The Deserving Mistress

‘But of course there was,’ January was the one to cut in concernedly this time, linking her arm with May’s as she smiled at her affectionately. ‘You can’t possibly do all the work here on your own. And to answer your question, Jude—’ she turned to him smilingly ‘—Will telephoned Max on his mobile to tell us the good news about him and March, only to discover that the two of us were still in the Caribbean…’ She trailed off with a rueful shrug.

Jude turned to give May a pointed look, receiving an unconvinced glare back.

She really was the most stubborn—

‘So, of course we decided to come back immediately,’ January said firmly as May would have spoken. ‘We met up with March and Will in London, and—’

‘Here we all are,’ March announced dryly. ‘One big happy family.’ She looked at Jude with challenging grey-green eyes.

There was a sharpness to March that Jude completely appreciated, easily returning that challenging gaze; Will was certainly going to have his work cut out being married to the middle Calendar sister.

‘And we brought champagne to celebrate,’ Will put in lightly, obviously not in the least concerned, holding up the two bottles of the bubbly wine he had brought into the house with him.

‘March, would you mind helping me get out the champagne glasses?’ May prompted briskly, obviously relieved to have something else to do rather than stand around discussing what they had all been doing the last week or so.

Jude having, as he had told May earlier, no siblings of his own, Max and Will had become the brothers Jude had never had, and he was quite happy to spend the next half an hour or so sitting drinking champagne as the six of them toasted everything and everyone, from the newly engaged couples to the best man and chief bridesmaid.

Although he could see by the expression on May’s face that she found the prospect of the latter highly unattractive.

‘Look on the positive side, May,’ he teased as he moved to stand next to her, shamelessly taking advantage of the situation by slipping his arm lightly about the slenderness of her waist. ‘The best man and chief bridesmaid usually partner each other,’ he explained. ‘Which will save either of us the trouble of having to find someone else to take to the wedding.’

She shot him a quelling glance as he grinned down at her, at the same time wriggling uncomfortably against that restraining arm. ‘I’m sure that isn’t usually a problem for you, Jude,’ she snapped scathingly.

‘I was thinking more of you, actually,’ he drawled, continuing to grin down at her.

May’s cheeks coloured fiery red, and Jude could see by the angry flare in her eyes that she would like to have told him precisely what he could do with his thought.

In fact, she might have just done that, if January hadn’t neatly stepped into the conversation. ‘You have to see our engagement rings, May.’ She laughed. ‘Show her, March.’ She held out her slender left hand, at the same time that March obligingly did the same.

The two rings were almost identical, an emerald surrounded by slightly smaller diamonds.

‘And neither of us knew what the other had chosen until we met up yesterday.’ March smiled ruefully.

‘What on earth are you doing here?’ Max took the opportunity of this distraction to quietly prompt Jude.

Jude gave a shrug, his attention still fixed on the pleasure of the three Calendar women as they admired the engagement rings. ‘You knew I was flying over,’ he replied as softly.

‘But not actually here,’ Will joined in the conversation. ‘Tell us, did May take a shotgun to you the first time you appeared on the farm?’ he added with obvious amusement.

Jude turned to grin at his friend. ‘If she had been awake she may just have done that!’ he admitted dryly. ‘She’s certainly fiery enough,’ he acknowledged.

Max raised surprised brows. ‘May is?’ He sounded doubtful.

‘May is,’ Jude confirmed frowningly; it seemed to him that he and May had done nothing but argue since the moment they’d first met. Or kiss…

‘No, that’s March,’ Will assured him happily. ‘May has always been the most reasonable of the three.’

‘I agree with you there.’ Max nodded slowly, the more serious of the three friends. ‘May has always been the easiest of the three sisters.’

Jude gave a firm shake of his head. ‘We can’t be talking about the same woman,’ he assured them dismissively. ‘May has been nothing but a pain in the—’ He broke off abruptly, the conversation between the three sisters having suddenly ceased, his own voice the only sound to be heard in the otherwise silent kitchen.

‘You were saying…?’ March arched dark brows at him mischievously, obviously enjoying his discomfort.

r /> And he was discomfited, Jude inwardly acknowledged. It was one thing to say something in confidence to close friends, something else entirely for the subject of the confidence—and her two sisters—to hear what he had said!

And May—the minx—was obviously enjoying his discomfort as much as her sisters were, her mouth twitching with amusement, eyes glowing deeply green.

‘Jude?’ she prompted with deliberate innocence.