on guard. But at the same time she knew she couldn't take him back to be cooped up in her rented apartment in London, and there was no way she could afford to buy a house of her own out of town.
But there could be no doubt that Wellington had attached himself to her, and she to him.
His drink finished to his satisfaction, he now strolled across to stretch himself out in front of the fire Jade had lit when she came in, proceeding to wash himself with leisurely strokes of his tongue, pausing in the task to look up at her enquiringly as he sensed her gaze upon him.
She quirked mocking brows. ‘So, you're finally ready to listen now, are you?’ she derided, putting the milk bottle away in the fridge before joining the cat in front of the fire, taking with her the cup of tea she had just poured for herself, knowing she had been right about his readiness to listen to her now as he contentedly began to wash again. ‘You're very definite about your priorities, aren't you, boy?’ she teased, absently stroking that silky fur, receiving a rasp of the pink tongue over her hand for her trouble.
She leant back against a chair, giving a pained sigh. ‘I have had the most awful afternoon, Wellington.’ She shook her head, thinking back to what had transpired after Simon had interrupted that conversation in the store-cupboard.
She had stared at ‘Father Christmas’ with wide, horrified eyes, noticing as she did so that her slap to the side of his face had knocked the flowing white beard slightly askew, some of it having parted with his cheek completely, revealing a face that, although very similar to Simon's in features, was obviously younger than the other man's, something that was unmistakable now that his face was more fully revealed.
Before she could say a word, ‘Father Christmas’ had burst into speech. ‘She slapped my face, Pen!’ he told the other woman excitedly before once again giving that triumphant laugh. And he didn't seem able to stop.
Jade looked from Penny to Simon, wondering why one of them didn't step forward and slap ‘Father Christmas's’ face again—this time for hysteria. But the couple just looked on bemusedly, and so it was left to Jade to take the initiative before the whole thing turned into more of a farce than it already was.
Because her victim was more of a moving target this time, her aim wasn't quite so good, and instead of making contact with the man's cheek she caught the side of his eye. To her horror, this only seemed to fuel his excitement!
‘My God, I'll probably have a black eye from that one,’ he cried excitedly. ‘Penny, Simon, do you realise what this means?'
Jade had more than a good idea; the man behind the Father Christmas suit was ever so slightly insane. No one in their right mind could possibly be pleased at having their face slapped, not once but twice! This man's disturbed state of mind might also explain Penny's ashen face when she had realised it wasn't her husband beneath the disguise, for it was obvious now that that was the reason Penny had looked so distressed when ‘Father Christmas’ came into the room. Simon, she could see at a glance, was as sober as he always was.
‘I was attracted to her on sight,’ ‘Father Christmas’ was rambling on. ‘But now I know I'm going to marry her!'
Marry her? The man was definitely certifiable!
Penny was the first one to recover her voice. ‘David, can't you see you're distressing her?’ she soothed. ‘Jade isn't used to—no woman is, I'm sure—–’ she added with brisk dismissal ‘—to six foot two Father Christmases proposing marriage to her at their first meeting!'
David. At least she could put a name to the man now, and from the similarity between him and Simon she would say his surname was Kendrick. David Kendrick. No wonder Simon had never spoken of having a brother; David was definitely the ‘black sheep’ of the family!
And, if anything, Penny was understating her reaction to David's claim that he was going to marry her; she was more convinced than ever that the man in the Father Christmas suit was in need of medical help!
‘But, Penny, can't you see it's like a sign?’ he was insisting now. ‘And she didn't just slap me once, but twice!'
Penny eyed Jade uncertainly, obviously alarmed by the pallor of her cheeks. ‘David, I don't think you should persist in this just now.'
Jade had had enough, couldn't take any more today. ‘I think I should be going now, Penny—–'
‘You can't go!’ David pounced, grabbing both her hands in his, holding her captive. ‘I've only just found you—do you have any idea how long I've been waiting for you to come into my life?’ he prompted eagerly, continuing to talk before she could even attempt an answer to his question. ‘Do you think I'm going to let you walk away from me now, when all I know about you is that your name is Jade and you're great with kids?'
And that he intended marrying her. Incredible, absolutely incredible. And the day had progressed so normally until his advent into her life, too!
‘David, I really think it might be better to leave this just now,’ Penny intervened again, shooting Jade nervous glances.
‘But I can't,’ he insistently refused, keeping a firm grip on Jade's hands. ‘It's like a sign, Penny,’ he repeated firmly. ‘A blessing—–'
‘If I read all the signs correctly just now, Jade is getting ready to shout “escaped lunatic”!’ Penny stepped forward to pointedly release Jade from the steely grasp. ‘David, there has to be a better place and time for this,’ she told him firmly.
‘The poor girl will come to no other conclusion than that you have a few screws loose if you continue to talk in this way,’ Simon put in softly.
If he continued…? Jade was already convinced the man had a serious problem!
David looked perplexed. ‘But you both know the significance—–'
‘Yes, yes,’ Penny quickly silenced him, shooting Jade an embarrassed smile. ‘Why don't we all discuss this later over dinner? You are staying to dinner, aren't you, David?’ The normally practically assured woman looked less than certain for once.
David's expression gentled as he gazed at the other woman. ‘Longer than that, if I'm welcome?’ He looked a little shame-faced.
‘Of course you are.’ Penny blushed her pleasure. ‘The kids will be overjoyed to see you.'
‘I've missed them.’ David's voice was husky with emotion now.
Jade was a little puzzled by the hesitant pleasure in Penny's face, at Simon's emotional smile as he looked on—but she was even more concerned about the thought of dinner tonight, not least because she had completely forgotten that she was supposed to be dining at the Kendricks’ this evening! The first week she had arrived here Penny and Simon had invited her over to dinner on a Friday night, a practice that had continued, and as today was a Friday… She had no intention of meeting David Kendrick ever again, and certainly not over a cosy family dinner tonight!
‘Maybe I should give dinner a miss for tonight?’ she hastened to excuse herself. ‘You all sound as if you have quite a lot of catching up to do, and so—–'
‘My dear, most of the talk will be about you, if I read my little brother correctly,’ Simon drawled in an amused voice, blue eyes twinkling teasingly. ‘So you might as well come along as arranged and avoid all that unnecessary ear-burning!'
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