Page 125 of From Notting Hill with Love…Actually
“What’s wrong with that?” I asked defiantly. “I’m glad someone went to make sure she was all right.”
My father raised his eyebrows at me and shook his head slowly.
“Oh, Scarlett, you’ve so much to learn.”
“What, what is it?” I screwed my eyes closed and shook my head. “Just what are you going on about, Dad?” I said, opening them again. “What are you trying to say?”
“That Sean is playing a very clever game with us all. I don’t doubt he cares about you very much, Scarlett. But to win you over he tried to manipulate the situation we all found ourselves in tonight for his own ends. He had a chance to look good in front of me, your mother, and, most importantly, you, all in one evening. And he took that chance and ran with it tonight.”
I sat there for a few moments trying to take all this in. No, Dad was wrong, surely. Sean wasn’t like that.
But then why hadn’t he said he’d been to Kelly’s to check on my mother? And why did he suggest he’d been in the house all night with Dad and David if he hadn’t? It just didn’t add up.
“I’m not saying Sean’s a bad person—far from it,” Dad continued when I didn’t respond. “I actually quite like him. But perhaps he’s not quite the personyouthink he is?”
I nodded slowly.
“Scarlett, you may think that all that’s happened to you since you came to London is finding your mother again. But I think we both know a lot more has taken place than that. You’ve got some serious thinking to do and some big decisions to make about your life, and for once, you can’t hide out in a movie theater to make them.”
“But how do I choose, Dad?” I asked in desperation. “How do I know what the right thing to do is?”
“You’ll just know, Scarlett,” Dad said, taking my hand and holding it firmly in between the two of his. “Something will come along and, believe me, then you’ll know.”
Dad slid along the sofa, put his arms around me, and immediately I was returned to that safe and secure little girl once more.
Thirty-Six
Dad and I sat together for quite a while on the sofa, just snuggled up together like we used to, both of us lost in our own thoughts and memories. Eventually Dad unwrapped himself from around me, stretched out his arms, and yawned.
“It’s been a long day, Scarlett. I think I might head off up to bed now. Plus David and Sean must be wondering what we’re getting up to in here now it’s gone so quiet.”
I uncurled myself from the sofa and saw him to the lounge door.
“Night, Dad,” I said, kissing him on the cheek. “And thanks.”
“Good night, Scarlett,” he said, glancing across at Sean as he appeared from the kitchen. “Sleep well, darling.” He tilted his head in Sean’s direction. “Good night, Sean.”
Sean nodded and watched until Dad had disappeared at the top of the stairs. Then he turned to me.
“You look exhausted, Scarlett. Would you like another cup of tea—or maybe something stronger? I think your father may have leftsomealcohol in the bar tonight.”
Considering the vast quantity of alcohol Sean and Davidhad suggested Dad had put away tonight, he had seemed quite sober to me, and his thought processes surprisingly clear.
“Something stronger would be good. It has been quite a night.”
Sean followed me back into the lounge. “Where’s David?” I asked, suddenly realizing he hadn’t reappeared.
“He went to bed. Just a few minutes ago, though,” Sean added, as if that made it better. “He said he had an early start in the morning.”
“Oh, that’s right, he does. He has a breakfast meeting, I believe, over in Surrey.”Buthemighthavewaiteduptoseehoweverythingwent, I thought as I sat down again on the sofa.
“Ah, I see,” Sean said as he poured us both a whiskey. I knew he was probably thinking the same thing. He added some ice from a bucket and passed me the glass. “Is that OK for you, or do you want it watered down a bit?”
“No, this is just fine,” I said, taking the cut-glass tumbler. I was glad it wasn’t brandy this time. I didn’t think I’d ever drunk so much alcohol for “purely medicinal” purposes in my life.
Sean sat down next to me. “I hear you’ve got a meeting with your future parents-in-law tomorrow, to discuss the wedding?”
“Yes, that’s right. David’s parents have a house in London; we’re holding the wedding reception there in a tent.”
