Chapter Twenty-Three
The party had only just started but Hal had already had enough. After the third comment about the impending wedding he knew he couldn’t delay things any longer. He went off in search of Bianca who was laughing in the company of some overdressed actor. Excusing themselves from the man who was apparently Argentinian, and not an actor, Hal steered her off to the kitchens and found an empty room. It was hardly a comfortable choice but Hal was desperate that Bianca should receive the news in private.
Bianca followed Hal in alarm. Was bringing Raoul here sailing too close to the wind? Hal had been acting odd for weeks now and she was just trying to remind him of what he would be missing out on if he got cold feet. She had also been ignoring him all week in an attempt to make him feel guilty and apologetic for heading off to Cornwall without saying goodbye. Stupidly, she had thought having Raoul here might make Henry jealous, a good-looking man flirting with his fiancée. Wake him up a bit just in case cold feet were an issue. Instead, Henry had mumbled about seeing him on the television and that he’d been very good. That was the trouble with Henry, he could never see what was standing right in front of him. Now he was pacing back and forth, in front of a chest freezer, talking nonsense about doing the right thing. Realising she might have missed something she asked him to repeat himself.
‘The wedding is off.’
‘What!’
Bianca stared at him in horror. ‘We are getting married next month. What the fuck are you talking about?’
‘No, we’re not. That’s what I’ve been trying to say. The production company thought I had become accidentally married during the wedding scene, but it turns out that even though we signed the register and it was a real wedding, it wasn’t official. There were no banns and no intention to wed. It wasn’t real. That’s what the meeting this week was about.’
When Hal had returned to the production company’s offices after Paddy had sped off in the taxi, they informed him that there was no marriage and nothing to sign except for a promise not to sue them. And a large pile of paperwork and non-disclosure agreements. Instead of being overjoyed, he was filled with a deep painful sadness. In the space of half an hour he had discovered he wasn’t actually married but he was in fact, due to become a father. He had been numb for the past few days but the one thing he was certain about was that he couldn’t marry Bianca.
‘But it was a mistake, why didn’t you just get it annulled?’
Hal closed his eyes, then opened them again. Not looking Bianca in the face was cowardly. ‘Because I slept with her after the filming.’
‘You did what?!’
Hal motioned to take her hand but she brushed him off.
‘No wait, I’m thinking.’ From the hallway beyond the muted voices chattered on, champagne glasses were chinking. The violin quartet were playing beautifully, their music weaving throughout the large rooms and out over the decorative lawns. Bianca took a deep breath to try and steady her temper.
‘So what’s the problem. I don’t understand. You thought you were married, but you’re not, so you don’t need an annulment or a divorce, but you still can’t marry me?’
‘I can’t marry you because you deserve better. Not someone that cheated on you.’
Bianca paused, her eyes blinking rapidly as she scrambled to catch up.
‘I don’t care about that,’ she crooned. ‘I forgive you. What man doesn’t have last-minute jitters?’
Hal looked suspiciously at Bianca, this was completely out of character. Maybe she planned to use this indiscretion to beat him with for their whole married life. The more he thought of it the more he realised that that was probably the case. Why on earth had he ever proposed?
‘No, Bianca,’ Hal said softly, ‘it just wouldn’t work. I slept with her and that meant something to me. Even if it doesn’t to you.’
‘So, have there been a string of them, or something? Is that what you’re saying. Because I won’t put up with that!’
Bianca’s voice was beginning to get a bit shrill and Hal was aware that this was going about as badly as he had anticipated. Hal took a swig of whisky and wished he’d thought to bring a glass for Bianca.
‘Christ, no, Bianca, it just happened the once. But look, Paddy is totally blameless in all of this. She had no idea I was engaged. This is completely my fault.’
‘Paddy?’ Bianca said, her eyes narrowing. ‘Where the hell have I heard that name before? Hang on, do you mean Holly McDonald? Dear God!’ Bianca started to quickly recalibrate. She doubted a one-night fling meant anything to Holly, but she sure as hell wouldn’t want it to be public knowledge. Maybe she could pull this back. Then it hit her.
