by Sharon Booth
Eden gasped. 'Really? It's amazing.'
Mrs Edwards shook her head. 'Just a plain vanilla sponge, my dear, but I filled it with my homemade raspberry jam and a raspberry ripple buttercream. I hope you enjoy it. I got the ladies of the WI to make the scones, and there's more of the jam to go with them.'
'And bowls of raspberries from my garden,' added Mr Edwards, who was sitting at one of the tables, drinking tea. He raised his cup to them. 'Cheers, my dears, and long life and much happiness to you both.'
'I don't know what to say,' Eliot murmured.
'We all wanted you to know how happy we were for you, Eliot,' said Mrs Malory. 'You deserve this, love. You both do.'
Eliot swallowed, clearly overwhelmed. Eden squeezed his hand.
'Even Granny Allen chipped in,' Mrs Harvey called.
As Eden and Eliot cast a nervous look at the food, she laughed and added, 'Don't worry. She didn't cook owt. Chipped in for the flowers, though, bless her.'
'She did?'
'Aye. She couldn't come, 'cos of her arthritis playing her up, but she said to tell you she wished you both all the luck in the world, and she'd be thinking of you.'
'I'll take her some food round,' Eliot said glancing down at Eden for her approval. 'Least she deserves.'
'Er, I think you'll be a bit busy later on.' Mrs Long rolled her eyes at the folly of men. 'We'll take her a plateful round, never fear.'
Eliot wrapped his arms around Eden and turned to face them all. 'I can't thank you all enough,' he said. 'This is —' He shrugged, clearly unable to find the words.
'Perfect?' suggested Ophelia, who was already munching on a sandwich.
Eliot grinned. 'Aye, love, happen that's the word. Perfect. It's all perfect, and this is the happiest day of my life. Thank you. Thank you all for doing this. I don't rightly know how to tell you how much it means to us.' He cleared his throat, embarrassed. 'All I will say is, since it's our wedding, there'll be no standing on ceremony. Nowt formal we said, and we meant it. So, come on everyone, tuck in.'
As the villagers laughed and surged towards the trestle table, Eden hugged him tightly, then looked up as Beth said, 'You know who organised it all, though?'
'You, no doubt,' she said smiling, but Beth shook her head.
'Not me, Eden. It was Emerald. She did it all. It was her idea and she was determined to give you the best wedding possible.'
Eden stared at her. 'Emerald?'
Jed nodded. 'She wanted to make it up to you,' he explained. 'She's spent all morning getting this place decorated, rushing round collecting the flowers and getting them in place. She ordered the flowers, she bought the bunting, she co-ordinated the whole thing. She's spent the last couple of days trawling through local markets and antique shops to get the china for the tables. It was her idea to go with the vintage tea party theme. She thought it was more the sort of thing you'd want.'
'She were right,' Eliot said. He glanced down at Eden. 'Weren't she?'
'Yes, she was,' Eden said, feeling uncomfortable suddenly. 'Isn't she here?'
'She shot inside the bunk barn as soon as she saw Dad's car pull up,' Jed said. 'She didn't think you'd want to see her. I persuaded her to stick around, at least have something to eat. She's in the dining room. That was going to be Plan B if it rained, by the way.'
'She's done her best, Eden,' Cain said gently. 'I know she did some stupid things, but she's sorry and she's really tried to make it up to you.'
Eliot draped his arm over Eden's shoulders. 'It's all in the past now, my love,' he said. 'Nothing can hurt us. She were daft, but happen we've all bin a bit daft at times, eh?'
Eden frowned, but nodded. He was right, she supposed, although she didn't think she'd ever totally trust Emerald. Even so, it was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, her family, her parents, her friends and half the village were here to celebrate with her, and she was married to the best man in the world. She had every reason to be happy. More reason than even Eliot knew. She could spare Emerald some kindness. 'Go and tell her she's welcome to join us,' she said. 'I want to thank her personally, anyway.'
Jed's face lit up as he hurried inside, and Eden took a deep breath, as two of her bunk barn guests hurried towards her, each carrying a plate of food.
'Thanks so much for inviting us,' one of them said.
The other nudged him. 'They didn't. It was a surprise, remember?'
