Strange Adventure

by Craven, Sara

  `Hm.' Vanessa still sounded sceptical, but she changed the subject. 'What are the dresses like, Lacey? Are they nearly finished?'

  `Very nearly. Mrs Burton is coming to give you a fitting this afternoon. I hope you like the colour, Van. Mrs B. was very dubious. She says green is unlucky.'

  `Pooh, that's just superstition: What better colour is there for a spring wedding? Is your dress ready?'

  `All but the hem.' Lacey wrinkled her nose, smilingly. `Another of Mrs Burton's superstitions. She always saves a few last stitches for the wedding morning itself. Swears it brings good fortune and that all her brides are happy brides.'

  `Well, it's a nice idea,' Vanessa approved. 'I suppose that's the sort of personal touch you get when you employ the local dressmaker rather than one of the couture houses. How did you manage it, by the way? I would have thought Michelle would have insisted on Dior at the very least.'

  `Oh, she said it was entirely up to me.' Lacey spoke rather awkwardly. A glass partition divided them from the driver, but this was still not the, time or the place to confide in Vanessa how oddly lukewarm Michelle's attitude had been towards the wedding.

  Indeed, when she had first learned the news after they had returned from the motel that night, she had appeared almost stunned, although this had been more than coun-

  tered by Sir James' blatant relief and boisterous congratulations. He had fetched champagne and insisted on toasts being drunk to the newly engaged pair, and it was while this was going on that Lacey had suddenly caught sight of her stepmother, standing a little apart, a frozen look on her face and her lower lip caught almost savagely in her teeth. It was only momentary. Next minute, Michelle was laughing and adding her own good wishes, but afterwards when Lacey came to recall that strangely dreamlike evening of her life, Michelle's icy face had been one of the few realities.

  Since, she had wondered whether Michelle had been offended because Sir James had neglected to tell her of the bargain that Troy Andreakis had struck with Vernon—Carey, but she had dismissed this fancy. Michelle herself had said she would go to any lengths to obtain Andreakis' support for the bank, and she had been quite prepared to sell her stepdaughter to him outside marriage. Lacey was surprised that Michelle was not more pleased that her scheming had ultimately turned out to be so successful.

  Perhaps too she was aggrieved that the wedding was not to be the fashionable Town affair that she would undoubtedly have chosen herself, but again she was one of the first to agree that in the circumstances of Sir James' health, a small country wedding was desirable.

  She proceeded with the arrangements with her usual efficiency, contacting caterers and ordering flowers, but giving no more of her attention and interest than she would have devoted to one of her normal dinner parties, Lacey thought, mystified. She had accepted Lacey's decision to have her simple gown of wild silk made by Mrs Burton who had dressed so many Kings Winston brides almost with indifference and had attended none of the fittings. Her own outfit had necessitated a further trip to Paris.

  Vanessa was speaking again. 'Thanks for asking me to be bridesmaid, Lacey. Am I the only one? I'd have thought you would have asked Fran Trevor as well.'

  Lacey bit her lip. 'Fran's going to be very busy over the Easter period. She's taken on Marian Palmer to help her, but she isn't quite experienced enough yet to be left in charge.'

  `What a shame,' Vanessa said cheerfully. 'And what about that brother of hers? Will he be at the wedding?'

  `No.' Lacey felt as if she was treading through quicksand. `Alan's up in Westmorland for a few months, learning about sheep. His uncle has a farm there.'

  She hoped Vanessa would not notice the slight catch in her voice. She felt so guilty about Alan whose departure north had followed so swiftly upon the announcement of her engagement. And there was Fran, too. Things had not been the same with her since it had happened. Lacey did not know how much Alan had confided in his sister, but Fran treated her with an aloof civility which Lacey found more hurtful than downright hostility. When Lacey had tentatively mentioned that the wedding was to be at Easter, Fran had hastened to make it clear she would not be able to be there, probably to save them both the inevitable embarrassment of an outright refusal of an invitation. As it was, only Mr and Mrs Trevor were attending the wedding, and Lacey felt curiously bereft.

