Page 64 of The Wedding Cake Wish
The scented night air has a calming effect as I stare up atthe faint outline of the moon in the darkening sky. I wish I could go back intime – to when Rob proposed in such a romantic way, writing an inscription in anovel by my favourite author. Everything was perfect then. I was so happy thatday and for a long time afterwards.
But romance seems like a thing of the past now.
I love Rob so much, but these days I’m not even sure Iwantto get married. If I’d known that Mum would swoop in and take over mywedding plans and everything would get so messy and complicated, would I evenhave said yes? If I’d known that the simple joy of just being with Rob wouldget lost in all the chaos of planning the wedding...
More cars, at least a dozen, sweep along the driveway as Isit there, suddenly feeling so low, I could cry.
Rob must be feeling this disconnection, too. That’s why he’savoiding me.
I need to see him. And I don’t care if he says he’s busy,I’m going to drive over there anyway and make him talk to me. We should be inthis together, not drifting further apart...
I reach in my bag for my phone to call him. And that’s whenI see the messages – five of them – from Ruby.
My heart in my mouth, I call her...
Ruby
CHAPTERTHIRTY
‘Oh, thank God. Fen! Why haven’t you been answeringyour...? Never mind. I need to tell you something. We’vefound Rory and we think he’s on his way to Brambleberry Manor.’
‘Right now? But why here? And why the urgency?’
‘I haven’t got time to explain right now, but basically,he’s been avenging his mum for something that happened a long time ago. Andright now, we think he has Marjery in his sights...’
‘Mum?But why? What on earth does he think she’sdone?’
‘I’ll explain later. It’s complicated, Fen. But we’refollowing Rory. He’s in a red van and I can see him up ahead. He’s just turninginto your main gates, but we’re only a minute behind and Hudson’s driving likean absolute loony so that we can get there and stop him...stophim doing whatever he’s intending to do.’
There’s a brief silence at the other end. Then a panicky Fensays, ‘I’m in the summerhouse but I’ll head inside and warn Mum and Dad.’
‘Actually, I don’t think you’ll have time, Fen.’
‘Oh, God, there he is. A red van? He’s driving like thewind, Ruby. What the hell do you think he’s going to do?’
‘Don’t worry. I don’t think he’s dangerous. He’s just...well,he believes his mum’s been terribly wronged...oh, I can seeyou, Fen. Running across the grass.’
She turns, sees us and waves, just as the red van slews to astop on the gravel outside the front door, and Rory gets out. He looks back tosee who she was waving at, and Hudson – driving fast enough over potholes to dislodgemy false teeth if I were wearing any – screeches to a halt behind the van, justas Rory reaches the entrance, where the door is wedged open for the guests.
Hudson is out of the car in a flash and sprinting across toRory, who turns in surprise. Seeing Hudson racing towards him, he draws backhis arm and flings a punch at him, and Hudson – taken by surprise – manages tododge the punch but topples backwards, landing awkwardly on the gravel.
I rush over to him just as Fen arrives. Hudson is out ofbreath and seems stunned, but he quickly revives himself and gets up, and wefollow him into the entrance hall and along the passageway to the drawing room,where the guests are mingling with drinks.
Everyone stops talking and turns to the door as Rory,red-faced, dishevelled and panting, barges straight into the room. He glancesaround him wildly, then his eyes light upon a board that’s been set up on aneasel. Beneath a photograph of Marjery are the words, in large letters: CharityFundraiser.
As everyone watches, stunned and confused by the disruption,Rory nods his head at the board and then turns with a scathing laugh that sendsa shiver right through me, and addresses the assembled company.
‘Well, Marjery.’ He looks straight at her and she staresback at him, shock and bemusement written across her face. ‘Very commendable,I’m sure. Raising money for those poor unfortunates who haven’t been luckyenough to enjoy your privileged lifestyle.’ He nods as if he’s impressed. ‘I’msure all you good folks here tonight consider this woman a pillar of yourcommunity, don’t you? But what would you say if you knew that Marjery here isactually an arsonist?’ He pauses and looks around at all the shocked faces. ‘Anarsonist who deliberately evaded the law and let another, totally innocent,person serve time for the crime that she committed.’
In the silence you could literally hear a pin drop. Everyonein the room is gazing at Marjery, whose pale, stunned face is matched only byher husband’s bewilderment. She’s still standing but she’s gripping onto Will’sarm, and I fear that if he were to let go of her, she would sink to the floor.
‘I expect you remember Rachel?’ continues Rory. ‘My mother,whose life you helped to ruin. She wanted to study law herself but she nevergot the chance after her spell in jail. She went on an innocent night out withher friends that ended in the burning down of a cottage. Her so-called“friends” fled the scene, leaving her to take the rap. And being the loyalperson she was and still is, she kept silent about who was with her that night.So my mother took the blame, and you ran away, like the coward that you are,and allowed your one-time best friend to take the blame for the crime youyourself committed.’ He pauses. ‘My mother nearly died recently, selflessly tryingto prevent a crime from happening.She’sthe one who deserves to bepraised and honoured for doing good all her life, not you...’
He stops, his shoulders sagging, as if his fury is suddenlyspent. Collapsing into a nearby seat, he leans forward, his head in his hands.
The tension in the room is electric.
In the stunned silence Marjery gives a desperate sob and,with her hand pressed over her mouth,she runs from the room...
