Chapter Eight #3
Elsie put her cup and saucer down with a sigh. ‘I guess I’m used to being limited.’ She turned her gaze to Mollie’s and added, ‘Now, let’s talk about the wedding. I’ve forgotten all the details since my fall, but Harriet assured me that I was helping you plan it. Is the cake sorted?’
‘Yep, all sorted,’ Jago said, wryly thinking of the wedding cake and Mollie’s dress at his London apartment.
‘I can’t wait to see your dress,’ Gran said.
‘But we mustn’t talk about it in front of the groom.
It’s bad luck.’ She leaned forward to pat Jago’s hand.
‘Would you mind if Mollie and I had a bit of time together catching up? You could go and check on your grandfather, take him a slice of this delicious lemon drizzle cake. But no cream. It’s not good for him. ’
Mollie’s eyes widened a fraction at his gran’s suggestion of a private tete-a-tete with her, but Jago gave her a reassuring wink and took a slice of the cake from the tea tray.
He bent down and planted a kiss on Mollie’s soft lips, breathing in the sweet scent of her, before lifting his mouth away.
‘I’ll see you at dinner, if not before.’
‘You’re making the poor girl blush,’ Gran said with mock reproval, but there was a sparkle in her eyes all the same.
Once Jago had left the room, Mollie put her teacup and saucer on the table in front of the window seat. ‘Can I pour you another cup of tea?’ she asked Elsie, to fill the sudden silence.
‘No, thank you, dear,’ Elsie said with a gentle smile. ‘Now, how are you?’ There was suddenly a piercing set to the old lady’s gaze that was a little unnerving.
‘I—I’m fine, thank you,’ Mollie said, trying not to sound as flustered as she felt.
‘Not getting wedding jitters, are we?’
Mollie swallowed tightly. ‘Erm…should I be?’
Elsie gave a wistful smile. ‘I was frightfully nervous before my wedding. Back in those days, of course, Maxwell and I didn’t spend much time together alone, if you know what I mean.
’ She looked down at the rings on her left hand—a wedding, engagement and eternity ring that were probably worth more than most people earned in a lifetime.
Elsie’s gaze came back up to meet Mollie’s once more.
‘Jago is nothing like his grandfather. He might be ruthless in business, as are all three of my grandsons, but he’s a good man.
He’ll make an excellent father. Do you want children? ’
Mollie was a little blindsided by the question. ‘Erm…yes, maybe one day, I guess. I wouldn’t want to rush into it, though.’
Elsie put a hand on Mollie’s knee and gave it a gentle pat. ‘You’ll be a wonderful mother, I’m sure.’
‘I don’t know about that,’ Mollie suddenly found herself confessing. ‘I didn’t have the best role model in my own mother.’
Elsie looked at her with kind eyes full of compassion. ‘Do you still have her?’
‘No, she died when I was six.’
‘And your father?’
‘I’ve never met him. He abandoned my mother before I was born.’
Elsie sighed and placed her hand back in her lap. ‘No wonder you and Jago fell in love. You have a lot in common, both losing parents so young.’ She blinked a couple of times as if trying to hold back tears. Tears that were not allowed to be shed all those years ago.
‘It must have been a terrible time for you when you lost your son and daughter-in-law,’ Mollie said softly.
‘Oh, it was,’ Elsie said looking down at her hands.
‘But I had three grieving little boys to take care of, so there was no time for me to dwell on things.’ She looked up at Mollie again with a smile that was a little forced.
‘Of course, Maxwell thinks I’m a sentimental old fool for still getting teary on James’s birthday every year, but I miss him to this day.
He and Alice would be so proud of their boys.
They’ve done well for themselves in spite of… everything.’
Mollie had a feeling everything included how their grandfather had raised them with an iron fist and a heart of steel. ‘I think you’ve been a wonderful grandmother to them, and they’re so fortunate to have you.’ Her voice came out raspy, and there was a lump in her throat.
Elsie reached for Mollie’s left hand and looked down at the engagement ring glinting on her ring finger. ‘Such a beautiful ring and a beautiful choice of bride. Jago has excellent taste.’
But I’m a fake, and so is the ring.
‘I’m terrified I’m going to lose it,’ Mollie said.
Elsie met her gaze with unwavering focus.
‘Rings can be replaced, people cannot.’ Then she gave Mollie’s hand a gentle squeeze, and her tone lightened.
‘I’m looking forward to the wedding. Ever since I woke up after my silly fall, it’s all I can think about.
For a horrible moment there when I woke up in the emergency room, I thought I’d missed it.
’ She gave a tinkling laugh and shook her head in a self-effacing manner. ‘But Jago assured me I hadn’t.’
Mollie disguised another tight swallow. ‘No. You haven’t missed it.’
Because it never happened, and now it never will.