Chapter Thirteen
‘Hi, everyone!’ said Hattie, calling from the car as she retrieved Fiona’s case from the boot. ‘Fiona! I’ve got your case here, if you want to get out of your dress.’
Xander regarded his aunt, clearly relieved that he didn’t have to play host. ‘Hattie! You look like you’ve been pulled through a hedge backwards.’
‘Hardly surprising,’ said Hattie, ‘although, to be fair, I went through it forwards. Do please go in!’
Nick took the case from Hattie and led the way. Fiona, who was looking pale and tear-stained, followed when Hattie took her arm. ‘Let’s get you upstairs and into some more normal clothes,’ said Hattie.
‘I haven’t got any normal clothes,’ said Fiona. ‘Lance doesn’t like normal clothes.’
They were all in the kitchen, which wasn’t large. ‘Xander? See if Nick wants a beer or something. Fiona, you come with me.’
She managed to get Fiona up the stairs and into her bedroom. She put the case on the bed and opened it. ‘What do you want to wear?’
Fiona thought for a moment. ‘Jeans and a T-shirt. Like I used to wear before I met Lance.’
Hattie rifled gently through the case. There was a pair of silk capri pants but they were hardly jeans. ‘Do you mind wearing something of mine?’
‘I’d prefer it. Lance chose all those clothes.’ She looked at Hattie gratefully.
Hattie laid out a selection of items from her own wardrobe. ‘Will you come down when you’re ready? Or do you need a hand with the buttons?’
‘I need a hand.’ A few seconds later, when Hattie had lifted away the confection of lace and silk, Fiona said, ‘I thought I loved that dress but I never felt comfortable in it.’
‘You looked utterly beautiful in it. But then, you are.’ Hattie smiled. ‘Shall I pop back and get you when you’re dressed?’
‘I’ll come down.’
Hattie didn’t leave the room immediately. ‘Do you – did you – feel safe with Nick?’ Hattie was aware that she had been taking a huge risk asking Nick to help. She hardly knew him. If it hadn’t been for her vision he would never have come into her mind to help Fiona.
Fiona nodded. ‘He’s so kind, isn’t he? I remember meeting him when we did the quiz and thought he was really nice. I didn’t know he was a limo driver and what a coincidence that he works for the company we booked for the cars.’
Hattie bit her lip. She wasn’t absolutely sure what Nick did for a living, but she was fairly sure limos didn’t come into it.
Downstairs, Hattie sent Xander and Nick out on a fake errand for milk. She suddenly had the feeling that Fiona would need some space.
When Fiona came into the kitchen, Hattie was glad she had asked the others to go shopping.
Fiona looked hollowed out in a pair of jeans that hung off her and a T-shirt washed to the palest pink and no bra.
Hattie realised she had probably been wearing something complicated and constricting under the wedding dress.
‘Are you hungry?’ Hattie asked.
‘Toast,’ said Fiona. ‘Have you got bread? I haven’t had toast and Marmite for months.’
Hattie cut bread and put it in the toaster. ‘Would you mind telling me what happened? Not if you don’t want to, obviously. Tea?’
Fiona nodded. She sat down at the table and put butter on the crust of bread that was there. ‘It was a miracle really. I was so unhappy but I couldn’t see a way out.’
‘Oh, love, that’s awful,’ said Hattie.
‘So we set off in the car – Dad had a hip flask he sipped from a few times and offered to me. I didn’t have any.
I thought I’d be sick. I felt ill enough as it was.
Then, when we’d gone a little way, Dad said, “This is the wrong way, you fool!” Nick said – I hadn’t noticed it was Nick, I was too wound up with everything.
Nick said he’d heard that a load of sheep were loose on the usual way and we had to take a detour. ’
‘Golly,’ said Hattie, impressed by Nick’s ingenuity.
‘And then Nick took a call on his phone, through his ear, you know, and said Dad was wanted urgently back at the house. He said that someone had rung and it was urgent.’ Fiona paused while Hattie buttered the toast that had now popped up.
‘Dad went ballistic and said we’d be late for the wedding.
Nick said he’d drop Dad off and make sure I got to the wedding on time.
I knew Dad was nervous about walking me down the aisle, so he didn’t say anything. ’
Hattie cut more bread. She got the impression that Fiona was enjoying telling her story.
