Chapter 20
Kat and Jonah’s wedding took place on Saturday May 11th at All Hallows Church, Market Square, Tuppenny Bridge. They were married by a beaming Zach Barrington. Jonah’s best man was his seven-year-old son, Tommy, who proudly handed his father the wedding rings when called upon to do so. Fifteen-month-old Hattie made a beautiful flower girl, aided and abetted by a clearly delighted Sally, who was Kat’s best friend and matron-of-honour.
The Pennyfeather sisters sat in the front row on Kat’s side of the church, sniffling into their handkerchiefs and adding a distinct splash of zing to the mostly pastel palette of colours on display.
Not for them the pale blues, pinks, creams, and lemons of their fellow female guests. Rita and Birdie were visions in matching scarlet dresses, with large orange hats, and sunshine yellow shoes.
‘At least they’re dressed the same so they’re not clashing with each other for a change,’ Miss Lavender was heard to say with some despair. ‘It’s the best we could hope for really.’
Kat was a vision in ivory lace, and Jonah looked extremely handsome in a dark suit with a white shirt and a dusky pink tie that matched Tommy’s own tie, the sash around Hattie’s waist, and the flowers that made up the bridal bouquet and buttonholes, as well as adorning the church.
Afterwards, the wedding party headed to The White Hart Inn, where an informal buffet had been laid on. The stunning wedding cake had been lovingly baked by the proprietor of Bridge Bakery, and everyone posed for photographs, their smiles genuinely happy. All were delighted for the couple, who’d been through so much and deserved their happy-ever-after.
Bethany hadn’t had much time to decide what to wear, but luckily she’d got into the habit of packing for all eventualities and had brought with her a pale lemon shift dress and a white bolero jacket which she decided would be perfect for the occasion.
‘I’m so glad you came,’ Kat told her as Bethany dropped a kiss on her cheek and congratulated the bride and groom. ‘Help yourself to food. It’s all very informal here.’
Actually, it was possibly the most informal wedding Bethany had ever been to, but she rather liked it that way. Kat and Jonah had put some money behind the bar for a certain number of drinks for their guests, but Rafferty had apparently doubled that, so everyone was in good spirits. The food was tasty and there was no waiting around for it to be served, which people clearly appreciated. There were no formal speeches either since there was no father of the bride present, and the best man was only seven.
Jonah, however, did get to his feet and, amid much cheering, thanked Kat for agreeing to marry him, and for making him the happiest man in Tuppenny Bridge.
As everyone clapped and toasted the bride, Jonah called for quiet. Kat reached for his hand and Jonah squeezed it before turning to face the guests.
‘And there’s one more thing we’d both like to say,’ he said, ‘apart from thanking you for all being here, naturally. Thing is, me and Kat, we’ve got some more good news. We’re expecting a baby. Our little family is expanding, and the new arrival will be with us some time in November.’
Bethany joined with the others in clapping loudly at this news and Jonah and Kat gave them all delighted smiles, while Tommy loudly and proudly announced that he’d managed to keep the secret for a whole two days since his mum and dad had already told him and Hattie.
They were such a lovely family. Bethany thought wistfully that, just maybe, happy endings were possible for some people. She couldn’t be anything but pleased for them, even though her own story seemed destined to end in a very different way.
Turning away from the bridal table her eyes fell on Clive. He was sitting with Ben and the rest of the Callaghans, and there was a wistful expression on his own face. Was he wondering about his own happy ending, she wondered. As she watched she saw Jennifer say something to him. The wistful expression vanished to be replaced by a smile and he nodded at her. What had Jennifer said to put the smile on his face?
Bethany blinked, aware suddenly that she was staring at them, and that people would notice. Then again, perhaps not. No one seemed aware that she was even here. She wondered if she ought to go home. The pub was full of people chatting in couples and groups and she felt detached from them all. Maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea after all.
