Chapter 33
What was the protocol for leaving your own wedding reception right after the speeches? Jade wondered. But only briefly. After all, protocol had pretty much been abandoned already today.
She glanced at Finn. ‘Do you think we ought to find out what’s going on there?’
‘I’ll go.’ His voice was ice calm but his jaw was tense and Jade had a sudden premonition of dread. Or was it a flashback to the first time the brothers had met?
‘Actually, I think it might be better if I go, Finn. If Declan’s causing trouble I’d rather it was me that got involved.’
‘You mean we don’t want a punch-up at our wedding,’ he remarked, his cool grey eyes holding hers. ‘Fair comment, but I’m not planning to punch him.’
‘What if he’s drunk and kicks off?’
‘He might be drunk. But I’m not.’
‘I still think it’s better if I go. I wanted to speak to Mr B anyway, before he disappears. I thought I might have missed my chance. I’m quite surprised he’s still here.’
‘Well, you’d better promise me that you’re not going to punch him either. Declan, I mean. Not Mr B!’ The lightness of his words took some of the heat out of the situation.
‘I promise. Even if it’s just because I don’t want to get blood on my gorgeous dress.’
‘OK, but call me straightaway if you need back-up.’
She could see it was taking a lot of effort for Finn to stay in his chair. He was practically sitting on his hands. Luckily Dorrie had just risen from her place and was clearly coming round to say something to Finn.
As Jade picked her way around the edge of the crowded restaurant she was surprised more guests didn’t stop her. Perhaps they’d all interpreted her purposeful expression to mean she was on a mission towards the restroom.
Well, she was definitely on a mission.
Mr B and Declan had been standing very close to the door that led through to the kitchen, but she realised as she got closer that they were no longer there.
She took a step towards the door, which was the type that swung open and self-closed for ease of access with serving, and she heard raised voices coming from the other side.
‘For God’s sake, man, just give me my bloody car keys. You’ve made your point.’
‘I’ve barely got started, you pediculous scumbag.’
Jade halted swiftly. What on earth was going on? Why would Mr B have confiscated Declan’s car keys? And now be swearing at him?
After a moment’s hesitation she decided there was only one way to find out. She pushed the swing door open and found the two men face to face with each other on either side of a narrow corridor that led through to the hotel kitchens.
‘Declan!’ She faked surprise to see him. ‘I thought I heard your voice. What on earth’s going on?’
‘This eejit locked me in a cupboard so I missed the wedding. And the breakfast. I was just about to report him and get him fired.’ Declan shot Mr B a triumphant glare. ‘And he’s stolen the keys to my car.’
Declan didn’t look very sober. His face was flushed and angry, but Jade couldn’t imagine that Mr B made a habit of confiscating guests’ car keys, even if he did suspect they were too drunk to drive. Or maybe he did? Nothing the eccentric chef did would have surprised her that much.
Mr B didn’t respond. But he was clearly very rattled.
Jade turned towards him. ‘Is this true?’
‘I didn’t lock him in a cupboard. The door must have got stuck. I didn’t know he was in there.’ The chef’s black eyes flashed.
‘That’s a lie and you know it. And I’m going to get you fired for it.’
‘Your word against mine, sir.’ Mr B’s tone had become more conciliatory since Jade had appeared on the scene.
‘But you do have his car keys?’ she pressed.
‘I could check whether they’re in lost property. It’s possible the gentleman dropped them in all the kerfuffle.’
The way he said ‘gentleman’ told Jade he was using the word in the loosest of senses.
She was tempted to leave it at that, but every instinct told her there was a lot more to this than met the eye and she was now desperate to find out what it was.
‘What kerfuffle?’
‘Ah, stop. It was nothing.’ Declan waved a hand.
It seemed he too was suddenly anxious to move on.
He smoothed down his wedding suit, which did look as though it was in some disarray.
His tie was crooked and the top few buttons of his pristine white shirt were undone. The top one was missing altogether.
Then again, he had been out on the clifftop earlier. None of the guests were in quite the same pristine condition in which they’d arrived.
‘The kerfuffle involved a young lady.’ Mr B’s eyes gleamed. ‘She was none too happy when she found out that this… rampallian…’ He spat out the word. ‘…had been two timing her for weeks.’
‘It was a misunderstanding,’ Declan blustered, but Mr B cut him off.
