The Legacy: Trouble Comes Disguised As Family (Unspoken Book 2) by T. Belshaw (the best books to read .txt) 📗

Believe me, my child. No one… no one except your mum and dad, that is, will ever ask you to leave.’

He smiled at them in turn, then got to his feet.

‘I’ll drop the placement papers in during the week. I’ll just post them through the letter box, I won’t show my face again in case they think I’ve come to take them away.’

He walked to the door, stepped out onto the top step then turned back.

‘Be happy,’ he said.

Chapter 26

On Tuesday evening, Jess showered while a pan of Balsamic rice simmered on the hob. Her own recipe vegetarian chilli mix, had already been cooked and just needed a warm through before serving.

After choosing a green, mid-thigh length button through dress from her wardrobe, she slipped it on and stood in front of the dressing table mirror, turning this way and that, looking critically at the way the dress hung.

Finally satisfied, she brushed her hair and fastened one of Alice’s long chain pendants around her neck. Not happy with the way it looked, she undid the top button of the dress to allow the enamel heart to hang over what she considered to be an acceptable amount of cleavage.

Back in the kitchen, Jess pulled on Alice’s full front apron and checking the clock, took a bottle of Pinot Grigio from the fridge and sat it on the white linen tablecloth she had stretched across the big old table. She had just taken the lid from the steaming rice and lit the gas under the chilli, when she heard a knock at the door.

‘I like a man who is punctual.’ She kissed Bradley on the cheek and accepted the bottle of wine he held out to her. ‘Ooh, prosecco. I love prosecco. I’m serving up Pinot Grig with dinner, shall we save this for afters?’

Jessica led Bradley through to the kitchen, offered him a seat at the table and slipped the wine into the fridge before giving the chilli a stir, and scooping the rice into two large bowls.

‘I hope you’re hungry, I made too much rice,’ she said.

‘I’m famished,’ he replied, eyeing up the crusty roll on the side plate.

Jessica spooned the chilli onto the rice and placed the bowls on the table. ‘Sponge pudding and custard for afters,’ she said with a nervous smile. ‘I hope this is all right.’

Bradley looked down at the steaming bowl. ‘It looks delicious,’ he said.

‘There’s no meat in it, I call it Chilli Sans Carne.’

Bradley laughed. ‘Very clever,’ he replied.

Jess took off her apron, folded it and laid it on top of one of the work surfaces, then sat down opposite Bradley.

‘Tuck in,’ she said.

Over dinner they discussed their plans for Christmas. Bradley would be spending it at home. ‘It’s a tradition. Mother would be horrified if I spent it anywhere else. When Dad was alive, he suggested we all go to warmer climes for a winter break, my mother didn’t speak to him for a week. Christmas, to her, is cold damp, England, with the forlorn hope of a bit of snow, or at least frost to wake up to on Christmas morning.’ He picked up a napkin and dabbed at his mouth. ‘This really is delicious.’

Jessica grinned. ‘Not too hot then?’

Bradley shook his head. ‘The Pinot goes really well with it too,’ he picked up his glass and took a sip.

‘Surprisingly,’ laughed Jess. ‘I was torn whether to nip out and buy a bottle of Merlot, but I didn’t have time in the end.’

‘You can never go wrong with Pinot Grigio.’ Bradley took another sip. ‘So, what are you doing for Christmas?’

‘Oh, not a lot. I spent the last three with Calvin. We used to stay with his mother on Boxing Day, but on Christmas Day morning I used to come here to see Nana, then nip over to see Mum, Grandma and Aunt Marjorie. Calvin used to stay at home. He didn’t get on with anyone in my family, especially Nana.’ She pulled a face at the memory. ‘I don’t know why Mum bothered. It was never a happy time for any of them. All they ever did was bicker.’

Bradley looked at her sympathetically. ‘And, this year?’

‘I’ll go to see them again. I’ll miss spending an hour or two with Nana, though. That was always the best bit of Christmas when I was growing up. There was never much in the way of… Never mind.’

‘No, please, go on.’

‘I was about to say, I didn’t get much by way of presents at home. Dad used to blow the Christmas budget at the bookies, weeks before the big day, but Nana always made up for it. My parents would bring me over late morning and try to scrounge a few pounds off her. She always gave them a card with money inside, not a lot, but enough to keep them bringing me over every year. I loved it. They used to get out of here as soon as they had the Christmas cards and I’d sit in the front room with Nana and open my presents. I’d stay for a few days, then go back in time for school.’ She sighed happily. ‘It was always a magical time. Nana never, ever, let me down. I used to leave the more expensive presents here because if I took them home, Dad would sell them in the New Year.’

Bradley looked shocked. ‘That’s dreadful.’

‘It was the way it was. I got used to it over the years.’ Jess got to her feet and carried the empty bowls to the sink.

‘Pudding will be ready in a couple of minutes. I just have to warm it up in the microwave. Do you want hot custard, or cold? I’m afraid it’s out of a tin.’

After dinner, Bradley insisted on doing the washing up while Jess dried. When the plates and pans were stashed away, she put the empty wine bottle in the recycling bag that hung on the back door, opened the bottle that Bradley had brought