Page 30 of The Last Saturday In July
‘Predictable.’
He shrugged, and it struck Jess as odd that he didn’t want to talk about somewhere he’d lived for years. Unless he hadn’t liked it there. Still, it was safer to keep the conversation about him.
‘Where else in the group have you worked?’
‘London, Berlin and Paris. What about you? How long have you been with us?’
There it was: the subtle reminder that Adam was part of the upper circle. But anything about her life before Simon was at least safe to talk about.
‘I was lucky enough to get a job straight from college.’ She glanced over, trying to gauge how much detail he wanted. ‘I went Interrailing the summer I finished, then got a trainee management job at one of our hotels. When an entry position came up in the marketing department, I went for it. I know it sounds cheesy, but I feel like part of the Charleston family.’
Adam laughed. ‘I’m not reporting back to Frank.’
Did he still expect her to believe that, she wondered.
He sighed. ‘Have you ever been to the Isle of Man before?’
‘What?’ Jess was startled at the change of topic.
‘I just wondered if it was your first time on the island?’
‘Yep.’ It came out as a squeak. ‘You?’
‘I go TT racing there.’
‘TT racing?’
‘Tourist Trophy – motor bikes.’ He changed gear. ‘We never really talked about that night, did we?’
Jess flicked him a panicked look. They’d agreed to forget it had ever happened. It was the only way she could face him every day. That, and knowing he’d be going back to Switzerland after the Linford wedding.
Adam seemed to read her mind, and they lapsed into silence until they came to their exit.
‘I’d forgotten how close it is to Linford,’ Jess murmured.
Adam negotiated a particularly sharp bend. ‘What is?’
‘Um.’ Jess strove for casual. ‘Ballygobbin, it’s not far.’
Her mind wandered back to the first time she’d seen Ballygobbin village, and its tiny old church. She’d never imagined herself getting married on the other side of the country, but her mother had reminded her that it didn’t matter where the wedding was, once she was marrying the right person. It would be the most exciting, wonderful day of their lives. She was absolutely sure of it.
They arrived at Linford Castle shortly before noon. As Adam wound the car up the long, tree-lined driveway, Jess waited for the first, familiar glimpse of the castle, with its four fairy-tale turrets and ivy-covered stone walls. Adam parked at the front of the hotel.
They walked through the heavy, arched doorway into Linford’s vast hallway.
Inside, Jess felt the same familiar giddiness she’d felt the last couple of times she’d visited. From the enormous fireplaces and furniture to the reproduction wallpaper, rugs, chandeliers and ornate ceilings, Linford Castle looked every inch the grand Victorian house.
‘Jess, Adam, lovely to see you both!’
Ian Finnegan, impeccably dressed in a three-piece suit with a mint-green shirt, dark-green tie and matching breast-pocket handkerchief, strode through the hall to greet them.
‘You’re right on time! Chelsea, Leo and Angel are on their way from Shannon Airport by helicopter. We have a table laid out in the orangery.’
‘That sounds great.’ Jess fell into step beside him. ‘Who’s Angel?’
‘Chelsea’s life coach.’ Ian shot her a look. ‘And their wedding planner. But judging by the amount of work he’s offloaded, I get the strong impression that he’s not too keen on that end of things.’ He chuckled. ‘Not that I mind, it’s my job.’
They followed Ian to the orangery, a large conservatory on the east side of the hotel. Sun slanted in through windows in the high, domed ceiling, throwing rainbow patterns over the cool, mosaic-tiled floor. The room was filled with luxurious cane furniture and marble statues, while enormous potted palms, ferns, jasmine and citrus trees brightened up the corners and scented the air.