  Her unhappy musings were cut short by their arrival at the house, and the remainder of the morning was taken up with showing Vanessa the house and helping her to unpack. Shortly after lunch, Mrs Burton arrived to fit the filmy drift of pale green organza that Vanessa was to wear, and when she finally departed, at Vanessa's insistence, Lacey showed her the clothes she had chosen for her honeymoon.

  She felt absurdly self-conscious as she displayed the array of dresses and slacks .suits, together with the beachwear that would take her to Nassau for the first month of her married life, before they went on to Theros. When they came to the piles of filmy lingerie and nightwear, she half expected some ribald comment from Vanessa, but her friend seemed oddly subdued as if she had realised for the first time the barrier that Lacey's marriage would inevitably erect in their friendship.

  Her eyes opened wide as she studied the set of matched luggage that had been Troy's birthday present to Lacey when she had become eighteen only ten days before.

  `It's beautifully light,' she breathed as she handled one of the pale honey-coloured cases.

  `They have to be, because we shall be doing so much flying,' Lacey explained. 'And his yacht, the Artemis, is tied up at Nassau. We'll be taking a short cruise while we're there, I think.'

  life's going to be incredibly different for you.' Vanessa examined the fittings of the dressing case with a rather sober expression. 'I'm glad it's not me, Lacey. I don't think I could cope.'

  Lacey sat down on her dressing stool, her fingers toying idly with the stopper of a scent bottle. `I'm not sure whether I can either,' she admitted eventually in a low voice.

  Vanessa stared at her. 'There's something wrong, isn't there?' she said grimly. 'This isn't just bridal nerves. What is it—Vernon–Carey?'

  Lacey looked at her wretchedly. 'I shouldn't be telling you, Van, but those rumours in the papers—they were all true.'

  `I was afraid they would be.' Vanessa gave a little sigh. `So there's been some kind of deal, and you're included?'

  Lacey hesitated for a moment, then nodded unhappily. `You—you don't seem particularly surprised—or shocked.'

  `It happens.' Vanessa gave a little shrug. 'But it's you I'm concerned about. Are you going to be able to go through with it?'

  Lacey sighed. 'I have no choice. No wedding—no deal, as you put it. And if anything happened to Vernon–Carey, it would kill Daddy.'

  `Hmm—so you've been cast in the role of virgin sacrifice.'

  Lacey gave a visible start and Vanessa's eyes narrowed.

  `Now what have I said?' she inquired. 'That was meant to be a joke, but I presume I've touched some sort of nerve.'

  `Not really.' Lacey looked down uncomfortably. 'It's just that—that was one of the—conditions for the marriage. Oh, and I'm supposed to become some kind of unofficial guardian for his young sister. She's a bit of a handful, and I'm supposed to exercise a beneficent influence on her somehow,' she ended a little incoherently.

  `No wonder you're finding it all a bit of a tall order.' Vanessa gave her a shrewd look. 'But what about Andreakis himself? Do you find him attractive?'

  Colour swamped the usual pallor of Lacey's face. 'I don't know.'

  Vanessa got up from the ledge of Lacey's bed where she had been sitting and shook some creases out of her skirt. 'A totally dishonest reply if ever I heard one,' she commented. 'I don't doubt you feel resentful, but you shouldn't let it blind you to everything else.'

  'Is that what I'm doing?' Lacey's lips twisted wryly. 'Perhaps—but I do feel so utterly confused, Van. You see, I know so little about him. In about three days' time I'm marrying a stranger—and I'm frightened.'

  '
I must confess I find it odd that you're being rushed into it like this,' Vanessa said slowly. 'I would have thought he would have been content with a long engagement, giving you both a chance to get to know each other—for you to feel at ease with him.'

  'I know.' Lacey sighed again, forlornly.

  'Well, cheer up.' Vanessa gave her a robust hug. 'It does have a rather fairy-tale side to it, you know. Do you remember when we went to Phil's school to see that end-of term production of The Yeomen of the Guard. Well, you know what happened to Elsie—"Strange adventure, maiden wedded to a groom she's never seen." That's rather you, isn't it, sweetie?'

  Lacey smiled in spite of herself. 'Except that I have seen him, of course.'

