A Christmas Romance in the Scottish Highlands (Scottish Highlands #6)

Chapter 29

29

ELLA

Mistletoe Village Hall was subdued when Ella arrived. She headed towards Mae as her godmother swiped a hand across her brow, looking stressed. Henry was hovering beside her, and kept darting adoring looks in her godmother’s direction.

The artist was dressed in full princely regalia and looked dashing and far younger than his years. Blair and Aggie had outdone themselves, creating a lavish outfit in one afternoon.

‘Thanks for coming to this emergency meeting everyone,’ Mae shouted, waving her hands, as she encouraged everyone to gather closer. ‘I called it because I’ve got an announcement to make, and I was hoping we could do a quick run-through of the show while we’re all here. That’s why I asked you to come in full costumes and makeup.’

‘What’s going on?’ someone shouted. ‘I heard something’s happened to Prince Charming?’

Mae’s lips pinched. ‘Aye, that’s right. I’m sorry to have to tell you that Alex can’t play the prince in the pantomime. He’s had to return to Edinburgh, unexpectedly.’

There was a hushed gasp from the crowd. ‘Why?’ Lucinda chirped, shoving her way to the front, elbowing Ella out of the way as she passed, before turning and staring – her expression venomous. ‘I don’t understand,’ Lucinda continued. ‘Did something happen or did someone –’ Her glare intensified. ‘– upset him?’

‘I’m afraid the lad didn’t give me any information that he wanted shared,’ Mae said, her expression stern as she took in Lucinda’s combative stance.

‘He told me he was going to see his da when he was in the tea room today,’ Hunter said sadly as he pushed his way to the front. ‘He said he’s not coming back. But we’re going to talk a lot on the phone. About our art.’ The boy’s mouse ears seemed to sag. ‘I’m going to miss him. He’s my friend.’

Ella felt her insides shrivel. She missed Alex too. He hadn’t answered any of her calls. But it seemed he’d managed to speak to some people before he’d left Mistletoe. It was clear from his lack of contact that he wasn’t going to forgive her or give her a chance to explain. He must know by now that Ella had refused to sell her painting to his father, but the news obviously hadn’t changed anything. He was never going to forgive her. His feelings had clearly been far less strong than hers. She felt sick.

‘So, who’s going to play Prince Charming?’ Clyde asked from the back of the horde and some of the cast members began to speculate.

Mae clapped her hands encouraging everyone to quiet down. ‘Luckily, Henry has offered to stand in, which means the show can go on,’ she said, giving him a soppy smile.

‘Bravo,’ someone said loudly and began to clap, while a few others joined in.

‘Thank you,’ Henry said grandly.

‘He’s a little old, isn’t he?’ Lucinda piped up.

‘I’m no spring chicken, lass, but I still scrub up okay,’ Henry said gruffly.

‘Henry will make a wonderful Prince Charming,’ Mae snapped, her eyebrows drawing together as she frowned at Lucinda. ‘I’m grateful that thanks to him the show can still go on. We’ve all worked hard, and we need to make the best of this situation.’ She shook her head. ‘We’re in this together – the show’s almost sold out and we need to put on the performance tomorrow night. Mistletoe is relying on us.’

‘Fine,’ Lucinda said angrily, folding her arms.

‘Then let’s get on.’ Mae looked weary. ‘Can everyone take their places please and we’ll try to do the run-through as quickly as we can. I know it’s almost Christmas and we all have lots we need to get done.’

‘Some, more than others,’ Lucinda muttered as she shot Ella another bitter look and headed for the stage.

Ella sighed as she hung back. She was used to being taken advantage of, but being hated was more difficult to deal with. And it wasn’t just Lucinda now, it was Alex too.

Mae sped up until she was beside Ella, close enough to tug her arm, stopping her in her tracks. ‘Henry, why don’t you go ahead?’ she suggested as he came up to join them. ‘I just want to have a quick talk with the lass.’

‘Blather away,’ Henry said affectionately, leaning down to give her godmother a swift kiss before heading for the stage.

‘Everyone’s really unhappy,’ Ella said, taking in a deep breath. The room didn’t smell right anymore. The hot lightbulbs had an odd burnt fragrance, the McBride sisters hadn’t had time to bake, so there were no delicious scents wafting from the kitchen. Even the Christmas decorations looked lacklustre and nothing seemed to sparkle now.

‘Aye.’ Mae’s shoulders drooped as she looked around. ‘But there’s nothing we can do except get on with things,’ she said gently. ‘I do have some good news I wanted to share. The kind of news that makes me feel like a fairy godmother for real.’ She grinned, then glanced towards where Lucinda had cornered – and was admonishing – her sons. ‘News I’m hoping will make life better for you.’

