Max pondered her offer for a moment and then smiled brightly. “Yeah,” he chirped and grabbed the ball from his dad. He bounded off to the Guilford’s yard and Neville started to leave. He turned back to Deanna for one last comment.
“You must know my brother, Nigel.”
She nodded but said nothing.
Neville walked through the gate and stood next to her, looking at Thom’s house, shaking his head. “What happened in that house was such a horrible tragedy. I’m sure Thom must have told you.”
“Well, yes,” she lied. “But, if you would like to talk about it…?”
He crossed his arms and gazed at the house recalling memories best left alone. He didn’t know why, but he felt compelled to talk to this pretty girl about it. Perhaps to rid himself of bad memories that no one else, including Nigel, would allow themselves to purge. He nodded and began: “After Nigel told Chloe he intended to get their marriage annulled, she committed suicide in her parent’s bedroom. Apparently it was an overdose of pills she found in their medicine cabinet.” When he looked at Deanna, his gaze was solemn and a bit sad.
She had to use every ounce of self-control to keep from clamping her hands over her mouth and screaming in disbelief. She managed to nod for him to go on and was grateful when he turned his gaze back to the house.
“Thom’s mum didn’t survive the shock of her daughter’s death. She died less than a month later of heart failure. Nigel was gutted...our entire family was gutted. Even though we knew it wasn’t Nigel’s fault, there was this pervading sense of guilt which very nearly destroyed our family.” Neville sighed heavily and continued. “Nigel really wanted that baby even though he was just a young lad barely eighteen years old,” Neville shook his head. “It’s too bloody bad that Chloe lied about her pregnancy. I think that hurt him almost as much as her death. I don’t believe the poor bloke has ever really gotten over the awful mess although it’s been over six years. He sighed and smiled at Deanna. “I’m chuffed to see that he and Thom managed to re-connect and remain best mates. They were joined at the hip when they were growing up, the two of them and Chloe. They did everything together. I was considerably older and felt fortunate that my baby brother didn‘t trail after me all the time.”
Deanna didn’t know if her legs would carry her across the yard and into the house but she wanted to get as far away as possible from this man with Nigel’s eyes who knew every intimate detail of his life: a life he never bothered to share with her which would have explained why love and commitment turned him off so badly that he couldn’t wait to get the hell away from her. And the baby…Chloe and Nigel’s baby. Neville said Nigel really wanted it. Would he have felt the same about their baby? No. He loved Chloe. He married her, but he dumped the naïve American twit who stupidly blurted out her love for him. That said it all. His tragic past had no bearing on what had happened between them so she could just forget about trying to justify his actions using that angle. It was her wedding day---to Thom. He was the man that loved her, not Nigel Guilford, and she needed to prepare for the ceremony that would begin their new life together. Oh God, poor Thom! His mother and his sister dead because of Nigel; it was too awful to believe.
Her thoughts continued to race and everything was starting to spin so she barely heard Neville talking about what a coincidence it was that “Thom was marrying a Yank because Nigel had been involved with a Yank but only for a short time” when the world went black and she heard no more.
Someone was patting her face. She pushed their hand away wondering why they would do such an annoying thing. She opened her eyes and giant hazy figures crowded around her, swaying like ghosts. They frightened her. She sat up, flailing her arms to scare the ghosts away. “Take it easy Deanna. I’m here, baby,” she heard Thom say over all of the eerie murmuring. “What…what happened?” she said, clutching Thom’s arm like it was a life line.
He leaned close to her, his eyes filled with love and concern. “You fainted while talking with Neville Guilford.”
“I did?” She looked around at the figures which were gradually becoming clear. She recognized Ian and Neville and Max but not the others who were smiling at her with relief. Everyone stepped back as Ian helped Thom lift her to her feet. “Why would I do that?” she laughed nervously.
“Let’s just get you into the house so the doctor can have a look at you.”
She tried to pull away from Thom and Ian as they walked her to the house. “No doctor. Please Thom. I’m fine, really I am.”
