Chapter Ten
When she picked up Xander from college the next day, he was in good spirits.
‘Hi!’ she said. ‘Did you have a good time with Luke?’
‘Yup. He’s cool.’ He paused. ‘Mum rang me.’
‘Oh, good! How’s she getting on?’
‘Fine. She likes Switzerland, I think.’
‘Great,’ said Hattie cheerily, wondering what Xander’s caveat was. She could hear there was one.
‘I didn’t tell her I was at Luke’s. I thought it might make her kick off.’
‘Oh.’
‘You know what she’s like,’ went on Xander.
‘I do, but Luke’s a very respectable person. You didn’t need to hide the fact that you were staying with him.’
‘Without you there? Does she know Luke?’
Hattie said, ‘They’ve met, but she doesn’t know him well.’
‘So she could make a big fuss about it.’
Hattie considered telling Xander that he shouldn’t refer to his mother as ‘she’ but decided against it.
She called Rose later in the day when she’d got through quite a lot of jobs, which included looking at a house that might suit Nick if his second viewing with the builder didn’t go well. She’d soon realised it wasn’t right for him but might be right for someone else.
‘Hattie!’ said Rose. ‘How’s things?’
Hattie explained her need for a wedding outfit, knowing Rose would relish finding her the perfect thing, even if she only had her own wardrobe to choose from. ‘My clothes are either really old or work-related. Smart trousers and country jackets.’
‘That’ll be huge fun,’ said Rose. ‘I’ll get Sam to pick you up so we can have wine. When would you like to come? For supper, obviously.’
‘Thanks! That’s really kind.’ She’d leave something cold ready for Xander – wedding conversation wouldn’t be his thing. Of course she’d immediately wondered if Xander would like to go to Luke’s again, but with a pang she remembered he’d gone away.
Hattie disconnected a little later, very grateful for her good friends. She had caught some of Rose’s enthusiasm for a wedding that was doomed before the first chord on the organ had been heard.
She stood in Rose and Sam’s bedroom examining herself in the mirror, although her mind wasn’t really on the job. ‘The thing is, Rose, I can’t let the wedding go ahead.’
‘Because the groom is a coercive control freak who bullies his bride before they’re even married?’
‘That’s about it.’
Rose exhaled and sat down on the bed on several cotton skirts that would now need ironing. ‘But how are you going to do it? Will you stand up at the “if anyone knows any just cause” bit?’
‘I really don’t want to. I want to avoid drama as much as I can.’
‘But what else can you do? Could you take Fiona aside and say, “Your fiancé is vile and is already cheating on you”? She would say, “How do you know?” and you’d have to tell her about your visions.’
‘I don’t know! What do you think of this dress? With luck no one will see it because there won’t be a wedding.’
‘That, I’ll have you know, is a very expensive dress! OK, I got it off Vinted, but it’s practically designer. You should be proud to be seen in it.’
‘I would be very proud to be seen in it under any other circumstances.’
‘It does look lovely on you. In fact, I’d better give it to you as it’s not so great on me.’ Rose took a breath. ‘You’re a sort of bridesmaid so you’ll go to the house early?’
‘There are little bridesmaids, I think.’
‘Not relevant. You’ll have to help Fiona get dressed.’
‘That’s the plan, yes,’ said Hattie.
‘And her mum – Sheila? Is she on your side about all this?’
‘I think I could get her on side. But her father isn’t. He is obviously a bit like Lance. Which may be why Sheila is so worried.’
‘So if you and Sheila talk to Fiona, wouldn’t that have an effect?’ Rose started hanging up the discarded dress-choices.
Hattie bit her lip. ‘What do you think? She’s madly in love with this man who has her exactly where he wants her. Your newest friend and your mother say he’s a wrong ’un and you should call off the wedding of your dreams? Can you see that working?’
‘No.’
‘I’ve done hardly anything except think about what to do and I haven’t come up with any answers.’
‘Didn’t you tell me you’d had a vision about Nick and Fiona?’
‘Yes, but I’m not a hundred per cent sure the woman in the vision is Fiona. I mean, the basket and the scarf I saw were in her house, but I might not be right.’
‘Nick did seem to like Fiona at the quiz.’
‘Yes, but he didn’t hit on her or anything,’ said Hattie.
‘And that’s a good thing! He knew she was with someone else!’ Rose was adamant.
‘So, what you’re saying – or rather what you’re about to say – is that I have to tell Nick about all this and see what he can do?’
‘Erm, I was a little bit behind you in coming to this conclusion, but I do agree. And if that fails and you can’t get through to her, the wedding will have to go ahead and you’ll have to be supportive through the divorce. You know lots of solicitors.’
‘Who mostly deal in conveyancing,’ said Hattie.
‘Let’s have another glass of wine and then you can ring Nick,’ said Rose. ‘Let’s go downstairs. And take the dress.’
Hattie was glad of the second glass of wine and of Rose hanging over her so she couldn’t back out. Hattie made dozens of phone calls every day, they held no fear for her, but this one was different.
‘Nick? It’s Hattie.’
‘I know that. It told me before I answered.’
‘Listen, I’ve got a very strange favour to ask you. Could we meet at the Coach and Horses for coffee, so I can ask you?’ Hattie knew this pub would be deserted at coffee time and she’d be able to speak freely.
‘I assume this is nothing to do with buying the house? I’m seeing the builder this week. Why don’t you just ask me now?’ asked Nick.
‘It’s complicated. I need to see you face to face.’ Or did she? Was she just putting off the awful moment when she’d have to burden Nick with all this?
Nick was silent for a few moments. ‘OK. I could manage that. Eleven o’clock?’
‘Well, he’s agreed to meet me,’ she told Rose and Sam when she hung up, although they must have gathered that.
‘Well done, Hats,’ said Sam.
Hattie nodded. ‘And could you take me home now?’
The goodbyes took a little while. Hattie had so much to thank Rose and Sam for.