Page 9 of The Perfect Gift

Frankie wanted to believe her, but stuff like this had a nasty habit of leaking out. ‘I’ve just been enjoying the low profile here. These are our last few days to complete filming and I can’t afford any outside distractions, that’s all.’

Issy put an arm around Frankie’s shoulder. ‘Harry would’ve never shared it if he’d realised it would distress you. We’ll message everyone and make sure they delete it right now.’

And then everyone in the family would think Frankie was a proper diva making demands on them. ‘No, it’s fine. I’m making a fuss over nothing.’

‘No, you’re not. Come and sit down.’ Issy steered Frankie gently over to the corner table and urged her to sit. ‘I’ll get you a coffee and Chloe will get onto everyone, won’t you, Chlo?’

‘Consider it done,’ Chloe agreed, slipping into the seat beside Frankie, her thumbs already flying over the keypad on her phone.

‘What’s wrong?’ Kat asked.

‘Nothing, it’s fine,’ Chloe said before Frankie could say anything. ‘Frankie’s a bit worried about word getting around about what happened last night – understandable after that awful business on the Tube last year. I’m just messaging everyone to delete the photo Harry took and to make sure they don’t say anything to anyone outside the family.’

Frankie didn’t think it was possible to feel worse until she spotted the stricken expression on Kat’s face. ‘It’s really not a big deal,’ she assured them. ‘It’s not like I think any of you are going to sell your story to the tabloids or anything!’

Anya reached a hand across the table and grasped Frankie’s fingers. ‘But that’s happened to you before, so of course you’ll be anxious about this getting out.’

The level of calm understanding and acceptance from them helped to soothe some of the panic inside Frankie. ‘I’m sorry to make a fuss about it.’

‘You’re not, though,’ Chloe said as she set her phone aside. ‘What’s just a laugh to us could spell massive trouble for you. We get it.’

Frankie looked around the table at the solemn, sympathetic expressions on the other women’s faces. ‘Thank you.’

Chloe’s phone buzzed and buzzed against the table. She scanned over the messages popping up. ‘Everyone’s deleting it now.’ She set her phone back down then patted Frankie’s arm. ‘Your secret’s safe with us.’

7

Ed didn’t know how long he’d slept but it felt like only a moment since he’d closed his eyes before he was blinking them open again. A shaft of bright sunlight all but blinded him from the skylight above his head and he groaned and shoved his head under his pillow. As yellow and red shadows danced behind his closed eyelids the past twenty-four hours flashed into his addled brain in snapshots. The departures board at Schiphol airport with every flight marked delayed. The hustle and bustle of the crowds at Paddington all trying to cram onto their trains. Laughing with three pretty women as they shared an impromptu train picnic with him. The bone-chilling cold of the wind whipping down the station platform when he finally alighted at Port Petroc. Chatting in the taxi. The relief at finally walking through his front door. That peace abruptly shattered by a screaming alarm. Frankie wide-eyed with terror as she squirted him with bloody dye. His hand rose instinctively to the back of his head as he remembered that cold shock of liquid hitting him. Harry’s exasperation. Harry’s kindness as he took care of Ed in the bathroom and tucked him into bed in the spare room of the flat.

Ed crawled back out from under the pillow as it all fell into place. He was at Harry’s because Frankie was living in the cottage now. Where was Matt? The thought was enough to drive Ed up into a sitting position. He’d been too tired to think straight last night, but concern for his cousin rocketed front and centre into his brain and he pushed the covers aside and clambered out of bed.

The first thing that hit him when he opened the bedroom door was the smell of freshly brewed coffee, and for a moment all other thoughts vanished beneath the sudden desperate, driving need for caffeine. Ed hurried through the open-plan lounge and down the short hallway to the kitchen to find Harry and Kat deep in conversation. Harry was at his usual spot in front of the cooker, the counter next to him covered in jars and packets and bowls full of ingredients. Kat was seated at the little round table underneath the window that overlooked the enclosed yard below. Paperwork was strewn across the surface of the table and she was busy tapping away at the keyboard of her laptop. They both stopped to stare at him as he entered and neither of their expressions could be called welcoming.

‘I thought you were going to sleep all day,’ Harry said. Ed glanced up at the clock on the wall and saw it was after ten. It felt like he’d barely closed his eyes, never mind been asleep for over eight hours. ‘There’s coffee in the pot,’ Harry added, his tone a shade softer.

‘Thanks.’ Ed made a beeline for the coffee and was soon clutching a large mug of heaven in his hands. A few mouthfuls and he finally started to feel vaguely human again. ‘Um, sorry about last night.’

‘It’s not really us you should be apologising to though, is it?’ Kat’s voice was unusually sharp and Ed realised he was still in deep shit with her.

He should’ve remained calm, but he adored Kitty and knowing he’d disappointed her put him immediately on the defensive. ‘How was I supposed to know she was living at the cottage? Where the hell is Matt, anyway?’

‘Matt’s living next door in the flat above the cookery school,’ Harry snapped as he pointed the knife he was holding in Ed’s direction. ‘And you’d know that if you hadn’t decided to go dark on us. Do you have any idea how worried we’ve all been about you?’ He turned away and angrily sliced the onion in front of him.

‘I lost my phone and it seemed like too much hassle trying to replace it over there when I knew I was going to be home in a few weeks.’ The words sounded pathetic even as he spoke. They were an unpleasant reminder of the immature, feckless person he’d been before he’d left the Quay in the spring, determined to sort himself out and get his life on track. He’d done a lot of growing up in the past few months, and, honestly, the stuff with his phone had felt logical to him at the time. He’d been in only sporadic touch with everyone at home anyway and he hadn’t thought they’d notice.

‘No one knew you were coming home though, Ed,’ Kat pointed out.

‘I said I would be back for Christmas,’ he protested.

‘That was before you left!’ Harry had spun around again and the accusing point of his knife was once again arrowing straight at Ed. ‘Why didn’t you at least email your flight details so we knew to expect you?’

‘I meant to but I was in an Internet café and it was so bloody slow I used up most of my time sorting out the flights and printing off the tickets. I was going to borrow someone’s phone and send a text but then we went—’ Ed cut himself off. Telling them about the epic bar crawl he and the rest of the crew had embarked upon would only reinforce all their worst impressions about what he’d been up to. ‘I forgot,’ he settled for, knowing it sounded no less irresponsible. ‘What happened with the cottage? It’s not like I left Matt short of money.’ Ed had left the monthly direct debit he paid for his share of everything in place.

Harry set down the knife and crossed his arms over his chest with a sigh. ‘It’s a long story, but basically Mrs Jenkins kicked him out. Well, not her, that snake, Charlie Hicks. Having ignored her for years, he’s suddenly decided to take an interest in his great-aunt and help her with her finances.’

‘Probably hoping for something in her will,’ Kat put in, her lip curling in disgust. ‘Can’t think of any other reason for him to start sniffing around her. Anyway, he claimed that Matt was taking advantage of her because he was paying lower than market rent.’

‘Only because Matt was spending the difference – and more – on doing up the place!’ Ed burst out. Anger stirred deep inside him. Their cousin was one of the kindest and most honourable men Ed knew and the idea of him taking advantage of anyone was an outrageous insult. Mrs Jenkins was a sweet old thing and it had been a real wrench for her to move out of the cottage. He and Matt had promised her they’d take good care of the place and they’d both worked hard on the renovations. Matt had done most of it, but Ed had always been there to provide whatever labour he needed.