“Fainting isn’t normal, Deanna. You’re still healing, yeah?”
“What do you mean by healing? In my mind? Are you saying that I’m crazy?”
Once inside the house, they led her to the couch and Thom sat down, gathered her in his arms, and stroked her hair trying to calm and reassure her. “Of course you’re not crazy, sweet girl, but Dr. Hillman did say your hormones could affect your emotional and physical state for quite some time to come. Remember? You’ve been under a tremendous amount of pressure what with school, your job, and now this hasty wedding. It was bound to affect you.”
She remembered the episode at the hospital the day she had to face the possibility of being expelled from school. When she read the details of her miscarriage she had come close to fainting. Did Ian know about her miscarriage? God, she hated appearing weak and fragile in front of people she barely knew, especially her soon–to-be father-in-law. It seemed her wedding day was destined to be ruined because of hormones---or was it Nigel? She pulled away from Thom stating that she wanted to go upstairs and rest for a while.
Lying on the bed, stiff and sore from dropping like a sack of potatoes to the ground, she burned with anger at the fact that Nigel Guilford still invaded every aspect of her life: twisting, turning, shaping each event so he could sabotage and destroy any chance she had at peace and happiness. What were the odds of running into his older brother? A brother who seemed so keen to share juicy tidbits of Nigel’s wretched past with a virtual stranger? It boggled the mind.
“The doctor's here,” Thom announced from the bedroom doorway before leading another unwelcome stranger into her life.
She gritted her teeth while the doctor examined her. She lay there listening to Thom give him the details of her miscarriage and the burn on her palm. The doctor checked the thick, red scar that ran the length of her hand and asked a battery of intrusive questions about her private parts and her sex life. After a perfunctory examination of her breasts and a quick listen to her belly with an ice cold stethoscope, he said she seemed fine, but it would be prudent for her to see her own doctor when she got back to London---just as a precaution. He finally gave her half a dozen tranquilizers---to be used with caution of course---and left. Deanna didn’t want to be angry with Thom when he suggested they postpone the wedding, but she found it difficult not to be until he skillfully kissed and caressed her anger away. She silently vowed they would get married as planned and proceeded to convince Thom with sweet kisses and caresses of her own. With a contented sigh he gave in and agreed but felt it necessary to add that it was against his better judgment.
“To hell with your judgment,” Deanna said blithely. “Today is my special day and nothing is going to ruin it.
****
There was a tremendous amount of banging and scraping going on in the back garden as Deanna pinned up her hair using a set of crystal flower and butterfly clips that Ian McCordy had presented her with after Thom was banished from her room the night before. He said his wife wore them in her hair on the day they were married, and he would be honored if she wore them on her wedding day. She was touched by his gift and eagerly accepted the delicate clips. They were old and had probably been handed down through many generations of his wife’s family which made them even more special. She leaned back and stared at her reflection, satisfied with the way the clips sparkled in her blonde curls, and how several long, loose tendrils of hair framed her face and softened her features. She was glad she hadn’t bought a veil or the l
ittle wreath of flowers because the glittering clips were just the right accessory for her velvet and lace peasant gown. They were a fitting tribute to Thom’s mother which would no doubt please him tremendously.
After applying a light dusting of blush and pale pink lip gloss she donned her wedding gown and picked up an exquisite cascading bouquet of Calla lilies, pink rose buds, and delicate green fern tied with ivory and pink satin bows and lightly pressed the flowers to her nose. She had no idea how Thom knew those were her favorite flowers just as he had known a Victorian engagement ring was her heart’s desire, but he did, and she loved him all the more for it. As she took one last look at her image in the mirror her heart squeezed painfully at the thought that her parents would not be here to share in her joy. After a last minute phone call to them that morning, she was crushed when she heard the pain and bewilderment in their voices when they learned their only child was getting married that very day to a man they had never met and knew nothing about. She tried to explain but it was no use. Her father hung up the phone while her mother sobbed in the background. All she could do was try and call them again later. Hopefully they would be willing to talk to Thom. Maybe he could reassure them, convince them that he loved their daughter, and the two of them were going to have a long and happy life together.