  But later, when she was alone, she found herself wondering whether that was strictly true, or whether she had been shown only what Troy Andreakis wanted her to see. And she asked herself again just what sort of a man she was committed to marry in such a few days' time.

  By Easter, Saturday, many of the guests who were to attend the wedding had arrived and were installed at Kings Winston. Troy Andreakis was due to arrive himself during the afternoon, Lacey learned from her father, and together with his chief financial advisor Stephanos Lindos, who was also to act as his best man, was to stay at the Bull. Apart from the conventions, Lacey supposed, there simply wasn't room to accommodate them at the house, now that her

  godparents, with Aunt Mary and her husband and three of her married cousins, were staying there.

  After a busy morning unpacking yet more wedding presents and writing notes of thanks, as well as replying to letters of congratulation from friends and well-wishers who would be missing the ceremony, Lacey was quite glad to escape after lunch and go for a walk across the fields with Vanessa. The weather had turned quite mild, in keeping with the season, but it was damp with a fine, wetting drizzle falling.

  Lacey lifted her face to it. `I shall miss this,' she said rather absently.

  Vanessa grimaced. `I wish I could,' she said tartly. `Just think of all that sunshine!'

  `And just how parched and dry everything will be compared to this,' Lacey retorted, nimbly side-stepping a particularly marshy patch of ground. She stared round at the - familiar landmarks, from the clump of willows bending to the stream at the bottom of the meadow, to the church tower rising above the clustering roofs of the village in the distance.

  `Well, at the moment parched and dry seems a marked improvement on soggy and wet,' Vanessa grumbled good-humouredly. `Besides, I don't believe Theros will be as arid as you seem to think. After all, both Corfu and Rhodes are lovely.' She gave a hitch to the collar of her raincoat. `We'd better go back before you catch cold. You can't go up the aisle in that lovely dress with a red nose.'

  When they got back to the house, Lacey saw with alarm that the doctor's car was standing on the drive. She gave a little exclamation and ran up the steps and in through the front door, leaving Vanessa to follow more slowly. Lacey made straight for the stairs, oblivious to everything but the need to get to her father's room, and found herself colliding with someone who had just completed the descent and was standing at the foot of the staircase. Strong hands steadied her and she looked up startled into Troy's dark face.

  `My father!' she gasped, and his rather harsh expression softened slightly as he, noted the worry in her eyes.

  'He's had another slight attack. The doctor is talking to your stepmother in the study now.'

  Lacey broke free and whirling round, ran into the study. 'How is he?' she demanded breathlessly.

  Michelle, who was sitting at the desk, was clearly irritated at the interruption, but Dr Gervase turned to Lacey with a reassuring smile.

  'He'll do,' he said succinctly. 'But he must take things very quietly for some time.'

  'Should we postpone the wedding?' Lacey was aware of a slight hiss of breath from Troy, who had followed her into the room.

  No—in fact he became very agitated when Lady Vernon suggested this might be possible. A wedding is a time of joy, after all, not stress and upset, which Sir James needs at all costs to avoid just now. But it might be better if someone else gave you away.' He turned back to Michelle. 'I've left a repeat prescription in his room, but please don't hesitate to call me, Lady Vernon, if you are at all worried. Don't look so frightened, Lacey. Your father is determined to see his grandchildren, you know. Goodbye, my dear. I wish you every happiness.'

  Michelle accompanied the doctor to his car and Troy and Lacey were left alone.

  'So,' he said his voice expressionless. 'Even now you are looking for ways to escape—for any excuse to delay our, marriage.'

  'You call my father's health an excuse?'

  'You really feel it would improve matters to defer the wedding—to provide him with just the sort of stress the doctor has warned he must avoid?' He stared grimly down at her and saw her bowed head give a faint shake.

  'He needs the reassurance of our marriage,' he said more gently. 'Perhaps, as the doctor said, even the prospect of a grandchild.'

  'Your concern for him is most admirable,' she said tonelessly.

  'Don't give me credit for too much unselfishness.' He threw her a sardonic glance. 'I am also concerned for myself. I want my wife.'

  She thought he was going to take her in his arms and moved hastily to the door. `I—I'd like you to meet someone —my school friend Vanessa Arnold. She's going to be my bridesmaid.'

