Rejection Runs Deep (The Canleigh Series, book 1: A chilling psychological family drama) by Carole Williams (uplifting novels TXT) 📕

There was no one in the library and she quickly stashed the files behind the desk, throwing a loving look at Granny’s portrait and blowing her a kiss.  There was one more piece of jewellery she wanted to wear this evening, which darling Granny had given her.  She moved to the small painting of Filey Bay behind the door, taking if off the wall and revealing the family safe.  She twirled the knob to the right combination, hoping Father hadn’t changed it since the last time she used it but the door opened, revealing, amongst a batch of documents, a small black velvet jewellery box.  Inside was Granny’s ring.  With a pang of nostalgia, Delia clearly remembered the day Granny had given it to her, when she had been sorting through her jewellery at the Dower House, telling a fascinated twelve-year old Delia how she had come by all the fabulous necklaces, bracelets and rings.  The overly large rectangular black diamond ring, set in small white diamonds, had caught Delia’s eye.  It was dramatic, bold and would make a statement about the wearer.  Seeing how Delia had fallen in love with it, Granny presented it to her, although she insisted it had to live in the Canleigh safe and Delia wasn’t allowed to wear it as she pleased until she was eighteen years old.  There hadn’t been many opportunities to show it off.  Tonight would only be the second time Delia had worn it, the first being the hunt ball.  She slipped it onto her index finger next to the white gold band on her thumb and smiled.  The rings looked good together.

Hearing the clink of glass in the dining room, Delia closed the safe and put the painting back on the wall.  She wandered through the music room, admiring the shimmering lake through the windows and entered the dining room, noting there were only four place settings on the table.  She looked hopefully at Hardy, who was just carrying out the finishing touches.

“Only four, Hardy?  Who isn’t coming down?”

“Lady Victoria is taking Mr. Saunders-Smythe to the railway station and has declined dinner, Milady … in fact I think they are leaving now.”

The door to the dining room into the entrance hall was open and Vicky and Barrie could be heard almost running down the stairs, Vicky’s lighter footsteps a few paces before Barrie’s heavier ones.  They crossed the entrance hall and went outside.

Delia followed them to the window by the front door to see Vicky was striding across the gravel with a stubborn, unrelenting look of determination on her face as she got into the green MG Midget and slammed the door.  Barrie strode behind her and only just managed to jump in before Vicky let out the clutch and sped off with her foot hard down on the accelerator.

Delia gave a wry smile of satisfaction, which didn’t go unnoticed by Hardy, who was crossing the entrance hall to pop down to the kitchens.  He closed his eyes in dismay for a second.  He’d always had a lot of time for Lady Delia and felt desperately sorry for her present sorrow but to have hurt her young sister so badly was an unforgivable action and he couldn’t believe she could be so cruel.  He knew she was hurting badly with her break-up from young Philip but even so, she had gone too far this time.

Delia returned to the dining room and glanced at the table layout.  To just have her father, Richard and Ruth for dinner meant the conversation could be brought round to the future of the estate without too much useless small talk.  This could turn out better than expected.  All she had to do now was placate her twin.

“So, there you are,” said Richard, entering the room, having looked for Delia in the library first.  “I think you owe us, especially Ruth, an apology.  You were completely out of order at lunch.”

“Oh, Richard.  I am truly sorry,” said Delia quickly, pretending to be contrite.  “It was dreadful of me … but ….”  The tears were easy to encourage, she only had to think of her broken engagement.  “You looked so happy together … it made me miserable … you simply have no idea how much I miss Philip.”

Instantly full of remorse for reprimanding her at such a time, Richard wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight.

“You do need to get away from here for a while.  Please think about it.  Go to Scotland with Father if you don’t want to come down to Oxford.  You know how you love Blairness.  It will do you the world of good.  You can’t stay here, brooding about what might have been.”

Delia nodded and dried her eyes, thankful her mascara was waterproof.  “It’s a good idea.  I promise I’ll think about it … but there’s Demon to consider.  He only responds to Philip or me.  Perkins does his best with him but Demon is so temperamental and I wouldn’t be happy leaving them here together and I certainly couldn’t ask Philip to have him, not now,” she finished sadly.

Further discussion was postponed as Charles entered the dining room with a sublimely pretty Ruth on his arm, enveloped in a pink and white creation which consisted of masses of taffeta.  Her skin glowed and her hair was brushed back from her face and held in place by a decorative pink slide.  Shining hazel eyes sparkled at Charles whose eyes twinkled back.  Father was at his most charming.  Delia had never seen him so animated in female company.  He literally fawned over this doll-like person all through dinner making Delia feel quite bilious and increasingly frustrated.  Several attempts were made to steer the conversation to the estate but Charles continually ignored the comments, centering his attention on Ruth, making her laugh and setting Delia’s teeth