As the afternoon wore on several people said their goodbyes and left. Kat and Jonah announced they would be leaving soon as they had to put the kids to bed and get changed, but promised they’d be back in the evening if anyone would like to join them, and there’d be another buffet and a disco, too.
Bethany decided she was ready to go home, and she didn’t think she’d be back after tea either. She’d enjoyed the wedding and was glad to see Kat and Jonah married, but she knew no one would miss her if she stayed home, and besides, she was all peopled out. She wasn’t used to all this socialising, and it was taking it out of her.
‘Mind if I sit with you?’
She looked up, surprised to see Daisy standing by her chair.
‘Not at all.’
Daisy was a pretty woman, probably around her mid-thirties. She had dark hair in a shoulder-length bob, large, brown eyes, and a round face that dimpled when she smiled, which she was doing right now as she slipped into the seat beside Bethany.
‘I’m feeling a bit out of all this,’ she admitted. ‘I haven’t lived here that long and although everyone’s been absolutely lovely to me I still feel like an outsider.’
Bethany relaxed. ‘Me, too,’ she said with feeling. ‘To be honest, I was just thinking about going home. Kat and Jonah are lovely, and I really appreciate them inviting me, but I don’t really know anyone that well and I’m not the sort of person who’d just go up to someone and make conversation.’
‘Me neither,’ Daisy said with feeling.
Bethany laughed. ‘You just did!’ she pointed out and Daisy laughed, too.
‘Okay, but that was different. You looked as lost as I felt. Everyone else is chatting away, whereas you looked like a kindred spirit. I would have thought it would be okay for you, though. You’re not a newcomer, are you? I mean, you used to live here years ago.’
‘Many years ago.’ Bethany pulled a face. ‘I don’t really know anyone here now. Not to talk to with ease anyway.’
‘How long were you away?’ Daisy enquired, turning over a clean glass and pouring herself a drink from a jug of water.
Bethany considered. ‘I was nineteen when I left home, so thirty-five years or thereabouts. Good grief, thirty-five years! It’s a whole lifetime ago.’
‘My whole lifetime,’ Daisy admitted. ‘Sorry,’ she added with amusement as Bethany winced. ‘You know, I did the same thing. Well, sort of. I left the place I’d grown up in about eight years ago now. I doubt very much I’d ever return though.’
‘I’m sorry to hear it,’ Bethany said. ‘Where did you go?’
‘To Leeds.’ Daisy sighed. ‘My brother was there, and we had to put Dad in a nursing home so Tom suggested he might as well go in one close to him and that I could stay with him in his house. I’m from Upper Skimmerdale originally. Dad had a sheep farm, but it wasn’t the happiest of childhoods. Tom left home as soon as he could and left me to cope with the old man.’
‘Is that why you left? Bad memories, I mean.’ Bethany’s sympathies were aroused. She understood all too well what a terrible experience childhood could be if you were left with an uncaring father. It seemed Daisy’s brother wasn’t up to much either if he’d left her alone with him. It seemed they had a lot in common.
‘Partly.’ Daisy fidgeted a little, as if trying to decide whether to confide in Bethany or not. ‘I—that is, there was a man. Someone I thought the world of. I thought him and me…’ She shrugged. ‘Anyway, he met someone else and that was that.’
‘I’m so sorry,’ Bethany said. She hesitated. ‘I was engaged once,’ she said finally. ‘Before I married Ted, I mean. It didn’t work out.’
‘Oh, I’m sorry,’ Daisy’s eyes softened with sympathy.
‘Yeah, well, he met someone else too.’ Bethany tutted. ‘Mind you, I’m glad he did now. Being married to him wouldn’t have been a particularly pleasant experience. I can’t imagine what I was thinking.’
As she said the words it occurred to her that she’d had a lucky escape. Glenn had seemed like the answer to all her problems, but in fact he’d turned out to be just another disappointment. Something else for her to deal with.
