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

recognised so we better head back to the flat and there’s no time to lose.  You probably know Vicky is at Canleigh so we should make the most of it.”

“Thanks for this, Barrie.  I mean it,” Delia said as the car smoothly joined the traffic heading out of Oxford and idle flirtation was put on hold while Barrie concentrated on driving.  “I need a bit of breathing space.  My brain is having difficulty in taking in what’s happened.  Two days ago I had two brothers and now they are both dead … and I’ve been arrested and charged with the murder of one of them … and it was self- defence for goodness sake … why can’t they see that?  Why won’t they believe me?” she said angrily.  “And I’ve discovered I have a new step mother … with a blasted child … my father is in hospital and you’ve married my sister.  I feel as if I’m walking about in a dream.  It’s all surreal.”

Barrie looked at her kindly and ignored her comments regarding the family.  “Danby will find you a brilliant barrister and before you know it, you’ll be exonerated and that will be that.  You’ll see.  Once your case comes to trial it will be dropped due to lack of evidence and you’ll be as free as a bird again.

“But that’s going to take months according to Danby,” Delia muttered.  “And until then I shall be classed no better than a common criminal.  It beggars belief … and I shall have to return home in the interim.”

“But surely you want to go back to Canleigh,” said Barrie, completely puzzled.  From what he remembered and from what Vicky had told him Delia was obsessed by the place and never wanted to leave it.

Delia tossed her head back and banged it on the leather headrest.  “What, now that my darling Father has seen fit to marry again?  To that stupid, simpering Ruth,” she hissed.

“Ah, yes.  But Ruth is really rather nice,” commented Barrie.  He liked her.  She kept the Duke happy and while the Duke was happy, he was generous and that suited Barrie admirably.  Vicky was very close to Ruth too, which was a bonus, especially now.

“Nice!”

“Yes, nice.  She’s understanding and helpful.  To be honest, Delia, if it weren’t for her I doubt if Vicky and I would have had such an easy time of it.  Your father wasn’t happy about our marriage for obvious reasons but Ruth persuaded him that if he didn’t agree with Vicky’s wishes, he would probably lose her as she was so determined to marry me,” he laughed.

“So, that woman has managed to make you fall under her spell too.  What is it with her?  Why do men fall at her feet?  Richard, then Father and now you.”

“Oh, believe me, I don’t think of Ruth in that way at all,” said Barrie.  “She’s just someone who has been very helpful in my advancement, should we say.  Thanks to her I have married your sister and your father bought the club for us.”

“Wow.  That was overly generous of him.  Must have cost him a pretty packet in the middle of Kensington.”

“Yes, it did.  Quite a few millions I believe.”

“You believe?  Don’t you know?”

“No.  He kept it under wraps.  When I say he bought it for us, he didn’t.  He bought it for himself.  It’s in his name.  We’re just allowed to live there, free of charge of course, and manage it.  He also paid for the refurbishments but we have the day to day running costs.  So, if it all goes wrong and Vicky and I split up at any time, there will be little to fight over … apart from Vicky’s inheritance from your grandmother, of course, which she keeps squirrelled away … but money is flowing in from the club and we’re very comfortable … so comfortable in fact that you were lucky I was able to put up the bail money, even though that meant putting my relationship with Vicky at risk.  So, you better turn up for your trial otherwise I shall really be in the shit.”

“Don’t worry yourself on that score.  I need to clear my name.  I don’t want this hanging over me for longer than need be … and anyway, darling, I shall make it quite worth your time and effort  … as I promised, seeing as my father seems to have managed to control any hope of you benefiting from the Canleigh fortune.”

Barrie grinned.  “Yes.  Canny old bugger, keeping everything in his name, but I do okay really.  The profits from the club are split three ways between Vicky, Alex and myself and I get to live and buy mostly what I want,” he said, patting the steering wheel of the car.  “And thanks to Vicky saving every penny she can because she wants a nice home in London rather than living above the club, we have a tidy sum of money sat in the bank; although she won’t be too keen to hear that I have put most of it up as surety for you.  All in all, though, I’m pretty happy with the way things are.”

“Well, good for you,” muttered Delia, almost envying him.  He had everything he wanted.  All she had was her grandmother’s inheritance.

Barrie sensed her jealousy.  “Look, it’s been a horrendous time for you but you have a few months before the trial. Ample time for your case to be prepared and then it will be dropped.  You’ll see.  In the intervening period I think you deserve a little pleasure, don’t you?”

Delia glanced at him.  He was looking older since the last time they had enjoyed each other at Canleigh even though it wasn’t that long ago but then men did appear to age more readily than women she thought, remembering how ragged Simon Parfitt had looked.  Barrie’s blonde hair was already