'Even so.' The two of them beamed at Eden and Eliot. 'Never had this at any of the other places we've stayed, did they? We're not likely to forget Fleetsthorpe in a hurry. You'll be getting a cracking review from us.'
They each planted a kiss on Eden's cheek, then Eliot shook their proffered hands.
'Congratulations to you both!' they called, wandering towards an empty table.
'Mum, these sandwiches are scrummy,' Libby informed her. 'Have one?'
'Maybe in a minute,' she said.
'You all right, my love? Did I do the right thing, saying that about Emerald?' Eliot looked at her anxiously, and she smiled.
'Yes, of course. You were quite right.' She laughed suddenly, nodding over to where Mrs Long, Mrs Malory, Mrs Harvey and Mrs Edwards were posing proudly, as her father snapped them with his posh new camera.
'Goodness knows what your wedding album's going to look like,' her mother said, coming to stand beside her. 'I think he's taken pictures of everything and everyone. He's trying out all sorts of crazy angles. You've probably got sixteen photos of those wellies.'
'Dun't matter,' Eliot said. 'All adds to the fun.'
Eden's heart melted as her mother put her arms around Eliot and hugged him. 'We're so happy Eden found you, Eliot. Welcome to our family.'
Eliot looked thoroughly sheepish, but the sparkle in his eyes revealed his pleasure as she kissed him warmly on the cheek.
As she moved away to warn Eden's father that he'd better start taking some decent photographs, like normal people, Eden turned, and her smile dropped as she saw Emerald hovering by the French doors, hands behind her back, head down. Jed shot Eden an appealing look, and Eliot squeezed her arm.
Eden took a deep breath and walked over to the barn to face Emerald, her hand clasped firmly in Eliot's. 'I wanted to say thank you for organising this,' she said, waving her arm to encompass the scene. 'It's really kind of you. I appreciate how much hard work must have gone into this, considering the short notice you had, so — well, thanks.'
Emerald nodded. 'It's okay. If I'd done my job properly in the first place, there wouldn't have been all this mad rush, would there?'
Eden shrugged. 'No, probably not,' she said.
Emerald looked deeply wounded but Eden didn't add to her comment. She wanted to walk away, get back to her own wedding reception. It wasn't too much to ask, was it?
'I need to talk to you about something.' Emerald's voice was urgent, and Eden groaned inwardly.
She caught Eliot's eye and he put his arm firmly around her shoulders and smiled pleasantly at Emerald.
'You've done a grand job here today,' he told her. 'Me and my wife thank you for it. No need to say owt else, is there?'
Eden bit her lip, determined not to smile. Eliot couldn't have been more obvious if he tried, bless him.
Emerald, however, didn't seem to notice. She looked extremely agitated and Eden realised she was trembling.
'There's something I have to talk to you about,' she repeated. 'Both of you.'
'I think you should hear her out,' Jed said quietly.
'Does it have to be today?' Eden said, her hackles rising. 'This is our wedding day, Emerald. Does even this have to be about you?'
'It's not about me, not really.' There was a note of desperation in Emerald's voice, and Eden could tell by the way Eliot straightened beside her that he sensed it, too. She rolled her eyes, knowing she was beaten.
'All right. What do you want to talk about?'
Emerald glanced around. 'Can we go inside?'
Eden tutted impatiently. 'It's our wedding reception!'
; 'I know,' Emerald said, 'but trust me, Eden. You're going to want to hear this.'
Chapter Forty-One
The bunk barn dining room was, unsurprisingly, completely empty of people. Emerald was comforted by the presence of Jed, who had led her inside, making it clear that, however the Harlands reacted, he was there for her. She really didn't deserve him, she thought, feeling wretched as Eliot and Eden sat down opposite her, arms folded, faces pensive.
'I wanted you to know the truth,' Emerald began. Her voice cracked, and she swallowed desperately.
'Take your time, Emmy,' Jed said, his hand squeezing her shoulder reassuringly.
Emerald gave a weak smile. 'Thanks, Jed, but I think these two are itching to get back to their wedding, and who can blame them? I need to be quick. Believe it or not,' she added, her eyes pleading as she surveyed the Harlands, 'I want you to enjoy yourselves today, with nothing hanging over you.'
'There's nothing hanging over us,' Eden assured her. 'We're perfectly fine.'
