AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 9
Ron heard Beverley’s shriek coming from inside the house just as he was getting out of Annabelle’s car. Without stopping to think, he ran towards the open front door and bolted inside, his heart in his mouth. His first thought was that someone was injured, but as he scooted to a halt in the hall, he was thankful to see that neither Beverley, Kate, Brett nor Helen appeared to be hurt.
‘Where are the girls?’ he demanded, failing to see Ellis or Portia.
‘What?’ Kate looked at him with a distracted expression.
‘Ellis? Portia? Has something happened? Are they OK?’
‘They’re fine. They’ve gone upstairs.’
‘Then why—?’
‘You had no right!’ Beverley cried, glowering at Helen and cutting off Ron’s question. She put a wriggling Pepe down on the floor, and the dog immediately scampered up the stairs.
Ron was dimly aware of Annabelle, Sam and the other children crowding in behind, as he tried to work out what was going on.
Helen had the look of a cat that had got the cream, and his heart sank. Even before she opened her mouth, he guessed what had happened. No wonder she’d wanted to remain behind this evening – she must have been planning her revenge ever since Beverley had ousted her from her original bedroom.
‘I just thought you’d be better off in the room next to the bathroom.’ Helen dropped her voice to a whisper which could clearly be heard by everyone. ‘What with your bladder problems.’
‘I don’t have a bladder problem.’ Beverley was indignant.
‘But isn’t that why you said you should have had the twin room I was in? I’m sure I heard you say that was the reason you wanted it. Remember? When we arrived and we were deciding who should sleep where? Because it has an en suite?’ Helen’s smile was triumphant.
Not again, Ron thought. Hadn’t the pair of them caused enough trouble last Christmas when they’d feuded over who was going to sleep in Kate and Brett’s spare room? And now they were at it again.
Ron risked a quick peep at the double bedroom that Beverley had ended up with. Pepe’s basket was no longer next to the bed, and he felt like groaning. Dear God, did these two never learn?
Kate looked at Brett, and Brett looked at Kate. As one, they shrugged and headed for the stairs.
‘Kate! Where do you think you’re going?’ Beverley demanded. ‘You have to sort this out.’
‘No, Mum, I don’t. The two of you need to grow up.’
‘But she’s moved my things.’ Beverley was determined not to let it lie.
‘You moved hers,’ Kate pointed out reasonably.
Annabelle pushed past him. ‘I think it’s better all round if we left,’ she said, gesturing to her children. ‘Then you can go back to the rooms you had before we came.’ She looked upset, and Ron wanted to knock the old ladies’ heads together.
‘Now look what you’ve done!’ Beverley cried, her hands on her hips, her mouth a thin line as she scowled at Helen.
‘Stop it!’ Brett yelled from halfway up the stairs. He came back down them, his eyes flashing with annoyance. ‘I’ve got a better idea. If you two can’t stop arguing, you can bugger off home.’
‘Brett!’ Helen sounded aghast.
Beverley opened her mouth, then closed it again, obviously thinking better of it.
‘I mean it,’ Brett said. ‘You’re not spoiling this holiday the way you spoiled Christmas.’
Beverley took a deep breath, walked over to Annabelle and caught hold of her hands. ‘Please don’t go. I’m happy to have the single room. I was just a bit shocked, that’s all.’ She glared at Helen.
Helen glared back, but Ron saw the smugness in her eyes.
Beverley continued, ‘Brett, I’m sorry about Christmas, but I wouldn’t change what happened for all the tea in China, because otherwise I wouldn’t have met Ron.’ She looked across at Ron and gave him a watery smile.
Aw, knickers, Ron thought, his emotions churning and tumbling. He nodded at her, and bit his lip. ‘I’m, erm, shattered,’ he said, wanting nothing more than to escape the supercharged atmosphere. ‘I’ll have to say goodnight.’