‘The young lady in question happens to be a good friend of mine.’ He glanced at Jade. ‘She’s one of my waitresses. You can imagine her distress when she found this rat canoodling with another woman, who apparently he’s been seeing for weeks.’
‘And as I explained, Grace is a friend, who’d agreed to be my plus one.’ Declan smirked.
‘A blatant lie!’ Mr B glared at him furiously.
‘As Rosa discovered for herself when she spoke to this Grace person. Who, I might add, was none too happy when she found out what this…’ He didn’t finish the sentence, just poked the air with disdainful fingers in Declan’s general direction. ‘…had been up to.’
It was Declan’s turn to look thoroughly rattled. ‘Where’s Grace now? I need to explain.’
‘Long gone. I called her a taxi an hour ago.’
‘You stupid…’ Declan lunged murderously in Mr B’s direction, but the chef was too quick for him and he sidestepped away. Unfortunately for Declan it was at the exact same moment that someone came through the doors from the other side with a loaded tray and there was a spectacular collision.
Plates and coffee cups went in all directions and Declan ended up sitting on the floor amidst the mess with what looked like a lump of sticky toffee pudding on his head. And some of Mr B’s world-class toffee sauce trickling down his nose.
‘Oh my God. I’m so sorry. I didn’t realise there was someone this side of the door.’ A white-faced waiter bent swiftly and began to gather up cups and saucers and pieces of broken plate. He kept apologising profusely to Declan, but also to Mr B, who he was clearly more worried about.
Declan didn’t move. He was obviously in shock as the waiter darted around him picking up bits of debris. Mr B’s shoulders were convulsing but it was a few seconds before both the waiter and Jade realised that he was laughing.
It was very hard not to join him, Jade thought. Especially in view of what she’d just heard. Declan looked a picture of misery. He’d started to scramble to his feet. The waiter stood back a pace and handed him a linen serviette. ‘Er, sir…?’
Declan shrugged him away and turned back in the direction of the restaurant. He seemed a bit dazed, Jade thought, calling after him, but he didn’t respond. He disappeared through the swing doors, and the waiter, having cleared up most of the mess, disappeared into the kitchen.
She felt a little dazed herself. This day was full of surprises and they just kept on coming. Deciding that Declan could look after himself, she turned back to Mr B. ‘Was Grace all right?’
‘I wouldn’t say she was entirely all right. More angry than anything.’
‘I’m sure. And your friend?’
‘Rosa was furious too. Apparently, she and that rat had been in a serious relationship. They’d got the keys to each other’s flats.
Toothbrushes in the bathroom, the works.
’ He shook his head and a glimmer of amusement flared in his dark eyes.
‘Rosa was hell bent on revenge. Muttering something about cutting up suits when she left here.’ He paused. ‘I let her go early.’
Jade felt her eyes widen. Hence the cupboard and car key manoeuvre, no doubt.
Mr B was impressive. She wouldn’t have wanted to pick a fight with him.
‘Where are Declan’s keys anyway?’
‘He’ll find them in reception. Hanging on a lost property hook. As I said, they must have fallen out of his pocket in all the kerfuffle earlier with Rosa.’
His expression changed suddenly. ‘However, I must offer you my sincere apologies. You should not have had to witness any of your guests – your dear friends?’ There was a slight question mark in his voice, ‘…being involved in such unsavoury matters on your wedding day.’
‘Declan’s no friend of mine. He’s, er – on my husband’s side.’ It was the first time she’d said husband and it felt good. ‘Declan’s the black sheep of the family.’ It felt good to say that too even if it wasn’t quite true.
‘I see.’ Mr B looked relieved.
‘And I don’t remember witnessing anything,’ Jade continued cheerfully. ‘Unless you count his unfortunate accident with the waiter just now. But then a guest really shouldn’t have been on this side of the door. It does say Staff Only.’
‘That’s correct. It does.’ Mr B looked relieved that they both appeared to be on the same side as far as Declan was concerned.
‘On another but slightly more urgent matter,’ he went on smoothly, ‘you appear to have a smidgen of foreign material on your beautiful dress.’
She looked down and saw he was right. ‘Oh, gosh. Yes.’ In the big scheme of things a blob of toffee sauce on her dress didn’t seem too much of a problem, but Mr B looked mortified.
‘No matter. I have a solution. If you’d like to follow me.’
It was more of a command than a question, and she was about to say it really didn’t matter when he continued. ‘Please. It won’t take a moment and your dress will look good as new again.’
