Page 30 of A Cornish Wedding Retreat
Audrey nodded. ‘You’ll be welcome at any time. I always enjoy sharing my love of the era with other connoisseurs.’
If it wouldn’t have horrified her Chad could’ve kissed the old lady.
A charming smile crept over Maggie’s face as she realised they’d had some quasi-royal blessing bestowed on them. Suddenly her good humour faded away and she frowned.
‘Whatdidyou want to discuss?’
‘Firstly, Emily. I heard very disturbing rumours at the wedding on Saturday. Of course they were spread by Tonya, but unfortunately she’s often right where gossip is concerned.’
Chad reached over and squeezed Maggie’s hand, wanting to remind her that he was on her side, in every way she wanted him to be.
She tilted her head defiantly. ‘I expect you heard that Jonathan broke off their engagement. It was true at the time but they’ve since reconciled and Emily is behaving in a very mature, responsible way.’For a change.Chad was sure Audrey heard Maggie’s unsaid words too. ‘They’re expecting a baby together and will be married on the fifth of August.’ As the words tumbled out the old lady’s features hardened.
* * *
Maggie tightened her hold on Chad’s large, warm hand and fixed her gaze firmly on Audrey. She waited for the lecture to begin.
‘It’s not an ideal way to start, but maybe this will be the making of Emily. With a child to look after she won’t have the time to be as self-absorbed. Hopefully her fiancé has a stern backbone or it won’t last long,’ Audrey expounded, giving Chad astern sideways glance that he interpreted as meaning he’d better have one too. ‘I assume you won’t keep the business going? I know she talked you into starting it in the first place.’
Maggie shifted in her seat. She hadn’t made her mind up yet what to do and wasn’t ready to be pinned down.
‘You might say it’s none of my business . . . yet,’ Chad intervened, ‘but Maggie’s had a lot to process this last couple of days. She doesn’t need to be pushed intoanythingbyanybodybefore she’s ready.’
‘A lot to process? How very American. In a minute you’ll tell me she needs to get “closure”. I consider Maggie to be as much a part of my family as Fiona and I frequently offer family members my opinions and advice. Whether or not they take it is completely up to them. But I will not be silent, Mr Robertson, when someone I . . . care for needs help and guidance.’
Maggie knew she’d better jump in before this disintegrated into a full-scale row. Chad wouldn’t hold back out of some outdated notion of deference and he’d staunchly defend her even if it meant giving Audrey a heart attack. ‘Stop, please, both of you.’ They stared at her as though she was the crazy one. ‘I appreciate you’re trying to help but you’re only making things worse. I’m going to help Emily plan her wedding and once that’s over and she and Jonathan are settled I’ll make some decisions about my own life.’
‘I’m sorry,’ Chad hurried to apologise. ‘I didn’t mean you weren’t capable of . . .’
She kissed him directly on the mouth, ignoring Audrey’s disapproving scowl. ‘I know. We’ll talk later. Promise.’ Maggie turned back to her elderly almost-relative. ‘I know you want the best for me and if I need help I won’t hesitate to ask.’ She couldn’t resist smiling. ‘Of course you might give me another lecture, but I know it’s done from the kindness of your heart so I don’t mind.’Not much anyway. She leaned over and kissedAudrey’s papery skin, causing two round red splotches of heat to colour her godmother’s sunken cheeks. ‘I love you.’ Audrey murmured something and Maggie didn’t ask her to repeat it. They didn’t do overt displays of affection, and she’d already embarrassed the older woman enough.
‘Drink your tea or it will get cold,’ Audrey ordered. ‘Of course as I understand it you Americans prefer it that way,’ she scoffed.
‘We sure do, ma’am,’ Chad’s usually soft drawl thickened and it was all Maggie could do not to laugh out loud. ‘We’re partial to tossing your tea in our harbours too on occasion,’ he retorted. Maggie was shocked when Audrey suddenly burst out laughing; a rich, warm sound she didn’t remember ever hearing before.
‘You’re a very outspoken young man.’
‘Thank you. My parents raised me that way.’
‘When you return to Cornwall to marry Maggie you will bring them to stay here. I would enjoy picking your father’s brains,’ Audrey declared.
Maggie’s jaw gaped open and she was speechless.
‘You’re very kind and you’ll be the first to know if we’ll be able to take you up on your generous offer,’ Chad said softly.
‘If young Emily can come to her senses I have far higher hopes for this one,’ Audrey declared, gesturing at Maggie.
She almost asked if anyone had remembered she was there but Chad immediately wrapped his arm around her shoulders making her aware of his calm, reassuring strength all over again.
‘So do I,’ he murmured. ‘Would you consider us rude if we left you now? I’d really enjoy seeing something of St. Ives.’
Maggie was pleased he’d had the courage to ask because she really wanted to show him around. They wouldn’t have time to do justice to the Tate Gallery today but he’d get a sense of why the area had drawn thousands of artists over the last hundredand fifty years. She knew in her heart that Chad would join the ranks of its admirers.
‘Yes, I would, but you can go anyway. Don’t ever waste a moment of the short amount of time you’ve been given in life. Too many people do,’ Audrey said sharply.
Maggie held onto the words, tucking them away to think about later.
Chapter Eighteen
