But Thomas only shuffled his chair in closer to the desk and squinted at the screen.

“It was lovely to meet her. And I got a lot of compliments from Pippa too. She was saying she could use me to help create some of her events.”

“Over my dead body,” muttered Thomas.

Without breaking her stride Shelley retorted: “If needs be, babe. So, obviously I said yes. It would be a great experience and the money wouldn’t go amiss either, plus it would really get our name out there as a business. The floristry side of what we do has always been viewed as a bit of a sideline, really, but it’s where the money is, and how many nurseries can say they offer the full service, right from seed to finished bouquet?”

“Oh my god, yes!” agreed Nory. “Especially with people being more aware about their carbon footprint and sustainability. You could really tap into that homegrown market. Pippa doesn’t mince her words—if she says she likes your work she means it.”

“Great, so you’ll be swanning off to London and god knows where. What about the kids?” Thomas sulked.

“They have two parents and four willing grandparents,” Shelley replied. “And London is an hour and a half away. Your mum and I have done weddings farther away than that.”

“I don’t think the where is the problem,” said Nory. “I think it’s the who.”

“Stay out of it, Nory,” Thomas snapped.

“If it was anyone else, you’d be biting their arm off for the work, but god forbid you should be on the payroll of one of my friends. Your self-righteousness is wearing thin. We’re not at school anymore—there is no them and us. It’s about time you grew up and got over yourself.”

“No them and us? Do you watch the news? Have you seen the state of this country?”

“We’re not talking about the state of the country, Thom, this is about your aggressive resentment of anyone you think has had an easier time of it than you, including me. It’s playground stuff. Let it go.” Nory turned to Shelley. “Sorry, Shelley, same old same old. I’ll see you later.”

Nory left without saying goodbye to Thomas. She should’ve known better. Relations between them were only ever one misplaced word away from an argument. But her being a guest at the castle—with her old gang, which had caused so much animosity between them when they were kids—was bound to stir up old resentments. And Jenna using Noel and Son as her provider for the all the wedding flowers and floral arrangements just fed into all of Thomas’s serf-and-master hang-ups. Something about her friends’ money made him feel belittled, and Thomas was not a personality who did well with feeling small.