'Good. I'm glad. Even so, I can't let you go on thinking —' Emerald shook her head, feeling sick with dread. Time to confess all. 'It was me who sabotaged the freezer,' she said, her face burning.
'I knew it!' Eden's voice rose, and she turned to Eliot, her eyes wide. 'Didn't I say so!'
Eliot looked sickened. 'But why? Why would you do that, Emerald?'
Emerald couldn't bear the disappointment in his face. 'And I wrote those bad reviews,' she added, the words tumbling out in a torrent of shame.
Eliot shook his head, evidently lost for words. Eden glared at her. 'And you're confessing this now because —?'
'Hang on, Eden,' Jed interjected. 'She hasn't finished yet.'
'There's more? Bloody hell.' Eden leaned back, her arms folded, her eyes shooting laser beams at Emerald.
There was a moment's silence as Emerald tried to gather her courage. 'That day Eliot and I got back from The Green Dragon, and I blurted out —' she cast a wary eye at Jed, who knew nothing of the finer details, Emerald having decided the least she owed Eden was to keep quiet about her affair, '— what I blurted out.'
Eden shifted uncomfortably on her chair and Eliot studied the floor.
'It wasn't Eliot who told me!' There, she'd said it.
The Harlands moved as one, their heads shooting up as they stared at her open-mouthed.
'It wasn't?' they chorused.
'I didn't?' Eliot slumped, clearly overwhelmed with relief.
Eden shook her head, dazed. 'But no one else knew!'
'I knew ages before,' Emerald confessed. 'It was one evening, when Jed had taken the kids to town for their tea, remember? You and Eliot — er, you were in the bedroom. Talking. I'd got home early and headed straight upstairs, thinking you were in the living room. I heard what you were saying.'
Eliot and Eden exchanged incredulous glances, then she saw them both colour up as they evidently remembered what else they'd been doing that evening, apart from talking.
'I didn't want you to think I'd heard,' she continued desperately, 'so I sneaked back downstairs, slammed the front door shut and shouted up to you, pretending I'd just got in. I'm so sorry.'
'Then why let us think I'd told you?' Eliot sounded so wounded that Emerald couldn't bear it. Her eyes filled with tears and she shook her head.
'Because I'm a bitch,' she whispered. 'I wanted to hurt Eden, and I knew that was a great way to do it.'
Eliot looked across at Eden, who was white with rage.
'Have you any idea what you've done?' she said through gritted teeth. 'The damage you did, the trouble you caused? All that heartache for what? Some sort of petty revenge? What did I ever do to you?'
Emerald blinked away the tears. 'You had my dad,' she said eventually. 'You had Eliot. Even Jed thought the world of you. Everyone I loved seemed to prefer you to me.'
'Everyone you —' Eliot's voice trailed off and there was an uncomfortable silence.
'I'm so sorry!' Emerald couldn't bear it any longer. She jumped up and ran out of the room, unable to face their scorn and anger. She knew Cain was still angry with her, and he'd probably push her away, or make a sarcastic comment, but right then she didn't care. She needed her father.
****
For a moment, no one moved, and the silence hung over them, heavy and oppressive. Then Jed said, 'I'm sorry, guys. This must have come as such a shock to you.'
Eliot was stunned. 'I can't get me head around all this,' he said eventually. 'It dun't make sense.'
'It makes perfect sense,' Eden said. 'I've known for ages that she had a crush on you, but even I didn't think she'd go that far.'
Jed sighed. 'Neither did I. I was kinda shocked when she told me. I don't know what Eliot's supposed to have told her, by the way, but I can see it's something important.' He held up his hands. 'None of my business, and Emmy wouldn't tell me, which I think shows she's not all bad, right?'
Eliot couldn't take it all in. Emerald had a crush on him? And Eden had realised it. No wonder she was suspicious of them. No wonder she'd questioned his attitude towards her. How had he not spotted it earlier? But then, he wasn't good at picking up signals. Look how long it had taken him to realise that Eden had feelings for him!
'Look, guys, there's something else you should know,' Jed admitted, and Eden groaned.
'Bloody hell, what else has she done?'
'It's not what she's done. It's who she was seeing that might interest you.'
'What do you mean?' Eden leaned forward, her voice sharp. 'Seeing?'
