Free The Nothing Girl by Jodi Taylor Page A

never happen. She doesn’t know what she’s doing and he’s taken advantage of her. I want him prosecuted to the full extent of the law.’
    ‘My dear,’ he said, somewhat wearily. ‘May I point out that we still don’t know what we’re dealing with here, and until Jenny actually gets to tell us, we never will.’
    ‘ Hold on – there’s a car. Yes, the hero has arrived. Better late than never, but that’s a Checkland for you. And if he stopped off to buy more buckets on the way I think you might have a legitimate grievance. ’
    In the distance, I heard the bell ring and Mrs Finch’s voice at the door. A few seconds later, Russell walked in. He was tidily dressed although his tie was askew already and his hair beginning to escape the restraint of hair gel.
    ‘Hello, everyone,’ he said cheerily, apparently not noticing Defcon 1 in the drawing room, to say nothing of a traumatised fiancée rooted to the hearthrug.
    ‘There you are, future wife. You look very pretty today. I brought you these. Give us a kiss then.’
    With these provocative words he handed me a bunch of roses and kissed me on the cheek. I seriously wondered if he was too self-absorbed even to notice the atmosphere, but I’d misjudged him. He took my hand, squeezed it tightly, and led me to the sofa, sitting beside me and letting go only to say, ‘Good God, these cushions are uncomfortable. Don’t you dare buy any like these for our place, Jenny,’ and tossed a couple of Aunt Julia’s carefully chosen scatter cushions to the floor.
    As conciliatory openings went, this was a complete non-starter. Thomas moved closer.
    ‘ There’s no way out of this, Jenny. He’s going for broke here. Probably a good idea but you’re going to need balls of steel for this. Just hang in there. We’ll laugh about this one day. ’
    I was never going to laugh again.
    ‘So,’ he said cheerfully, ‘what are we all talking about then?’
    Or maybe I would.
    As you may suppose,’ said Uncle Richard, ‘we are discussing Jenny’s alleged engagement to you.’
    ‘Discussing? Is that what it’s called now? I suspect it’s more accurate to say that Julia has been emoting to such an extent that Jenny hasn’t been able to get a word in edgeways. Let me save everyone a great deal of time and effort. Your niece, that’s Jenny here, has done me the enormous honour of agreeing to be my wife. Sorry I’m a bit late,’ he said, turning to me. ‘I stopped off at the Register Office. They were very helpful and gave me all sorts of stuff. Here, have a look through this lot, tell me what you want, choose a date, and we’ll do the deed.’
    Aunt Julia was on her feet again. I turned cold and sweaty and for a moment thought I might throw up. She looked terrifying in her rage.
    ‘ Margaret Thatcher with added attitude, ’ said Thomas. ‘ Don’t let any of this distress you. You’re going to be fine. He won’t let anything happen to you and there’s three of us and only two of them. ’
    Russell still had a tight grip on my hand. His was warm, dry, and steady and I felt heat beginning to creep back into my body. He didn’t look in the least bothered and I began to suspect he was actually enjoying himself.
    ‘This so-called marriage will never take place,’ she declared. ‘As her legal guardians, we withhold consent –’
    ‘She’s twenty-eight, Julia, she doesn’t need your consent. She can do as she pleases.’
    No, I couldn’t, and he’d obviously forgotten that. I tugged on his hand. He raised my hand to his lips and winked at me. No, he hadn’t forgotten. ‘Will you trust me?’
    I nodded, but only once, still not sure.
    ‘I’m so sorry, Mr Checkland.’ Her voice dripped icy politeness. ‘Perhaps if you’d had the courtesy to consult her guardians before upsetting my niece with this ridiculous proposal then we could have explained to you and without any distress to poor Jenny, just why exactly this marriage, any marriage, can never take