CHAPTER ELEVEN
DIDO PARKER, for all her candyfloss exterior, was the one person in the world Harriet knew she could trust with her momentous news. Not Tim this time, she thought with regret. This was one piece of news he’d have to learn from James.
‘So that’s why you fainted,’ said Dido, once she’d recovered from the shock. ‘I thought people only did that in films.’
‘Me, too.’
‘How do you feel about it? The baby, I mean.’
‘Astonished, mainly.’
‘Morning sickness yet?’
‘The one time I’ve been sick was when I gave James the glad tidings.’
‘How did he take it?’
‘He asked if the baby was his, then held my head when I threw up in his kitchen sink.’
Dido shuddered. ‘How hideous! Is that why you ran off to hide in Tim’s house?’
Harriet nodded wryly. ‘I was so hurt and angry I wanted him to suffer for that one split second of doubt.’
‘James suffered all right! He was in a terrible state when he rang me. So was I,’ added Dido with feeling.
‘Sorry about that. I needed time on my own to think over James’ proposal.’
‘So he wants you to marry him then. Are you going to?’
‘Of course I am.’ Harriet smiled wistfully. ‘He’s the love of my life, Dido—has been since I was thirteen years old, if we’re counting. Otherwise I wouldn’t dream of marrying him, baby or no baby.’
At the weekend James drove round to Clerkenwell to collect Harriet’s belongings. He’d offered to hire a van for the purpose, but she’d assured him it was unnecessary.
‘I can see why,’ he said, surprised, when she let him in. ‘Is this really everything?’
‘I had to be ruthless when I moved in here. You see before you the sum total of my worldly possessions, other than the things you’re storing for me.’ Harriet smiled. ‘Radio, books and CDs in the boxes, clothes in the cases, and the plant pot you gave me. That’s it.’
When they got to the apartment James took her suitcases straight to his bedroom. ‘I’ve cleared a space for you,’ he said, sliding back one of his wardrobe doors. ‘Your books can go downstairs in the office.’
After a week of little conversation with James other than a brief nightly phone call to inquire about her health, Harriet was relieved that the question of where to put her belongings had been answered before she’d asked it. ‘I’m meeting Dido for lunch, by the way,’ she said as she unpacked her clothes. ‘We’re going shopping for wedding gear. Tim’s wedding,’ she added awkwardly.
James leaned in the doorway. ‘You’ll need something for ours, too.’
‘The same one will do for both, surely?’ She turned to smile at him. ‘It’s pointless to buy things that won’t fit me for long.’
‘You only get married once—’
‘Not always, James.’
The tawny eyes locked with hers. ‘I intend to make very sure it’s only once for you, Harriet.’ He took out his wallet. ‘You’ll need some money.’
She shook her head. ‘I’ll pay for my own dress, James. Save your money for later. Babies cost a lot.’
‘Have you told Tim about ours yet?’
‘No, only Dido. Tim gave me such a telling off for worrying you—and him—last week, I left you to break the news.’
‘In that case we’d better break it right away! I’ll ask him round this evening. Or are you spending that with Dido, too?’
‘No, I’m not.’ She looked at him uncertainly. ‘I’d assumed I’d spend it here with you.’
His eyes softened. ‘So had I. Tim can share the meal I had ready for our lunch.’
‘Sorry about that, James.’ Harriet zipped up the last empty case and turned to face him. ‘Your phone calls were so brief I never managed to tell you I was meeting Dido today.’
‘It doesn’t matter. I arranged about the test, by the way,’ he added casually.
‘Oh, right. Thank you,’ she said, flushing.
‘So now that’s out of the way we can discuss the wedding.’
‘Hold on,’ said Harriet. ‘We need test results before thinking about a wedding.’
He shook his head decisively. ‘No, we don’t, Harriet. All I need is a straight answer. Do you love me?’
‘Yes,’ she said simply.
He took her in his arms and kissed her victoriously. ‘Then nothing else matters, test results least of all. Let’s get married next Saturday. I’ll make the arrangements while you’re out.’
‘As soon as that!’ She stared at him in astonishment. ‘James, are you serious?’