****
Ian knocked on Deanna’s bedroom door, feeling a bit more nervous than he ought to. There was something unsettling about the girl’s mishap that he couldn’t seem to shake; not since Neville Guilford knocked frantically at his door, urging him to call a doctor. Thom had told him enough about Deanna’s miscarriage to know that the child wasn’t fathered by his son, but that was all he knew. While waiting with Neville for the doctor to arrive, the young man mentioned how odd it was that Nigel had dated a blonde American girl who was going to school in London just as Thom’s fiancé was doing. That set the alarm bells ringing in Ian’s head, and now as he stood ready to walk her down the aisle, he realized that Deanna and Nigel’s ex-girlfriend were one in the same. Dear God, her baby had been fathered by Nigel Guilford! He could hardly believe that she was marrying his son only two short months after losing the baby. What in bloody hell was going on here?
When Deanna opened the door, Ian was looking at her strangely. He blinked a couple of times and smiled, but it was a forced smile and it didn’t reach his eyes. She hesitated before following him down the stairs.
“You take care not to hurt my boy,” he said in a vaguely hostile tone.
She stepped back and stared at him, her mouth going dry. Was Ian threatening her?
He leaned towards her and took her hand, tucking it into the crook of his arm, speaking quietly. “I know that you’re Nigel’s ex and that it was his baby you lost so if this is some kind of game you’re playing with my son, I won’t have it. You hear me darlin’?”
Deanna pulled away and faced him. “It’s no game Mr. McCordy. I love Thom, and he knows exactly what happened. He was there when I lost the baby.”
Ian looked at her with disbelief and mumbled, “Indeed?”
Reluctant to take his arm again, Deanna finally relented, and they began their stiff, awkward descent down the aisle. She barely noticed the harpist playing “Here Comes the Bride,” or the huge white baskets filled with Calla lilies and pink roses that lined the red carpeted walkway leading to the lace canopy near the garden wall where Thom stood waiting for her. She did notice the extra chairs that held Neville, Max, and two women, along with an older couple; the man the spitting image of Nigel. How fitting that Ian McCordy believed she was nothing more than Nigel’s devious ex-whore taking advantage of his son while Nigel’s family bore witness to the entire spectacle. The only thing that would make the disastrous ceremony complete would be Nigel sitting ringside with a haughty smirk on his face.
She couldn’t help but look around for him, believing that he would destroy what was supposed be the happiest day of her life. As tears threatened to fall she felt a warm hand clasp her shaking hand which was cold and clammy with sickening dread. Her eyes slowly focused on Thom’s questioning face. He squeezed her hand and smiled radiantly. She smiled back, forcing the sour bile back into her roiling stomach. She tried to appreciate how dashing and incredibly handsome he looked in his traditional English wedding suit, but Ian’s angry voice echoed in her mind spoiling their intimate moment.
So much had gone wrong since their arrival in Bilston, she wondered if each event had been a warning sign. Deanna looked at the beautiful garden decorated with colorful flowers, their fragrance permeating the soft breeze. She looked at Thom standing beside her, a tower of strength: her guardian, her champion, her lover, and her best friend. “I do love you,” she whispered, clutching the bouquet so tightly she could hear the flowers rustling in her shaky hands.
The vicar began the service and when he entreated the groom to kiss his bride, Thom’s lips covered hers in a sweet promise of joy and happiness; a promise so loving and earnest it strengthened her resolve. When he broke their kiss, Thom whispered that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. Indescribable warmth spread through her, easing her doubts and fears when she saw the love shining in his gorgeous blue eyes as he gazed at her with wonder. Squeezing his arm, Deanna smiled and felt the heat of her father-in-law’s disapproving gaze. As Thom walked his new bride past the congratulatory shouts and whistles, she couldn’t ignore the disappointment darkening Ian McCordy’s handsome features as he watched his son lead Nigel’s ex-girlfriend into the house where Nigel’s wife, his precious daughter Chloe, had taken her own life nearly seven years ago.