‘Is that why she’s here? You brought your fling to the party?’
‘What? She’s not here.’ Hal was appalled by his second reaction. His first reaction was denial, but then he had wanted to break off this conversation and go off and try to find Paddy.
‘Yes, she is, she’s out on the patio laughing with those stuck-up school friends of yours. Look, I’ll show you,’ and she stormed off and out the side door heading towards the fire pit.
***
Paddy was laughing with Lucy, listening to Jemima doing impersonations of everyone from the rich and famous to the local vicar. She clearly had a talent for it and was holding court whilst people were crying with laughter. Paddy didn’t know half the people Jem was lampooning but she was a born entertainer and Paddy was having a fabulous time laughing along with the others. She’d been laughing at one of Jem’s stories and Angus had asked if she knew the vicar? Wiping her eyes, she said no and everyone laughed even harder. It had been a while since she had relaxed in company and she was so grateful that Jem had suggested a night out. Maybe she didn’t need to go to Norfolk after all. Cornwall was lovely and she was beginning to settle in.
She looked around the group and noticed a door open at the far end of the house, light spilling out onto the grass. Across the darkened end of the lawn, a woman was storming towards them and she saw with horror that it was Bianca. She was angrily brushing Hal’s arm off her shoulder, and Paddy knew the game was up.
‘Hello, slut!’
Everyone fell silent. Paddy looked around; the majority of the partygoers were inside. At least her humiliation was going to be minor. She knew she deserved it but she’d just started to make friends and she didn’t want their first impressions of her to be ‘slut’.
Bianca advanced towards her and shoved her. Malc jumped up from the chair and Jemima took a step closer to her. The situation was tense and Paddy tried to think of the best way to diffuse it.
‘For Christ’s sake, Bianca, she’s pregnant!’ shouted Hal.
Oh hell, thought Paddy, as she watched realisation wash over the other woman’s face.
Baring her teeth Bianca threw herself at Paddy. Trying to step back, Paddy’s heels caught in the grass and she stumbled, pinwheeling backwards and fell awkwardly on the grass between the table and chairs. Scrambling, the group brought Paddy to her feet. Malc stood in front of her.
‘Hal,’ said Malcolm, ‘I don’t know what’s going on, but I think Bianca would like to go inside?’
‘Piss off, Malcolm. I know exactly what I want to do.’
‘Bianca!’ snapped Hal.
‘Fuck off, Henry. There’s no way she’s pregnant. That’s just what her sort says when they want to get married. Three weeks later she’ll have a tragic miscarriage and your ring on her finger!’
‘Is that what you did?’ asked Hal quietly. ‘Did you fake your pregnancy?’
There was a horrible silence as the group looked at Hal and Bianca. Not waiting for an answer, he turned towards Paddy.
‘Are you alright?’
As he stepped towards her Bianca grabbed him. ‘Henry, I…’
Hal spun around, his entire world seeming to come unhinged; he knew there were a thousand things he should say or do right now but his only concern was Paddy, the woman carrying his child.
”Enough. Get out of my sight.” His voice was cold, final.
Bianca looked like she was going to say something else but having taken in the sea of hostile faces, she stormed off towards the main house. Paddy watched her go with regret, her heart heavy. She wouldn”t have wished that embarrassment on a mortal enemy, let alone a total stranger.
”Paddy…”
Hal was still trying to talk to her, his voice pleading. She just wanted him to leave her alone so she could escape as quickly as possible, to hide from the pitying looks and whispered gossip. Bianca wasn”t the only one utterly embarrassed. Struggling to remain dignified, she took a deep breath, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall.
”Hal, I”m sorry. I”m afraid I”m a bit tired. Would you excuse me if I left early?” Giving him no time to reply, she turned to Malcom, her voice trembling slightly. ”Malc, could you show me to the cars, avoiding the house.”
Hal tried again, his voice breaking. ”Please. Paddy.”
”No.” Enough of this. She knew he was simply trying to spare everyone”s feelings but it would be easiest if she just left, if she could just escape this nightmare. ”You need to sort things out with your fiancée. I”m just incredibly sorry for spoiling everything for you. Malc?”