‘Never more so. What point is there in waiting? You’re already here in my home and my life—and my heart,’ he added, in a tone that finally settled the matter for Harriet.
‘In that case, why not?’ She smiled at him radiantly. ‘Saturday it is.’
When Harriet got back from the shopping expedition James looked so worried she felt deeply contrite as he relieved her of a large hatbox and numerous smart carrier bags.
‘Thank God,’ he said fervently. ‘I’ve been pacing the floor for the past half-hour. Why did you stay out so long? You look exhausted.’
‘I am.’ She kicked off her shoes with a groan and limped to a sofa. ‘I may never go shopping again—at least, not with Dido. I didn’t mean to worry you, James. I just lost track of the time.’
His eyes softened. ‘What would you like to drink?’
‘Water, please. Dido Parker, she I used to call friend, dragged me through every floor of Harvey Nichols on what must surely be the hottest day of the year!’ She accepted a tall glass of mineral water and gulped it down thirstily.
James joined her on the sofa. ‘Did you find what you wanted?’
‘Yes.’ She pushed her hair back from her damp forehead, and smiled at him. ‘I found the perfect dress for the wedding, but I’m definitely wearing it to Tim’s, too. And before you start lecturing, I ran out of energy, not money.’
‘I suppose I’m not allowed to see this perfect dress until the day itself?’
‘You bet. It’s not a real wedding dress, by the way. You needn’t wear a morning suit.’
‘I’m going to just the same.’ He smiled smugly. ‘I look rather good in mine.’
She grinned. ‘I bet you do. Talking of weddings, did you manage to get everything sorted for next week?’
‘All arranged. The ceremony is at four next Saturday at the church in Upcote, with a reception afterwards at Edenhurst,’ he announced, his lips twitching as she stared at him, astounded. ‘The only thing left to do is the licence.’
‘Upcote?’ she said faintly.
He shrugged. ‘It seemed the obvious choice, for both of us. Your grandmother would certainly approve. I took it for granted you would, too, Harriet.’
‘I do, I do. It’s a lovely surprise, James,’ she assured him. ‘I’d assumed we’d just make for the nearest register office here in London.’
‘I did that last time with well-known results.’ James took her hand in his. ‘Because I was the innocent party in the divorce the vicar’s agreed to perform the ceremony. So I can make my vows to you, Harriet, in the sight of God as well as man.’
Deeply moved, she curled her fingers round his. ‘James.’
He moved closer. ‘What is it?’
‘Now that we’re actually getting married on Saturday—something I can’t quite take in yet—can we go back to the way things were?’
He met her eyes squarely. ‘Am I forgiven, then?’
‘Yes,’ she said soberly. ‘Otherwise I wouldn’t have gone shopping for a wedding dress. I hope you like the one I chose. It’s a bit different from the normal things I buy. It wasn’t on sale, for one thing. It’s a size bigger than usual, too.’
James gave her a leisurely top to toe scrutiny. ‘I can’t see any difference.’
‘I’ve put on an inch or so already round here,’ she said, tapping her chest.
He grinned. ‘You can hardly expect me to look on that as a disadvantage!’
Harriet chuckled, and James nodded in approval. ‘That’s better. I haven’t heard you laugh much lately.’
‘Sorry.’ She patted her stomach. ‘She’s to blame.’
‘It could be a he.’
‘True. Would you prefer a boy, James?’
His grasp tightened for a moment as he helped her to her feet. ‘All I ask is a healthy baby, Harriet, who gives its mother as little trouble as possible when it arrives.’
‘Amen to that,’ she said with feeling. ‘I’d better hang my wedding finery away in my little retreat. And no peeking,’ she added, smiling up at him.
‘I wouldn’t dream of it. I shall wait to be dazzled on the day. I’ll carry the bags, and then leave you to it. Tim’s coming at eight, so collect whatever you’re wearing tonight, and then lie in the bath for a while, or better still, have a nap.’
‘I think I will, but I’ll be out in time to help with the meal,’ she said, yawning widely as she trailed behind with her hatbox.
