Merry Christmas (Mills & Boon Vintage 90s Modern) by Emma Darcy

Meredith. What was he thinking? That she might side with Kimberly against the woman he wanted? Clearly there was a conflict area which needed delicate negotiation. Maybe he was trying to discern if she would be his ally or his enemy.
    “Another beautiful day,” he said. “It’s good to see you, Meredith. Would you like to join us or...”
    “Merry wants to see my room,” Kimberly answered for her. “I’ve got all the photo albums laid out on the bed and my swimming trophies and...”
    “I see the first claim has been made,” Nick broke in dryly.
    “Yes. If you’ll excuse us...” Meredith said quickly, flashing an appealing smile from him to Rachel Pearce.
    “Of course. You must want to catch up on everything,” Rachel said, her eyes sympathetic, not the least bit jealous of Kimberly’s attention.
    “We did invite Meredith for brunch, Kimberly,” Nick reminded her. “Don’t get so involved with showing off that you forget we’re supposed to eat, too.”
    “I’ve got a bowl of cherries and a big bag of chips. Give us a call when you put on the barbecue, Uncle Nick,” she answered breezily.
    He rolled his eyes and shot a grin at Meredith that pierced her shield and hammered into her heart. “Doomed to cherries and chips. Be assured I will rescue you.”
    She managed a laugh, nodded to his companion and took her leave of them with Kimberly, fiercely telling herself once again the past was gone. The love of her life could not be rescued.
    “What did you think of her?” Kimberly demanded in a confidence-inviting whisper as they traversed the living room, heading for a hallway.
    Meredith instantly adopted neutral ground, wary of repercussions. “I don’t know her, Kimberly. If you want my first impression, she’s smart and pretty and has a very pleasant manner.”
    It drew a huff and a grimace. “I don’t want Uncle Nick to marry her. He’ll have no time for me if he does.”
    Meredith frowned. “I’m sure that’s not true. He cares very much about you.”
    “She brought over the enrolment forms for PLC. That’s her old school. She’s got Uncle Nick thinking it would be good for me to be a boarder there.”
    “It is a top-class school,” Meredith commented cautiously, aware it was also a highly expensive private school that carried a lot of status, both socially and academically. Students there were definitely privileged, which was what she had wanted for her daughter, though not at the cost of her being unhappy.
    “I don’t want to be a boarder.” It was a sulky, belligerent statement. “She wants me out of the way so she can have Uncle Nick to herself.”
    That might or might not be true. In all fairness, Meredith had to reserve judgment. She tried to take a middle line. “I thought most boarding schools allowed their students to go home at weekends.”
    It didn’t work.
    Kimberly shot her a doleful look.
    “What would be the use? She and Uncle Nick go out most Saturday nights. Mrs. Armstrong comes to mind me. I might as well be at the school with the other girls who stay in.”
    “There is Sunday,” Meredith reminded her.
    Another grimace. “It’s not the same with Uncle Nick when she’s here.”
    Kimberly fell into brooding silence as they walked along the hall. Meredith didn’t feel equipped to break it in any constructive way. The situation had changed dramatically from what she had imagined it to be earlier this morning.
    A prospective stepmother.
    Rumblings of discontent from Kimberly.
    Areas of conflict rising from the intermingled relationships.
    Was she supposed to supply a solution?
    What if Nick Hamilton wanted her to establish a good relationship with Kimberly so she could provide a happy alternative to coming home to a stepmother who seemed only to stir resentment?
    They came to the room at the end of the hall. Kimberly had her hand on the knob, ready to open the door when she paused, turning to eye Meredith speculatively.
    “You know what would be really