Between Two Worlds - Book 1

Chapter 13

As I had planned the night before, I did not go to the mansion. I still hesitated in the morning until I received a call from Sophie, the manager of the store where I worked. I was going to be able to extend my vacation in Scotland.

I was lying on the sofa in the living room watching a Japanese drama when my father came into the room. He was coming back from a rehabilitation session and was as breathless as if he had just run the London Marathon.

"We really need to install an elevator." he muttered, sitting down in his armchair.

I didn't answer. I didn't even dare tell him about the bad news I had received because I wasn't sure I could control my voice. Even less if I was going to know how to prevent myself from crying again.

"Catherine, did you cry ?!"

It didn't take much for me to burst into tears again.

"Catherine, what's wrong ?"

He was half worried, half annoyed. Dad couldn't bear to see anyone cry for the simple reason that he never knew what to say.

"Sophie called me this morning." I said after having calmed down enough.

"Sophie from the store ?"

"She is bankrupt !"

Unsurprisingly, he didn't know what to do and looked at me disappointed.

"Oh Catherine, you're not at the manor with Maisie." said Ellen coming into the room.

She dropped herself gracefully into another chair. Seeing our silence, she gave us both a suspicious look.

"Is there a problem ?"

"I lost my job."

Mouth in "o" she shook her head from right to left without really understanding what it really meant to me. This meant more money to help mum pay the bills, more financial independence and above all having to go back to looking for a job when Ireland was sorely lacking.

"You'll find another one." she finally said with a wave of her hand that meant it was nothing serious.

Indeed, it was not very serious when we were in Ellen's situation. Ellen who had never needed to work since she was an heiress in addition to the rest. But I didn't have the desire or the strength to argue with her to make her understand why for ordinary mortals, for me, even for her son who wanted so much to be independent of his family fortune, it was important. Besides the financial aspect, there was also this need to feel useful, valued. Once again, my life was spiraling out of control and driving me crazy.

"Why don't you stay here a little longer ?" Dad suggested.

"What ?"

I had of course thought about it, but more as a joke that I made to myself.

"You were supposed to leave next week but now that you no longer have any obligations in Ireland, stay a little longer. Time to digest the news."

"That's a very good idea." added Ellen. "You could stay until the end of August. We go to Edimbourg like every year to see the Military Tatoo."

I saw my father nodding vigorously. He was totally elated that I stayed longer. It wasn't like we had spent a lot of time together since I arrived though. On the other hand, besides pleasing my dad, I could stay with Blaine a little longer.

In the frenzy of the moment, he and I had yet to consider the fact that I was not going to stay forever in Inverness. If I stayed until the end of August, we would have time to think about it and consolidate our budding love. Or resolve to leave it behind, a sly voice whispered inside my head.