Chapter Seven
As she quickly wiped off her make-up, she tried to analyse her feelings. Something about this stranger appealed. When he smiled at her he gave her his full attention, not just because she was good-looking but because he was interested in her for who she was as a person. As she stepped down from the make-up trailer, he was already waiting by a large Range Rover. She had swapped into a big, padded bomber jacket that Zac Posen had gifted to her and a pair of high-waisted denim jeans. On her feet she wore sheepskin lined boots that were finally returning some warmth to her frozen toes.
Leaning forward he kissed her again on the cheek. ‘You look even prettier! How is that possible?’
Paddy laughed. ‘Well, I was wearing a polyester wedding dress and had almost as much slap on my face as you did. In fact, I think we even had the same colour foundation.’ Leaning forward, Paddy rubbed her thumb along Hal’s jawline causing him to raise his eyes.
‘Here, they missed a bit.’
‘Bloody hell, they’ll think it’s panto season again.’ Opening the door of the car for her, he told her the restaurant had managed to squeeze them in. ‘Although I suspect we’re probably by the kitchen doors!’
Paddy laughed. ‘Just what every bride dreams of. So, who else is joining us?’
Hal got into the car and looked across at her. ‘On our honeymoon? Just boring old me I’m afraid.’ He paused, uncertain by the concern clouding her face. ‘Sorry. I was just joking about the honeymoon thing. I just thought it would be nice to go for a meal?’
Paddy felt foolish. And then felt foolish for feeling foolish. Jumping into some random stranger’s car seemed pretty high on the list of things she was not supposed to do. But he did seem lovely, if a bit roguish, and she really wanted to eat at Cliff House.
***
Paddy settled into the car as Hal nipped around the country lanes. She was finding driving in Cornwall a bit challenging. Hal’s car sat quite high and gave a better view of the road ahead and she wondered if she would do better to swap for something bigger. She adored her MGB, but she did find driving it around here a little alarming. It was definitely a city car. ‘So how did you get us a table at such short notice?’
Hal slowed the car for a tight bend before replying.
‘We sometimes supply Toby with his game meats, and I know he tends to keep a table free for friends and family, so I chanced it. Rather glad you got rid of that make-up off me or I wouldn’t have heard the end of it.’
Paddy watched as Hal smiled but kept his eyes on the road. Even if he was sitting higher up than other cars, he obviously wasn’t ignorant of the issues of driving down single-track lanes with giant hedges on either side. ‘We won’t get a sea view but the food more than makes up for it. Have you eaten there before?’
‘No, I’ve only just moved down.’ She still felt out of sync with her new title and family wealth and decided not to say anymore. She hadn’t even mentioned that her family owned the chapel they had spent the day in and decided to change the subject. ‘When you say, ‘We supply’ who is we?’
‘My estate. It’s mostly mixed, arable and livestock. You’ll have to come for a tour of it.’
Paddy confessed that she didn’t know where the Vollen estate was and he explained he lived about thirty miles away near the north coast.
‘You’ll discover that a Cornish thirty miles can seem a very long way away. It can take forever to get anywhere and that’s in the quiet months. Wait until summer. The county fills up with holidaymakers and you can’t move a muscle!’
Paddy smiled inwardly; it was kind of him to try and introduce her to some of the foibles of her new home, but really, having grown up in London she knew all about congestion. Deciding to change the subject she asked instead how he had ended up playing the role of a groom and was treated to a lively tale that included a charity fundraising evening, a spirited auction to go deep sea fishing and being a tad worse for wear. Finally, he worked out he’d been bidding most vigorously on the wrong item. ‘Even worse, I had to do it today! Headache and all. I had considered cancelling but I didn’t want to let them down or give the charity a bad name. If I knew just what a small part I had, I might have stayed in bed.’
Paddy laughed. The idea that he thought everyone would be waiting on him, a role that until the night before hadn’t even been allocated, was amusing but she didn’t want to puncture his ego.
‘Sorry, that wasn’t very gallant of me, was it. If I’d stayed in bed, I’d have never met you. Will you forgive me? So tell me a bit about yourself. Where do you live? What do you do? When can I see you again?’
Paddy grinned, a second date before the first one was even over. Even so, she was still trying to settle in, and didn’t want to talk about herself.
‘I’m in between jobs at the moment and staying near Tregiskey.’
‘What line of work are you in?’
‘Modelling.’
‘Ah,’ Hal nodded his head sympathetically, ‘that’s a pretty competitive industry I hear. Still, look at you. I bet you’ll find something else again soon, and Tregiskey is a lovely village. Are you looking for work down here?’
