Chapter Thirty-Four
Oh Come, All Ye Cake-full
Matt looked taken aback, and Gemma rushed to explain. ‘I’m so proud of all you’ve done to make this day what Anna wanted.’ Then, she recalled their early-morning exchange. ‘Why did you message me earlier? What was up?’
A conflicted look filtered across Matt’s features as he continued to hold Gemma’s gaze.
‘Nothing.’ He lowered his head. ‘Not important.’
Gemma was going to persevere, but a commotion behind them broke the moment as the newly-weds joined them.
Anna threw her arms round Matt, placed a resounding kiss on both of his cheeks and tremulously whispered, ‘I love you,’ before taking Oliver’s hand as he assisted her into the carriage.
With the rich scarlet blanket over their knees, Oliver and Anna were soon on their way, but to Gemma’s surprise the carriage turned about and, instead of taking the approach to the village hall, set off towards the harbour, the guests strolling in its wake.
As the carriage headed out along the narrow road running parallel with the water towards the tidal beach, Gemma hung back, and Matt retraced his steps.
‘What’s up?’
‘Isn’t this bit private? Anna said to come along, but that was when she thought it was just everyone at the village hall. I’ll pop along, see if I can give a hand there. All the people left are family and close friends.’
Matt rolled his eyes. ‘You are a friend. Besides, I’m allowed to take a plus one.’
Her brow furrowed. ‘Didn’t you have anyone to invite?’
For a moment, his dark gaze held Gemma’s, his eyes raking her face. Then, he gave a sheepish smile. ‘Lost my nerve to ask her.’
‘Oh.’ Was he talking about Sophia?
Unwilling to press for answers, Gemma hesitated, still unsure she ought to join this close group who meant so much to Anna or Oliver.
‘Stubborn as ever,’ Matt muttered. ‘Come on. If you prefer, I’m telling you to do it as part of the job.’ He cast a side glance at two women who’d caught up from behind and who threw him an admiring look before continuing ahead, glancing over their shoulders now and again. ‘Besides, I don’t want to be the spare part.’
She was wavering, wasn’t she? Perhaps one last protest?
‘I’m your housekeeper, Matt, not your bodyguard.’
He urged her on and fell into step beside her, his narrowed gaze on the women further up the lane. ‘If you say so.’
‘Hi.’ Another woman, probably late thirties and with an attractive smile, caught them up. ‘Are you Anna’s brother? I used to work with her when she lived in Harrogate. Kate.’ She held out a beautifully manicured hand, and Matt stopped to shake it. ‘I couldn’t believe it when she told me she wasn’t the only child she’d spent all her life believing herself to be.’
Gemma hovered a pace behind, but Matt reached out an arm and pulled her to stand beside him.
‘This is Gemma. She’s my house—’
‘Friend,’ she interjected.
Kate’s amusement was evident. ‘House friend? Interesting. I’ll catch up with you later.’ She put two fingers to her lips and released a piercing whistle, and the two young women up ahead stopped to wait for her.
Matt urged Gemma on. ‘Speed up, slowcoach. We’re the tail end now, and all the canapés will be gone, and I’ll never hear the end of it if you can’t stuff your face.’
Amused despite her reservations at what felt like crashing an intimate occasion, Gemma kept pace with him, conscious he deliberately avoided catching up with the ladies in front of them.
‘Was the reading Oliver’s surprise then?’
Matt didn’t respond at first, then said softly, ‘No, this is Oliver’s secret offering.’
They’d reached the high wall around Harbourwatch now, where the lane sloped down towards the sandy beach that Gemma had grown to love. Today, the gates were open, but they were also adorned with the same greenery and Christmas roses as had dressed both the boat and the church.
The guests looked around with eager interest as they followed the carriage into the sweeping driveway. The view was stunning, with the sandy cove visible to the right, and then the stretch of rocks on which the top of the lighthouse was visible. Across the entrance to the cove was a striking view of Westerleigh Cottage and its gardens where it perched on the opposite cliff.
