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‘Is that all you need to remove another broken-hearted woman from the premises? Or the length of time it takes for you to get your rocks off?’
‘Excuse me?’
The woman came into the corridor. ‘Er…’
Estelle held out her hand, her body firing with adrenaline. ‘I’m Estelle. My car’s just outside. I can take you where you need to go.’
The woman took it. ‘Sophia. But—’
‘Or if you don’t have anywhere to go, you can stay at mine.’ She huffed. ‘I mean, why the fuck not? The more the merrier. We can turn the cottage into a refuge for women who’ve been screwed over by this arsehole,’ she finished, flinging an accusatory finger at James.
He straightened and crossed his arms over his chest. ‘And once again, you engage your mouth before your brain.’
‘I’m trying to protect defenceless women from you!’
‘Estelle,’ the woman began.
James’s eyes were flashing as he glared at her. ‘You know nothing about how I treat women, and I’m sick and tired of your baseless accusations based on hearsay and conjecture.’
The door to the main house opened, and Beverley dashed down the corridor. ‘Is everything alright, babes?’ She took Sophia’s hand. ‘What’s going on?’
Estelle stared at them. Oh, god. Is she James’s real girlfriend? Is this the one who kissed him? Or is she the replacement for Elyse? What’s going on?
Sophia put on the kind of smile that seemed designed to convince everyone around her that she hadn’t just been crying. ‘Nothing, Mum, I just got startled by the dogs, that’s all.’
Mum? Estelle turned to look at James.
The anger in his eyes had been replaced with devilish delight and smug satisfaction that she’d once again put her size eights firmly in it.
‘Allow me to introduce my sister, Sophia.’
‘But you said your sister was called Char,’ she blustered.
‘It’s a nickname.’
Estelle glanced at Sophia, as if needing confirmation.
‘It’s short for Chardonnay,’ Sophia said. ‘That’s what my name was when I was born. I was two when Mum and Dad changed it.’
Oh, fuck. Oh fucking, fucking, fuck.
‘I’ve had some, er, difficult stuff come up in my personal life recently,’ she continued. ‘So, I’ve moved home for a bit.’
Estelle took her in. She was almost as tall as she was, with thick, dark brown wavy hair and soulful eyes. Even though she seemed to have a completely different personality to her brother, Estelle could see the likeness.
‘I’m sorry,’ she stuttered. ‘I didn’t know.’
Sophia smiled shyly. ‘And I’m sorry I screamed. I’m not great with dogs.’
‘Do you want to meet mine or shall I get them out of your way?’
‘As long as they don’t jump up, I would love to meet them. James told me they’re very sweet.’
‘Just like their owner,’ James drawled sarcastically behind her.
‘Well then,’ Beverley said. ‘If there’s no drama, I’m going back to watching “The Real Housewives of Chelsea”. If anyone wants a French Fancy, I put a couple of boxes in the kitchen earlier for you.’
She gave them a wave and went back into the main house.