‘Nick dropped him off and then we sped away, really fast. But we hadn’t gone far before he pulled into a lay-by and asked me if I’d like to think about whether I wanted to get married or not.’ Fiona paused, apparently losing focus a bit.
‘What did you say?’ Hattie prompted, desperate to know the story.
‘I realised I hadn’t thought about it. Not ever, I don’t think. Lance proposed, gave me this enormous diamond.’ She waggled her finger. Hattie wasn’t an expert but she guessed it to be about two carats. ‘And suddenly, that was that. We were getting married, buying a house, moving to the country.’
Hattie took out the second lot of toast and started buttering. ‘Are you happy with Marmite or do you want something sweet?’ she asked.
‘Marmite every time. You have no idea how absolutely delicious this is. I haven’t eaten a carb since I met Lance, I don’t think. Or since he decided he wanted to marry me but only if I was slim.’
‘You are slim.’
‘But not thin! Not thin enough to give him status,’ said Fiona. ‘Apparently. I let him down by being podgy.’
Hattie took a breath to protest but let it out again. She wanted to know the rest of the story. ‘So you decided you didn’t want to get married?’
‘Actually, I started to cry. Nick came and sat next to me in the back of the car and handed me tissues and water. Eventually he said, “I’ll take that as a no, then.” Fiona smiled at the memory.
‘Even though I was crying so hard I had to laugh. And I knew I didn’t want to marry Lance and the wedding had to be called off.
’ She gave a shuddering sigh. ‘I told him I didn’t want to marry Lance, but I thought I still had to.
Nick told me the wedding didn’t have to happen.
’ She bit into her toast. ‘Then he rang you and I spoke to Mum.’ She yawned.
‘Would you mind if I lay on the sofa for a bit?’
Two minutes later, Fiona was fast asleep.
‘She must have been exhausted,’ said Hattie as she and Nick surveyed the sleeping Fiona, now covered with a blanket.
‘Poor darling,’ said Nick softly. ‘What I’d do to that man if I had the chance.’
‘What did you say happened to Xander?’ Hattie asked, wanting to change the subject.
‘Oh – we met a guy called Luke? In the shop? They were obviously old friends. Xander asked if he could spend the day with Luke. Luke said yes and invited Xander to make music at his house. Luke said he’d drop him home tomorrow but to text if you’re worried. That’s OK, isn’t it?’
‘You seem to have gone to a lot of trouble to do the right thing. But Luke is very nice. And it’s fine. Now, how much do I owe you for the milk, and what can I make you to eat?’
‘Nothing and nothing,’ said Nick. ‘I’ll make myself a sandwich. Then I suppose I’d better get that Rolls-Royce back to its rightful owner.’
‘You must tell me how on earth you managed to persuade people you were a limo driver?’
Nick smiled. ‘A lot of ingenuity and a bit of bribery did it.’
Hattie watched as Nick wielded ham, tomatoes, mayonnaise and butter.
‘I’m just a bit worried about Fiona,’ said Nick over his shoulder. ‘Where can she go? Lance is bound to come looking for her.’
‘Actually, I’ve got an idea about that. Hang on a minute.’
Hattie went to her bedroom and found the raffle prize and ran back downstairs with it. ‘I won this at the raffle they had at the quiz. It’s a week in someone’s flat in Paris. She could go there for a week at least to think, although I don’t much like the thought of her being alone.’
Nick looked thoughtful. When he spoke, it was hesitantly. ‘Do you think Fiona would like – might consider going to Paris with me?’
Hattie lit up at the idea. It was much too soon for anything romantic, of course, but hoping as she did that Nick and Fiona might be right for each other, if she’d read her vision correctly, this was too exciting to not encourage. ‘You’ll have to ask her.’
‘Or you could ask her? I don’t want her to feel pressured in any way. I mean – you know me, but she doesn’t. It’s probably a mad idea even to think of it.’
‘I’ll ask her.’
Nick handed her a sandwich with so much filling she’d have to eat it in small stages. ‘Here.’
‘Thank you.’
‘But, Hattie, isn’t there anyone you’d like to go to Paris with?’
Just for a second she pictured herself and Luke sitting at a café table in Paris. It wasn’t a vision, it was just a momentary dream. She shook her head and cleared her throat to bring herself back to sanity. ‘Not really. Besides, I’ve got Xander staying.’
After she’d watched Nick drive the Rolls down the hill, Hattie cleared up the lunch and sat on the armchair next to the sleeping Fiona.
