Sibling Rivalry

By Catherine Carson

Ruth Carter had always felt she was considered the pale shadow of her sister Stephanie, but when she meets Scott Davidson, her sister’s boyfriend, she feels an attraction which threatens to disrupt her safe existence as a collator of antiquities in the local Museum.
The story is told in a series of flashbacks by some of the guests at the evening celebrations of a family wedding; but which sister will be with Scott as the last dance is announced?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jul 3, 2014
• ISBN: 9781291938913

Book preview

Sibling Rivalry

Sibling Rivalry

By Catherine Carson

Content Copyright © Catherine Carson 2014

ISBN 978-1-291-93881-4 – paperback

ISBN 978-1-291-93891-3 – eBook

Profile of the author

Born in Scotland I now live with my husband in the North West of England.  We have three children who, between them have given us six wonderful grandchildren.

I studied commercial subjects at school and college and spent most of my working life in the offices of various companies, starting as a junior in a local garage typing invoices for car repairs.   I left Scotland and crossed the border to England to marry the man I met whilst on a holiday with my extended family and eventually became a secretary with a beer bottling company leaving six years later when the first of our three children came on the scene. 

Returning to the workforce when our children were young adults I finally untied the apron strings to join the offices of a large wholesale book supplier and embraced the advancement in technology since I had first learned to type on a manual typewriter and take notes in shorthand.

During the years I became something of a letter writer as friends and family lived in many parts of the country and indeed the world.  Often friends and family would tell me…..‘You could write a book’ to which I always replied…..‘But would anyone read it’. 

When my granddaughter asked if I would write a book especially for her I confided in my good friend Lisa Schmidt and she told me to go for it.  That book became the first of many stories which had been lurking in my imagination for a good number of years.

Once started I found the stories simply kept coming and often an overheard conversation or a glimpse from the passenger seat of the car would trigger a likely scenario which my imagination would then elaborate and weave into a story.

My hope is that my writing brings a little pleasure into the life of my readers and allows them to leave the mundane world behind for a few hours as they meet the characters I adore creating.

www.facebook.com/catherinecarsonbooks.uk

www.catherinerenacarson.jimdo.com

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Dedication

This story was written for all siblings who always felt they lived in the shadow of their brothers and sisters.

All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names.  They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author and all the incidents are pure invention.

Other Books by this Author

The Mouse in the Library

Family Ties

Overall Construction          

Wounded Wolf

Coffee and Cakes

Memories Rekindled

Wholesale Love

Hope’s Conflict

Estates of the Heart

Sibling Rivalry

Fighting for Custody

White Knight Black Knight

Through the Garden Gate…

Love Lost and Found

Alphabet Bachelors

A Dreamer’s Tale

A Precious Jewel

Footbridge of Solace

Girl Meets Boy

Demolition of the Heart

When Life Gives You Lemons

Return to the Past

Pretence & Reality

Opening a Can of Worms

Fields of Contention

A Heart Encased In Steel

Russian Revenge

Chasing a Dream

~~~~~~

Tapestry of Love-Bk 1 (free Bk)

Twins Exchanged-Bk 2

Highland Feud Bk-3

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Soil, Seed & Betrayal-Bk 1 (free Bk)

Desert Prince, Exiled Princess-Bk 2

Body Language-Bk 3

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An Open Book-Bk 1

Afraid to Love-Bk 2

A Second Chance-Bk 1

Taming the Playboy-Bk 2

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Estranged Husband & Father-Bk 1

Identical Mistake-Bk 2

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Sigh of the Claymore-Bk 1

Beyond Claymore-Bk 2

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Sneaking Into His Heart-Bk 1

Scent of the Heather-Bk 2

Chapter 1

A touch of grey at his temple suited the distinguished man who waltzed the beautiful young bride round in his arms.  Ruth saw him look down at the woman with a look of pure love on his face and her heart quickened as she remembered the first time she met Scott Davidson.

Ruth I think you should perhaps clear those books from the table Stephanie will be here soon with her young man and you know your Mother will be annoyed if everything is not neat and tidy.  Ruth sighed and started gathering the heavy tombs she had been using for reference knowing her Father was absolutely correct her Mother had little patience for her untidy way of working.

Peggy Carter always boasted to everyone that as children she dressed both her girls in clean dresses each morning and each evening Stephanie would still look clean and fresh whereas Ruth would have had at least two changes and always had an unkempt look about her. 

It would appear the same rule applied now that they were grown women with Stephanie looking good whether she wore torn jeans and a sloppy T-shirt or was dressed in the height of fashion. 

She was eighteen months older and the opposite of Ruth in every way.  Stephanie had green eyes and golden hair which always seemed to have that newly brushed look with soft curls falling about her creamy complexion. She charmed everyone with her soft voice and air of innocent charm.  Her fresh looks and perfect hour glass figure had made her an asset to the cosmetic company she joined after leaving university with a degree in business studies and she was now one of their top executives destined to become a director within a few years.

Being the antithesis of this paragon of womanhood Ruth’s dull mousy brown hair and dark brown eyes never caused a second glance and she had become accustomed to being the forgotten younger sister who was constantly being told she needed to smarten her appearance even if she was working amongst dusty books or relics in the museum archives.

Growing up in her sister’s shadow had had its advantages too at least she was never expected to excel at anything and therefore when she passed her exams and had gone on to university to study archaeology her parents were so disappointed that she had not chosen what they considered a ‘suitable’ career that she was left very much to get on with her studies.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs with her arms full of the heavy reference books she had been working on she was about to make herself scarce by going up to her bedroom, but the front door opened and her sister breezed in with her head turned back to the tall figure following her.

Closing her eyes Ruth could do nothing to stop the collision as Stephanie ploughed into her knocking the books from her arms and scattering them over the hallway floor.

Ruth bent to pick up the books lying around their feet. Let me help you with those.  Ruth raised her eyes as the deep male tones offered assistance.  Looking into the pale blue eyes set under straight black eyebrows Ruth felt something deep within her stir.  She had never been attracted to the handsome self assured young men who flaunted their physique and prowess on the sports field of the university campus but something about this handsome man helping her collect her fallen books caused a deep sensation in the pit of her stomach. She found it difficult to break eye contact as a slow smile spread across his face.

Oh for goodness sake you really are the clumsiest person.  As usual Stephanie blamed her for the mishap and with a resigned sigh she straightened and accepted the dry tombs being placed in her open arms. 

Scott let her get out of the way before she causes any more trouble.  Giving her sister a scathing look she thanked Scott for his kindness and continued on her way to her bedroom. ‘So that was Scott Davidson no wonder Stephanie talked so much about him’ Ruth thought as she climbed the stairs to her bedroom.

Applause broke into her thoughts bringing Ruth back to the room with its dimmed lighting, balloons and banners declaring congratulations for all to see.  The waltz had ended and Scott was now walking round the room stopping to talk to friends sitting around the dance floor and enjoying the adoration of the guests.

Chapter 2

Stephanie approached him and her arm slipped around his waist in a familiar gesture.  He turned and smiled down at her before excusing himself from the table of guests and leading her out on to the dance floor. 

Ruth lifted her handbag and walked out of the ballroom finding a quiet spot in the lounge area, not wishing to see her sister smile up at Scott in that sickly way and once