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Callum took the copy of the title deeds, his eyes wide. ‘Where did you get this?’
Thea caught his expression. ‘Oh, my god. It is true!’
Clarissa looked at them bemused. ‘I’m sorry – did I miss something?’
Thea and Callum both turned to Clarissa at the same time, and said, ‘Shut up!’
Callum reached for Thea’s hand. ‘I can explain …’
‘This isyourbookshop.’ She stared at him, having a very hard time getting her head around this revelation. She still thought it couldn’t be true.
‘I was going to tell you after tonight – I swear. Look, after the opening night has finished, I’m going back to Scotland. You have to come with me.’
‘You’re going back to Scotland? Oh, my god, you were only down here to prepare the bookshop to sell. I’ve been such fool.’
‘No, you haven’t.’ Callum furiously shook his head. ‘Please, you must come back with me. There’s someone—’
‘Let go of my hand! I don’t want to go anywhere with you!’
‘Thea!’ Callum watched helplessly as she disappeared into the crowd of people in the yard.
Chapter 57
‘Where’s Thea? Did you find her? Did you give her the train ticket?’ Callum shifted his gaze from Mabel to look around the train station. He desperately wanted her to come with him so he could take her to see her father. He imagined that she hated him right now, knowing that he owned the bookshop. Worse still, his heart was broken over the fact that he’d deceived her, and as siblings they could never be together. It didn’t take him long to scan the small railway station in Saxmundham, the nearest train station to Aldeburgh, and realise she was not there.
Mabel shook her head. ‘I’m sorry, Callum.’ She asked, ‘Did you check your DNA results?’
‘Oh, Mabel, how could you bring that up now?’
‘Because …’ She swallowed. ‘I’m a match with Thea. It was true, Henry is my brother.’
‘Well, good for you.’ Callum looked at her and sighed. ‘Sorry, I’m acting like a jerk.’
‘It’s all right. The thing is, Callum, you didn’t turn up as a match with me on the database. You did submit a test, didn’t you?’
Callum rolled his eyes. ‘Of course I did. Ray can vouch for me. I did it.’
‘But don’t you see? If you’re not related to me, then—’
Callum was distracted. He was still looking around the train platform, hoping she’d turn up. ‘What are you saying, Mabel?’
‘I’m saying that I’m related to Thea, but not to you, which means—’
Now, Mabel had his attention. She said, ‘Thea is not your sister.’
Callum stared at her.
Mabel said quietly, ‘It also means that Henry isn’t your father.’
Callum swallowed. ‘No, that can’t be right.’ He regarded Mabel for a long moment as the truth sunk in. ‘Then who is my father?’ Despite everything, he managed a smile. ‘And don’t mention Douglas, for god’s sake. I have never been and never will be the descendant of a Scottish laird. I mean, can you imagine if it were true? I played a laird on my show. It’s just ridiculous.’ He shook his head, dismissing the possibility. ‘But seriously, where do I go from here?’ It wasn’t just his biological father he was thinking about. How did he get Thea, the love of his life, back?
She’s not my sister!
He knew he should be jumping for joy at finding out the incredible truth. If it wasn’t for Mabel making him take a DNA test, all because she was convinced he was not related to Henry and might be a descendant of Douglas, he might have never known.
‘I’d suggest contacting Ray.’
‘Hmm, Ray. Good idea.’
