Heaven And Hell novel Chapter 121

She puffed her cheeks and pulled him to the side, whispering urgently about what had happened to me. About stupid Katy Adamson and wretched Brett Whitfield; about the Cuttings' announcement and Colton's rudeness to me. The dude had never even apologised for the way he'd been to me days ago! He just kept quiet and left me to my own devices or, as my aunt stage-whispered, "left me in my own misery." Snort.

But she was kind of right. I had been pretty much a mole in my room. I hadn't even bothered taking a bath which -- I sniffed myself -- I, like, badly needed.

They kept conversing without me by the bookshelf, while I saw Brad hissing at me as he passed by my door. "Stupid cat!" I burst out angrily. "Stupid Brett and Colton. Men are idiots --"

"That, I can attest to," Uncle Eddie piped up jovially, sitting on the bed beside me. "But we're not all such a disastrous lot." He chucked me under the chin when I noticed Aunt Mary biting back a smile as she chewed on her thumbnail. "And let me tell you something, Livvy: you are a lovely young lady. The most smashing one there is out there!" He waved expansively behind him to the window, probably indicating the whole female population. "So if that Brent person --"

"Brett," Aunt Mary and I corrected automatically.

"-- if this Brett person is too much of a wanker --"

"Eddie!"

He grumbled at his wife behind him, but turned on his side and placed two very big hands on my shoulders. He looked as serious as Liam Neeson on screen, only scruffier. "Since your ex lad is too much of a tosser to be the least bit faithful to you, then he's as dodgy and mad as a bag of ferrets, I tell you. Total wazzock!"

"Edmund Dunster!"

I blinked. "Um..." I love Uncle Eddie, really, but sometimes he could be a little too British for me. I'm half-English, I know, but even I can't completely comprehend him sometimes. Aunt Mary started shaking in silent laughter that made me giggle. Wow, I guess this was actually working. Huh.

"Uncle Ed," I gasped, clutching my stomach, "you're going to be a great dad someday."

His eyes warmed and Aunt Mary came up beside him to kiss the top of his head. "I'm not done," he said, clearing his throat.

Uh-oh, it seemed like someone was on a roll. No more slang, please. Rosetta Stone couldn't back me up on this one....

"As for your current new single status and how the marquess absolutely refused to even pretend to be engaged to a fine lass such as yourself," he huffed, "well, if the gentlemen of the whole British Isles can't appreciate the total value of a female who knows her own bloody mind, that's their problem, not yours. And I know for a fact that you are one of the rarest gems out there. The rarest!"

Aunt Mary covered her mouth with her hands, gasping with glee, while new tears streamed down my cheeks at the sweetness of my uncle's words. The two of them gave me a hug.

"Now," Aunt Mary announced, clapping her hands. "We're going to whip up some breakfast, and then you're going to get some nice country air! We have a merry animal for you to ride round the fields. A little horseback riding will do you some good, yeah?"

"Brad," I growled, "wouldn't it be nice to stay here by my leg?"

He ignored me completely.

"I have some fresh milk for you..."

He yawned and settled back down.

"Stupid, ungrateful beast," I said grumpily, earning a laugh from my relatives. "I shouldn't have adopted him."

"But," Aunt Mary added, "you're too much of a softy. Animals have a big place in your heart."

"I'm beginning to think otherwise."