Paddy said she was currently taking a break and was relieved by how quickly they had arrived at the restaurant. Hal hadn’t been driving fast but the time had flown, and she was finding the conversation too close to home. Tonight, she was simply Paddy, starting afresh with a clean slate. He had no pre-conceived ideas about her and she was revelling in his attention and ignorance of her title and her history.
The headlights from the car illuminated the exterior of the restaurant as they swung around to the car park, and as she stepped down from the Range Rover, she could hear the North Atlantic rollers crashing onto the shore below. The air was chilly and she quickly headed towards the reception with Hal holding the door open for her.
Walking in, it was clear he was well-known and there was some friendly banter with some of the chefs in the open kitchen. Once again, the fact that she was in everyday clothing and no make-up meant that she was generally unrecognised, even if her hair was something of a trademark. She did notice that some diners were turning their heads to see who had arrived, given that the volume level had risen as various people greeted Hal. From their expressions, a few had clearly recognised her. This was a restaurant that attracted a certain crowd, the leisured wealthy, and amongst them would be ladies that attended fashion shows, or read Vogue and Harper’s or followed certain brands.
Happily though, Paddy discovered that Cornwall was a county where, as Billee predicted no one cared who she was and she loved it.
Now, looking across at the gorgeous man in front of her, she was beginning to see that it might hold other charms. She couldn’t make up her mind about him. He was certainly easy on the eye, but that was hardly a draw for her. His lazy confident manner was attractive but also not something she was unused to. But every now and then though, a vein of genuine kindness shone through. They had just sat down when a waitress walked past, laden with too many dishes. Her table had obviously tried to be helpful, adding small plates to the dishes she was removing. Spotting her dilemma, Hal had jumped up and lightened her load, following her into the kitchens. As he returned, he apologised to Paddy for abandoning her, and continued chatting as though he had done nothing remarkable. She liked the way he paid attention to minor details and the fact that he seemed utterly interested in her. Well, who wouldn’t like that?
‘So, tell me,’ said Paddy, ‘was that your dream wedding?’
Hal pretended to take the question seriously. ‘I think that in nearly every aspect my dream wedding would be different. For a start, I wouldn’t be wearing make-up and the congregation would be better behaved.’
Paddy stopped poking the olives. ‘I’d settle for a better-behaved groom!’
Hal winced. ‘Was I dreadful? I’m afraid I was very hung-over, aren’t grooms supposed to be hungover from the stag do?’
‘If you a real groom you can do as you please but jobbing actors have to toe the line.’
He winced again making Paddy laugh.
‘I’ll send them an apology. And an offer of any help they may need.’
‘So long as you also promise not to appear in front of the camera ever again.’
Hal groaned and put his hand in his head.
‘Alright, banged to rights. Next time I shall be the perfect groom.’
Deciding to take pity on him she returned to the beginning of the conversation. ‘So you said you would change nearly every aspect, which aspects did you like?’ Paddy was fishing for compliments and Hal knew it. ‘Well, the bride was tolerably fair…’
‘Tolerably!’ Paddy wondered if throwing an olive at Hal would be considered out of order. Instead, she gave him a mock scowl and waited whilst their next course was laid out. ‘So, besides the tolerable bride, were there any other highlights?’
‘The chapel was pretty special, although there wouldn’t be much room for all the trees.’
‘Trees?’
She leant forward curiously, surely he couldn’t be thinking of the same thing she was.
‘Yes,’ he refilled her wine glass and then took a sip from his own. ‘Do you remember when William and Kate got married, they lined the aisle of the abbey with giant trees? I thought that was stunning.’
‘Why Hal, are you a romantic?’ Paddy asked delightedly. She had watched that wedding and all the royal weddings, with hearts in her eyes. Everything was so dreamy and she had soaked it all up. She had almost swooned when she had seen the trees; it was like a fairy tale. Now here was a man who looked like a fairy tale prince telling her that he had also loved the trees.
‘Guilty! What about you then, any trees in your church?’
‘Oh I wish. But I could never imagine getting married in a church that big. Yesterday’s chapel would be just fine, but lit by candles and I’d have all my sisters as bridesmaids. My dress wouldn’t be nylon and I wouldn’t have a heater under my skirts to try and keep me warm.’
She laughed remembering the electric blower that Hal had kept dragging backwards and forwards to keep her warm. ‘But the wedding wouldn’t be the big deal for me, it would be the marriage. I’d live in a perfect home…’
‘What would make it perfect?’
