24. Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Four
By the time they arrived at the manor house where the wedding fair was being held, the heavy rain had reduced to a light drizzle. ‘Wow, this is so posh.’ May gazed at the granite walls, somehow made even more imposing by the grey light.
‘Yup,’ said Cillian.
The tremor in his voice caused May to peer at him. ‘Are you OK? You still look quite peaky.’
‘I’m fine.’ He waved his hand. ‘Or at least I will be in a minute.’
‘Great. Look.’ May pointed to two suited waiters standing beside the entrance, holding silver trays. ‘Free booze. You’re driving home.’
Cillian’s response was an instant ‘OK,’ and a vigorous nod.
What was that about? May laughed and shook her head. ‘Why don’t you take a walk around the grounds until you’re feeling better?’
‘That might not be such a bad idea.’
‘Great, I’ll get a drink and join you. Wait here.’ May ran up the stone steps, grabbed a glass of champagne from the tray, and carried it back to where Cillian was bent double, taking a series of deep breaths.
‘I’m fine,’ he muttered through pursed lips when she reached him.
‘If you say so.’ When he straightened, May linked her arm through his. She wouldn’t usually be so touchy-feely but the poor man looked as though he might keel over, and it felt good to be in control for once. ‘Look, let’s try through there, it looks like the kind of place we might find a bench.’
May smiled as Cillian’s shuffles became normal steps and colour returned to his cheeks. She sipped her champagne slowly, feeling the need to keep her wits about her. She couldn’t work Cillian out and still didn’t trust him not to book some awful hotel complete with string quartet and cheesy disco.
When they reached a low stone bench beside an ornamental pond, May grabbed the end of her cardigan and brushed away the surface water. Cillian frowned at her. ‘What?’ asked May. ‘You didn’t want to get a wet bum, did you?’
He shook his head. ‘It’s not that,’ he said, ‘you’re just so different from most of the women I know.’
‘The supermodels and teenage fan girls? I should hope so! Sit. You’re looking better, but I want to be sure you’re not going to puke in a flower arrangement before we head inside.’
Cillian did as he was told and sat down.
‘Be honest.’ May sat beside him, crossed her legs, and twisted to face Cillian. ‘Was it my driving?’
‘Um, you do drive quite fast along those country lanes.’
May humphed. ‘At least I don’t stall.’
‘Fair enough.’
They shared a grin, Cillian’s still a little weak.
‘So, what’s the plan for today?’ May asked.
‘What do you mean?’
‘Well, you’ve come in a ridiculous disguise, so I’m guessing that means you don’t want to be recognised, and in order to be convincing on that front we’re going to need a backstory.’
‘A backstory?’
‘Yes, for starters, what am I meant to call you?’
‘Chris?’
‘Chris? Is that the most imaginative you can come up with? I think I’ll go for Eugene.’
‘Eugene? You think I look like a Eugene?’
‘In that stupid wig, you do. What are you going to call me?’
‘May?’
May kicked his knee with her toe. ‘Don’t be so boring, Eugene. You’re meant to be creative.’
‘Esmerelda.’
May barked out a laugh. ‘I love it. Eugene and Esmerelda. And how long have we been a couple?’
‘What?’ Cillian shifted on the bench.
May laughed again. ‘What very little I know about wedding fairs is that it’s mostly couples who go to them. If you don’t want to draw attention to yourself, the best cover you could have is to be here as part of a couple.’
Cillian tapped his lips with his finger. ‘I think the name Eugene might draw a fair bit of attention.’
‘Don’t be a spoilsport.’ May took another sip of her drink.
‘Fine.’ Cillian pressed his hands to the bench and leaned back, gazing up at the sky.
‘We met volunteering at a llama farm three months ago, and it was love at first sight. Ours is a whirlwind romance, hence why we’ve left it so late to plan our wedding.
We’re thinking of something rustic, given we currently live in the horse box I converted with my own bare hands, and we don’t have a huge budget, as exotic dancing doesn’t earn as much as one would expect. ’
‘Hold on.’ May folded her arms. ‘Who’s the exotic dancer? You or me?’
He raised his eyebrows. ‘Me, of course. You work in a shoe shop.’
May laughed again, kicking her feet out in front of her to study her black, scuffed boots. ‘A shoe shop? Let’s make it a record shop.’
‘Then you’d have to know something about music.’
May’s eyes widened. ‘I’ll have you know I’m very well-informed about music.
If you’re implying that, because I didn’t recognise you, I’m ill-informed, I suggest you think again.
’ He really could be a pain, and arrogant.
May wagged a finger. ‘If you’re really nice to me one day, I might show you my collection of vinyl.
I actually got quite a few of my favourites from Grandpa Jack, who, it turns out, has hidden depths.
’ She made a moue. ‘Admittedly, I’m a few decades behind the times, but most modern music is crap anyway. ’
Cillian held his hands up. ‘Fair enough.’ He stood, wiping his slightly damp backside. ‘Come on, Esmeralda, we should probably go inside and see what this thing is all about. I’ve got the list we made. Let’s make it a challenge to tick off as many things as we can.’
‘Alright, Eugene.’ May held out a hand.
Cillian eyed it with suspicion. ‘What’s that for?’
‘We’re meant to be a couple,’ said May, rolling her eyes. ‘Couples hold hands and look like they actually like each other.’
‘I do like you,’ said Cillian, taking her hand.
‘Oh.’ May could find nothing to say to that.
‘That surprises you?’ asked Cillian as they walked back to the venue.
‘Yes. I thought you found me weird and annoying.’
‘I find your driving weird and annoying. Not you.’
May dug her elbow into Cillian’s ribs, and he squealed. ‘There’s nothing wrong with my driving,’ she said, and although she tried to make herself sound cross, she found she couldn’t keep the smile off her face.