Echoes of Grace

by Caragh Bell

  Laura’s face fell for a moment, but then she smiled again. ‘No news. Not even a twinge.’ She laughed. ‘He asked if we could FaceTime him later as a sort of video link into the family.’

  ‘Oh, do!’ said Gloria in delight. She had taken on her role as grandmother-in-waiting with great enthusiasm.

  Aurora gazed out at the twinkling blue sea. A huge white yacht passed, leaving a trail in the water.

  ‘Where’s James?’ she asked as normally as she could.

  Claire pointed to the beach below them. ‘Off taking photos, where else? Before he loses –’

  ‘The light,’ finished Aurora. ‘He never changes.’

  ‘Well, I’m fed up of it. He downloads them onto his Mac and we never see them again.’

  Aurora bristled slightly. ‘He has them arranged into folders. Then he pulls out certain shots for his portfolio.’

  ‘Yes, but not all,’ said Claire. ‘One doesn’t need hundreds of pictures of a rock formation, Aurora. He should choose the best one and delete the rest.’

  ‘But they’re not all the same,’ she argued. ‘Each one has a slightly different angle. Every single one has a different story.’

  ‘Anyway,’ said Laura, cutting them off, ‘let’s go inside. We’ve organised a seafood buffet.’

  Slightly flushed, Aurora got to her feet. She understood exactly why James kept those photos. Each one was original and equally valid in its own right.

  The chef had prepared poached lobster surrounded by langoustines and crab claws. Shucked oysters lay on a bed of seaweed and steamed mussels were in a large black moules pot. Ice-cold bottles of Pouilly Fumé were on the table with baskets of fresh baguette nearby.

  ‘Just take a plate and enjoy,’ said Laura.

  Aurora lined up beside Luca and took a sample of each dish. She sat next to Lydia and accepted a piece of bread when offered. The fish was sweet and perfectly cooked. She closed her eyes in pleasure as she savoured the lobster tail dipped in an aioli. James’ seat remained empty so she kept glancing around, hoping to see him.

  ‘Where are the toilets?’ she asked Laura after her second glass of wine.

  ‘Out the door, around the corner and to the right.’

  She wandered out of the dining room, her dress swishing as she walked. Brushing a stray crumb from the bodice of her dress, she didn’t watch where she was going and almost bashed straight into James.

  ‘Oh!’ she exclaimed, stepping back. ‘James!’ she breathed, her cheeks pink. ‘We’ve been waiting for you.’

  He stared at her for a moment, his brown eyes unreadable. Then he spoke. ‘Hi, Borealis. The beach was so lovely I couldn’t leave.’

  ‘Claire was wondering where you were. Especially as the sun went down half an hour ago.’

  He shrugged. ‘I took my time coming back.’ His camera was slung over his shoulder. ‘Is there any food left?’

  ‘Oh, plenty.’ She smiled awkwardly. ‘So, I was just on my way to the loo so . . .’

  He nodded curtly. ‘Of course. See you in a sec.’

  In the end, only Aurora and Lydia remained at the outside bar. Luca had taken Sienna to bed with the full intention of returning but had probably fallen asleep. James and Claire had left straight after the meal, as had Henry and Gloria. Henry’s cough was still plaguing him, despite the warm weather and relaxation. Gloria had ordered a hot whiskey and marched him off to bed.

  Laura and Christian had left also. She wanted her full eight hours before the ceremony the next day. The family would be free to do what they liked while she, Christian, Luca and Aurora went to the local town hall. Then, the party would begin in the grand dining room of the hotel.

  Lydia took off her sandals and rubbed her feet. ‘So, Laura tells me that you’re on TV now.’

  Aurora laughed. ‘Not in a starring role. Just as an extra really.’

  ‘You’ve got to start somewhere. When I first worked at Papped! all I did was get coffee for people. Then I got promoted to writing articles. It will happen for you.’

  ‘Perhaps.’

  The buzz of French conversation surrounded them and the evening was balmy.

  ‘Did you enjoy my wedding? Your gold dress was just beautiful.’

  ‘Oh, I loved it.’ She smiled at the memory. ‘Thank you so much for having me.’

  ‘Thank you for singing. Father Colum is still talking about you. He’s trying to convince me to post “Ave Maria” on YouTube.’

  Aurora blushed. ‘It was only a hymn . . .’