‘It would have a thatched roof, some deer in the garden and birds singing around the window.’ Paddy looked at Hal. ‘Are you sniggering? We’d also have lots of children.’
‘How many?’
‘Undetermined at this stage but at least two sets of twins.’
Hal started laughing. ‘Good grief woman, how would you keep on top of the housework?’
‘Silly. There wouldn’t be any housework. This is my perfect life remember. I’d see the children off to school…’
Hal interrupted her, surely in this Mary Poppins daydream she’d be walking her children to school. ‘Don’t you take them?’
Paddy’s lips twitched, that sounded far too much like real life and she shook her head. ‘Hush, you’re spoiling it. I’d then potter around and make their beds,’ she paused reflectively, ‘there, see, there will be housework. Then I’ll read for a bit. Afterwards, I’ll go into the garden and pick flowers for the house. Come back in and take the cake out of the oven.’
‘Wait, when did you make a cake?’
‘I didn’t, weren’t you paying attention? But there will always be something baking, ready for when I come in from the garden with the flowers.’
‘What about winter?’
‘There will always be flowers. Stop trying to derail my dream. Anyway, while the cake is cooling,’ she gave him a fake scowl, ‘I will go out and ride my horse all afternoon and then I’ll be home just in time for when the children walk back through the door. My darling husband will come home from work calling out ‘Honey, I’m home’.’
She scowled again. ‘You have quite a loud laugh, don’t you?’
‘I think Walt Disney and the 1950s want their daydream back.’
‘Well, they can’t have it,’ pouted Paddy, ‘it’s mine. Anyway, I’ll take his coat and hat and we’ll all sit down and discuss our day.’
Hal topped up his glass and smiled across at her. The candlelight catching the lights in his eyes. ‘So what does your perfect husband do? Is he a crime fighting hero, a spy, a top shot money man?’
Paddy sipped her wine. ‘No idea, but he loves me and he thinks I am the most wonderful person in the world along with the children. He is always there for us and that’s the only detail I care about.’
A strand from Paddy’s fringe fell forward across her face and Hal stretched across the table to tuck it back behind her ear. As he did, his finger lightly traced her skin and Paddy was astounded by her reaction. Heat ran across her face were his finger had been and her throat tightened as she struggled to catch her breath. Flustered, she stopped talking and looked down at the table. Things suddenly felt serious and Paddy blushed. What had started out as a light-hearted game had become very revealing. After a pause, she was grateful that Hal continued with the conversation.
‘Well, when I marry the seventh Mrs Ferguson, it will be absolutely the final time. We’ll be in Vegas and I’ll have just blown this month’s pension on an Elvis impersonator to tie the knot.’
Paddy was hugely relieved that Hal hadn’t noticed her embarrassment and had switched the subject to himself. She couldn’t decide if she was more mortified by how much of her daydream she had revealed or how much her body had surged when he touched her. She was still struggling to get her heartbeat under control and was more than happy to play along with his Las Vegas scenario.
‘Will you be wearing rhinestones?’ she asked, relieved that her voice wasn’t shaking.
‘We both will. Although she’ll be in a bikini so there won’t be much room for rhinestones on her outfit.’
‘A bikini!’
‘It has a fringe. It will be a very tasteful bikini.’
Paddy laughed as he protected the taste levels of his future wife. ‘Well, indeed, if it has a fringe…’
‘Exactly, Tiffany is nothing if not tasteful. Besides, if you’ve got it, flaunt it.’
‘Indeed! And does Tiffany have a career?’
‘No, but she did win the lottery.’ He waggled his eyebrows wolfishly causing Paddy to laugh out loud.
‘So, why will she want to marry some six-times-married old letch then?’
Hal grinned back at Paddy, laughing at her insults. ‘The accent. American girls love the accent. Plus I told her I own a castle.’
‘Poor old Tiffany when she discovers a lack of castle.’
‘Who says I don’t have a castle?’
‘Oh God! Do you have a castle?’
‘No, no castle.’
‘Poor Tiffany.’
Now Hal roared with laughter and ordered another bottle of wine. Paddy was almost giddy with how much freedom she was experiencing. She couldn’t remember when she had laughed so much and let her defences down with anyone outside of her family. Hal made her relax; she didn’t need to be on her guard; she could be silly and just act without care. Life was exciting and full of possibilities. Right now, she felt like a blank canvas, the world was her oyster and anything was possible. To hell with it. What could possibly go wrong?