Chapter 32
It hardly seemed worth driving all the way to Brighton for a two day stay so Deanna suggested they spend their brief honeymoon in the bridal suite at the hotel where she worked. Thom thought it was a brilliant idea, waiting impatiently by her side like an excited child as she grabbed the phone to call her employer. After a quick conversation with her manager she was able to book the posh room at a special rate with some extra amenities thrown in free gratis due to her status as an employee.
While Thom loaded their suitcases in the boot, Deanna tried to ease Ian McCordy’s doubts about his new daughter-in-law by telling him again how much she loved his son, but his stubborn Irish streak held fast, and she could see that he distrusted her completely. Although he acted like the loving father-in-law in front of Thom, his eyes held a dire warning for her. It was obvious that it would take time to win Ian McCordy over again, and she would try even though she thought it was unfair that he held her short relationship with Nigel over her head like the proverbial Sword of Damocles.
One day he would know the truth. His son was her hero, he had saved her life, and taken her into his home to help her heal and put her life back together. She loved him for that and so much more. Shouldn’t that be all that mattered? Ian held his son and frowned over Thom’s shoulder at Deanna in one last attempt to show her that he meant every word he had said. She got into the Mini and waited for the two men to say their final goodbyes, grateful to be leaving Bilston behind her. As they drove away from the bustling neighborhood, she glanced at the Guilford house trying to imagine the two boys and the little dark-haired girl playing innocently together, never imagining the horror that would touch their lives someday. She grudgingly accepted the terrible tragedy as the cause of Ian McCordy’s overly protective and loving concern for his son even if it was completely unfair.
****
Mims met the newlyweds at the door yowling displeasure at being left behind with Jayson and Penny for four long days. The couple had stayed at the Chelsea flat so they could feed and pamper the spoiled cat, but their attention wasn’t enough; Mims wanted her mum and dad. At least that was how Jayson explained her endless crying, and scouring the flat for Deanna and Thom. It was Thom who picked her up first murmuring apologies in her ear and kissing her fuzzy head.
“I thought you didn’t do well with cats,” Deanna teased him.
“I sort of fell in l
ove with her, I s’pose,” he said sheepishly as Jayson laughed and made kissing noises.
Penny smacked Jayson on the back of the head and told the newlyweds that he spent several nights rocking the cat like a baby so she would go to sleep. Everyone burst out laughing with the exception of Jayson who quickly headed for the kitchen to get out of the line of fire.
“You might as well get everyone a lager while you’re hiding in there,” Thom called.
Deanna and Penny took the suitcases upstairs so that Deanna could fill her friend in on the details of the wedding and honeymoon. She told her about the garden wedding---leaving out the disagreeable bits---the last minute change in honeymoon plans, and how beautiful the bridal suite turned out to be. The newlyweds had taken advantage of free champagne along with fresh strawberries and whipped double cream, along with pampering facials and expert massages that were a wedding gift from hotel management. It had been a marvelous two days and she was pleasantly worn out from the expert and loving attention her new husband had lavished on her.
Penny fussed over Deanna’s beautiful rings then showed off her own engagement ring that Jayson had given her the night before last. The girls laughed and hugged each other, delighted that their lives seemed to have turned out perfect in every way. Penny was ecstatic as she told Deanna that she had quit her job to go on the road with Jayson. She was anxious to see America with the love of her life, but it went far deeper than that.
“There's no bloody way I'm gonna let Jayson out of my site while he's touring with that randy lot,” Penny said, crossing her arms almost defiantly.
“He'd never cheat on you,” Deanna laughed half-heartedly, wondering if she was being ridiculously naive.
Penny looked at her, blue eyes wide with disbelief. “You're jokin', right?” She stood up and looked in Deanna's mirror. Fluffing her hair, she exhaled noisily and turned back to Deanna with a slight frown, “Ever heard of sex, drugs, and rock n' roll?”
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