Chapter 20 #2
‘I can’t remember seeing such a happy crowd of people at a dance before. They are all mixing so well together,’ Jenny said.
‘The friends from Derbyshire are all people Tommy and I knew when we were in the Young Farmers. I expect a lot of Ciaran’s friends are Young Farmers, too, so they will have something in common.’
‘Yes, I wouldn’t be surprised if there are one or two matches after tonight.’ Jenny chuckled.
Roxie thought there would certainly be a match between Tommy and Beth.
They had danced almost every dance together, and they looked so at ease and happy together.
It was as though a huge weight had been removed from Tommy since the latest astonishing development.
The wife at the Chinese restaurant in town had been convinced baby Liam was her grandson from the first time she had seen him.
She didn’t like the bad-tempered way Gilda often treated him so the couple had visited Tommy to ask if he would agree to them adopting him.
He had promptly put them in touch with Mr Robson, the solicitor, but before the latest DNA results were available to prove the connection, Gilda had seized at the chance of adoption.
She wanted her freedom back, and to go travelling.
She was suddenly eager to agree to a divorce in return for a reasonable sum from Tommy.
Roxie hoped her brother could find happiness as she had done.
Eventually, as they had prearranged, Ciaran came to ask her to dance again.
They got nearer the door, intending to make a dash for their car, but Donald and Tommy had been keeping a sharp eye on them and they pounced before Roxie and Ciaran could get out of the hotel.
They were showered with confetti, amid a lot of laughter and teasing, before they could scramble into the car.
‘It has been a wonderful day.’ Roxie sighed happily as they drew away from the crowd of laughing friends.
‘I can confess now,’ Ciaran said. ‘I felt very nervous waiting for you to arrive at the church. Don didn’t help either.
He said he had forgotten to pick up the ring.
He hadn’t, of course. The wretch was just pulling my leg.
Everyone seemed to mix well and enjoy the day, though, most especially my mother.
When I danced with her, she said it was the happiest day she could remember since her own wedding day. ’
‘I was dreadfully nervous when I saw the church so full of people and so many waiting outside, too. I didn’t expect that,’ Roxie said. ‘Tommy was very good, though. He kept me calm.’
Ciaran stopped the car as soon as they turned into a quieter road out of town. He turned and drew Roxie into his arms.
‘It feels as though I have waited all day to give my new wife a proper kiss,’ he murmured tenderly and proceeded to give her several proper kisses.
‘Isn’t it great?’ he whispered, lifting his head.
‘We are on our own at last. We can go to bed together without my mother or anyone making us feel guilty.’ He grinned and started the car.
The hotel suite was luxurious. Ciaran pulled off his evening jacket and undid some of his shirt buttons as he sprawled over the chaise longue, flinging his arms wide, while his kilt displayed a fine length of thigh.
‘Whew, I’m glad we can have peace at last,’ sighed Roxie. ‘It was warm work all that dancing, much as everyone enjoyed it. I was pleased to see Harry getting Maggie on the floor a couple of times, and then Max asked her to dance and introduced her to his wife.’
‘Yes, I saw that. Vic seemed a bit shy, but maybe he doesn’t dance. Harry danced with Beth, too, but, of course, she knew most of the others from home as well, when Tommy gave them a chance to claim her.’
‘I think I could do with a drink of tea, more than any of the other drinks,’ Roxie said with a laugh, as she switched on the electric kettle left ready on a side table with everything for tea or coffee. She gently slapped his bare thigh as she passed.
‘Right, dear husband. When the kettle boils, you make the tea while I have a quick shower.’
‘Oh, Roxie, you can’t . . .’
But she had already disappeared into the bathroom. When she reappeared a short time later, wrapped in a huge pink bath sheet and with her hair still wet, Ciaran had made them both a cup of good, strong tea.
‘There, my dear husband.’ She chuckled. ‘You can have the shower if you want it, while I dry my hair. Thanks for my tea.’ She smiled at him over the rim of the cup.
‘Such cheek for a brand-new wife! We should have showered together.’
‘There’s a huge bath with sprays coming out of the sides we might try tomorrow, but the shower is barely big enough for one. I felt hot and sticky, and I wanted to wash my hair after having it lacquered into place all day.’
‘I’m tempted to pull a corner of that sheet,’ Ciaran said teasingly, making Roxie grab the big towel closer. ‘I’m ready for a cool shower myself. The ballroom got quite warm.’ He divested himself of his kilt and made for the bathroom in his underwear.
When he returned with a small towel round his waist, Roxie was sitting in front of the dressing table, finishing drying her wavy hair. She was clad now in the near transparent negligee. Her eyes met Ciaran’s shyly as he came quickly towards her.
‘Oh! Oh . . . What have we here?’ He threw aside his towel and came to her, placing his hands on her shoulders as he met her eyes in the large mirror.
‘I thought you looked like an angel coming towards me in church, but this is something else.’ He reached for her hands and drew her to her feet.
‘Now, my darling wife, you look like a water nymph.’ He held her arms above her head to do a pirouette while he admired.
As he turned her full circle to face him, she felt her cheeks flushing with a desire to match his own.
‘Oh, my Roxie,’ he murmured huskily. ‘You’re the sexiest vision I could ever have dreamed of.’
‘Do you like it?’ she asked.
‘It is really lovely, but not as beautiful as the woman inside.’ Ciaran lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bed.
He drew her on top of him and growled softly in her ear.
‘My woman! I’m the luckiest man alive,’ he whispered as he covered her with kisses, arousing a passion in Roxie as only he knew how.
THE END