  ‘James sent me some amazing photos too. You’re such a talented family.’

  ‘Oh?’

  ‘Yes. He caught expressions and moments. Actually, one of my favourite shots is of you. It’s in the church. You’re standing alone, waiting for your cue to sing. I told Laura to show you.’

  ‘This is the first I’ve heard of it,’ laughed Aurora. ‘Typical Laura.’

  ‘Oh, I’ll email it to you. It’s really nice.’ She stretched. ‘Right, I’m off to bed. I need my beauty sleep.’

  Aurora gave a little wave. ‘See you tomorrow, Lydia. Sleep well.’

  ‘Night.’

  Aurora didn’t move for a few minutes. Instead, she stared at the starry sky and drowned out the noise of the bar. New York was so crazy that sometimes she yearned to just be. Closing her eyes, she let her head fall backwards on the cushioned chair.

  ‘Boo!’ came a voice and she jumped.

  It was James.

  ‘You frightened me!’ She sat up abruptly and straightened her dress. ‘What are you doing down here?’

  He had his Mac under his arm. ‘I was just uploading photos from today. Claire kept complaining about the light from the screen so I thought that I’d do it down here.’

  She ran her fingers through her hair. ‘I can leave if you want . . .’

  ‘Please don’t.’ He opened the laptop. ‘It’d be nice to have company.’

  His earlier strange mood seemed to have disappeared and he was the James of old. Slowly she relaxed and watched as photo after photo appeared on the screen. There was one of a wave crashing on the shore and another of an old woman standing by a palm tree.

  After about ten minutes, he exited out of the folder. ‘All done,’ he said in satisfaction. ‘This place is quite beautiful.’

  ‘I love the peace here,’ she said. ‘All you can hear are the waving lapping on the shore.’

  ‘How’s life? Laura told me that you’re very busy.’

  ‘It has been hectic,’ she admitted. ‘Bertie wants me to sing at his James-Bond-themed birthday party next week so I’m practising all the songs.’

  ‘In New York?’

  ‘No, in London. He’s cruising around the Med at the moment on a yacht. I got a text earlier saying that he was docked at St. Tropez and that I should pop down for a drink.’ She smiled fondly. ‘It will be a pleasure to sing for him. He really is so nice.’

  James drummed his fingers on the armrest of his chair. ‘Africa was good.’

  ‘Of course, excuse me!’ She laughed. ‘I’m so self-obsessed!’

  ‘Just a tad.’ He grinned. ‘Anyway, it was great – Africa, I mean. Two weeks waiting for a mountain gorilla to appear.’

  ‘Did you get the shot?’

  ‘Eventually.’ He accessed some photos on the screen. ‘There he is. I christened him Ali G. You know, like Ali Gorilla.’

  ‘I get it.’

  ‘Anyway, I need to use the loo. Back in a minute.’ He walked away, leaving his computer on the table.

  She glanced at the screen. There were hundreds of folders, ranging from Mexico to Nairobi. Maybe he had the wedding on there? Lydia had mentioned how lovely the photos were. She scrolled down through the files. Suddenly she noticed a folder called ‘Borealis’. She let the arrow hover over the icon. Surely that photo in the church would be there? She really wanted to see it, especially as it was one of Lydia’s favourites.

  With a beating heart, she clicked on the screen. Hundreds of photos app
eared and every single one of them was of her.

  The first one was of her as a child running on the Cornish beach where she grew up. Her long hair was blowing in the wind and her cheeks were rosy from the cold. Then there were shots of her with Henry and Maggie and others of her on stage or blowing out candles on a cake. There were photos of her sitting by the willow tree in their garden at home, unaware that a picture was being taken. There were close-ups of her face, artful shots of her eyes and profile. Some were in colour and others in black and white. Wordlessly, she scanned through them, hundreds of memories flooding her brain. Maybe he had a folder for all family members. She typed ‘Laura’ into the search engine at the top of the screen. Nothing appeared. Then, she typed ‘William’. The same happened. Then she tried ‘Lolly’ and ‘Will’, just in case. Nothing appeared. Glancing up, she noticed James approaching through the doors on the right. Guiltily, she closed the folder and resumed her position on the seat.

  ‘So, I hear that you’re the bridesmaid tomorrow,’ he said. ‘Nice to be invited to the actual wedding, I guess.’