‘There’s nothing for you to do,’ James assured her as he laid the bags down. ‘It’s just a selection of cold cuts and salads from my favourite food hall.’ He grinned suddenly. ‘If it isn’t filling enough for Tim he can buy some fish and chips on his way home.’
When Harriet emerged from the spare room later in the terracotta dress, she was touched to see James had gone to some trouble to make the table look festive with champagne flutes and candles.
‘How lovely,’ she commented as he came out of the main bedroom.
‘So are you,’ said James. ‘I like that dress.’
‘Which is why I wore it,’ she told him.
The tawny eyes lit with a heat she knew of old, but as James started towards her the bell rang and he smiled wryly, and went off to let his brother in.
‘Sorry I’m late, folks,’ said Tim, and gave Harriet a hug and kiss before standing back to look at her. ‘Are you feeling better? No more faints? What have I said?’ he added as she looked daggers at him.
‘Faints in the plural?’ demanded James.
‘Oh, God,’ groaned Tim. ‘You didn’t know?’
‘About the one I witnessed, yes. Have there been more, Harriet, apart from the one when I went away?’
She nodded apologetically. ‘When I had supper with Tim and Dido.’
‘Scared the hell out of us,’ said Tim, and raised his eyebrows as he saw the table. ‘Hey, it’s a special occasion! I should have worn my party dress.’
‘Keep it for the wedding,’ said his brother casually.
‘No fear. I’ve got a really great suit for that,’ said Tim with satisfaction. ‘Francesca chose it.’
‘Our wedding, not yours,’ said James, removing the cork from a bottle of champagne.
Tim looked from his brother’s face to Harriet’s, then gave a whoop of triumph as he hugged the breath out of her then clapped James on the back. ‘That’s fantastic news! But you told me you were just moving in together, Harry.’
‘We decided to tie the knot more permanently,’ said James.
‘Congratulations. When are you tying it?’
‘Next Saturday,’ Harriet informed him.
‘What?’ Tim sat down with a thump on one of the chairs at the table. ‘This is all a bit sudden. You said you didn’t want to get married last time the subject came up, Harry.’
‘I changed my mind.’
‘I changed it for her,’ said James. ‘We’re having a baby.’
Tim stared at him, stunned, as he took a glass of champagne.
‘Aren’t you going to congratulate us, Uncle?’ said Harriet, laughing.
‘Lord, yes, it’s marvellous news.’ He raised his glass. ‘Your very good health, both of you. Especially yours, Harry. No wonder you fainted. I almost did myself just then. I can’t wait to tell Francesca.’
‘Tell her now,’ said James, to his brother’s delight. ‘Ask her over for the wedding. You can both stay here with Harriet, if she’s happy with that. I’ll be in Upcote all week until the big day.’ He smiled at a totally bemused Tim. ‘I shall then take my bride to La Fattoria, and stay there until your own wedding, so if you want to show Francesca more of London you can use this place as a base.’
Tim leapt to his feet and hugged his brother, his eyes suspiciously damp. ‘Thanks, James. I really appreciate that.’
‘Go into the other room to ring Francesca,’ said Harriet. ‘Only don’t fall over the furniture.’
Tim dashed off, exclaiming loudly over the new arrangement before sliding the spare room door closed behind him.
James handed a glass to Harriet. ‘That obviously went well. He called me James for the first time.’ He smiled wryly. ‘I hope you don’t mind sharing this place with Francesca for a night or two.’
‘Of course not. Though I didn’t realise I wouldn’t see you for the entire week before the wedding.’ She sighed. ‘I’ll miss you.’
He kissed her swiftly. ‘I’ll miss you a damn sight more. Let’s drink a toast.’
She eyed the champagne warily. ‘Should I be drinking this?’
‘Just a sip or two for a toast.’ James smiled into her eyes as he touched his glass to hers. ‘To the three of us.’
‘To the three of us,’ echoed Harriet, her answering smile so blindingly happy James caught her in an embrace that lasted until Tim had to cough theatrically to interrupt them.
‘Break it up, you two. I’m starving!’
