Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 126850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 634(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 634(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
“I can’t say I’ve thought about it. Why?”
“I feel like I know her.” Freya frowned, and little lines appeared in her forehead. “We obviously spent the day together yesterday, and something about her feels so familiar. Like I’ve met her before. Do you not feel it?”
“I… guess,” I replied slowly. “I had a similar feeling when we met, but then she studies at Cambridge. It’s similar circles. I assumed we’d seen each other during the university years because I can’t place her.”
“It’s so odd. It’s really annoying me, Will. I know I know her from somewhere, but I just can’t place her. I even tried searching for her on social media and she’s not there.”
“At all?”
“No. No Instagram, no Facebook… I even did something dodgy and looked back to the MySpace and Bebo days.”
“Maybe we should call the police. On you,” I clarified. “That’s weird, Freya.”
“She’s nowhere.”
“Not everyone has social media. I don’t.”
“Yes, you do, you just don’t use it.”
“Same thing.”
“No, she doesn’t even have that.”
I shrugged. “So she doesn’t use social media. It’s unusual these days, but it’s not impossible. She’s pretty focused on her studies.”
“Yes, and it’s a very unique field of study. And she just so happens to end up here? With a future duke?”
“Oh, Freya, take off that tin foil hat,” Mum said, walking in and joining us. “Excellent, there’s some tea.”
“I made this for me and Grace,” I pointed out as she happily helped herself to a cup.
Mum looked at me with a smile. “Well, you’ll have to make some more, won’t you?”
Freya smirked.
“And as for you, put down the magnifying glass. You’re not a detective,” Mum said to her. “It’s very rude to be looking into her so deeply. You know better than that.”
“Mum, I’m just curious who she is, that’s all. He’s been seeing her for, what? Three months? And never mentioned her? And she has no social media?” my sister continued.
Well, at least she didn’t rat us out.
There was that.
“And I swear I’ve met her before,” Freya kept talking. “I know I have, I just don’t know where from.”
“You probably saw her at an event or something,” Mum said, not batting an eyelid. “Chances are you have mutual friends. That’s how she and Will met, after all. A mutual’s engagement party.”
I nodded, staring at Freya.
Yes.
That was how we met.
Hey. She didn’t know differently, to be fair.
“You have enough to deal with this weekend without worrying about your brother’s relationship. He’s a big boy, and he’s capable of handling his own relationships.” Mum patted my arm. “Well, he will be when he learns how to communicate.”
“Mum,” I muttered.
“Besides, you don’t want her coming in and hearing you discussing her, do you?”
“Good morning,” Grace said, stepping into the kitchen.
Ah, shit.
“I’ll make some more tea. They drank it all.” I motioned to Mum and Freya, then turned back to the kettle.
“That’s fine.” She smiled and joined us by the table.
“We were just discussing their grandmother,” Mum said. “And that bloody bird. He almost took my eye out this morning. He chased me around the foyer calling for my arrest.”
Grace bit her lower lip. “He’s not the most charming thing, is he? He ambushed me on the stairs yesterday.”
Freya shook her head. “I swear, I’m putting a lock on his cage before the guests arrive. I can just imagine him making off with our rings or something.”
“I hope the videographer catches it if that happens.” I put the fresh pot of tea down on the stand and slapped Freya’s hand when she went to grab the pot. “You’ve already stolen one cup. Wait your turn.”
She pulled it back and made a face at me as I pulled a cup towards me. “I’m sorry for monopolising your day yesterday,” she said to Grace. “I bet you have things you’d rather do than run around after a stranger’s wedding.”
“I don’t mind helping.” Grace smiled, looking at her. “Are you feeling better today?”
“Theoretically,” my sister replied slowly. “But I think James slipped me something in my breakfast, so I’m not entirely sure.”
“God bless James,” I joked, stirring one sugar in Grace’s tea and passing the cup to her. “There you go.”
“Oh, thank you.” She took it from me and sipped. “Do you know if anything needs seeing to today?”
Mum shook her head. “We’ve done just about all we can. It’s now up to Mother Nature to slow this storm down and we hope guests can arrive. I believe it’s being seen to that everyone who needs to be here for the wedding to go ahead will be brought here today.”
“Is the good reverend coming on a tractor?” I asked.
“You joke about it, William, but I believe he is. The farm tracks might be the only way on and off the estate, and the groundskeepers are doing their best to keep roads open from Duncree. That said, I think they’re losing the battle, so we’re getting everyone necessary here this morning.” Mum rested her hand on Freya’s shoulder. “As long as we have officials, the wedding can go ahead, even if it’s just family in attendance.”