Page 69 of Not Exactly Mr. Darcy
“Precisely. Hence the interesting timing.”
“She kissed Liam,” she admitted.
Her grandmother stiffened, like she was affronted. “That young lady has always had a thing for Liam.” She added in a softer voice, “Their parents were good friends.”
Liv nodded and then froze as she realized that the couple in question were drawing near.
Camilla had her hand through Liam’s arm, like she thought him her possession. “We meet again.”
“Yes.” Liv found a smile as artificial as Camilla’s own, then sipped her drink as Liam did the introductions.
Gran nodded. “I remember seeing you at Trinny’s funeral. You were what—thirteen?”
The funeral? Of Liam’s wife? If so, that had happened ten years ago, which must make Camilla twelve years his junior. Why was he letting her hold him?
“You haven’t changed a bit,” Gran continued.
Camilla flushed and dropped her clutch on his arm, murmuring something before slinking away to the bar, where Marge stood watching proceedings like a mother hen.
Gran eyed Liam. “You need to watch out for her. She’s trouble.”
“She showed up unannounced.” He glanced at Liv, and she lowered her gaze. He sighed, shook his head, and joined Camilla at the bar.
“Where is she staying?” Gran asked George. Thank goodness, as Liv’s capacity to speak seemed to have been stolen away.
George rolled her eyes. “Stupid Liam invited her to stay with us. Fell for her story that she wanted to catch up, had nowhere else to stay.”
“He’s a fool. Once she worms her way in, she won’t go easily.”
“I know, but what else can I do?”
“She could stay here at the pub.”
“They have rooms?” Liv finally asked.
“They used to. And from the way she’s eyeing her, I think Marge will make one available.”
Marge did look a little like an avenging angel. Good. Liam needed protecting from women who didn’t seem to have his best interests at heart.
“Do you think she’s spying for her father?” Gran asked George.
“It’s too early to say yet.” George shook her head. “I could go back and get her things, tell her the room has mice. Which it probably does.” She glanced at Liv. “Sorry.”
“I’m not sleeping there, so it doesn’t affect me.”
George’s mouth tweaked. “Are you sure this isn’t affecting you?”
Her friend’s unexpected tease slid under her heart, twisting within. So she might’ve thought herself immune. Apparently she was wrong. She lifted her chin. “I’m fine.”
She would be. Because regardless of who this woman was in Liam’s life, they were only friends. Besides, Liv still had a job to do.
Saturday dawned as grey and cheerless as yesterday. The mood at the Hall was much the same. This was hardly the launch weekend she’d envisaged and prayed for. Visitors were few, allowing her to spend most of her time on her laptop. But even the peace and privacy of that room was breached by the woman whose hold over Liam seemed so inexplicable.
She couldn’t figure it out. Camilla was too young for him. Everyone, even Valerie, had said so. Yet Liam didn’t seem willing to kick her out, even letting her touch him in an overly familiar way that just turned Liv’s stomach. Was she here, as Gran had implied, as a kind of spy for the trustees? That would explain why she kept coming in and interrupting, asking Liv inane questions about all manner of things.
The only bright spot of the day was when Drew arrived. He was young and earnest and soon proved he understood the assignment. Liv was glad to escape the room and take him on a tour of the house, showing him particular angles of the house and garden she’d like him to cover.
She left him to it, which allowed time to talk with Gary about some of the paintings that Hartbury Hall had on display. He didn’t seem impressed by Camilla’s interruptions either, asking her if she could make him a cup of tea, which saw her quickly leave and not return for another hour. She’d probably gone to find Liam again.