Jed took a deep breath. 'She met James Fuller some time ago,' he said, 'and they struck up a friendship. Emerald thought it was a genuine friendship, but it turns out he was using her to get at you two.'
Every muscle in Eliot's body seemed to tense. 'Get at us, how?'
'The reviews, the fridge, even the night at The Green Dragon. He wanted you two to suffer financially, and even more, he wanted your relationship to struggle, all so it would make him getting custody of George more likely.'
'You're kidding!' Eden turned to Eliot and held out her hand to him. He grasped it tightly.
'Nowt surprises me about Fuller,' he said, his throat tight. 'And he got his clutches into Emerald?'
'When he found out she was your wedding planner, and staying at the farm, it was the perfect set-up. I know it looks bad, guys, really I do, but she was lost, lonely, and she trusted him.'
'Match made in heaven,' Eden muttered.
'No,' Jed said firmly. 'She wised up to him. She didn't do what he wanted her to do.'
'What did he want her to do?' Eliot said harshly. He knew what he wanted to do. Paste the walls with James bloody Fuller, that's what. He'd taken advantage of Emerald's vulnerability, just as he'd taken advantage of Jemima's.
He noticed the muscle in Jed's jaw pulsing and recognised the same anger in him. He forgot about his own fury as it occurred to him that, after all, Emerald was Jed's little sister, and she'd been used by that man. Jed must be in turmoil about this.
'Tried to seduce her, for a start,' Jed growled. 'Several times. Luckily, Emmy was having none of it. Thanks mainly,' he said, rather apologetically, 'to her feelings for you, Eliot. Fuller couldn't compete, and boy, I'll bet that pleased him no end!'
Eden stood up suddenly and wrapped her arms around herself. 'That night at the pub,' she said, 'with you and Emerald.'
'Nowt happened,' Eliot repeated urgently. 'I told you —'
'But don't you see?' she said, her brow wrinkling in obvious confusion. 'She had the perfect opportunity. She could have told us something did happen. You said you had no memory of that night. She could have lied to break us up, but she denied outright that anything had gone on between you.'
'Aye,' Eliot said, remembering Emerald's immediate confirmation to him that nothing had happened that night. 'She did.' She could have told him anything, he thought, and he'd felt that bad about himself he might well have believed it. She could have strung it out, made him suffer, made Eden suffer. But she
'd been honest from the start. Why?
'Fuller wanted her to do that — lie to you. Lie to you both. She couldn't bring herself to do it. You see, guys, I know she's done bad things, and she's been swayed by a very devious man, but at heart she's not a bad person. Just kinda lost. And wanting some love.'
Eliot raised an eyebrow as he met Eden's gaze. He knew how furious she was with Emerald, but couldn't she see Jed was right? The lass had been daft, but she'd been used an' all. Another victim of James Fuller. Eden, of all people, should know how easy it was to be manipulated by him. Hadn't she fallen into the same trap, that summer she first arrived at Fleetsthorpe? He sent her a silent plea to understand, to forgive.
'It's you she damaged most of all,' Eden murmured, recognising what he was silently asking. 'She made you believe you'd betrayed my trust. Yes, it hurt me, but for you, that must have been agony.'
She knew him so well. He smiled at her. 'It were, but it's past and done. I didn't betray you, that's the main thing. And, Eden, I don't want to start our married life with this cloud hanging over us. All this bitterness — it's got to end, or Fuller's won, and I won't let him win. He's taking nowt from us. Not George, not our happiness, not our trust.' He shook his head. 'Not even Emerald. Do you see? We've already won, my love, because look what we've got, and look what he's got. An empty house and no one to love. You know what?' he breathed, feeling a sudden, unexpected lightness as the realisation hit him. 'I pity him. I really do.'
He watched, feeling a surge of relief, as Eden's mouth slowly curved into a smile.
'Go and find her, Eliot,' she said gently. 'Go and find Emerald, and tell her from both of us, everything's going to be all right.'
****
Cain was trying hard to be the life and soul of the party but found, to his despair, that it was proving harder than he'd expected. He was happy for Eden and Eliot — over the moon, in fact. They were a smashing couple who deserved every happiness, no doubt about it. Even so, as he glanced around the field, watching the wedding guests laughing, eating, and chatting to each other so freely, he felt a sudden crashing gloom that he couldn't dispel.