Malcolm looked at his friend, who nodded, and the pair moved off towards the other side of the house, Paddy”s heart breaking with every step.
Behind him, his friends looked worried, their faces etched with concern. Jem stepped forwards and placed her hand on his arm, her touch gentle.
”Go after her.”
Hal shook his head, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. ”You heard her. She wants nothing to do with me.”
Angus cleared his throat, his voice gruff but kind. ”Jem”s right. Go after her.”
As Paddy disappeared into the night, Hal watched her leave and wondered why he was always screwing things up, why he couldn”t seem to hold onto anything good in his life. Turning, he tried to smile at his friends, to pretend everything was fine, that his life wasn”t falling apart in front of him, but found himself dangerously close to tears, the lump in his throat making it hard to breathe.
”Hal, are you okay?” said Vix, her voice worried, her eyes full of compassion. ”Can we do anything for you?” Looking at them, lit by the flickering lights of the fire, he thanked his lucky stars that he had such incredible mates, friends who would stand by him through anything. He knew he wouldn”t even need to ask them to keep this quiet. All he saw was grave concern on their faces, the love and support that only comes from a lifetime of shared experiences and unbreakable bonds. ”No, I”m fine. I”ll just, well. Christ, what a mess. Oh and it probably goes without saying, the wedding is off.”
Jemima wanted to make a quip and make everyone laugh, to ease the tension and take away some of Hal”s pain, but the anguish on his face was simply too raw, too real. Instead she just mumbled an assent along with the others, her heart aching for her friend.
Turning, he headed back towards the laughter spilling out from the house, each step feeling like a monumental effort, the weight of his mistakes pressing down on him like a physical burden. He didn”t know how he was going to face the future, how he was going to pick up the pieces of his shattered life, but he knew one thing for certain - he had to find a way to make things right with Paddy, to be there for her and their child, no matter what it took.
***
As Bianca swept up the lawn, she was fuelled by rage. How had this happened? She had ruthlessly pursued Hal without once letting him know he was being hunted. She had been slowly reeling him in; ever since she had discovered how much he was going to inherit she decided he was the husband for her. She had found out his favourite books and music, she had learnt all about land management and even the politics of the Middle East for heaven’s sake. She had ensured there was no domineering mother or a long-lost secret sweetheart from school, poised to snatch him away. She had done her research and he was perfect.
It had all been going so well and then out of the blue someone else had gone and snatched him from under her nose.
Bianca stormed into the house looking for Raoul. There was no way she could stay a moment longer and her mind was racing trying to think how to handle this. As she passed the little library she had an idea. She slipped in and out of the room, her clutch bag a little fatter than it had been a moment earlier. God knows she deserved it. Raoul was laughing with a group of women drinking champagne and, catching his eye, she headed for the front door. By the time he had caught up with her she was crying prettily.
She turned and stepped into his embrace.
‘We have to go. I can’t stand it anymore.’ She sobbed and pressed herself against him. ‘I’ve called the wedding off. I just can’t stand it. Seeing you together, I can’t stand it. He’s not even half the man you are. How can I possibly marry him when it’s you I love. Don’t make me marry him.’
Raoul was dumbfounded. This was unexpected. He wrapped his arms around her and stroked her hair as she wept against him.
‘Come on, let’s go back to my hotel. No one’s going to make you marry him.’
Bianca leant into him as they walked towards the car.
‘You must think I’m horrible but all I wanted to do was marry you. And now there’s a church all booked and waiting for a bride and groom.’ She trailed off into silence. She paused but the silence continued. ‘Of course, now you don’t want to marry me. Why would you? I’m such an awful person.’ She cried a bit louder, careful not to smudge her mascara on his shirt. She wished she could remember if her eyeliner was waterproof or not, a little dark trickle would look very fetching.
‘Oh, mi cari?o,’ Raoul crooned tipping her face up to his. ‘Of course I love you. Why wouldn’t I want to marry you? What the hell. Let’s do it. Come on let’s head back to the hotel and celebrate.’
Sobbing and giggling Bianca slid into the Jaguar and thanked her lucky stars she had been born clever as well as pretty.