Just a Family Affair by Veronica Henry Read Free Book Online

getting heavy and blood was pumping slowly as Lucy came in bearing the pavlova, which she had crowned with long, slim golden tapers. A raucous, drunken round of ‘Happy Birthday to You’ ensued, with Mickey pulling Henry onto his knee to help blow out the candles.
    ‘Make a wish!’ shouted someone, and Mickey obeyed, looking at Lucy and giving her a meaningful smile. She blushed.
    ‘What did you wish? What did you wish, Uncle Mickey?’ demanded Henry, jiggling up and down on his knee.
    ‘I’m not allowed to say, otherwise it won’t come true,’ Mickey told him. Besides, he wasn’t going to admit to hoping for cold, hard cash. It was so mercenary and unromantic.
    Lucy sliced up the pavlova into thick wedges, the cream oozing from between the layers before she could get each slice onto the appropriate plate. Despite protestations of fullness, everyone managed a piece. As spoons scraped against porcelain, there were sighs of satisfaction.
    ‘What time do you think Kitty will get here?’ Mandy asked Ginny. ‘Because there’s something I want to ask her. Something important I want her to do for me.’
    Patrick shot her a glance. She was positively bursting with the news. She looked back at him, as if begging him to divulge the information before she exploded. He supposed now was as good a time as any. He hadn’t wanted to overshadow Mickey’s birthday celebrations, but it would probably be some time before he could get this many of his family under one roof. And besides, he was excited too. He tapped his pudding spoon on the side of his glass.
    ‘Um, by the way, everyone. While I’ve got you all captive . . .’
    Everyone turned to look at Patrick, puzzled. He wasn’t one for self-important announcements. He looked rather sheepish. He ran his hand through the lock of black hair that fell habitually over his eyes, a gesture that everyone who knew him recognized as a sign of nervousness. What did Patrick have to be nervous about?
    He put out an arm for Mandy, and she slipped under it, looking rather coy herself. As he hugged her to him, she smiled up, glowing with adoration.
    ‘What’s that saying . . . in spring a young man’s mind turns to fancy?’ Patrick affected vagueness. ‘Well, there was so much spring in the air as we drove over this morning that it must have got to me. I stopped the car and did something rather rash. Rather . . . impulsive.’
    He couldn’t resist a dramatic pause as he looked round the table.
    ‘I asked Mandy to marry me.’
    There was a moment’s astonished silence, and then all hell broke loose.
    ‘Did she say yes?’ roared Mickey above the hubbub.
    ‘Of course I did!’ cried Mandy, as Patrick picked her up and swung her round. Georgina pounded the table in glee.
    Keith got up from the table and came round to shake Patrick by the hand.
    ‘Congratulations. I’m delighted. I know you’ll look after her.’ His voice was slightly gruff, as if he was finding it hard to speak, and as he stepped away Patrick thought he saw the glitter of a tear in his eye.
    ‘Thank you . . . sir.’ He wasn’t one for deference, but the occasion merited respect. He felt sure that Keith’s congratulations were genuine.
    Only Caroline was lukewarm in her enthusiasm, but luckily the soon-to-be-bride and groom weren’t aware of her mutterings.
    ‘I hope he doesn’t turn out like his dad or his uncle,’ she slurred into her glass. ‘These Liddiards look like a good catch, then they turn out to be utter bastards.’
    ‘If you can’t say anything nice,’ said Lucy icily, ‘then don’t say anything at all.’
    Caroline looked at her with the aggrieved innocence of the totally sloshed. ‘You should know better than anyone,’ she riposted hotly. ‘Anyway, there’s no need to get all indignant. It’s obvious it’s only a marriage of convenience.’
    There was an audible gasp from Ginny. Luckily only she and Georgina had heard Caroline’s spiteful remarks. Lucy was about to give her a