Penmort Castle (Ghosts and Reincarnation #1)(135)
Author: Kristen Ashley

Abby, on the other hand, was beside herself with glee that she had an opportunity to pay Jenny back for all her care and attention. And this she did with an enthusiasm akin to religion.

They clashed frequently more than likely because Jenny was frightened and trying to hide it and Abby even more so.

Cash and Kieran steered well clear. They often found themselves together, in the beginning in Kieran’s office in his home, in the end in the billiards room at Penmort drinking whisky and letting their wives (more often than not loudly, in another room) sort through their relationship turmoil.

Abby was not beside herself with glee at the circumstances. For seven and three-quarter months she had been functioning on adrenalin and very slim hope and not succeeding by any stretch of the imagination at keeping her fear at bay.

His wife unfortunately had been conditioned to the fact that if something bad could happen, it would.

“Darling,” Cash called, putting aside his papers and making an effort at controlling her fear, an effort he knew was doomed to fail but he made it all the same, “sit down.”

“No,” was her swift, sharp retort.

Mrs. Truman chuckled.

Cash tried not to smile.

At that moment Nicola walked in bearing a cardboard tray of gourmet coffees.

“Any news?” she asked.

“No,” Abby repeated just as swiftly and sharply and Nicola’s eyes flew to Cash.

Cash gave a short shake of his head and Nicola pressed her lips together.

She handed out the coffees she’d gone to a local shop to purchase after Mrs. Truman declared that hospital coffee would simply not do and approached Abby, putting her hand on Abby’s arm.

“My dear, you really must try to relax. You’re not doing your own baby any favours by getting upset,” Nicola advised.

“How do you propose I do that, Nicci? She’s my best friend!” Abby ended on a cry.

Cash watched Nicola’s hand squeeze Abby’s arm comfortingly.

It still amused him that Abby called Nicola “Nicci”. Nicola was not a Nicci. However, Nicola didn’t seem to mind in the slightest.

Over the last several months Nicola’s daughters had moved out of the castle one-by-one. They’d all had jobs since Cash had been reunited with the family, Fenella’s part-time. However Fenella found a new, higher paid, full-time job in Plymouth and was the first to go. Suzanne had received a promotion and a transfer to Bristol. She was the second to leave and was renting Abby’s long since fully restored grandmother’s home in Clevedon, an idea Cash had suggested to Abby, which she’d adored, thrilled to have a “family member” residing in her beloved home. Honor moved out only the month before. She was now sharing a flat in Exeter with her boyfriend.

Cash decided they did this because they were free, finally, to leave their mother and live their lives because Nicola was now safe.

Coming to this understanding caused Cash no small amount of guilt that for a year he had entirely misread the Fitzhugh women. He had been so wrapped up in his retribution against Alistair that he had not caught on to what was happening and moved far more swiftly to end their mistreatment.

Although he shared this with Abby, who urged him to let go of his blame (which he did not), he did not share it with the others nor, at his request, did Abby.

He would, as was his nature, demonstrate his remorse by making certain Nicola Fitzhugh was safe, protected and happy for the rest of her days.

Nicola had taken a part-time job in a local shop but she had, Cash knew, no intention of leaving the castle. It had finally become her home, something which Cash made clear and Abby made clearer. But also she seemed intent on raining love and affection on Cash and Abby, the kind Cash never had and Abby had lost.

He decided this was likely her way of paying for what Alistair had stolen from Cash, a responsibility she did not bear but assumed all the same.

Cash also decided she just simply loved Abby.

As this fit in with his plan, he let Nicola continue her endeavours unhindered.

Abby and Nicola had offered Penmort to the National Trust, opening it to the public for six months of the year on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and alternating weekends.

Cash had not liked this decision and had only been cursorily involved in it.

He found, somewhat to his annoyance, but mostly to his amusement, that his wife and aunt regularly teamed up to steamroll him with some rather bizarre capers. These capers, Cash knew, were likely always instigated by Abby and she simply took Nicola along for the ride.

However Cash also knew Nicola was having the time of her life.

Therefore he didn’t resist.

Much.

He found to his surprise that he not only didn’t mind his home being open to the public, he liked it. The castle was so popular due to its beauty, history and the “myth” of Vivianna made stronger by the many reports of her appearance at the anniversary dinner, some of which were printed in newspapers and magazines, that the National Trust had to do viewings by appointment only. That meant his family was not overwhelmed with visitors. Anyone who came had a genuine desire to see the property and were thus utterly respectful. He enjoyed their interest, his legacy was rather extraordinary and he found he liked sharing it.

When he confided this to Abby she didn’t say she told him so but she gave him a look that said it.

Cash looked to the door as Suzanne sauntered in looking stylish in a tailored, black, wool overcoat.

James followed her looking peeved.

Mrs. Truman glanced at them, her eyes turned to Cash and they shared a smile.

Suzanne and James had met during the planning of Abby and Cash’s small, but elaborate (the latter, at Cash’s command), family-and-close-friends-only wedding.

Suzanne had found a way to leave the bitch behind.

She had, however, retained a certain coolness and cynicism which was not in the least unattractive.

His friend James immediately found this intriguing and had begun his pursuit just as immediately.

James was used to success, rapid success.

Therefore James was surprised then frustrated then annoyed, albeit not deterred, when his aims had not been achieved after months of concentrated effort.

Cash knew, because Suzanne had confided in Abby who had confided in him, that Suzanne was in love with his best friend.

He did not share this with James, however.

He didn’t because he didn’t want to break Suzanne’s confidence with Abby.

He also didn’t because Suzanne’s reasons for keeping her love from James were a test James would have to pass unaided.

Suzanne had been cruelly abused and mishandled for twenty-five years by Alistair, something else she confided in Abby who then told Cash, sharing that Alistair had been verbally abusive to all the Fitzhugh women but for some reason he saved his worst for Suzanne and dished it out with heartbreaking regularity.