Page 53 of The Cottage in the Highlands

“It’s ok,” I assured her. “I know she’s your aunt. Orion told me.”

The colour in her cheeks deepened. “Oh.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t say anything, but I do think the rest of the team should be told sooner rather than later. It isn’t fair keeping something like that from them. If it comes out by accident, it will cause a lot of ill-feeling.”

She raised her troubled dark-green gaze up to the textured ceiling. “I agree with you. It’s all this cloak and dagger stuff. Aunt Athena insists I need to prove myself first though and then we can tell the rest of the Goddess team.”

She pulled a face. “She said if we do it that way then nobody can say anything about nepotism… if I prove I can do the job on my own terms.”

She rubbed at her eyes. “My parents wish I were more outgoing. I found out they spoke to Athena and she jumped in and said it would do me the world of good to have some responsibility thrust upon me.”

Flickers of empathy for this poor young woman reared up in me. “Sink or swim, is that the idea?”

Kerry waited until one of the advertising reps wobbled past in a pair of Perspex platforms. “Something like that, although the way I’m feeling right now, I’m close to drowning.”

I offered her a small smile of comfort. That sounded very familiar.

Kerry knotted her fingers together on top of the table. “Orion told me you were up for the investigative reporter’s job.”

“Yes. I was.”

Her shoulders disappeared into her lacy shirt. “Oh God.” She ran an embarrassed hand down her glowing face. “I’m so sorry. I feel awful about it.”

I pretended it didn’t matter. I didn’t want to make Kerry feel any shabbier than she did, but it still smarted.

Kerry looked at me, as though she could tell that was the case and I was trying to bluff it out. “I’m here under false pretences, Leonie. Nepotism is alive and well. I’m not a trained journalist. You might have guessed as much.” She chewed her bottom lip. “Athena has put me on this story and I haven’t a clue what I’m doing.”

I offered her what I hoped was an understanding smile. “What did you do before?”

Kerry’s blush deepened, clashing with her straight hazelnut hair. “I got my degree in marketing last year, but was going to take a year out before deciding what I wanted to do with my life.” She rolled her eyes. “My parents and my aunt had other ideas.”

Poor young woman. If Kerry’s mum and dad were anything like Athena, she didn’t stand a chance. Shame nipped at me. I had felt so resentful of her; stung and bruised that I’d been passed over, when all the time Kerry hadn’t wanted the job of investigative reporter in the first place.

“Will you help me?” she erupted.

I stared at her pleading face. “Sorry?”

“Will you help me investigate these Lulu Stark claims? Please?”

I stuttered, not sure what to say. “Kerry, please don’t think I’m being unhelpful here, but I’m not sure about that. Your aunt might not like it. She might think I’m stepping on your toes or trying to side-line you to get my hands on this story myself.”

Kerry shook her head of hair fiercely under the breakout area lights. “No, she wouldn’t. I’d make it clear to her that I asked you for help.” She shot forward in her chair. “Please Leonie. Look, if it would make you any happier, I won’t tell Athena you’re giving me a hand. Well, not until we have the piece written up. By then it would be too late for her to do anything or complain anyway.”

My thoughts leapfrogged over one another. It would be a wonderful story to be involved in, but if Athena thought I’d deceived her, I could be risking my own job. And what with the couple of clashes that had taken place already…

“A shared by-line,” burst out Kerry with increasing desperation. “How does that sound?”

Temptation drilled its way deeper. “That’s if Athena agrees to it.”

Kerry’s eyes glittered like jade jewels. “Oh, she would agree to it, otherwise it might come to light about her getting a bit too friendly with her best friend’s husband at last year’s Goddess Christmas party.”

My mouth pinged open. “Are you serious?”

“Deadly. My mother was here at the party and saw her.” She shot me a look. “It’s about time I stood up to her. I’ve got to start being more assertive, so why not now?”

“You sound like your aunt.”

She forced a smiled. “I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not.”