Silver Christmas by Helen Scott Taylor Read Free Book Online Page A

She
came from the same litter."
    "I can see they're friends." She vaguely
remembered Marcus. He was a year or two older than Owen, and had
been away at college when she was here last time.
    Paddy and Peggy romped around, having fun
splashing through a muddy hollow and getting filthy.
    They rounded a corner and found Marcus
sitting on a bench, overlooking the view with a faraway look on his
face. He rose as they approached.
    "Owen. I was just coming to see if you wanted
a walk with the dogs." He smiled at her, his smile so like Owen's.
He had the same dark hair and brown eyes as all the other Bramwell
men.
    Owen introduced her, and Jennifer shook his
offered hand. "I heard you'd returned. I gather you were shot. That
must have been a traumatic experience. How're you feeling now?"
    "Recovering."
    "I'll bet Chloe was pleased to see you."
    Jennifer nodded and smiled, not wanting to
discuss her relationship with Chloe. That was too new and fragile
to dissect with someone she didn't know.
    They walked and chatted, strolling in a huge
circuit around the acres of grassland back towards the gate.
Jennifer listened, content to let the men talk. Yet it was obvious
Marcus was distracted.
    When they parted and headed back towards the
farmhouse, Jennifer waited a few minutes until she was sure Marcus
wouldn't hear her. "He's worried about something."
    "I know." Owen heaved a sigh. "He has the
wife from hell."
    "Oh." Jennifer glanced over her shoulder at
Marcus striding away. On the surface he had everything—good looks,
money, a beautiful home. It just showed that everyone had their
problems to deal with, and she wasn't alone in that.
    They passed through the gate and Jennifer's
phone chimed the kitten alert.
    "Just in time," Owen said. "When you've
finished with the kittens, would you like to pick up Chloe from
school?"
    A streak of pleasure shot through Jennifer.
"I'd love to." She'd thought of asking to do this, but didn't want
to step on Owen's toes by disrupting his routine with Chloe.
    "I think the kittens are old enough to be
handled now, so Chloe can pick them up tonight."
    Owen smiled. "Wonderful. Chloe will be over
the moon. I'll video it on my phone."

Chapter Seven
    Jennifer pulled up outside Rosemoor village school in
Owen's four-wheel-drive with the estate angel motif on the side,
and cut the engine. The luxury vehicle was a lot nicer than the
rental car she'd returned. Owen had said there was no point in her
keeping it when she could borrow an estate vehicle, so he'd put her
on their group insurance policy.
    It was strange driving Owen's car, strange
coming to the school to pick up her daughter for the first time in
her life. When she stepped down from the high vehicle, she felt
awkward and out of place, like an imposter.
    The closest people looked her way, curiosity
in their furtive glances. The village was small and a hotbed of
gossip. Most of the parents waiting probably already knew who she
was.
    She pushed her hands in the pockets of her
coat. She'd picked it up as soon as she left the hospital and
bought her normal size without trying it on, forgetting that after
the accident she was skin and bone, so it was far too big for her.
Every time Owen looked at her, she was painfully aware she didn't
look her best. Did he still find her attractive? She shook her head
to banish the thought. She didn't want to go there.
    Sidling through the gathered parents who
chatted as they waited, she found a quiet spot and leaned against
the wall by the school bulletin board. Pinned in the middle was an
encapsulated flyer with a picture of Mama Cat and her kittens,
asking for the owner to contact the Rosemoor estate office.
    Chloe had made flyers and Owen had put them
up outside the church, in the pub, and in the convenience store. He
had even taped one in the window of his car. So far nobody had come
forward to claim the cat and kittens.
    Jennifer had palpated Mama Cat's neck and
couldn't feel a microchip, but it would help to get her