Chapter 11
It was a perfect day for a beach wedding.
The perfect beach to be having it on.
In the glow of a setting sun, the huge rock formation that looked like a crouching lion was a dramatic backdrop to the long stretch of sand left glistening by the retreating tide.
Other people using the beach were keeping a respectful distance and the waves were far enough away for the occasional surfer to be nothing more than a part of this wonderful setting.
The small crowd of guests were standing in a semi-circular group, leaving a sandy track that had been strewn with rose petals for the bride and her bridesmaid to walk down.
One guest was not standing, however. A fold-out chair had been positioned at the front, on the edge of the circle, to give Lady Dorothy Dawson a clear view of the proceedings.
She was wearing a silk dress with a matching jacket and hat in shades of gold that would not have looked out of place in a gathering of the Royal family.
Bella had been there when she’d tried on the outfit and chosen her accessories last week.
The garnet necklace she wore was perfect for her outfit.
It was just a shame that she still couldn’t wear the matching ring because the joints of her fingers were still misshapen.
Beside her, of course, stood her son, wearing the dinner suit Bella had seen once before that made him look so impossibly gorgeous. So unattainable.
That unattainability had been an illusion, though, hadn’t it?
If things were only different now – if she hadn’t been so irresponsibly stupid, she might have had a chance of having a perfect ending to the love story she was currently living.
Oliver might have been unable to help himself falling in love with her and he would have swept her up into his arms and carried her off into the sunset of a blissful future.
But this was real life and there was an emotional storm brewing. Painful accusations and probably lots of tears. Quite possibly, there was going to be hostility that she would have to deal with for the rest of her life – on a regular basis – if Oliver insisted on having a part in his child’s life.
It was both frightening and heartbreaking.
But Bella couldn’t afford to think about that right now.
Not on Kate’s special day. By tacit agreement, the subject hadn’t been mentioned so far today.
This ceremony was about a romance that had led to a happy ending, and it marked the beginning of the future she would have chosen for her favourite person on earth.
Instead, as Bella let her senses soak in Oliver’s presence, she remembered that perfect time with him in the summer house.
A memory that she could hold close to her heart for a lifetime.
Such bitter-sweet, heartbreakingly tender lovemaking, knowing that it was the last time.
Knowing that she could be perfectly truthful in telling him that a condom wasn’t necessary.
She could never have had that time if he’d known that she was pregnant.
And Lady Dorothy wouldn’t be here, beaming with happiness, either. She’d been right not to drop the bombshell, but the timer was ticking so loudly now Bella was afraid it was going to spoil her pleasure in this wonderful celebration. She just had to make sure it didn’t spoil anyone else’s pleasure.
She walked slowly down the sand aisle behind her beloved aunt.
Kate was wearing a simple ivory dress that suited her perfectly.
Slim fitting to her hips from where it fell in feminine swirls, it had a low, cowl neckline and no sleeves.
Her hair was only partly confined by a pretty twist that took hair away from her face and into an intricate knot at the back of her head.
The rest fell in a glorious, dark ripple down her back but was held in place enough by the twist to cope with any sea breeze.
Tiny white flowers woven into the twisted section stood out, like jewels, against the dark gleam of her hair.
The dress was fitted enough to show the slight swell of Kate’s belly.
Bella’s dress was just as clingy but it would be weeks before she started to show, and she loved this dress, which was the colour of the sea on a sunny day.
Kate had said it was a perfect match for both Bella’s eyes and the beach setting.
Lady Dorothy and Oliver had sworn they could cope, so Bella had stayed with Kate last night so that they could spend the day together to prepare for this important event.
There had been appointments at the nail salon and hairdresser, and it had felt like she had been getting ready for her own wedding.
As they reached the end of the petal-strewn aisle and Kate moved to stand beside Connor in front of the celebrant, Bella could feel Oliver’s stare like a touch on her skin. Her head turned of its own accord.
Had she known that he would think she looked beautiful? Desirable? She couldn’t deny that she’d hoped he would, and his expression now was exactly what she’d dreamed it might be.