‘I don’t understand,’ Anna could be heard saying as Oliver helped her down from the carriage. ‘Everyone will be waiting for us in the village hall.’
‘Where they are being admirably looked after by Phee, Jean and the team of caterers you worked with,’ Oliver said firmly. ‘We’ll call in on them later.’
He led Anna to the main entrance as the doors opened and Dev emerged.
‘Welcome back to where you first met, Mr and Mrs Seymour,’ he greeted them with a warm smile.
Gemma put a hand to her chest. ‘I have no idea what’s going on, but it feels so romantic.’
Matt, however, clearly wasn’t into the moment, having fished out his phone.
‘Damnit,’ he muttered, and Gemma nudged him as a couple of people looked their way.
Matt steered Gemma over to one side. ‘I need to talk to you.’
‘It might have to wait.’
Never had Gemma uttered words more contrary to her inner desire as she and Matt trailed through the house after the other guests to enter a stunning, square-shaped room. It had beautiful cornices, a plaster frieze at waist height around the room depicting interlinked shells, and several pairs of tall, arched windows affording breathtaking views.
‘Thank you.’ Gemma accepted a glass of bubbly from an offered tray.
‘Cheers.’ She touched her glass to Matt’s. ‘Here’s to the happy couple.’
‘Cheers.’
They resumed their study of the room. It was, on further observation, beautifully decorated for a reception, with banks of flowers and greenery on the mantelpiece and window sills, and candles burning in lanterns on various side tables, next to elegant-looking chairs whose legs looked as though they might – if pushed – support a feather.
‘So?’ Gemma eyed Matt. ‘What’s up?’
Matt placed his glass on a small, circular table and reached for his phone. ‘A message came through from Harry.’
Gemma’s eyes skimmed the WhatsApp. It was short and to the point.
We need to talk, mate. It’s getting urgent. H
‘Well?’ Gemma tried to hand the phone back, but he waved it away. ‘Matt! You haven’t been in touch, have you?’
‘Listen to the voice note.’
Gemma held the phone to her ear. It was a plea from Harry for Matt to come and see him and help him sort out the mess of the tour before all the money they’d spent was lost.
‘Please see him, Matt. You need closure on this. You can clear your name and help get things back on track.’
‘But I shouldn’t have to, should I?’
She huffed out a breath. ‘I thought you said I was stubborn!’
Matt pushed away from the wall and walked over to where top-ups were on offer, accepting one for his glass, then picking up another and coming back to Gemma.
‘Here.’
‘I haven’t finished this one yet.’
‘You’ve got two hands, haven’t you?’
Yes, and right now I’d like to use them to bang your and Harry’s heads together.
How was it this man could endear and infuriate her in one?
Before anything further could be said, they were encouraged to partake of the tasty-looking canapés spread out on the central, circular table.
Stomach rumbling like a quad bike over a cattle grid, Gemma eagerly took a bite of a crab arancini, then became aware of Matt’s amused look.
‘What,’ she mumbled, patting her mouth with a napkin to catch any crumbs.
Lauren and Daniel came over to chat, joined then by Nicki, Hamish and their boys, but by the time they all moved on, Gemma had lost sight of Matt.
Still peckish, she edged back towards the table, selecting a couple of mini filo tarts and a chili and lime prawn skewer, before sensing a presence at her side. She looked over, then upwards, at Oliver.
‘Sorry. Am I being uncouth taking seconds?’
‘Lord, I hope not! These are so fiddly, and I’ve got a big appetite.’ Oliver gestured at his vast frame. ‘Thankfully, Anna and I are dining at our airport hotel later, where I’ll be having a full three courses.’
With a laugh, Gemma picked up a skewer and bit the end. ‘Oh my. These are to die for.’ She looked around the gorgeous room. ‘How did you manage to have a reception here? It’s a private residence, isn’t it?’
‘Dev offered it, after the locals became so enthusiastic about the wedding, and I leapt at the chance. Anna and I first met in this house, although she never came into this room. This was where I spent my evenings, mainly staring over there.’ Oliver gestured towards Westerleigh, which could be seen across the water through the arched windows. ‘Anna became all I thought of, day and night. Having our reception in the room where I started to fall in love with her felt… right.’
