by Katie Fforde
Scarlet’s mother must have had a make-up repair kit of her own because after she had moved quickly down to the front of the church to be with her family, and Scarlet emerged from the vestry, she had only the slightest sign of smudged mascara. And the smile of happiness on her face more than made up for that.
Rowan slipped in behind her, picking up the long train of Scarlet’s dress.
Caro tried hard to hold it together as she watched Scarlet and Alec, with Rowan behind, process down the aisle to a tune that always made her cry at even the least emotional of times. The unexpected arrival of Scarlet’s family made it all more special somehow. Aaron sweetly squeezed her hand and passed over a tissue. She and Aaron were going to slip out the moment the service was over to help Lennie, who was at the house.
Caro had never thought much about getting married. It wasn’t something she’d felt she’d do now – she was forty-one, she had a lovely daughter, why would she? And yet seeing Scarlet on Alec’s arm being escorted to a waiting David, devastatingly handsome in his Highland dress, made her yearn to be Scarlet. Not because she envied her David – she just wanted to walk down the aisle with Alec.
Caro saw a couple arriving late. He was tall, very tanned and handsome and she was wearing red, a hatinator making her look very smart but hiding half her face. One of Scarlet’s Hollywood friends, no doubt, thought Caro and concentrated on the service.
A piper played ‘Marie’s Wedding’ as the happy couple emerged from the church and the guests threw dried rose petals over them. Caro saw the girl in red again, just as she came over to her.
It took Caro a moment – she was so out of context – but then they rushed towards each other and embraced so hard the girl’s hat fell off.
‘Posy! What are you doing here?’ said Caro, looking at her daughter, so brown and adult-looking.
‘Well, Joe got in touch and a man called Alec or something paid for our tickets. He said you needed to see me and guessed there’d be two of us.’
Caro dragged her eyes away from her daughter to look at the man with her. She waited for him to speak with an Australian accent, already trying to get her head round the fact that Posy would live in Australia permanently.
‘Hello,’ said the man, sounding very English and for a moment Caro was even more confused. Posy had gone to Australia and this was the boyfriend she’d met there. He shouldn’t be English.
‘This is Mike,’ said Posy.
‘But you don’t sound Australian – at least not very,’ she said. She was completely thrown by the delightful shock of seeing Posy and was not completely coherent.
‘That’s because I’m not Australian,’ he said. ‘I’m from Kent,’ he explained. ‘Posy and I were both working in the same bar, which is how we met.’
Caro hugged him briefly before hugging Posy again. There was plenty of time to find out if it was just a casual romance or something more meaningful – they were both so young after all. ‘Come on,’ she said briskly. ‘Let’s get you to the house. You may have to walk but it’s not far. You probably want the loo before you eat or drink. There’s one there, Posy, and, Mike, there’s a Gents outside. Follow the signs.’
‘You are such a mum!’ said Posy, laughing and hugging her again. ‘You’ll be reminding us to wash our hands afterwards any minute!’
‘Do you need reminding?’ she asked, and then laughed. ‘But as for being a mum, you don’t ever stop being one, you know. Once you have a baby you’ve got one for ever. Even when they do grow up.’
It turned out that everyone except Caro had known about the plan to bring Posy and Mike over for the wedding.
‘It’s a bit of a thank-you present,’ said Alec, ‘for all you’ve done for this family. Reuniting you with your family seemed fitting, somehow. Even if your little girl does seem to be very grown up!’
Caro turned her gaze to Posy yet again (she’d hardly been able to keep her eyes off her since she arrived) and realised that yes, she had grown up. She’d been quite mature and sensible when she set off across the world but she seemed even more so now in her tomato-coloured outfit.
‘And it’s no fun going to a wedding without a date,’ said Scarlet mischievously, ‘so I suggested Alec needed two tickets. I’m not sure how well Mike and Posy know each other—’
‘It’s a pretty long flight,’ said Posy. ‘We know each other a lot better now.’ She sent him a sparkling glance. ‘And I knew he wanted to get home. I think I might go back to Oz to finish my year, though.’
‘You don’t have to decide anything just now. We’re at a wedding, after all,’ said Caro firmly.
Lennie nodded. ‘We are indeed, and if I could gather everybody for the speeches, in the marquee, that would be helpful.’ Lennie was a good wedding planner, it turned out, and so far that day people were mostly doing as she asked them.
‘Speeches!’ said Scarlet. ‘Really?’
‘There won’t be many, honey,’ said David. ‘I just want to thank everybody and I expect you do too.’
‘Of course I do! And Dad will need to see speeches or he won’t believe we’re legally married.’ She paused. ‘Honey? It was so cool of you to arrange for Mom and my aunts and cousins to come.’
‘I hope you didn’t mind it being a secret. When I left them after I’d visited them at your home they weren’t sure, so I thought it better not to tell you in case it didn’t come off.’
Caro understood this. It was really wonderful that Scarlet’s mother had come to her wedding but David couldn’t have been certain about it.
‘Well, I know now that while I don’t always like my mom, she’s my mom and I’ll always love her.’
Posy grabbed hold of Caro and hugged her. ‘That’s so sweet!’ she squeaked.
‘Come on, guys,’ said Scarlet.’ ‘The party can’t get started until we get in the tent!’ And she picked up her skirts and led the way.
Sometime later, Alec appeared at Caro’s side. ‘Let’s go and get some air.’