The colour that Bella could feel warming her cheeks was more than pleasure.
Or even mirrored desire. Part of it was a touch of guilt because she knew perfectly well that it hadn’t been purely for Lady Dorothy’s benefit, or even for the chance of one more night with Oliver, that she’d delayed the inevitable confession.
She’d wanted this.
She’d wanted Oliver to see her looking this good. Dressed for a wedding. To see him dressed in that suit again.
She’d wanted the fantasy of being able to close her eyes for a moment during the wedding vows and imagine what it would be like if the words were being spoken by herself. And Oliver.
The vows were simple. Heartfelt declarations of love and the promises to nurture that love for as long as they both lived.
The guests were close enough to hear every word and to see the tender kiss exchanged as the vows ended.
And nobody missed the way Kate took her hands, still enclosed by both of Connor’s, to rest against her belly before they finally broke their first kiss as man and wife.
The wedding celebrant, a middle-aged woman called Sarah, smiled mistily.
‘Connor and Kate are celebrating their love for each other in more ways than getting married today,’ she told the guests.
‘They’d like to share with you all the joy they have in expecting their first baby.
They’ve become more than simply man and wife in this lovely ceremony. They’ve become a family.’
A surprised, delighted murmur came from the guests. Bella was close enough to hear Lady Dorothy’s excited whisper.
‘Oh… Oliver, isn’t that wonderful? A darling baby. How perfect.’
Kate and Connor were smiling at each other in a way that shut out anybody else on the planet. Sarah was raising her voice to be heard over the murmurs.
‘Please enjoy this time on Piha beach while some photographs are being taken. Kate and Connor will be joining you in the marquee for the picnic supper very soon.’
The group began to move now, dispersing in different directions.
Some went to find people they knew to talk to.
Others started making their way to the marquee set up by the spit-roast company that was catering the low-key wedding breakfast. Other people were staying to watch the photographer, who was ushering Kate and Bella into position for the first shots.
‘Just a couple,’ he said. ‘I want to get the bride and groom near the waves while the light’s this good. We’ll do any family shots later.’
From the corner of her eye Bella could see her parents being dragged towards the food. Her younger brothers and sisters were pretty much grown up now, but one of her brothers was a poor medical student, and the baby of the family was only nineteen and still a bottomless pit when it came to food.
She watched them laughing and jostling each other and felt like she was standing on another planet.
Her siblings still had no idea she had ruined her plans for her exciting overseas adventures, not to mention getting married to a man she loved, who loved her, and settling down to the business of creating her own family.
With Kate’s agreement, Bella had put off telling her parents when they’d arrived yesterday as well.
They both knew that the support would be there when Bella needed it but it would be a shock that needed absorbing, and if Bella told them now, it would totally overshadow any joy they had in being a part of Kate’s wedding, even if they had no idea that the father of her baby was present at the wedding, and if there was enough tension, the Dawsons would realise that something was amiss.
Having all the most important people in her life in one place like this was incredibly stressful.
Bella would have loved to have been heading for a glass or two of champagne herself, but she couldn’t and only two other people here knew why.
What if somebody offered her a glass and guessed why she was refusing it?
She could almost hear one of her sisters laughing and saying, ‘Good heavens, Bella, that’s not like you. You’re not pregnant or something, are you?’
And what if Oliver happened to be standing nearby?
Oh… help… How on earth was she going to get through the next few hours?
The photographer was now leading Kate and Connor away for their photographs and Bella found herself standing alone.
She could see Oliver preparing to help his mother get up from the low chair.
How long were they planning to stay? Long enough for her to have to introduce them to her parents?
Her mother had said she was keen to meet Bella’s intriguing new employer.
Bella could feel the tension escalating rapidly as she saw that Oliver was starting to walk towards her. Lady Dorothy must have declined his assistance. She was still sitting in the chair, staring towards the sea, apparently watching the bride and groom have their photographs taken.