Page 80 of The Wedding Cake Wish
As I sit down, I see Amelia’s bag by her chair. It’s openand her purse is clearly visible. Without giving myself time to think, I slipdown and draw the purse out of her bag. Then I get up from the table and hurryoff to the Ladies.
There’s something I want to look at. That photo of Mylesshe’s always so protective of. The one she carries in her purse at all times.
The cloakroom is brilliantly lit. I bring out the photo andstare at it intently, the shock of what’s slowly becoming clear to me making mefeel quite nauseous.
It can’t be, can it?
Surely not?
If what I’m thinking is true, then Amelia was lying when shesaid she met Myles several months before he died.
She didn’t even know him for several weeks.
I swallow, as the scale of her gross deception finallyfilters through to me.
Amelia never even met Myles...
CHAPTERTHIRTY-EIGHT
I slip the photo back in Amelia’s purse and hurry backinto the ballroom.
But to my horror, they’re already back at the table.
I’ve got to replace the purse before Amelia notices it’smissing!
I feel sick. But luckily, she’s talking in Hudson’s ear overthe loud music, so when I sit down, I’m able to slide the purse into her bagwithout her seeing me.
‘Oh. You’re back.’ Amelia turns. ‘Kat said she saw youlurking in the trees outside.’
‘I wasn’t exactlylurking,’ I snap. ‘But we did havean interesting chat.’
‘Really?’ Amelia, looking totally uninterested, turns backto Hudson.
I tap her on the shoulder and she turns impatiently.
‘I just wondered if you enjoyed your holiday with Kat inScotland at Christmas time?’ I enquire smoothly.
Amelia looks confused. ‘Yes. It was good.’
‘Oh, right. Funny. I could have sworn you said you first metMyles at a Christmas Eve party in Guildford?’
Hudson leans forward, alert now to our conversation.
‘What? Did I?’ Amelia looks taken aback. ‘I don’t think Isaid it was Christmas Eve. It was in January.’ She nods. ‘Yes, definitely January.’
Hudson is glaring at me now. He thinks I’m still trying totrip Amelia up, and my heart sinks. But I battle on.
‘It’s lovely that you carry a photo of Myles in your purse.So romantic and yet sad at the same time. Can I have a look at it?’
‘My photo? Why?’ Amelia shoots me a suspicious look.
‘Please?’
‘Well, I don’t think...I mean, why do youwant to see it?’ She turns to Hudson for support.
He turns in his chair to face me. ‘For heaven’s sake, Ruby.What’s going on now? Can’t we have a pleasant evening without you digging fordirt just this once?’
‘But I think you need to hear this!’ I stare at him. ‘She’snot who she says she is and I can prove it!’
