Page 6 of Wedding Games
They waited until they could hear the sounds of the television from the living room next door, then Zoe spoke.
‘Rory, what is going on, and why have you been ignoring your mum?’
Barbara inclined her head as if giving the floor to him.
He cleared his throat.
‘I’m sorry. To you, Mum, for not having a much needed conversation, and to you, Zoe for not telling you about it.’
‘About what?’ she asked, anxiety pricking at her stomach.
‘The wedding.’
‘The wedding?’ she squeaked, her heart in her mouth. ‘Are you calling it off?’
‘Oh god, no! Fuck no! Not at all! No!’
‘What is it then?’ she asked, her heart hammering.
‘It’s the guest list, the press, the stuff we haven’t planned.’
‘I don’t understand.’
Barbara sighed. ‘Zoe. I appreciate you feel this wedding should be your day, however, when you marry the Earl of Kinloch there are certain expectations.’
‘There are? Like what?’
‘This is a society wedding, and as such, society must be invited.’
‘What kind of society?’
Rory reached for her hand. ‘We don’t have to do any of this.’
His mother ignored him, focusing her attention on Zoe.
‘The right kind, not gossip rag fodder who turn up to the opening of an envelope. You may not be aware, but my late husband had an extended family, and it is expected, as well as courteous, to invite them. The Foxbrookes, for example. Well, the legitimate ones at least.’
‘But I don’t know them. This is my—our wedding.’ She looked at Rory. ‘Do you want them there?’
He rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand. ‘You know what I think. I don’t care if it’s us and your—our parents.’ He looked at his mother. ‘All of this is irrelevant. We can’t afford it.’
Barbara took a breath.
‘No,’ Rory said, cutting her off.
His mother pressed her lips together as if steeling herself to remain in control then took a measured breath.
‘I was going to suggest a compromise.’
‘Compromise?’ Zoe and Rory uttered in unison.
Barbara blinked. ‘Up until this year, my entire life has been a compromise,’ she replied, icily.
‘Sorry,’ said Zoe, automatically. Barbara was right. She’d had a difficult childhood, and the apparent victory at marrying Rory’s father at the age of eighteen had come at a huge personal cost.
‘I am suggesting you invite whoever you want to a few days of festivities leading up to the main event,’ Barbara began. ‘Bradley has been enlightening me as to the American custom of holding a “rehearsal dinner”, which would be an excellent way of having the kind of intimate celebration you seek. I understand the financial concerns when you still have an estate to manage, so my husband and I are offering to foot the bill for the entire wedding.’ She paused. ‘In exchange for being able to add extra attendees to the wedding day itself.’
‘No,’ replied Rory.
