Epilogue
‘Did you see Lottie’s face?’ Bryony began to pick up discarded paper plates and plastic glasses and put them in a large black bin bag. How could so few people make so much mess? The barn looked like a herd of rampaging elephants had tossed the place with no regard to life, books, or the place itself, not fifty or sixty book lovers who had looked around with reverence. ‘She was gobsmacked. When Mrs Cherry introduced Mandi with an ‘i’, Lottie still looked around for a woman to come on stage with you. I thought she’d have a fit when you began to explain how Mandi with an ‘i’ had come into being.’
Dario swept the floor and they made the barn tidy for the last day of the arts festival. They’d shooed the rest of their helpers away a short while before. There was very little left to do.
‘Stage? You mean three trestles and a chair. Dodgy ones at that. Goodness knows where they came from. The dust must have been at least thirty years old and solidified on by bird poo.’
‘I was so scared you’d fall off and damage bits. Important bits.’
He shook his head in mock sorrow. ‘You were more worried about my bits than my fall from grace, I mean the stage?’
‘They go together really.’ She sniggered. ‘Seriously though, you did wobble a lot at times, and your bits have had a work out or three today. One not as pleasant as the rest.’
‘More than a bit. I half expected to get my foot stuck between the slats or even put my leg through them and all you’d hear was a large splintering noise and the ex-vicary person, as you call me, swear and completely blot my copy book. Not the best of things to use.’
‘True, but they worked. It was that or an upturned bucket, and we could only find plastic ones.’
‘That is an unpleasant thought.’
‘Then thank your lucky stars Dex found those trestles and chair. At least they gave you a chance to see right to the back of the barn. To the standing room only lot, who, Mads insisted, gate crashed after a session in the pub and cheered loudest. And when I think about it, asked the most questions, even if ‘why don’t you write one about a cricket bat killer having it off under the stumps?’ was a bit too much for some people.’
‘As in, my lovely sister, who spent the whole talk and chat red faced, choleric, and ready to throw things? That sister who cleared the table of books with one fell sweep of her handbag, and told me our parents would turn in their graves? The sister who turned up in voile and stilettos, and after her table-clearing trick, got her dress caught on a nail, tugged hard and said you’d done it on purpose. The one whose dress then ripped from hem to armpits, and she showed her big girl, boobs-to-knees hold-everything-in-place-elastic and lycra thingy to the world? The one who then went for you and the witches wrestled her to the floor and carried her out kicking and screaming? That one?’
‘That one. But hey, her loss. I now feel sorry for her.’ It wasn’t a platitude, Bryony decided. The poor woman really was to be pitied. Her attitude was petty and poor, and it must be uncomfortable. Especially to reveal your all as she had. The laughs and giggles had been loud and prolonged and the ‘serves her right’, ‘silly cow’, and ‘reap what you sow, eh’ had been said forcefully enough for Lottie to hear as she left the building.
‘I feel sorrier for Donald to be honest,’ Dario said, sombrely. Donald had muttered their apologies and hurried after his wife. There had been some door slamming, and an over revved engine outside and the tyre marks on the ‘lawn’ showed just how hard the vehicle had been driven away. ‘I hope she let him in the car. It’s a long walk home.’
‘Well, yes I get that, but he’s the one who puts up with her as she is.’
‘True, but I guess I did as well. But not anymore. After last night she’ll never talk to me again anyway. I’ve had a note from Don saying they’ve gone to France for a month. I guess he’s hoping people will forgive and forget. I doubt it myself, but we’ll find out in due course. She won’t do either, especially with regards to me. She’ll see it as all my fault for being Mandi.’
That made Bryony uncomfortable. Okay, the woman was unpleasant, but Dario was her flesh and blood. However, it was neither the time nor the place to mention it. And it was true you could choose your friends not your family, wasn’t it, and act as you thought fit. She’d contemplate that later.
‘Then, your cricket buddies? Maddie said that they’d promised for each question of theirs you answered, they’d add a tenner to the charity bucket. And you, bless you, answered a lot of them.’
‘They shouted loudest,’ Dario pointed out. ‘I’d been warned. And I did ignore the really risqué ones.’
‘Just as well, I guess. Some of the ones they wrote down to be sent up were enough to make me blush, and I worked in a bookshop and got asked for some weird and wonderful stuff, I tell you.’
Dario rolled his eyes in an exaggerated way. ‘Yes, tell me, go on. Spill the beans or the whatever it was. After all affianced couple should share things.’
‘Not now,’ Bryony said, and tried to sound severe. She spoiled it with a grin. ‘Let’s just say I never looked at hockey sticks in the same way again. Anyway, back to the cricket club, and I heard that muttered ‘spoil sport’, Dario Monk. Maddie said they put their hands deep into their pockets and passed over a lot of tenners. Those renegades added over three hundred quid to the ticket and raffle sales.’
‘Cricket club celebrating a rare win. Our gain as well as theirs.’
‘And when you gave a graphic description of how you could murder a cricketer under the stumps they said if you agreed to use one of their names they’d add more money.’
Dario nodded. ‘Yup, I was told five hundred quid and they’d do a draw for it. I reckon my next book is set in a village with a cricket club, as well as other clubs.’ He winked. ‘They drank in the pub and came to give a push to the arts festival and the funds for the new playing fields. I dread to think how many people that made it overcrowded, but they went outside as soon as the talk was over, so we weren’t contravening any safety rules. Well, not many, and not for long. Thankfully, it went so much better than I thought it would.’