‘I really loved Eliot,’ Daisy said. ‘He was a widower with three kids. He was a sheep farmer, like Dad, and I helped him on the farm and with his children. I suppose I kidded myself that we were a family. Then he met this new woman, and it was like I didn’t exist.’
‘How awful for you. It hurts to be cheated on.’
Daisy blushed a little. ‘I thought I’d been cheated on, but these last few months I’ve realised I wasn’t. Not really. The thing is it was all in my head. I honestly believed he loved me and that we had a future together, but the truth is he never promised me anything. He never even told me he had feelings for me. I think I was just so desperate to believe it that I interpreted everything he said and did to suit myself. I blamed him for a long time. I blamed her, too. It’s not fair really, and it wouldn’t have worked because how can you live with someone as man and wife when you know, deep down, that it isn’t love?’
Bethany thought of the years she’d spent married to Ted. She’d known, from the beginning, that she didn’t really love him. Not in the way she was supposed to love him. How had he felt? Had he really loved her? Or had he just wanted someone to share his life with, the way she had? Someone to take away the loneliness? She thought—no, she knew—that he’d only really found true love when he’d married Helena.
Her gaze fell on Clive again. He was sitting quietly, sipping his beer. Jennifer wasn’t at the table any more, and Ben was chatting to Jamie.
He lifted his gaze and his eyes met hers. He smiled uncertainly and she smiled back, her heart skipping a little, even as she tried her best to suppress the sudden excitement that had gripped her.
‘Anyway,’ Daisy said, and she turned back to her, trying to put all thoughts of Clive on hold, ‘the thing is, we’re here now. Whatever we’ve both been through it’s all in the past, right? I never thought I’d get a chance to make a new life for myself but here I am, with my own business, and a nice little flat above the hair salon. Okay, the flat’s rented from Bluebell, but even so, it’s my home and I’m happy there. To be honest, life’s good. How about you?’
‘Life’s…’ Bethany paused then smiled slowly. ‘Getting better,’ she said at last.
‘Let’s drink to that then.’ Daisy raised her glass of water and clinked it against what was left of Bethany’s wine.
Dolly came over and stood behind their chairs, her hand on Daisy’s shoulder.
‘Having a good time? Daisy Jackson, can I just say that, as good as this wedding cake is—and it’s bloody fabulous, let’s face it—I can’t get that caramel and white chocolate sponge out of my mind. Did you really make that yourself?’
Daisy’s face went pink with pleasure. ‘I did. I make all the cakes myself.’
‘Well!’ Dolly sat down next to her. ‘You’re a genius. I’m terrible at making cakes. Me and Clemmie, we have cake every dinnertime when we’re at the shop. I know, awful isn’t it? I keep saying I’ll go on a diet, but I’m buggered if I can stick to it. Anyway, we usually nip to Bridge Bakery, but from now on I’ll be popping into your café and collecting a couple of slices of that cake, so make sure you have some on standby for us, won’t you?’
Daisy looked thrilled and Bethany smiled. It seemed Daisy was fitting in around here more than she’d realised.
‘Would you like to dance?’
Bethany’s head shot up and her cheeks scorched when she saw Clive smiling down at her.
Dolly gave an audible gasp. ‘Dance? Clive Browning, since when did you ever dance?’
‘You’d be surprised,’ he told her. ‘I’m a man of many talents.’
‘You’ve hidden them well then,’ Dolly retorted. She gave Bethany a wink. ‘Well, there you go, love. Who could refuse an offer like that? If you don’t want to dance with him I’ll have a go.’
‘Please,’ Clive joked, ‘save me from such a terrible fate, Bethany.’
Bethany laughed. ‘I can hardly say no now, can I?’
‘Bloody charming,’ Dolly grumbled, but there was a twinkle in her eye, and Bethany didn’t miss the nudge she gave Daisy as she took Clive’s hand and followed him onto the dance floor.