At four o’clock to the minute the following Saturday, Harriet gave Dido a kiss in the doorway of St Mary’s Church, linked her arm through Tim’s and, to the triumphant strains of Mendelssohn on the newly restored organ, walked down the aisle towards James, who looked so spectacularly handsome in his formal wedding clothes that after no sight of him for a week Harriet wanted to throw herself into his arms there and then. Instead she handed her posy of white roses to Dido and returned James’ smile radiantly as he took her hand in his. Her dress, in double layers of pale pink chiffon printed with trailing white roses, coupled with a huge white straw hat, were both of them so foreign to her usual taste she’d been worried all week that she’d made a big mistake. But the look in James’ eyes made it clear he thought she looked ravishing and she relaxed as Reverend Faraday, the vicar who’d known her since she was thirteen, began the words of the marriage service. When James received the ring from Nick Mayhew he looked down into Harriet’s eyes as he put it on her finger, the conviction in his voice audible to everyone in the church as he made the vows that accompanied it. But when she slid a matching ring on his hand as she made the corresponding vows only Harriet heard his sharp intake of breath.
In the vestry, later, amongst all the kissing and congratulations James said in an undertone, ‘The ring was a surprise. Thank you, Mrs Devereux.’
‘I took a chance that you’d like it, Mr Devereux,’ she whispered.
‘I do. Enormously. I’ve never had one before.’
‘I know. I did some research.’
When she took James’ arm to walk down the aisle through a surprisingly crowded church Harriet smiled warmly on the familiar faces who’d come to wish her well, and laughed in delight when a silver horseshoe was thrust at her by a small person held aloft in his father’s arms near the door.
‘Robert!’ exclaimed Harriet. ‘Thank you.’ She blew the little boy a kiss, and a smartly dressed Stacy grinned happily at her as she restored a rather chewed cuddly lion to her son.
Outside in the sunshine the bride and groom endured the usual photo shoot before escaping in a cloud of confetti to the car waiting to take them on the short journey to Edenhurst, where they received congratulations from the assembled staff before James finally managed to get his bride to himself for a moment before the guests arrived.
‘You look so beautiful I’m almost afraid to spoil your perfection,’ he said softly, taking her in his arms. ‘I love you, Harriet.’
‘I love you,
too.’ She raised her face for a kiss that was all too brief before the others began to arrive in the flower-filled dining room reserved for the purpose on this special day.
Tim rushed in first, swept Harriet into his arms, and hugged the life out of her before apologising to them both in an anguished undertone. ‘Sorry! I forgot.’
‘Baby and I don’t mind hugging,’ she whispered, and slid a look at James as Tim wrung his hand. ‘In fact we like it.’
Her new husband grinned at her as Francesca kissed them both and wished them great happiness. ‘You are a lucky man this time, James.’
He nodded in heartfelt agreement. ‘The luckiest man in the world, Francesca.’
‘I’m jolly glad this waterproof mascara’s living up to its promises,’ sniffed Dido as she kissed Harriet. ‘You look utterly glorious today, sort of glowing.’
‘It’s a bride thing,’ said Harriet as she hugged her friend. Then she held out her hand to Giles Kemble, accepted his kiss, introduced him to James, and passed him on to Dido, whose tears dried like magic when Giles acquired two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter and led her across the room.
‘Brilliant idea to invite your boss,’ murmured James, watching.
‘In more ways than one,’ Harriet said with satisfaction, and then turned with a smile as the Mayhews arrived to bestow congratulations, plus an invitation to the Cotswolds for a family weekend in the country when the newlyweds returned from honeymoon.
Because both bride and groom were short of relatives, the guest list was composed of colleagues and friends accompanied by partners of various kinds, and it was a congenial little crowd who enjoyed the excellent meal and the entertaining speeches. It was late in the evening by the time the tables were cleared and a trio began to play the kind of standards it was possible to dance to cheek to cheek. Amid cheers James led his now hatless bride onto the limited floor space.
‘I asked for this type of music,’ he murmured, ‘so I could hold you in my arms at the earliest possible moment after the wedding.’
‘How clever of you,’ she said, impressed. ‘You dance well, too.’
The Unexpected Pregnancy Page 16