Bryony leaned back on the wall and surveyed her man…he really was… ‘I told you. The Mandi/Dario stuff doesn’t matter very much to most people, it’s how good the books are that count.’
‘Except the guy from the local paper, who I went to school with said he got the scoop of the century and managed to get me to promise him an exclusive interview in the morning before anyone else. He even did the “hold the front page” thing to his editor for their Sunday supplement, which sounds like a dose of cod liver oil or something. And that reminds me, I must let Mo—Maureen, Dan’s wife my agent—know.’
Bryony sniggered. ‘Yep, or she’ll think she’s not needed and I’d be shit at the job. Oh, and you’re not oily my love. But yes, he did look like the cat who’d got the cream and why not? That was without our interesting announcement. Not that I’m complaining, but why didn’t you shout it?’
Dario took the three strides to reach her and pulled her close until they were touching. Even through several layer of clothes, dusty and thirsty, Bryony still got shivers of the best kind at his closeness. Talk about hypersensitive to him. She hoped it never disappeared.
‘I want you to myself for a day or two. We’ll do it all officially in the paper next week, now I’ve spoken to your dad over the phone.’
She’d loved that bit. Thirty-ish or not, it still mattered that Dario had officially asked her dad for her hand in marriage. Even her dad’s hearty ‘Oh yes, take her and tie the knot quickly she’s not getting any younger,’ in his usual exuberant, tongue in cheek manner hadn’t fazed Dario. He’d replied, ‘nor am I and we intend to.’
‘Leave this and we’ll get up early,’ He suggested with a wink. ‘Very early.’
‘In your dreams, maybe.’ Bryony didn’t believe him for one second. ‘Not gonna happen because we wouldn’t. You’ll snuggle, I’ll snuggle back, and Maddie will be banging on the door like she was this morning. Her knowing grin was embarrassing. I mean, we weren’t even doing anything except sleeping.’
‘We had been though, and Mad’s knew it.’
‘Well, your smirk and my blushes told her that. So, let’s just get this finished.’
‘Finished what?’ Maddie came in from outside where she’d been helping to load chairs onto the back of someone’s trailer. ‘Dex and I need to hurry and get home to relieve the baby sitter. I’m about ready to go. We made lots of money, and still have some books left for tomorrow.’
‘Finish tidying up.’
‘Ah, I thought you meant finish your announcement.’
‘What announcement?’ Bryony asked, blandly. ‘What do you mean?’
‘I’m not blind,’ Maddie pointed out. ‘You two can hardly keep your hands off each other. And I’m not even going to mention the rumpled well-loved appearance of both of you this morning.’
‘You just did,’ Bryony pointed out. ‘So, you lied.’
‘Yes well, pretend I didn’t. I’m going to reminisce about today. Lottie looked like sour milk, even more than usual, Don had to try and do his smoothing over act, and he looked pretty peeved about it. The ripped dress was a fabulous end to a great day, and yes, I am a bitch. Oh, and I smell romance, as well as an outed erotic thriller author.’
‘Clever girl, ten out of ten,’ Dario said, after a swift look towards Bryony who nodded. ‘My beloved and I will make the announcement in good time. Apart from each other and Bryony’s parents you’re the first to know. We are engaged, and before you ask to see it, I haven’t got the ring yet. Bryony might have said no.’
‘Not a chance, mate. You’re stuck with me.’
‘Thankfully.’ Dario leaned towards her. Maddie coughed.
‘Enough of the soppy. I need info. Like when, where, how…’ Maddie kissed them each soundly. ‘Don’t worry, I won’t ask for the graphic details now, I’ll get them out of one or other of you at some point. Now for important things. Do you need extra bridesmaids or a garden for a marquee or…’
‘Oy, give us a break.’ Bryony held her hands up. ‘I’m still getting used to the idea. We have no plans yet.’
‘Except, Bryony is adamant I move in here as soon as possible, and you and Dex can get the farm house,’ Dario put in. ‘Lord, women. Give me a chance to add my two pennorth eh? Maddie, I hereby give you one week’s notice I’m going to quit the farmhouse and let you get your own move underway as soon as you want. You can have the blue painted kitchen and spare paint with love.’
‘Oh my… are you sure?’ Maddie sat down with a thump. ‘Not the paint, the rest. Grief, I need a drink. I can take Mulberry off eBay again, and sod it if I’m banned for life. I’m not bothered about other things, but that bag is precious. It was the last thing my mama gave to me. Mind you there was a bloody hefty offer for it, maybe I should take it and buy another.’ She bit her lip. ‘Sod it, no, it’s my history.’
Which, Bryony thought with an inward grin was why she’d put a bid in. Now she’d have to think of a new Christmas present for Maddie. Something she would be pleased to do.
‘So, wine please?’ Maddie said, in a pitiful voice. ‘I’m parched. It’s okay, Dex is just shutting gates and stuff and we’re walking home.’
Bryony passed her a quarter full bottle of wine. ‘Sorry, no glasses.’
‘So what? This is perfect.’ She took a large swig and then another. ‘Oops, sorry, it seems to be empty. I must tell Dex. About you two, not my wine consumption.’ She handed the empty bottle to Dario, dashed out without stopping to say any more. Her, ‘bye, will text when I get home,’ floated back at them.
Dario turned to Bryony and winked. ‘Expect to see the green van going up and down the lane a lot in the near future. This time it will turn in and not go straight past though.’
‘At least I’ll know who drives it. And he won’t be my Mr Grumpy anymore.’
‘He’ll always be yours though, grumpy or not.’
The End