.”
“I agree. You’re either family or you’re not.” He shrugged a shoulder. “Anyway, Julian’s dad wanted Cassandra to wear it, but he was denied. He’s technically the owner now as Julian’s paternal grandparents have passed, so…”
My eyes widened. “They might let Hazel wear it.”
He slowly nodded, keeping his gaze on mine. “Mum seems to think Cassandra might have wanted to offer it to Hazel to see it finally be used, but Hazel shared her plans with her before she could mention it and she didn’t have to heart to bring it up after.”
I cupped my hands over my mouth, and my stomach flipped with both nerves and excitement. “Oh, my God. What’s the time?”
“Twenty past five.”
“I’ll be right back.” I grabbed my phone from my bag and bolted towards the door, leaving all my winterwear behind, and ran outside into the snow. I scrolled my contacts and hit ‘call’ on the house number for Julian’s parents right as the cold seeped through my jumper.
Holy shit.
It was cold.
I was an impulsive twat.
I wrapped my free arm around my waist and bounced on the balls of my feet for warmth as I listened to the droll ringing of their line in my ear.
“Hello, Carmichael residence,” a female voice said brightly.
My heart skipped. “Cassandra? It’s Sylvie.”
“Oh, hello, dear!” Her happiness radiated down the line. “How are you?”
Ugh, pleasantries. “I’m hoping I’ll be better after we’ve spoken, honestly,” I admitted. “Yourself?”
“Well, I was all right.” She laughed lightly. “What can I do for you?”
“Do you know about Hazel’s veil?”
“Of course—it’s supposed to arrive this week, isn’t it?”
“Ah, you don’t.” I blew out a breath and quickly explained what had happened.
“Oh, no! That’s a terrible shame. She must be devastated. No wonder she didn’t come to dinner tonight.”
Oh, shit.
Was I interrupting a family dinner?
“I’m not interrupting anything, am I?” I asked tentatively.
“Anything is better than listening to my husband and son drone on about the football,” she replied. “Except perhaps the cricket. Is there anything I can do to help you?”
“Actually, yes, there might be.” I turned my back on the road, dipping my head. “Emily told Thomas about the family veil this morning, and he just passed that information on to me,” I said softly. “Emily seems to think that you may have been willing to offer it to Hazel.”
There was a slight pause before Cassandra said, “Yes, I was. Since Steve’s parents have passed, he feels it’s time for the veil to be used again, and I was hoping she might be willing.
When she came to us with her ideas for her custom one, she was so excited that I didn’t feel like it was right to bring it up. ”
“I understand that. Is it usable? The veil?”
“Yes. It’s been stored and taken care of extremely well. It might just need a gentle wash that I’m happy to do. Sylvie…” The line crackled with what seemed like a sigh. “Do you think she’d be willing?”
“I don’t mean this badly, but she doesn’t have many options,” I said honestly. “It’s that or she buys another. Given how much went into her original one, I’m sure she’d rather have an heirloom over one that doesn’t mean anything. Are you busy tomorrow morning?”
“I’m not, dear, no.”
“Could you get it ready for, say, ten? I’ll bring her over and we’ll see what she says.”
“Of course. I’ll make some brunch. It’ll be great to see you.”
I almost sank into the snow with relief, and we said goodbye with a reassurance of seeing each other tomorrow. As soon as the line went dead, I balled my hands into fists and pressed them against my eyes, taking the deepest breath known to man.
Oh, my gosh.
Maybe… Maybe we’d fixed it.
Maybe Thomas had fixed it. Why was it always him?
I all but ran back inside to the warmth of the pub. I fired off a text to my sister telling her to be ready for me to pick her up at nine-thirty tomorrow as I returned to the table.
Thomas looked up when I approached. “Did you get it sorted?”
I nodded. “We’re going over to see it in the morning. Hazel doesn’t know about it yet.”
“Good.” He eyed me speculatively. “You look cold. You didn’t put your coat on, did you?”
“I might have been a little excited,” I replied slowly, putting my phone away. I rubbed my frozen hands together and even pressed them between my thighs to warm them.
“Good thing I ordered these, then.”
“What?” I jerked my head around just in time to see two mugs being brought over on a tray, one of which was topped with squirty cream and marshmallows.
The tray was set on the table, and the guy winked at Thomas before he turned and walked away.
“There.” Thomas pushed the hot chocolate with the extras towards me. “That’ll warm you up.”
“This knight in shining armour thing is getting old,” I muttered, taking it. “Thank you.”
“If you keep thanking me, I’m going to start thinking you like me.”
“There’s a line, Thomas, and you’re about to cross it.”
He laughed, and the way his smile reached his eyes made my stomach do a teeny, tiny flip that felt a little too much like I did… like him.
Like him, like him.
Like a stupid schoolgirl crush.
Oh, dear.
Having feelings for Thomas was not on my Christmas list this year.
More to the point, I was far too old to be having such a thing as a schoolgirl crush. On Thomas Castleton of all people.
I had to remind myself that I’d only come here for my sister’s wedding, not some fancy, Hallmark-esque Christmas romance.
All he needed was a checkered shirt and the whole thing would be complete.
“What are you thinking about?” Thomas asked. “I can see your brain cogs turning.”
Well, I sure as shit wasn’t about to tell him the truth.
“Thinking about tomorrow and hoping it fixes the problem,” I replied with a small smile. “That’s all.”