We emerged some hours later, relaxed and refreshed. I had glossy hair, pretty hands, and a spring in my step. Tanya caught me looking at myself in shop windows and laughed at me. We went to a wine bar, where she rang Russell and gave him permission to join us. And he could bring Andrew if he wanted.
At home that night, Thomas and I talked about things. I had not thought that anyone could regard my marriage to Russell Checkland as a good thing for him. "Other than the money, of course. Although apparently, Im getting half the house.
"Yes, he said thoughtfully, and stared out of the window for a while.
"And both Andrew and Tanya think Im a good influence.
"Yes, but they dont know you very well yet.
I played with the sheet. "Do you think ... do you think this marriage might actually be a good thing?
"Im certain of it.
"But why? How?
"I told you Jenny, years ago. Youre special.
Chapter Five.
We were married as quickly and quietly as possible. Aunt Julia made no further objections. She was torn, I think, between wanting to hush things up and not wanting to be seen to hush things up, in case people thought there was something to hush up.
The day before the wedding was cold but sunny. Russell put a halter on Boxer and made me walk with him up the lane on to the moors.
"Itll do you good, he said. "You need some colour in your cheeks and its not going to do my reputation any good at all if you turn up tomorrow looking like an early Christian martyr. And I certainly dont want your aunt leaping to her feet and stopping the ceremony because youre in too much of a state to say, "I do". So get your coat, grab a pair of wellies, and lets be off.
It was a good idea. Once I was out in the fresh air, I felt much better. We strode along with Boxer jumping and shying at monsters hiding in the hedge, sinister puddles, and strangely shaped rocks.
"Why does he do that? I said, as Russell coaxed him past a hostile telegraph pole.
"Well, like Andrew said, hes a bit of a big girls blouse. Hes an ex-racehorse. He led a pampered and luxurious existence until they discovered that although he could go like the wind, it was generally in the wrong direction. He hates horseboxes, crowds, other horses, noise, the rain you name it. He belonged to a friend of mine and both he and I lost rather a lot of money on him. Sadly, failed racehorses get a pretty raw deal, sometimes. Hes gelded so he couldnt be bred from and hes such a basket case no one would want to anyway. He certainly couldnt hunt. He might have been sold privately hes a good-looking horse, but hed most likely have ended in a horsebox somewhere, travelling for sixteen hours without food or water, dragged out at the other end, and turned into dog-food. Or sausages. Or whatever. So I bought him. Usually I ride him up here, but since theres three of us and its a nice day I thought we could walk together. Its all been a bit hectic recently, dont you think?
I nodded. Thomas walked beside me, peering over hedges and generally enjoying himself. I stroked Boxers shoulder, hoping Thomas wouldnt think I was being unfaithful.
"Id like to ride, I said, quietly. I thought no one heard.
We pa.s.sed another farm.
"Thats the Braithwaites place, said Russell, waving to a man crossing the yard with two dogs and a bucket. "He rents land off me for his sheep.
"Fifty pence each, I said. He looked surprised. "I pay attention.
He laughed and then it took us five minutes to persuade Boxer through the gate at the top of the lane. Thomas and I skipped through, out onto the open moor, and waited patiently.
"Arent you going to ... let him off the lead?
"No. He has the sense of direction of a tea-bag; Ill be looking for him all night and h.e.l.l probably end up in Tesco on the Rushford by-pa.s.s.
We followed the path along a pretty stream that bubbled over rocks and gravel beds on its way down off the moor and through Russells fields to join the River Rush. There were no trees this high up and the wind was fresh and clear.
"A good tip, said Russell. "If you ever get lost on the moor, just find water theres plenty up here and follow it down.
"OK, I said, and thought no more about it.
I sat that night in my empty bedroom. Id lived here since I was eighteen and now everything had been packed up and sent off to Frogmorton. My room looked empty and unfamiliar. I wondered what would become of it. My dress hung in the wardrobe; shoes and gloves were on the shelf. Aunt Julias hairdresser was coming at half past nine the next morning.
