Sommersgate House (Ghosts and Reincarnation #2)(50)

Julia held her breath. She didn’t know why but there was an underlying edge of fury in Douglas’s tone that was making her highly uncomfortable. She did not want, nor did she want Ruby, to witness Douglas abuse Carter in the way that Monique freely abused the staff.

However, there was no escape.

Douglas continued. “My mother has led you to believe that you needed her permission in regards to Miss Fairfax using your services.”

Julia and Ruby both looked from Douglas to Carter.

Carter just nodded.

Julia and Ruby looked back to Douglas.

“I apologise for that confusion,” Douglas went on.

Again, Julia and Ruby’s eyes slid back to Carter, whose jaw, they witnessed, dropped as this heretofore unheard phrase came from Douglas’s lips. They turned back to Douglas when he continued speaking.

“Miss Fairfax, not only when she’s doing something for or with the children, but at all times, has priority when you’re assessing your workload. Understood?”

It was Julia’s turn to have Carter’s gaze on her face and her jaw dropped.

“Furthermore,” everyone looked back to Douglas, “she’s to have free use of the Audi TT, the Aston Martin and the Range Rover. Make certain she has easy access to each set of keys.”

“Yes sir,” Carter replied brightly.

Douglas turned his attention to Julia.

“I’d like a word.” It was phrased as a request but certainly wasn’t one.

She felt her stomach flip at the fury that still lay in his eyes. She didn’t know if this stomach flip was fear or something else because in this mood he was both enormously frightening and perversely magnetic.

“Um… I’m making cookies,” she ventured hesitantly.

“This won’t take long.” He turned to leave and Julia instantly decided it best not to fan the flames of that temper. She threw the spoon in the bowl and wiped her hands on the apron tied around her waist then tore at its strings to take it off.

She tossed it on the table while indicating Ruby. “Carter, do you mind?”

“Don’t worry, lass, I’ll watch her,” Carter assured her.

Julia smiled at Carter and tousled Ruby’s hair before she hurried after Douglas and saw he was headed to the study. After last night, and the time before, she didn’t have a lot of good memories of conversations with Douglas in the study so she called after him.

“Could we…?” At her voice, he halted abruptly and turned to her, raising a haughty brow. “Not the study,” she said, her voice timid and she cursed herself. Though, she had to admit, he was scaring her. What he had to be angry about (she, surely, was the one who should be angry after what she’d heard Monique say earlier), she didn’t know but at that moment, she didn’t want to find out.

“Fine,” he clipped, changed his direction and walked back through the dining room, passing her, and he turned right at the door at the end of the room.

Toward her rooms.

“Wait…” she called but he kept going. She thought, hoped, that he intended to go to the chapel instead but he turned right again, pushing open the door to her room and she heard a frightened chirp from Veronika.

“Leave us,” he commanded brusquely and, as Julia turned into her own room, she saw Veronika, her face a mask of fear, hurry out.

At witnessing Veronika’s expression, Julia’s own fear was subsiding, giving way to anger.

“What on earth?” she snapped when she entered her room and closed the door with a slam.

“It has come to my attention that I’ll be having guests at Thanksgiving,” he announced, looking about her room.

He picked up a framed photo from the writing desk that showed Julia with some friends at Margarita Mayhem Night. He gave it a hard glance and then put it down. She watched him do this and saw his movements were rough with rage.

“Yes,” Julia replied, jutting up her chin and steeling herself for a forthcoming tirade, “I’m an American and those kids are half-American and we’ll be celebrating Thanksgiving. Don’t worry, I’ll buy and prepare the food, and serve it, so you won’t feel a hiccup in the strict Sommersgate regimen.”

“In future,” he stated smoothly, “I would like for you to inform me of these things in plenty of time for me to rearrange my schedule so that I can be free to attend.”

Her mouth dropped open again and then she snapped it shut.

“Of course,” she whispered, surprised. That was the last thing she expected to hear.

“Charlotte informs me you have the opportunity of an unpaid consultancy,” he went on.

She looked at him warily. He was angry about something, what, she didn’t know. However, all the things he said belied his apparent wrath.

“Yes,” Julia agreed carefully, drawing out the word longer than necessary.

“Take it,” he ordered. “Veronika can use the extra money. I’ll increase her pay to cover any added duties.”

Julia clenched her teeth together in an effort not to allow her jaw to go slack again.

She watched him as he turned, surprised he knew any personal information about any of his staff much less an underling like Veronika. He walked across to the mantel and picked up another photo. This was of her and Gavin when they were children; she had her arms wrapped around Gavin’s neck and her leg thrown over his lap. He stared at it a moment and then set it down, his face impassive.