  Aurora smiled. ‘She only wants the bare minimum at the town hall. You know Laura. She likes things short and sweet. Take the opportunity to sleep in or go on a day trip. Count your blessings.’

  ‘Luca’s the best man, yeah?’

  She blushed. ‘Yes.’

  ‘Woooo! Look who fancies Christian’s son!’

  ‘Oh, stop it. I don’t. Anyway, he’s totally in love with Lydia.’ She didn’t dare meet his eyes. ‘I just envy them, that’s all. They have everything. They’re young and gorgeous with a beautiful child. Plus, they adore each other. It restores my faith.’

  ‘In what?’

  ‘The fairy tale.’

  Their eyes locked. He reached out and brushed a tendril of hair off her face. ‘You and your fairy tales,’ he said softly.

  ‘James,’ she said breathlessly. ‘Why have you a folder of . . .’

  ‘James! I’ve been looking for you!’ Claire appeared with her hands on her hips.

  He pulled back instantly. ‘Sorry, I got delayed here chatting with Borealis.’ He turned to Aurora. ‘You were saying?’

  ‘Oh nothing.’

  Claire scowled. ‘Well, I can’t sleep until I know you’re back, so . . .’

  ‘I’ll be right there.’ He winked at Aurora. ‘See you tomorrow.’

  Chapter Forty-one

  Aurora inserted the last pin into Laura’s hair. She had grown her blonde locks especially so that she could put them in a sleek chignon for the big day. Her make-up was subtle. She had opted for an untraditional outfit of a cream Chanel suit and matching heels. Her huge diamond sparkled on her hand and two diamond stud earrings glistened in her ears, but she wore no other jewellery.

  ‘You look like a blonde Jackie Kennedy,’ said Aurora in awe. ‘So classy.’

  ‘Well, I wanted to look the part.’ She took a deep breath.

  Aurora checked her reflection in the mirror. Laura had chosen her dress – a short simple silk dress the same colour as her own costume. It was mid-thigh length and shimmered when she walked. She wore her mother’s fuchsia necklace around her neck. Her favourite part of the outfit was the shoes: silver Grecian Jimmy Choo sandals with four-inch heels.

  ‘Our car is waiting,’ she said, handing Laura a single red rose. ‘Let’s go.’

  Gloria was waiting for them in the foyer with tears in her eyes. ‘Oh, how I wish you’d let me come,’ she said, hugging her daughter. ‘You’ve always been an odd little thing.’

  ‘Charming,’ said Laura, pecking her cheek. ‘Look, Mum, it’s no big deal. Just a formality really. We don’t want a fuss and since Daddy isn’t around to give me away . . .’ Her voice caught in her throat and she inhaled sharply.

  Gloria’s expression softened and she rubbed her arm. ‘I’m no one to talk. Henry and I did it on the sly as well if you remember.’ She smiled. ‘Good luck, my love. See you later.’

  James, who had gone for an early swim, was walking down the corridor when he heard coughing from his mother’s room. As he had just met Gloria having an espresso with Lydia, he concluded that it was Henry. On and on the old man coughed, so loudly that it could be heard on the corridor. James paused and waited for it to subside. Henry hadn’t looked well in weeks. Maybe he needed a glass of water? He was surprised to find the door ajar, so he pushed it open and went in.

  There he found Henry slumped over on the bed holding a tissue stained with blood.

  ‘Bloody hell, Henry!’ He rushed over to his stepfather. ‘Are you all right?’

  Henry wheezed slightly and tried to smile. ‘Quite all right, son. Just a bit of a chest infection.’

  James rubbed his back and that set off another violent coughing fit. ‘My God, you should get checked out by a doctor. Shall I call Claire? I’m pretty sure blood isn’t good.’

  ‘Not at all,’ he insisted, wiping his mouth. ‘It’s nothing, my boy. No need to worry anybody. This is Laura’s day, let’s leave it.’

  ‘Sit up – that might help.’

  James helped him to sit and propped some pillows behind his back. The once tall man was now shrunken and frail. He could feel his bones jutting out through his robe.

  James looked him square in the eye. ‘How long has this been going on?’

  Henry shook his head. ‘I don’t know, a couple of months perhaps? This week has been bad.’ He coughed again. ‘There’s nothing to be concerned about, son. My GP isn’t worried so neither am I.’