"How are you feeling? said Thomas.
"A bit strange.
"Are you afraid?
"No. No, he doesnt frighten me at all. Should I be?
" No, I dont think so. I think Tanya hit the nail on the head when she said he was just a little boy who hasnt grown up yet. Well, thats going to change.
"How so?
"He has responsibilities now. Itll be interesting to see how he handles them.
"And Francesca. How will he handle her?
"I thought you discussed this.
"We did. He made it very clear. He was completely honest about it. I thought it seemed a small price to pay for getting a life.
"Are you having second thoughts?
"No, its just pre-wedding nerves. I know what marrying Russell Checkland entails, I said. Wrongly, as it turned out. "He promised to be discreet. He promised hed never hurt me and I believe him.
"So no regrets, then?
"No.
"So no reason not to get a good nights sleep?
"No.
"Do you remember, said Thomas, "when we first saw this room? How excited we were?
"I do. That seems a very long time ago now.
" It was a long time ago. Since we met, youve taken your exams; got a degree, and now youre going to be married. Youre all grown-up now, Jenny.
A horrible, cold hand closed around my heart. "Thomas, are you leaving me?
"No, no. I told you. Im here for as long as you need me and youre going to need me for a while longer.
"Ill always need you, I said.
"No, he said sadly. "No, you wont.
Dont ever get married.
Seriously.
Dont ever get married.
Forget the Archbishop of Canterbury deploring the decline of traditional marriage. Forget whichever politicians are currently lauding family values in an effort to distract attention from their own upcoming, exclusive tabloid expose. Forget any of the rose-tinted idiots banging on about your wedding being the happiest day of your life. Weddings are a long, rain-drenched nightmare when the only sounds are your relatives venomously hissing in dark corners. I dont know how anyone who doesnt have a giant, golden horse gets through them.
It started with my hair. Never before a cause of disagreement, it was propelled into the front line because, given the simple nature of my dress, I wanted a simple French pleat.
Aunt Julia wanted virginal ringlets.
I coped by simply shaking my head every time she spoke, thus signifying disagreement and rendering it impossible for the poor hairdresser to get stuck in. Eventually, she got the message, and possibly lost a long-standing customer, but she didnt look too unhappy and I got my way.
Not like Aunt Julia.
I felt quite sorry for her because she obviously didnt want to dignify the occasion by looking as if shed made any special effort, but she was const.i.tutionally incapable of appearing in public looking anything other than her best. She compromised with a pearl-grey silk suit that only whispered "funereal occasion, rather than what Im sure was her first choice deep, heavy black, closely veiled, and clutching a handkerchief to the corner of one eye.
We met at the bottom of the stairs where Uncle Richard was anxiously consulting his watch at five-second intervals. She looked at me for a while and then started down her list.
"Its not white. What will people think?
"No one is attending apart from family members, soothed Uncle Richard, unsuccessfully trying to get her to the door. "No one will see. Now, come along, we mustnt be late. Well, not more than fashionably late, he ended with a weak laugh.
"Where is your veil? You must have a veil. No flowers, either. Jenny, Ive held my peace, but I have to say ...
"Tune her out, said Thomas. "Its not important.
I tried. I also tried not to dwell on the fact no one had said how nice I looked. And I did. I really did. In addition, I was the bride, so even if I didnt, they should have lied. I was a little hurt.
"I think your dress is beautiful and so are you.
"Thank you, but youre prejudiced.
"Not today. You look elegant and sophisticated, Jenny. A real cla.s.s act. Russell Checkland is going to be blown away. Good for you.
Feeling slightly more cheerful, I climbed into the car. Fortunately, it was only a few minutes away.
The next thing was the weather. It was raining slightly when we left, and the sky had that rather ominous grey-yellow look. Just as we pulled up, the heavens opened.
