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

all those years ago, and the piece of paper Richard had signed which was still where they had left it.  She was perfectly aware it had no legal binding but trusted her brother implicitly.  If Richard was anything, he was honest and his word was his bond and he would certainly back her up.  They’d not spoken of their pact since the day they had hidden the paper but Delia had complete faith in him.  He would never renege on a promise.  He was also concentrating hard on his career and hadn’t expressed any interest in becoming involved in Canleigh, although she knew that everything could change if he should decide to marry.  Richard was a highly eligible bachelor.  Titled, rich, academically brilliant and handsome … especially now he had dispensed with the hated spectacles and wore contact lenses which reduced the air of superiority, making him appear far more approachable.  No.  Richard mustn’t marry for a long time.  That would be disastrous but so far his dalliances with the opposite sex were fleeting and there was no real threat to Delia’s ambitions at this precise moment but that could alter at any time if some gold digger came along and fancied a title, and estate and everything that went with it.

Delia didn’t doubt for one minute that Richard would let her manage Canleigh when their father died but she couldn’t afford to wait until then and with Dick Joyce retiring, this was the perfect time to step in and cement her position.  Father was spending more and more time at Blairness, Richard was involved in his career but she was living here and even when she moved to Tangles, she would only be two minutes away.  It might take a little persuasion on her part but it made perfect sense for her to have the job.  Who better to take up the reins than someone who was qualified, knew the estate so well, and had real passion for it … and it would be damned difficult to dislodge her once everyone saw how brilliant she was.

The best time to tackle Richard and Father would be after dinner this evening, when they had enjoyed a delicious meal and fine wine.  They would be mellow and more inclined to listen to her proposals to improve the profitability of the estate and would quickly realise that leaving her in charge was the perfect solution.  Delia was brimming with schemes and couldn’t wait to share them, positive the male members of her family would be impressed with her foresight and ambition.

For a moment, Delia wondered what Philip would think about it.  She hadn’t told him of the pact between her and Richard, or of the note hidden in the stables and she had let him assume her estate management studies were to help him with Tangles.  She had never mentioned her ambitions for Canleigh at all, although he knew, of course, about the rows between her and Richard when they were young but he hadn’t realised how deep her jealousy was and how seriously she coveted Canleigh and intended to have it, whatever the cost.  It was strange, really, how she had never confided in him.

Delia twirled her engagement ring again, taking comfort from what it represented and remembering how long it had taken her to get Philip anywhere near the alter, experiencing many moments of panic, fearing a wedding might never take place.  She had waited impatiently until she was eighteen for him to propose but he never did and growing fed up with waiting and wanting her future settled she threw caution to the winds and asked him herself.  It hadn’t been particularly romantic but it had given her the mental security she craved.  They were walking back from the stables to Tangles after a long and riveting day at Bramham Horse Trials where neither competed but thoroughly enjoyed trudging round the stalls seeing the latest gadgets, riding gear and equipment and eating burgers and ice cream from the vendors, topped off with taking their seats to watch the show jumping.  Gruff had accompanied them as he was so well behaved and he had amused himself with all the labradors and spaniels he met along the way.  He was in the minority, being a mere old mongrel, but he and all the smart pedigrees he came across didn’t care, even though some of their haughty owners looked at him with distaste.  He just wagged his tail and made Philip and Delia laugh.

Having deposited Ralph’s ancient Volvo estate in the garage they had walked slowly back to the house, Gruff pottering about near them, sniffing and making sure all was as it should be and nothing untoward had occurred on his land in his absence.  It was just before Ralph’s horrible accident and Philip was in a particularly jovial mood.  To this day Delia had no idea how she found the courage but the words had just popped out as they walked arm in arm back to the house, standing for a while in the moonlight to watch the horses nodding off under the trees in the fields nearby.

“We’re going to have a fantastic future, Philip.  You and me.  We’ll always be together, won’t we?  I can’t imagine my life without you.”

Philip hugged her and grinned.  “Me neither.”

“Let’s do it then.  Let’s get married,” she said impulsively, not daring to breathe as she waited for his answer.

Philip took his time, shocked at her words even though he knew it was what she had wanted for a very long time.

   “Delia . . .,”

“You know we’re right for each other,” she said quickly.  “We can have a tremendous future together.  I know we’re very young now but if we can just become engaged.  We don’t have to get married for ages but don’t you see ... that will give us stability and something to plan for.”

Philip looked down at her eager