The marquee was full of reeling guests, some of whom actually knew the steps. It was hot and the music was loud. Caro had only just managed to extricate herself from the dancers and the thought of escaping for a few minutes was welcome.
‘OK, but maybe I should tell Posy, in case she’s looking for me.’
He laughed. ‘I think you’ll find her with her young man in the middle of that scrum!’ He indicated a group of dancers who were handling each other in a way that gave a whole new meaning to the expression ‘highland fling’.
Caro managed to catch her daughter’s eye and mimed that she was popping out. Posy made a thumbs-up sign before being spun around yet again.
Caro expected them to just step outside the marquee but Alec led her to the old Land Rover which had had its canvas top removed and white ribbons draped wherever they could be.
‘Blimey!’ said Caro. ‘Is there a vehicle in the place that hasn’t been decorated for the wedding?’
‘No,’ said Alec, ‘but I like to think that the ribbons on the Landy bring out its natural beauty.’
Caro laughed. She was so tired she could have slept propped up against one the posts holding up the marquee but now she was alone with Alec she felt re-energised.
He opened the door. ‘Climb in,’ he said, holding out his arm and helping her clamber up.
Alec walked round to the driver’s side and swung himself in. He had a day pack with him which he put on the back seat. It clanked encouragingly.
‘Where are we going?’ said Caro.
‘I want to look at the nature reserve. It’s going to be properly ours again soon.’
Although it was late it never got very dark in summer in Scotland but Alec put the headlights on as they drove through the forest to the track that led up to the lochan. Caro thought how happy she was. She was absolutely focused on living in the moment. She wasn’t going to think about how she’d miss all this later – not to mention how much she’d miss Alec.
Although Caro’d been there before,
when they came out of the forest into the light and she saw the silver water with the mountains behind, it took her by surprise. Neither of them spoke for several long seconds. ‘I had forgotten quite how beautiful it was.’
‘Come on!’ he said, picking up his pack and swinging it over his shoulder. ‘Can you walk in those shoes? It’s drier now; we shouldn’t need walking boots.’
She stumbled a little and he took her arm, clamping her to his side. She felt very strong and supported.
‘Look!’ he said when they’d walked for a few minutes. ‘No barbed wire!’
‘And a handy boulder we can sit on not far off!’ said Caro. ‘I don’t know about you but the wedding has exhausted me.’
‘It’s been fantastic though, hasn’t it?’ said Alec. ‘You and Lennie did a wonderful job. Scarlet and David are obviously delighted.’
‘Yes. They liked it all being a bit haphazard and quirky.’ She smiled. ‘The house lends itself to haphazard and quirky.’
‘Though with a bit of investment it won’t need to be quite so eccentric,’ he said, smiling down at her.
‘And thanks to Murdo being willing to sell his guns, there’ll be money for that.’ Caro was concentrating on being practical, talking about the house, the estate, the wedding, so she wouldn’t have to talk to Alec about what she should do next. Really, she didn’t want to talk at all.
Alec obviously felt the same because he just said, ‘Mm.’
They reached the boulder and Caro discovered wild roses were growing up all round it. ‘How lovely!’ she said and bent her head so she could inhale their scent. ‘They smell gorgeous and not the same as the roses in France, somehow. It’s a more innocent sort of fragrance. What do you think?’
He looked down at her. ‘Really? I think I don’t want to talk about roses just now. I want to talk about something much more important.’
Caro suddenly felt slightly sick. She realised she was nervous but wasn’t sure why.
‘Will you marry me?’ Alec said. ‘I know it’s an old-fashioned concept but seeing Scarlet and David declare their love for each other in front of family and friends I felt I wanted to do that too. I want to tell the world how much I love you.’
Caro put a hand on the boulder to steady herself. ‘You could try telling me, first,’ she said huskily, hoping she wasn’t going to cry.
‘Don’t you know how precious you are to me? Since you came into my life it’s been like having a prop – a special support. You make the impossible, possible. I love you so much more than I thought I could love anyone. I just didn’t know how infinite love could be.’ He smiled gently. ‘When Rowan was little I used to tell her that I loved her as much as that lochan was full of water. She said it was only a little loch and so didn’t have much water in it. I told her – and it’s true – that it’s very very deep. Nearly as deep as my love for you, Caro.’
Caro couldn’t speak. She’d wanted this for so long she couldn’t quite believe it was really happening. Eventually she cleared her throat. ‘What have you got in your pack? If it’s champagne, I think you should open it.’
‘As a celebration or consolation?’
Although she thought her response was clear she realised he was diffident. She hadn’t made it clear how much she loved him. ‘Celebration! I’d be delighted to marry you.’
‘I am so relieved! I’m afraid I rang Pascal and Amalie a little while ago and booked their honeymoon suite. They were utterly delighted.’
‘It sounds the perfect place. I love the chateau. But maybe we should get married here quickly? Before the new paint gets chipped and while it’s all looking lovely? The house, I mean,’ she added quickly. ‘Glen Liddell will always be beautiful.’
‘And so will you,’ said Alec, and he kissed her.
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Published by Century 2019
Copyright © Katie Fforde, 2019
Illustrations by Jacqueline Bissett
Author lettering by www.ruthrowland.co.uk
Art direction by Ceara Elliot
Katie Fforde has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work.
First published in Great Britain in 2019 by Century
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London, SW1V 2SA
www.penguin.co.uk
Century is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies whose addresses can be found at global.pen
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A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 9781473539914