Uncle Richard did what he could with an enormous golf umbrella and I was pretty well protected, Aunt Julia less so, so her already bad mood worsened considerably, and by the time we actually got inside, she was smouldering nicely.
We were shown into a very pleasant room where Andrew and Tanya were already waiting with Mrs Crisp and Kevin. I was so pleased to see them. Kevin was wearing what was obviously one of Russells jackets. It was far too large and he peered out from between the shoulders, rather like a tortoise.
Aunt Julia threw one scathing look at the people who not only had the temerity to be related to the man who was marrying her niece, but brought his staff to the wedding as well, and withdrew to the little cloakroom to repair some damage.
The atmosphere lightened a little.
Russell wasnt there. I noticed Andrew quietly fishing out his phone, hitting redial, and then stuffing it back in his jacket pocket. In so much as he ever could, he looked angry.
I felt a cold hand on me. Had he changed his mind? After everything, had he bottled out? Was I going to be left at the altar? I stared at Andrew who shrugged. Tanya smiled slightly, but she looked very tense. Theyd lost him.
Daniel Palmer wasnt there, either, and hed promised. Was it at all possible that Russell had finally persuaded Francesca to leave him? And she, unable to accept his marriage to someone else, had gone with him? Had that been his plan all along? It seemed a very, very likely scenario.
We all waited in silence. Even Thomas seemed to have nothing to say.
The doors opened again and Daniel Palmer walked in, shaking his umbrella. Alone. He looked up and scanned the room. Not finding Francesca present, his mouth set in a thin, hard line that vanished as he saw me.
"h.e.l.lo, Jenny. You look very pretty. Im sorry Francescas not here yet. We were supposed to meet here, but you know what shes like. Im sure one day sh.e.l.l be late for her own funeral.
It was a good effort and Andrew rose n.o.bly to a.s.sist.
"Dont feel too badly, Daniel, were missing the bridegroom too, so were nowhere near kick-off yet.
You could see him regretting the words as soon as they were out of his mouth.
"Good grief. This foot in mouth thing is obviously genetic. Its probably best if the two of you dont have kids.
At that moment, however, the doors crashed open and Francesca chose to make her entrance. Jaws dropped. She posed in the doorway, giving us all the benefit of her flawless profile. She was furious. All the old childhood signs were there the flashing eyes and flushed cheeks. She jerked her gloves between her hands. Something or someone had upset her.
Ignoring the convention that said you dont wear white or black to a wedding, shed done both. She wore a figure-hugging white gown with black accessories. A tiny veiled hat nestled amongst her curls. Either accidentally or not she looked far more bride-like than the actual bride herself.
There was rather a nasty pause. Daniel said, "Francesca?
She snapped, "What?
Just when I thought it couldnt get any worse, Aunt Julia walked back into the room. Any benefits she may have gained from a quiet ten minutes in the cloakroom were completely dispelled by the sight of Bad-Tempered Bridezilla glaring at her fiance.
She drew breath, but before she had time to utter, the doors opened again and Russell Checkland was among us.
He was very, very, drunk. Swaying slightly, he fixed his eyes on Francesca and said, "I didnt mean ... and immediately everyone in the room realised that although they may have made separate entrances, theyd been together. And it hadnt ended well.
"Jesus, muttered Andrew under his breath. Tanya nudged him, none too gently, but the real star was Daniel Palmer, who, ignoring the fuming Francesca, moved forward and gently took my arm.
"If youre ready, Jenny, shall we go in? True, he had his own agenda, wanting Russell Checkland married off as quickly as possible, but I appreciated it, none the less.
Russell pulled himself together, enunciating very carefully. "Thank you, Daniel, but Ive got it.
Daniel ignored him and we entered the marriage room together, followed by Russell and Francesca and the rest of the guests.
We dealt with the very natural confusion arising from the bride and groom having entered separately and with other partners, and the ceremony pa.s.sed off without anyone disgracing themselves too much.