Page 40 of Christmas Spirits at Honeywell House (Ghosts of Rowan Vale #3)

‘How did you know?’ Jack sighed and rubbed the back of his head. ‘Let me guess. A little ghost told you.’

‘Her grandfather told him actually,’ Aubrey said sternly. ‘She and I had quite the family reunion today, and we got on splendidly. She’s a fine girl. Too good for the likes of you, you callous brute.’

‘Aubrey and Clara have met,’ Lawrie told Jack. ‘They got on very well, it seems.’

‘Bully for them,’ Jack said grumpily.

‘Clara disobeyed the rule she’d kept all her life until that point, because she wanted to be with you,’ Lawrie told him.

‘Yes, no doubt her desire to see Rowan Vale was a strong one, but would she have risked it if not for you? I find it hard to believe, considering she’d resisted temptation until that point.

‘Besides, it was so long ago now. The fact is, she stayed here because of you. She stayed even when I’d made it very clear that Aubrey wanted nothing to do with her, and she wouldn’t be welcome at the Hall, and that she was to say nothing of her heritage to anyone.

Despite all that, she remained here, because of you . Because she loves you.’

‘Loves me!’ Jack snorted. ‘Yeah, right.’

‘Oh, Jack! Forget your wounded pride and think about it. It must have been quite uncomfortable for her, knowing I didn’t want her here. She could easily have left and put it all behind her. If you think she stayed for any reason other than that she loved you, you’re a fool.’

‘Absolutely,’ Aubrey said, nodding vehemently. ‘The girl has given you three fine sons, for goodness’ sake. There may be another one soon, or a little daughter. You don’t know you’re born!’

Wasn’t that the truth! Some people were never satisfied, he thought ruefully.

His own marriage to Elspeth had been seriously lacking in physical affection.

She’d done her duty but once James had arrived, she’d put a stop to all that.

He’d hoped they could build a loving, tender relationship, with true affection and physical passion, but she’d refused to try.

It was quite clear that Jack and Clara’s marriage was a very different thing to his own.

‘You’re right, Aubrey,’ Lawrie said. ‘Would Clara have married you, Jack, had three children, given up her job, her life, to stay here and play house with you if she didn’t love you?’

Jack hung his head. ‘But she kept a secret from me all this time, when I thought we were a partnership. I thought we told each other everything. It hurts,’ he mumbled.

‘I’m sure it does, but you’re a big boy.

Clara’s got enough to deal with, and if you don’t mind me saying so, you’ve treated her poorly.

She clearly loves you, or she wouldn’t have had a family with you.

Didn’t you once tell me that she gets up at the crack of dawn with you every single morning to make you breakfast before you go to work? ’

Jack sighed. ‘Yeah, she does. And sometimes I open my packed lunch box and there’s a little note in there telling me how much she loves me.’

‘Oh, for heaven’s sake!’ Aubrey threw up his arms and appealed to Lawrie. ‘How much more proof does he need? The man’s a moron!’

‘All right, Aubrey. Easy for you to criticise. What about your own part in all this, eh?’

‘What part?’ Aubrey demanded. ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’

‘Perhaps you wouldn’t say that if you’d seen the state of Agnes this morning. The poor woman is distraught.’

‘She is?’ Aubrey’s voice was suddenly very small.

‘Heartbroken. Terrified. She thinks you’re going to leave her and move in with Clara.’

Jack looked horrified. ‘He’s not, is he?’

‘Of course I’m not!’ Aubrey said. ‘Why on earth would she think such a thing?’

‘Well, why do you think?’ Lawrie said, shaking his head reassuringly at Jack.

‘For goodness’ sake, man! You know how she kept Mia away from Florence because she was terrified Florence wouldn’t need her any more.

How do you think she felt when she discovered you had a living and breathing family member of your own here in the village?

She knows how desperately sad you’ve always been that you had no relationship with your son.

She was afraid Clara would step into his shoes. ’

‘That makes no sense,’ Aubrey said. ‘Clara is my granddaughter… of sorts… and I’m very happy to meet her, and yes, I’d love for her and the children to be a part of my afterlife, but Agnes is my – well, wife. She and Florence are everything to me!’ He stared guiltily at Lawrie. ‘Everything.’

Why hadn’t he realised? Of course this wasn’t about James being a thief and Agnes worrying about bad blood!

This was about what it was always about: Agnes’s insecurities and her fear of being abandoned for someone else.

He knew that much about her. He’d always known. Why had he chosen to forget that?

And he’d called her Mrs Ashcroft!

The shame burned through him. To treat poor Agnes in such a way when she’d done nothing but love him all these years and had given him a home and family that he’d never dreamed he’d have. He’d just criticised Jack for his behaviour towards Clara, but he’d been just as cruel to Agnes.

‘She shouldn’t have kept this from you,’ Lawrie was saying. ‘And I totally understand why you’re so angry. But you couldn’t feel any worse about this than she does, believe me. If you abandon her, Aubrey, I really dread to think how she’ll take it.’

‘Abandon her?’ Aubrey could hardly believe what he was hearing. ‘I would never do that. How could she even think it? How could you ?’

‘I’ve been an idiot,’ Jack said miserably.

‘Clara’s my world. Her and the boys. You’re right.

I felt stupid and used. I didn’t stop to look at it from her point of view.

I just felt gutted that she’d kept stuff from me, and it made me feel insecure about us – especially with all the stress we’ve been under lately. How am I ever going to put this right?’

‘I’m sure she’ll forgive you, though if I were you, I’d grovel to Olympic standard,’ Lawrie advised.

‘Oh, God! I’ve been an absolute numpty,’ Jack groaned.

He got to his feet. ‘I’ve got to go home and tell her how sorry I am.

Mind you,’ he added, ‘this doesn’t let you off the hook, Lawrie.

I still think what you did to Clara was disgusting, and I’m still annoyed that you kept quiet all this time.

And I think you should apologise to her in person, too. ’

‘Clearly,’ Lawrie said ruefully, ‘Clara is more forgiving than her husband. But you’re right, I will apologise to her. Despite what I did to her, she has always been terribly friendly to me. More so than I deserve, no doubt.’

‘No doubt,’ Jack agreed grimly. ‘Right, I’m going home. I’ve got a lot of fences to mend.’

Lawrie nodded. ‘And where are you going?’ he asked Aubrey, who had also got to his feet. ‘Upstairs to your suite to make it up with Agnes, I hope.’

‘No,’ Aubrey said. ‘As a matter of fact, I’m not. I have other business first.’

‘You’re going out?’

Lawrie frowned, but Aubrey wasn’t about to reveal anything else. Jack opened the door, and Aubrey and he stood for a moment in the hallway, absorbing everything that had just happened.

‘I feel like a kid who’s just been to see the headmaster,’ Jack said with a sigh.

Aubrey shuddered, remembering many such scenarios with horror. Lord, he’d hated boarding school!

‘Well, I guess I’d better go home and hope I can put this right,’ Jack said. He glanced around unseeingly. ‘I do love her, you know. I will fix this.’

‘I’m sure you will,’ Aubrey soothed. ‘I know you’re not a bad man and – oh!’

Jack was already heading briskly towards the front door.

Aubrey sighed and looked up the stairs, wondering what Agnes was doing now. He quickly followed Jack outside and strode purposefully down the drive, determined to do what he must to rescue this situation and save his relationship with the woman he loved.

As he reached the gates, just behind Jack, he stopped and glanced up at the drawing room window on the first floor. As he’d suspected, Agnes was staring down at him, but she was too far away for him to see her expression clearly. Almost immediately, she moved quickly out of sight.

Aubrey squared his shoulders and headed through the gates.