He wrapped his arms round her and kissed the top of her head. ‘Stop worrying. It’ll be fine. But cake is good. You didn’t make any spare, by any chance?’
‘You’d eat cake for breakfast?’
‘French family rules,’ he said.
She laughed. ‘Made-up rules, more like.’
‘Busted.’ He held her close. ‘Grace, it’s going to be fine. I promise.’
He took her mind off things by having a shower with her.
But her nerves returned, doubled, when he drove them to his family home and she could see the enormous house at the end of the long drive.
‘Roland—this is a stately home!’
‘It’s not open to the public. Well, the gardens will be and we’re going to do teas and weddings, but...’ He shrugged. ‘It’s not a big deal.’
Yes, it was. She bit her lip. ‘Roland, I come from a very ordinary background—and I’m not like Bel. I’m not all bubbly and bouncy and easy to love.’
‘Your background is absolutely not an issue—and you’re not ordinary, you’re the woman I love,’ he said firmly. ‘Yes, I know you’re a bit shy and it takes time to get to know you—but you’re more than worth getting to know, and my family’s perceptive. They’ll see that straight away.’
Grace, remembering Cynthia Sutton’s judgemental sneer and her habit of muttering disapproving comments behind the swing of her perfect bob, wasn’t so sure. By the time Roland opened the front door, she was feeling physically sick.
But then two dogs came romping down the hallway, barking madly, with their tails wagging nineteen to the dozen.
‘Morning, beasties. Coco’s the poodle, after Chanel, and Napoleon’s the basset hound,’ Roland explained. ‘French dogs, French names, yada-yada-yada.’
Grace made a fuss of the dogs, who insisted on licking every bit of her they could reach.
‘Paws off the cake, beasties,’ Roland said with a grin. ‘Most of that is mine.’
And then the hall was full of people. Roland introduced them swiftly.
‘Grace, these are my parents, Henry and Joanna; my brother Will and sister-in-law Susie; my sister Philly you’ve already met; and this is my niece, Matilda.’
‘Hello,’ Grace said shyly, holding out a hand.
But, to her shock, instead of shaking her hand, they all hugged her in turn; and that included little Matilda.
This was so very different from Howard’s family; and so much more like her own.
‘Coffee’s ready,’ Joanna said. ‘Would you prefer to sit in the drawing room or the kitchen, Grace?’
Grace looked to Roland for an answer, but his face was impassive.
‘The kitchen, please,’ she said. ‘And, um, I made you some cake. I hope that’s OK.’ She handed the plastic box to Joanna.
‘Told you she was a keeper,’ Philly said in a stage whisper.
‘Shut up, Philly,’ Roland said, in the same stage whisper. ‘Sorry, Grace. But you’ve already met my sister. You know she’s bossy.’
‘Runs in the family,’ Philly retorted, and put her arm round Grace. ‘What kind of cake is it?’
‘Lemon drizzle.’
‘Yes! That makes you my new best friend,’ Philly said with a grin.
‘Actually,’ Joanna said, ‘I think the men should go and sit in the drawing room while we go and sort out cake and coffee in the kitchen.’
‘Good idea,’ Susie said with a smile.
‘Hang on,’ Roland began, his eyes widening. ‘No interrog...’
But it was too late. Joanna swept Grace off to the kitchen along with Philly, Susie and Matilda. When Roland came in to try and rescue her, his mother just waved him away and said, ‘This is a girls-only chat. Off you go, and close the door behind you.’
Roland gave Grace a helpless look, mouthed ‘sorry’, and did as he was told.
‘We really are glad to meet you, Grace,’ Joanna said, putting the cake on a plate. ‘And this smells gorgeous. Did you make it this morning?’
‘Yes. I, um—when I’m nervous, I bake,’ Grace admitted.
‘And meeting all of us for the first time is pretty scary,’ Susie said. ‘I remember what it feels like.’
‘Though it’s not all of us for the first time. You already know me,’ Philly pointed out.
‘And we feel we know you,’ Joanna said, ‘because Philly’s told us about you.’