‘What?’ Ella asked. Unless Mae was about to magic up Alex’s forgiveness, she wasn’t sure how things could get better.

‘I emailed all my favourite collectors this morning about your painting,’ she said, then waved her magic wand over Ella’s head. ‘And ta da – I had two offers for it within an hour.’

‘What, sorry?’ Ella stuttered.

‘I’ve sold your picture, lass.’ Mae smiled. ‘I’ve probably sold your next one too because the client who lost out asked if he could have first refusal on your next. It might not make up for everything, but at least now you can focus on your art. It’s time to get back to it, time to stop giving all your time to people who don’t deserve it.’

Wide-eyed, Ella turned to where Clyde, Dane and Lucinda were still arguing and frowned.

‘Your da wouldn’t expect you to still be helping them,’ Mae said gently, reading her mind. ‘I happen to know your mam wouldn’t either. You’ve put your life on hold for the last year. You’ve scrubbed, cleaned, and done chore after chore. You’ve been taken advantage of for little to no thanks. Now it’s your turn. Go back to college, do what you love.’

‘I don’t know…’ Ella said, wishing Alex was here so she could talk it through with him. She already knew she couldn’t leave her stepfamily in the lurch, no matter how much she wanted to. She had to pay off the company debts before she could consider leaving.

‘Perhaps it would help if I told you how much my client paid?’ Mae asked. When Ella turned, her godmother named a figure that had her insides popping like a firecracker had just gone off.

‘How much?’ she checked, widening her eyes.

Mae told her again. ‘It’s a new start for you, lass,’ her godmother said, hooking her arm through hers. ‘I’ve already sent the money to your bank, and I’ll be expecting a new painting as soon as you’ve got the time. This is a chance for a new life.’

One without Alex. But as Ella walked beside her godmother, she knew this was a chance she had to take.

Ella found Lucinda at the interval. The crew had just told them to take ten minutes because they were making a few last-minute adjustments to the lighting. Her stepmother was standing at the edge of the stage watching Ella’s stepbrothers who were fighting again.

‘So you finally decided to face me, did you?’ she snapped. Ella’s stomach twisted and her first impulse was to turn and spin on her heels. But she thought about what Alex and Mae had said and steeled herself to stay.

‘I’m sorry, I should have spoken to you earlier.’ She stepped closer instead.

‘When you forced Clyde and Dane to work when they were sick?’ Lucinda snapped. ‘Your father would be horrified at the way you’ve treated us?—’

Ella held up a palm. ‘I think Da would have been more upset about my long hours and how hard I’ve been expected to work,’ she said quietly. ‘And that I’ve had to do most of it by myself.’

Lucinda paled. ‘He asked you to take care of the business,’ she said coldly.

‘He asked me to help out.’ Ella swallowed. ‘I don’t think he expected me to do it on my own. And I don’t think he wanted me to stay in Mistletoe forever.’

Lucinda sniffed. ‘I’m sure he thought you’d at least stay on until you’d helped to sort out the mess we’re in.’

Ella nodded. ‘He might, or he might not,’ she said. Realising that was true. ‘Whatever, I now know things need to change.’

‘What made you decide that?’ Lucinda demanded.

Mae had been telling Ella off for a long time about all the things she’d forced herself to give up. Aggie, Henry and Blair had all agreed. It was only Alex who’d made her take a second look at the life she was leading.

If it wasn’t for him…She swallowed and shook her head. This wasn’t about Alex Forbes-Charming. It was about reclaiming her life. ‘That doesn’t matter. What does, is Mae’s sold one of my paintings,’ she said. ‘And I’m going to use the money to pay off the company debts and then I’m going to leave.’ She’d even have a little left over to live on until she sold another.

Lucinda looked shocked.

‘I’m giving my notice now, so you’ve got time to find a replacement. I’ve barely taken any holiday, so I could leave today – but I’ll give you a month to get things sorted.’

‘That’s not enough time,’ her stepmother blustered as underneath her makeup, her cheeks paled. ‘Surely you can’t expect?—’

‘For you, Clyde and Dane to step in and work?’ Ella asked. ‘I think it’s time for you to take on the responsibilities of running the business and managing your lives. I think Da would be happy if you did.’

‘What are you going to do?’ Lucinda’s eyes fired and Ella had to draw in another gulp of air, to stop herself from backing out.

‘I’m going to paint,’ she said. ‘With Henry – and then I’m going to enrol back in college next year.’

‘You can’t!’ Lucinda said as Ella turned away, feeling something inside of her shift.

She might have lost Alex, it might take her years to get over him, but for the first time since her father had died, she was going to put herself first…