  ‘Does Mum know?’

  ‘Of course not. She’s been far too busy with the wedding and William’s baby.’ He took a sip of water. ‘I’ve had colds before. This one is harder to shake admittedly but I’m quite all right. I promise I’ll get it checked out when we go home.’ He smiled. ‘Now, bugger off. I have to get dressed.’

  James nodded and vacated the room. He didn’t believe him for a moment. Henry was seriously ill. He could only imagine his mother’s reaction. And then there was Aurora.

  He vowed to badger the old man to get treatment as soon as possible. As soon as they got back to London.

  They had a drinks reception on a private terrace by the beach. A waiter stood with a tray of champagne and there were tiny canapés on china plates.

  Aurora stood by a palm tree and watched the family interact. Laura had her arm in Christian’s as they chatted with Gloria and Henry. Luca was sitting down with Sienna on his lap and she was avidly watching Frozen on the iPad. Lydia was chatting to James, her long hair blowing in the breeze. Claire was standing close by, dressed in a short violet dress and black heels. Gloria was right about her short hair – it didn’t suit her.

  William was notably absent. How she wished he were with them! She needed his flippancy and his wit. There was still no news of the baby. Gloria jumped every time the phone rang but it was never a birth announcement.

  James threw his head back and laughed at something Lydia said. His handsome face was tanned and had a slight shadow of stubble. His dark-blue suit looked great on him and his shirt was open at the neck. Ophelia had always claimed that he was ‘fit’ but she had never taken any notice. Now, she could see it. Now, she couldn’t stop staring. The folder of photos played on her mind.

  James clinked his glass to gain everyone’s attention.

  ‘I know Laura said there were to be no speeches,’ he began.

  ‘I meant it, Jiminy,’ she retorted.

  ‘However, I feel that I should say a few words in my dad’s place.’

  The group fell silent.

  ‘Dad was a gentleman: a kind, hardworking man who gave everything to his wife and family. The apple of his eye was his little girl – Lolly or Laura as we know her now.’ He turned to his sister. ‘I remember him lifting you above his head and twirling you around. You were the first child he would hug after work and the only one he let climb in between him and Mum in bed.’

  Laura’s eyes filled with tears. ‘He would say shhh and lift me under the c
overs before Mum woke up. Then I would stay as quiet as a mouse, cuddled up beside him.’

  Gloria let out a sob and Henry pulled her close to him.

  ‘I know that he would be so proud of you today, Lolly. He would have loved to be here to give you away. I’m sure he’s raising a glass of champagne to you and Christian somewhere. Let’s join him – to Laura and Christian!’

  ‘To Laura and Christian!’

  Gloria embraced her son. ‘Wonderful speech, James. ‘Thank you for remembering him.’

  James smiled and hugged her close.

  Aurora gazed at him and a realisation dawned. Her cloudy mind cleared and she saw the truth.

  She was in love with James.

  All this time she had loved him and it was only now she could see it. James: funny, caring, kind James. The one who’d always looked out for her: her hero.

  A warm feeling flooded her body. Suddenly she ached to touch him. When he looked at her, everything made sense. She was never happier than when he was near.

  Sienna jumped up in excitement and started to sing ‘Let It Go!’ along with Elsa on the iPad. Everyone laughed.

  Laura approached her brother, wiping away a tear. ‘You’re so right,’ she said, sniffing. ‘He would have loved this hotel.’

  ‘Now, no more tears. Have a few more drinks and enjoy your wedding.’ He kissed her forehead and then walked over to Aurora. ‘You’re looking very lonely over here, Borealis.’

  She reddened slightly and gulped her champagne. ‘I’m perfectly all right, thank you. I just wish William were here.’

  ‘I know. Me too.’ He nudged her playfully. ‘Will this brother do instead?’ His brown eyes were warm.

  For a moment no one spoke. The light breeze blew her hair from her face.

  ‘You’ll do just fine,’ she said eventually.

  ‘I should have thanked you in my speech. Sorry about that.’

  ‘Thanked me? Whatever for?’

  ‘You’re the bridesmaid. I think it’s customary to give a shout-out for all your hard work.’

  She giggled. ‘Hardly hard work, James. The only thing she let me do by myself was organise a drinks party in Soho as a lame attempt at a hen night. She even chose my dress.’