Gemma’s eyes felt damp, and she looked around frantically for a fresh napkin to try and save her carefully applied make-up. Oliver held out a neatly pressed white handkerchief.
‘Thank you,’ she hiccupped, taking it from him and making use of it. ‘You always did strike me as someone who’s prepared for everything.’
‘Indeed. Everything I ever anticipated, except Anna.’
He half bowed, waved away the return of the handkerchief and walked back to join his bride.
Gemma patted her cheeks, carefully folding Oliver’s offering, then started as a voice said, ‘Did you miss me that much?’
Spinning round, she flapped Matt with the handkerchief, and he burst out laughing, stepping away from her.
‘Where did you go?’ Gemma hissed. ‘You might have told me you were leaving. I felt like a right lemon with no one to talk to.’
‘You were having quite the chat with someone when I came back in,’ Matt riposted, taking a sip of red wine.
‘Oh, him?’ Gemma waved an airy hand. ‘He’s just someone who used to work here.’
Matt grinned, and she willed her heart to stop acting like someone had blown the whistle for the 100 metres. She’d never manage the four-minute sprint into his arms in these heels, though with hindsight perhaps that was a good thing.
Would now be the right time to ask again about his late-night message? Before Gemma could summon the words, however, someone came to talk to him, and, not wanting to look like a spare part, she strolled around the room, pausing now and again to appreciate the views. She was tilting her head to the side, puzzled over a piece of the shell frieze that didn’t seem to match up, when Matt materialised at her side.
‘It looks like they’re on the move.’ He walked over into Anna’s embrace and, as they said goodbye to their guests, Gemma stayed by the window.
Anna, however, whispered something to Oliver, then flew across the room to Gemma and gave her the biggest hug.
Hazel eyes – so like her brother’s – shone with unshed tears when Anna stepped back. ‘I can’t thank you enough.’ Her voice was choked as she grasped one of Gemma’s hands and squeezed it.
Mystified, Gemma hugged her back.
‘We’re popping by the village hall to see everyone, cut the cake someone has apparently made for us.’ Anna squeezed Gemma’s hand once more before releasing her and returning to Oliver by the door.
‘Isn’t she a darling?’
Nicki had materialised at Gemma’s side.
Gemma’s brow, however, remained furrowed. ‘She’s lovely, but she said she can’t thank me enough, and I’m not aware I’ve done anything. I mean, you’re one of her closest friends and you created that beautiful up-do.’
With a laugh, Nicki raised the bottle in her hand and topped up Gemma’s glass, then her own. ‘It’ll be to do with Matt. She’s been so worried about him, but since you arrived she’s been much less anxious. Well, she’s still had the wedding prep stress, but he’s dropped down her worry list lately, for which you’ll find Oliver is eternally grateful too. Cheers.’
They clinked glasses, and Gemma’s gaze sought Matt, but he’d been cornered by the two young women from earlier. She could tell from his closed expression he was desperate to escape, and in that instant he threw her a pleading look, but Gemma merely inclined her head gracefully and turned her back.
‘Precisely,’ Nicki intoned as she took a sip of champagne. ‘Men. They don’t get it, do they?’
Gemma grinned. ‘Nope. Talking of which, where’s Hamish and your boys?’
‘They got a bit restless. Not their sort of food, so Hamish took them down to the beach cafe for a pasty and a can of Coke, and then they’re heading back to walk Dougal and feed Heathcliff. The boys are ridiculously excited about looking after the pets for a week. I said I’d stay to hold the fort.’
‘Cheers to that as well, then.’ They clinked glasses again, and shortly afterwards there was a collective move to depart.
The guests all left in various directions, and when Nicki expressed her intention to head to the village hall to see if there was any cake left to take home, Gemma went with her.
Of Matt, once again, there was no sign. Gemma checked her phone, only to see she’d missed a notification.
Got waylaid. Let me know what time we’re heading back in the
morning.
Waylaid? By what? Or, more likely, by whom?