Several couples were dancing so she shouldn’t have felt awkward, but even so she knew she was blushing as Clive slipped an arm round her waist and they began to move to a romantic song that Kat and Jonah had requested as their final dance before they left.
‘Well,’ she said to break the silence, ‘I wasn’t expecting this today.’
‘I scrub up well, don’t I?’ he said amiably. ‘I don’t think you’ve ever seen me in anything but jeans and wellies.’
He’d clearly forgotten she’d seen him dressed smart but casual for the opening of the art academy. He might not have remembered, but she did. She could describe every last detail of what he’d been wearing that day.
‘You look very… nice,’ she said. She’d been about to say handsome but that would never do. But he did. He looked extremely handsome. Her stomach seemed to be full of butterflies and she hoped her face didn’t reveal how she was feeling. That would be so embarrassing.
She looked around for Jennifer but couldn’t see her. She wondered how she’d react if she saw the two of them dancing together. Would she mind?
‘What made you ask me to dance?’ she blurted out before she could censor herself.
He looked surprised. ‘Why not? We’re friends, aren’t we? It’s a wedding. Besides, I wanted you to see there’s more to me than worming powders and penicillin shots.’
‘I know that already,’ she assured him.
‘Do you?’ His voice was low and there was a slight huskiness to it suddenly.
The wings of Bethany’s butterflies flapped furiously.
‘Of course. I realised you had hidden depths some time ago,’ she said, her voice shaky. What on earth was she doing? He would think she was flirting with him at this rate, and that was the last thing she wanted. Wasn’t it?
‘I’m glad to hear it,’ he told her. ‘And I’m very glad you came to this wedding.’
Bethany swallowed. ‘Actually,’ she said, ‘I was just about to go home. I think I’ve had enough for today. I expect you’re coming back this evening?’
He shook his head slightly. ‘No, not me. I’ve had my fill of people for one day. I’m really glad I plucked up the courage to ask you to dance before you left. What a wasted opportunity that would have been.’
‘Would it?’ What was he saying?
‘Of course. I mean, that is, we’ve been working together for a while now and I’d like to think we’re friends. I know we had a bit of a shaky start, but I think we understand each other now, right?’
Her heart sank. ‘Yes, of course. Friends.’
‘Aye.’ Clive pulled her a little closer and said, in a slightly offhand manner, ‘I’ll walk you home after this, if you like.’
‘You don’t have to,’ she assured him, but he insisted.
‘Lavender House isn’t that far from Stepping Stones. Besides, the walk will do me good.’
‘Well… If you’re sure.’
‘Aye, I’m sure.’
When the song ended they pulled apart.
‘I’ll get my jacket,’ Bethany said, nodding to where her bolero was draped over the back of her chair.
‘I’ll just say goodbye to a few people,’ Clive said. ‘I’ll be with you in a minute.’
Bethany said goodbye to a beaming Daisy and Dolly then collected her jacket and shrugged it on, looking around to see where Clive was. She found him by the bar. He was saying goodbye to the Callaghans who were clearly waiting for drinks. Jennifer was with them, and she smiled widely at Clive and planted a kiss on his cheek.
Hurriedly, Bethany turned away. What was going on with those two? And if Clive was so besotted with her, why was he offering to walk Bethany home?
She had no idea what to think but she was sure of one thing.
No matter what the truth of the matter, she was glad he had offered. She was glad they’d danced together. She could no longer deny that she was a bit besotted herself.
Shivering, she recalled Daisy’s words.
‘The thing is, it was all in my head… I think I was just so desperate to believe it that I interpreted everything he said and did to suit myself.’
Was that what she was doing? Maybe the dance meant nothing, the offer to walk her home even less. Yet as she saw him walking towards her, a warm smile on his face, she knew it was worth the risk. She’d been frozen for so long and this man was bringing her alive again. Even if it was all in her head, even if it was going to end in heartbreak, she wanted to experience these feelings that had come out of nowhere. It had to be worth the price.