Read Online Sealed with a Christmas Kiss by Rachael Lucas - Free Book Online

do well, it was light this fire. It was satisfying to get to work on something – within a quarter of an hour, she sat back on her heels, feeling pleased with
herself.
    ‘Kate?’
    She looked up from the flames. Susan was standing in the doorway, the discarded shopping bags in her hand, a questioning look on her face.
    ‘I thought I’d light the fire first.’
    ‘Okay. You left the shopping in the doorway, that’s fair enough.’ Susan cracked open one of the bottles of rosé and disappeared out of the room for a moment, returning
with two glasses. She filled them almost to the top and handed one to her friend.
    ‘You want to explain why you’ve apparently forgotten where you live? Did I miss a memo?’
    Kate took a massive gulp of wine. It was remarkably sweet, like strawberry fruit squash. She took another swig for good measure.
    ‘Roddy asked me to marry him.’
    Susan leapt across the room in a bound, managing not to spill a drop. She wrapped her arms around Kate with a shriek, then realized after a second that the body she was hugging was stony and
unmoving. She pulled back, holding Kate at arm’s length, and looked at her.
    Kate didn’t quite know what to do with her face. She hid her expression behind the wine glass, taking another mouthful.
    ‘Okay. I thought you’d maybe had a bit of a falling-out – I told Tom as much when I got back to the house. He told me to come and administer wine and sympathy, and that
he’d put the children to bed. But Kate – he’s asked you to
marry
him?’
    ‘Yeah.’ One mumbled little word.
    ‘Ohh-kay. And it’s not “congratulations, excellent news” we’re going for, but “pass me the wine and comfort food”?’
    ‘I dunno. Oh God, Susan, I know you think I’m insane. It’s just—’
    ‘Oh come on, Kate. People get married after two
weeks.
You two are made for each other – it doesn’t matter if you’ve only been together a year. Life is for
living.’
    ‘It’s not that. He only bloody asked because Maddy and Sam turned out to be a washout, and we’re supposed to be doing a showcase wedding for Sian’s stupid
website.’
    ‘I’ve known him since we were tiny, Kate. Roddy doesn’t do anything he doesn’t want to. God, you ought to know that.’ Susan reached into the carrier bag, peeling
open the huge bar of chocolate. She snapped off a strip of squares, passing them across to her friend. Kate shook her head.
    ‘His main priority is Duntarvie House, Susan. I come second to a stately home.’
    Susan looked at Kate. She shook her head slowly, popping a square of chocolate into her mouth.
    ‘No. You’ve got this one wrong. He loves you. In fact, let’s just point out the facts here, sweetie.’
    Kate swung round so she was facing her friend directly, curling her toes up onto the battered old sofa. The fire was roaring now, and the room was warming up.
    ‘So the guy you love, who completely adores you,’ Susan counted out her points on her fingers, eyebrows arched, ‘who you have
finally
moved in with after months of
making your point about being independent – so, he wants to marry you. And the problem is . . . ?’
    ‘You remember when we got together? When Fiona tried to convince me he was only after someone to carry on the family name?’
    ‘Yes. And I remember that everyone told you she was a conniving cow, and you were ridiculous to believe her for even a second.’
    It was easy for Susan to say that – she’d known Roddy all her life, and she knew his ex-girlfriend well enough to make confident statements. The expression of smug satisfaction on
Fiona’s face when she’d planted the final seed of doubt was one Kate could still remember. All those insecurities hadn’t gone away after all; they’d just been hiding in her
subconscious, waiting to pounce.
    ‘Come on, Kate. If Roddy was given a choice between you and Duntarvie Estate, he wouldn’t even think about it for a second.’
    Kate stopped plaiting the tassels on