Sommersgate House (Ghosts and Reincarnation #2)(86)

He offered her his arm again and she took it, still mentally reeling.

Then Julia walked out to the Bentley at Douglas’s side thinking that she might be the only woman on earth who could have a perfect emerald affixed around her neck and still consider her brief feelings of the excitement for the night were well and truly dead.

* * * * *

Three hours later, she was no longer feeling the same.

This was because of Charlie, who was determined to show her a good time and because of six glasses of champagne, which would make anyone start to relax.

“All I can say is, forget about him!” Charlie declared and then blew out a stream of smoke. They were on a terrace and hiding from Oliver. Charlie had quit smoking over Thanksgiving but was now what she called, “Christmas-stress-smoking”.

Julia had thrown caution to the wind and, after glass of champagne number four, had confided in her new friend about Douglas, the marriage proposal, everything.

Charlie, at first, had stared at her in dazed disbelief and then she’d muttered triumphantly, “I knew it!” After that, she’d hugged Julia and shouted, “Hurrah!” so loudly that everyone around them turned to stare.

After glass of champagne number six, Julia had gotten around to explaining how it all ended and the way it was now. In response, Charlie had grabbed her and two more glasses of champagne and pulled her out to the terrace.

“There are men who would kill for you in there!” she announced, extravagantly gesturing back to the ballroom. “If he doesn’t want you, find one who does!”

Julia giggled before declaring, “Hardly. And anyway, it’s not that easy. I live with him, remember?”

“It’s just that easy!” Charlie decided, but her eyes were glittering with something Julia couldn’t quite make out. “He doesn’t care, so be it. He wants to live in his shell, he’s welcome to it. But you live your life.” Charlie came forward and linked her arm through Julia’s, saying firmly, “Let’s go.”

Charlie smashed out her cigarette in a thoughtfully provided ashtray and pulled Julia back into the crush of the ball.

Julia and Douglas had arrived three hours ago to the flashbulbs and shouts of the paparazzi, but now they were shouting her name too. She held on to his arm for dear life, doing her best to keep a slight smile pinned to her face (it wouldn’t do to have her picture flashed across the newspapers looking like a deer caught in headlights or worse). They’d also had to stand for photos for the society papers and magazines as they were not only representatives of Tamsin and Gavin, who were being memorialised in the programme, but Douglas was the largest benefactor of the event.

Then, that was it. Charlie and Oliver had come in from London for the evening and found them. Charlie swept her away for a round of introductions and Charlie-induced fun. Julia hadn’t seen Douglas again except in the crowd every once in awhile. The strange thing was, every time she caught sight of him, he was looking directly at her. Still no expression on his face but she found his constant stare highly disconcerting.

Now, Charlie determinedly pushed through the crush and just as determinedly sought out, nailed down and introduced Julia to every available (and some not-so-available) man of Julia’s age (and some a bit younger than Julia’s age). It was impossible not to laugh at Charlie’s outrageousness or, indeed, participate in it herself, enjoying every moment as the harmless diversion it was. Diversion was good, Julia needed diversion and Charlie, she was realising, gave the best diversion there was to give.

So, she thought, as she sipped her seventh glass of champagne, she’d have a great time and Douglas could stand there and glower and scowl with Oliver, who was also glowering and scowling…

Julia stopped laughing at something her male companion was saying, which was what she was doing when she caught sight of Douglas and she swiftly averted her gaze, a feeling of dread seeping through her.

“Charlie,” Julia said, her voice low with warning, rudely ignoring the man at her side as a chill ran up her spine.

Charlie threw back her head and roared with laughter at something a rather handsome man of somewhat average height was saying to her.

Julia felt a pair of eyes, maybe two, boring hotly into her back. She hazarded a peek and then turned quickly away again at what she saw.

It was true, she wasn’t seeing things. Douglas was glowering, scowling and now, she could say, glaring at her and Charlie.

“Charlie.” She grabbed her friend’s arm and pulled her away from the man she was laughing with. “Excuse me, I just need a quiet word,” she explained awkwardly to the man.

“What’s wrong?” Charlie asked, immediately registering Julia’s discomfiture.

“Um, don’t look now but I think your husband may be a bit peeved and Douglas looks…” she glanced back and then away again as his eyes drilled into hers. “Fit to be tied,” she finished lamely.

Charlie whirled around and gave them a bold, anxiety-free stare. “Well, well, well,” she said, “the beast awakens. About bloody time.”

Julia’s mouth dropped open and, because she was acutely aware of being the recipient of censorious glare from across the room, she snapped it shut again before asking, “What do you mean?”

“No time to explain, call me tomorrow. And remember, you owe me,” Charlie said mysteriously, leaned forward, kissed her cheek and then disappeared.