Jade nodded. ‘OK. Thanks.’
A few moments later they were in the hotel kitchens which were a lot less chaotic than Jade had expected them to be.
Steam rose from a big commercial stainless-steel dishwasher and kitchen staff were wiping down surfaces.
Most of the clearing up must have been done earlier when the main wedding party had been fed.
Mr B obviously ran a very smooth operation. His fantastic reputation was well deserved.
He took her into a tiny room at the back of the kitchen, lined with shelves and a very narrow wooden filing cabinet, produced a small bottle of something and a clean white cloth and questioned her about the dress material. ‘Silk satin?’
‘Yes.’
He leaned forward. ‘May I?’
She nodded. The splodge was on the lower left of her dress and he dabbed at it for a few seconds. ‘Now we wait,’ he said, setting a timer on a watch on his wrist. ‘We may have to do more than one application, but hopefully not.’
‘What is it?’ Jade asked.
‘It’s my own creation. I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.
’ He smiled. He was one of those people whose face changes completely when they smile.
His was suddenly warm and good humoured, and Jade realised she felt totally at ease with him despite his close proximity and the curious situation they’d found themselves in.
He was a strange paradox of a man. Zoe had told her that although he had a reputation as a tyrant, he also inspired great loyalty and people queued up to work with him.
‘My mother had a chain of hotels,’ she said, just to make conversation while they waited.
‘Oh really, which chain?’
‘Her flagship was the Arleston Court in Wiltshire.’
‘Really? I’m familiar with the Arleston Court.’ Mr B glanced at the timer on his watch. ‘Ah, this is about to go off. Let me just finish this and we’ll see if we need another application.’
He sponged expertly at Jade’s dress and gave a satisfied sigh and she saw to her astonishment that the cream satin was now totally unblemished.
‘Wow, that really is good stuff.’ She was itching to ask him about his connection to her mother. ‘So how do you know the Arleston Court?’
‘Hotel catering is a very small world. I knew Brian Angelo, the chef there, quite well, and it was through him that I met Elizabeth Foster, who I assume is your mother, yes?’
‘Yes, that’s right. Elizabeth is – was – my mother.’ Jade’s heart was beating very fast. ‘She died four years ago. She had a stroke.’
‘I’m very sorry to hear that.’ He looked at her keenly. ‘What a coincidence that I should cater for her daughter’s wedding. I didn’t make the connection.’
‘Foster is a common name,’ she murmured.
‘Of course.’ He looked at her curiously. ‘So, Brian Angelo. Is he here today?’
‘He’s not. No.’
‘I see.’ He was obviously re-evaluating the situation in the light of this information, but Jade was desperate for him to continue.
She’d never dreamed she’d have the opportunity to speak to someone who had known both her mother and Brian in the past. And although it was her wedding day and she knew she should really be getting back before Finn sent out a search party, she couldn’t go without finding out as much as possible.
‘How long ago did you know them?’ she prompted him. Mr B could only be a few years older than her, mid-thirties – forty tops, although it was hard to tell. He did have one of those ageless faces.
‘Maybe ten or twelve years ago.’ He narrowed his eyes and paused. ‘I met them both at a Chamber of Commerce event. In fact, I met them at several.’
‘They were really close,’ Jade improvised. ‘But sadly I lost touch with him after my mother died. I believe he was moving away.’
‘Maybe he wanted a new start.’ Jade had the feeling he was mentally backing away from her questions and she didn’t know how to stop him.
She wished she was like Sarah and could improvise.
Maybe she could. Thinking furiously, she decided it was now or never.
She might not get another chance to find out the truth.
She leaned forward and said earnestly, ‘I always thought they’d get married one day.
I hoped they would. But it never happened. ’
Mr B’s face changed. Not for long. A flicker of an emotion swept across it, but Jade knew she was right on target. So their relationship hadn’t been platonic then. There had definitely been something going on between Brian and her mother.
‘I think we all wondered why they didn’t get married.’ His voice softened. ‘Brian certainly loved her, and it was clear she loved him. I guess they must have had their reasons.’
He didn’t elaborate on this and Jade had a feeling he was way too professional to voice what else was in his head. She had the sense that he wasn’t a passer on of gossip.
She felt shaky, but she also felt vindicated. At last she had an inkling of the reason why Elizabeth had banished Hector from her life. Although why she hadn’t then married Brian was still a mystery.
Maybe it was a mystery she would never be able to answer.