Then she got up and changed the sheets on Xander’s bed for something to occupy her time and stop her thinking about Luke.
It was crazy, she’d seen him only a week ago. How could she be missing him?
Fiona came to at about six o’clock.
‘How are you feeling?’ asked Hattie.
‘A bit weird. Is the wedding really off?’
Hattie nodded. ‘Would you like to stay here tonight? My nephew is spending the night with my friend Luke, so it’s just us.’
‘That sounds nice. Would you mind if I called my mum? I haven’t got my phone.’
Hattie handed over her phone. ‘I’ll make us some supper to give you some privacy.’ She paused. ‘Would frying pan pizza be OK? I was going to make that for my nephew.’
‘That sounds perfect. Anything with carbs is fine by me!’
‘Go and talk to your mum. I’ll be in the kitchen.’
While Hattie cooked she could hear Fiona and her mother were having a long conversation but of course couldn’t hear what they were saying.
The pizza was under the grill browning before Fiona came back.
‘Lance hasn’t taken it well,’ she said. ‘Mum said he was spitting tacks, whatever that means.’
‘It means he’s angry.’
Fiona sat down at the table. ‘He would be. He’s been made to look a fool. Although Mum said everyone seemed to enjoy the party. Daddy’s spitting tacks too. He thought Lance would be good for me.’
Hattie smothered a snort at that idea. ‘Glass of wine?’
‘Yes, please. I haven’t been drinking either. I’ve just been having bone broth and green smoothies.’
They ate in silence for a few minutes; then Fiona said, ‘The trouble is, I don’t know where to go. I want to go home but can’t as I need to keep right out of Lance’s way. And Daddy’s.’
‘Well, I was talking to Nick about this earlier. I won a week in Paris as a raffle prize at the quiz. Would you like to go there?’
‘On my own?’ Fiona didn’t look keen.
‘Actually, Nick offered to take you. Of course it would be just as friends, but he felt a bit odd about asking you himself.’
‘He was incredibly kind to me,’ said Fiona. ‘So calm and gentle. So unlike Lance!’
‘Nick… cares about you.’
‘He doesn’t know me!’
Hattie laughed. ‘True! But would you feel safe with him if you went to Paris together?’
‘Oh, yes. Absolutely. In a way I never felt with Lance. I felt he owned me but didn’t really like me.’
Hattie was silent, keeping back her opinions on Lance. There was no need to pile in now that the wedding was off.
‘Have a think about Paris,’ she said instead. ‘Nick will come back in the morning and you can make a plan if you want to.’
Fiona nodded; she didn’t seem against the idea at all.
‘More pizza? Or shall I find the box of chocolates I’ve had in the freezer for a while?’ Hattie offered.
‘Chocolates! I didn’t know you could freeze them!’
‘You definitely can.’
Fiona had gone to bed and Hattie was just clearing up when her phone went.
It was Sheila. ‘Hattie? Can you hear me? I’m in the coat cupboard.’
‘I can hear you.’ She didn’t bother to ask why Sheila was in the coat cupboard – there would presumably be a good reason.
‘Lance has worked out that the wedding being called off was something to do with you. I let the cat out of the bag. I’m so sorry. He’s furious.’
‘Oh, dear.’
‘I’m ringing to warn you. I know you haven’t got your home address on your website or anything but he’s determined to find you.’
‘Is he likely to come tonight?’
‘He shouldn’t drive as he’s been drinking but I don’t think that would stop him.’
‘OK.’
‘You’ll be all right?’
‘I’ll be fine. I’m safe here, I’m sure. And I’ll keep Fiona safe too. She’s probably asleep by now.’
‘Good. The poor girl must be worn out by all this.’
‘Yes! It’s been lovely to see her eat and relax.’
‘Thank you so much for all your help, Hattie. You’ve saved our daughter.’ There was a wry laugh. ‘Although my husband might take longer to be grateful.’
Hattie laughed too. ‘That’s OK. I don’t need his gratitude.’
‘I’m grateful enough for both of us, I’m sure.’
‘I was very happy to be able to help.’
It was only after she disconnected the call that she suddenly began to feel nervous. The cottage was far from any neighbours and Hattie had never minded this before. But the thought of Lance tracking her down, coming to her door to threaten her and Fiona, made her heartbeat increase.
She picked up the phone again. ‘Luke?’ she said when her call was answered. ‘Could I possibly borrow Frank and Fearless?’