  `Then that is yet another pleasure that should not be delayed any longer.' His faint smile was derisive, but Lacey could not be sure if he mocked her or himself. 'I can hardly contain myself.'

  But when she brought Vanessa into the study and performed the introductions, he was charm itself, all barbed remarks forgotten, ignoring the fact that she was still to all intents and purposes a schoolgirl and treating her very much as if she was one of the young sophisticates from his own world. Vanessa was clearly overwhelmed and Lacey realised with a slight sigh that her disturbing fiancé had made another conquest.

  Afterwards they went to look at the presents which had been set out in the drawing room, Vanessa accompanying them at Lacey's insistence. Soon she would be obliged to be alone with him, she told herself defiantly. Until then she could please herself.

  Lacey had been anxious in case Troy looked down on some of the more modest offerings of china and linen from people in the village who had known her all her life, but he paid them the same careful attention as he did the Georgian silver candelabra given by Aunt Mary and Uncle David.

  `And what about the bridegroom's present to the bride?' Vanessa asked incorrigibly. 'You have bought her something, haven't you, Troy?'

  'Oh yes.' He smiled a little. 'But it is not here. It is waiting for Lacey on Theros, and she will have to be patient until then.'

  Lacey was crimson and she flashed a furious glance at Vanessa.

  `You don't have to give me anything,' she said in a low voice. 'It's not necessary. You've done quite enough already.'

  He raised his eyebrows. 'You think so, pethi mou? Perhaps when you see what awaits you on Theros, you will be a little better pleased.'

  Lacey, realising that embarrassment had made her ungracious, relapsed into silence.

  Easter Sunday passed quietly. In the morning, everyone except Sir James attended the service at the parish church and Troy had to run the gauntlet of the village, with the majority of the congregation craning their necks to catch a glimpse of him. For someone who set such a high value on personal privacy, he bore it remarkably well, Lacey was forced to admit.

  During the afternoon, a brief rehearsal of the following day's ceremony was held with the vicar, and it was not until he was about to return to the Bull with Stephanos after dinner that evening that Lacey found herself alone with Troy. She had half hoped to be able to say goodnight to him in the drawing room in front of everyone, but she soon realised from the expectant glances that she was obliged to accompany him to the front door and say her farewells in private. The breeze felt fresh on her ski
n, and the night sky was clear.

  `It looks as if we will have a fine day tomorrow,' she said stiltedly.

  'The start of many, Lacey mou.' There was an odd note in his voice, and she looked up at him, a little startled, and he bent and put his mouth to hers. She stayed rigid in his arms, forcing herself to deny him the response he sought, and heard him laugh softly as he released her.

  'If this is how you wish it, then so be it, Lacey,' he said. `But in twenty-four hours' time, you will not find me so patient.'

  He reached out almost casually, cupping her small breast under the soft fabric of her dress in his lean fingers, and smiled mockingly into the sudden outrage in her face.

  `Your body wants me, my sweet one. It is only that stubborn mind of yours that denies me, and it is a woman's privilege to change her mind, is it not? I would think about it, if I were you.'

  He let her go, and she heard the gravel crunch under his feet as he set off after Stephanos, who had started for the Bull ahead of him.

  She went back slowly into the house, her thoughts as

  disturbed as the senses he could apparently awaken at will, she realised almost with despair. But by the time she rejoined the party in the drawing room she had calmed herself sufficiently to hold her own in a game of backgammon with her father, and this successfully diverted her attention until it was time to go to bed.

  She had finished undressing and was giving her long hair its nightly brushing routine when her bedroom door opened and Michelle came in. For one rather hysterical moment, Lacey wondered if her stepmother had come to give her the traditional advice offered to brides on their wedding eves, but one look at her stepmother's set lips and blazing eyes told her that Michelle had nothing so well-meaning in mind.

  For a moment the older woman looked her up and down, taking in the simple nightdress and the loosened hair with a visible curl of her lip.

  'It is to be hoped that you have something slightly more alluring for tomorrow night. You will need it,' she said, and Lacey felt a sudden heat through her body at the implication in her words.