Chapter 11 #2
There’s no such thing. I know this. I live with two highly functioning wine enthusiasts. There is no such thing as a small one when it comes to wine, and oh my God, I take a sip of the cold white wine that the waiter pours into my glass. It is divine. I feel my eyes balloon with excitement.
‘Madam?’ he asks, waiting for me to decide whether it is any good.
My taste buds zing to life as the velvety smoothness of dark berries infused with a hint of bitter chocolate and rich cinnamon rolls over my tongue.
If this is what proper wine tastes like, what the heck have I been drinking all my life?
Paint stripper? This wine is incredible.
‘It’s delicious, thank you,’ I tell him as he pours Luke and me very hefty measures. I remind myself that this does not mean that I have to drink it all. I will sip like a lady.
‘I’m so glad you like it. This is my favourite wine,’ Luke says, holding it up, twirling the glass, inspecting the liquid as it rolls around.
‘Mine too,’ I say without thinking.
‘Really? What a coincidence.’
I have not thought this through. It is probably six hundred pounds a bottle. There were probably only two barrels ever made.
‘I mean, it is now. It’s delicious.’ I relax when Luke starts to chuckle.
‘I was a little surprised. It’s not to everyone’s tastes. Or budgets. No offence.’
‘None taken. As long as the Sinfonia are paying, I will drink it.’
Tiny pink spots appear on his cheeks. ‘Connie, tell me, where have you been hiding all this time? How did you come to have such an extraordinary gift for singing?’
Oh, my. He’s brought up my favourite subject again. Luckily, I’m wise to these tactics. ‘I’ll tell you all about me, right after you explain why I’m caught up in some royal love triangle and why you led me to believe Dolly was your wife.’
I watch Luke’s cheeks redden even further. Embarrassed, he dabs his lips with his napkin before putting it down.
‘Firstly, I’m sorry about calling Dolly my wife.
I just went along with you at the rehearsal because we’d got off on the wrong foot and, well, because I see more of Dolly than any other human on this planet.
’ He clears his throat. ‘As for the articles in the press about Hermione and me. Our families go way back. She and I were at school together in Switzerland.’
Of course they were. Of course.
‘We haven’t seen each other for a while. Until recently.’
Luke fidgets with his napkin.
‘And the old flame has reignited?’ I say, finally relaxing. This is brilliant news. Luke is spoken for, and I am off the hook tabloids-wise. ‘I’m very happy for you both.’
‘She’s very… How do I put this?’ Luke throws me an earnest look.
‘Shy?’
‘No. She’s the opposite of shy.’
‘Rich?’ You do hear about these billionaires wanting to keep it all in their billionaire circles.
‘No. Not that. Well, obviously, yes, she is, but…’
He seems uncomfortable, as though he’s hiding something. Something big.
‘She’s very…’
‘Oh,’ I whisper, leaning in. ‘She’s very pregnant?’ He’ll be wanting to avoid a royal scandal.
‘Can you be very pregnant?’ He throws his head back and sighs loudly. ‘No. She’s not pregnant.’
‘Well, what is she then?’
‘She’s very gay.’
I did not expect that. ‘Can you be very gay?’ I ask stupidly. Of course you can. Just look at Ged and Liam.
Luke gives me a half-smile. ‘She’s an avid member of the all-women’s rowing club.
Chair of the women-only wrestling society.
She founded the women’s Vote Minge annual jamboree, and she lives in Hebden Bridge on a barge with a woman called Stevie.
They share several cats and want to get married. I’d say yes, she’s very gay.’
That all makes sense.
‘She’s not very happy about the article, but the palace seem pleased to have her linked to a man. Especially one from my family. As I said, we all go way back. My father has insisted I play along.’
I’m appalled. How awful. ‘What can you do about it?’
He shrugs in a way that suggests he has already tried to get out of it.
‘Is that why she came to see you perform last night too?’ I ask.
He nods his head. ‘She relies on her trust fund, so… we may have to play along at a fake relationship for as long as it takes, perhaps years.’
‘Sounds like she doesn’t have much of a choice. It’s not very progressive, is it? Personally, I think you should make a stand. It’s not your sacrifice to make. What if you fall in love and want to get married yourself some day?’
Luke fixes me a strange look. ‘Exactly what I was thinking.’
I sip at my wine, but I can still feel his eyes on me. ‘I have to say, you seem to be a magnet for gay wives. Dolly, Hermione… There has to be a less gay wife for you somewhere.’
‘Precisely. What if I’m already engaged to be married?’ he says, smirking. ‘To a non-gay wife. Then they’d have to find someone else.’
‘Are you engaged to a non-gay wife?’
He puts down his knife and fork and leans back in his chair, regarding me with a doe-eyed look. ‘Not yet. But finding myself a beautiful, extraordinarily talented fiancée would be a great way to put an end to these fake wedding rumours, wouldn’t it?’
‘Oh. I guess it would. Yes.’
And just like that, there’s a bit of tension.