Sam was worried now. “Don’t you think you should sort this out with him before you walk down the aisle?”
“That’s the problem! Everything is organised for the wedding. I can’t back out now. It’s too late.”
Sam put his glass down and took hers from her and put it on the table. Leaning towards her, he took her hands in his. “Ellie, listen to me. It’s never too late. This is the most important decision you’ll ever make in your life and it has to be the right one. If not, you’ll be miserable for the rest of it.”
She looked at him, tears in her eyes, not wanting to hear what he was saying.
She was aware of the urgency in his voice. She took her hands from his and reached for her drink, spluttering as she took too large a mouthful.
He sat back in his chair and took his glass up, taking a good sip from it.
His voice was quieter as he continued. “I’ve seen my parents live in an unhappy marriage and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.”
“Why didn’t they divorce?”
“Because my mother is too concerned with appearances. All she cares aboutis what other people think. I’ve told her many times that it’s not important but she won’t listen.” His voice was bitter as he spoke.
“You don’t get on with her, do you?”
“Not at all! We’ve always had a problem relating to one another. We’re too different, I suppose. I don’t give a damn what people think. She thinks I’m a social misfit and I think she’s shallow. I’mmore like my father, minus the bottom-pinching and womanising, of course.”
Ellie laughed. “Thank God for that.”
“Seriously, Ellie, please say you won’t go ahead with this wedding until you’ve sorted things out with David.”
“I’ll talk to him, I promise.”
The waiter arrived with their first course, much to her relief. She didn’t want to think of David right now. They enjoyed the fabulous food with no more mention of her fiancé. Sam drove her back to the hotel and was sad to see her go. He invited Ellie and her mother out to lunch the following day, which was to be their last.
Tired and happy, Ellie gathered up her bag and shrug as she opened the car door. “Goodnight, Sam.”
“’Night, Ellie. Sleep well!”
“Thanks for a brilliant day,” she said, as she leaned forward and kissed his cheek. Then she was gone.
The following day, Samcollected them and took them out to Arcachon, on the coast, where Ellie tasted oysters for the first time. To her surprise they were delicious. They were lunching at a beachside restaurant.
“I wish I could stay here forever,” Ellie sighed.
“What about David? Aren’t you longing to get home to him?” her mother asked.
Ellie didn’t reply but Marie-Noelle caught the glance that passed between her and Sam. Oh, God, she thought,I wonder if anything has happened between them.
When Ellie left the table to go to the restrooms, she pounced on Sam.
“Has anything happened that I should know about?” she asked nervously.
“Not at all,” Sam assured her, his eyes twinkling with merriment that she should have thought that. “But I did have a chat with Ellie.”
“And?”
“Well, it seems that she and David have lately become. . . disconnected, was the word she used. I did advise her to sit down and sort things out with him before it’s too late.” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I do think it’s hitting her that there will be a life with David after the wedding and she may be having doubts about that.”
Marie-Noelle sighed. “Well, we’ll have to wait and see. I’ll have a long chat with her when we get home. Thanks, Sam.” She patted his hand as Ellie came back to the table.
72
Ellie thought David was acting strangely. He hadn’t called her since Sunday which was unusual in itself and his texts were very brief and strange. Was he still annoyed with her that she’d chosen Bordeaux over his ball? She wondered if perhaps he’d had a miserable night as he hadn’t mentioned it once. But then she realised that it couldn’t have been that because Sandrine had texted her at 3 a.m. on Sunday to say they’d had a fabulous time. Ah well, no doubt she’d find out soon enough.
She sighed as the plane came in to land at Dublin airport. She half expected David to be there to meet her but he wasn’t.
He rang her shortly afterwards.
“Hi, you’re home,” he said tersely. “Did you have a good time?”
“Wonderful,” she replied, trying not to be too enthusiastic.
“Ellie, we need to talk. Can you meet me in The Yacht in twenty minutes?”
She was taken aback. “Yeah, sure,” she agreed, wondering what was going on. He usually called for her at home. This was weird.
He was sitting in a corner waiting for her. The minute she saw his face she knew something was wrong. Fear gripped her. She hoped nothing had happened to either of his parents.
“What is it, David? What’s wrong?” she asked, sitting down opposite him.
“Ellie, I don’t know how to tell you this.” He avoided her eyes as he spoke.
“Oh God, what is it, David? Just tell me!” she cried, fearing the worst.
“I’m afraid I can’t marry you!” he blurted out.
“What?” she asked, confused. “What are you talking about?” She knew her voice had risen a couple of notches and that the couple at a neighbouring table had stopped their own conversation and were eavesdropping on them.
“I’m so sorry, so sorry,” he said,still avoiding her eyes.
“David, what are you talking about?What’s happened?” she said, not caring that she was almost shrieking.
“Well, you’ll have to agree that things have been terrible between us lately,” he said, looking at her finally. “And I now realise that I love someone else. I’m sorry.”
She looked at him stupefied. “Who?” she asked, wondering how and when this could have happened.
“This is so difficult for me,” he replied, wringing his hands. “It’s Sandrine,” he whispered, so low that she could hardly hear him.
“Sandrine? My sister Sandrine?” She stared at him disbelievingly, her mouth open.
“Yes. I’m so sorry. I feel terrible about it but that’s how it is and it wouldn’t be right to marry you when I feel like that. It would have been a terrible mistake. I hope you can forgive me.”
“Whatdoes Sandrine have to say about this?” she asked, starting to feel angry.
“Well, she says she’s loved me for quite a while,” he mumbled sheepishly.
“My own sister! How could you?” she cried. “And how could she do this to me?”
“I know it’s terrible but these things happen.”
“I can’t believe it. So, I take it our wedding is off?”
The neighbouring couple were goggle-eyed and not even trying to hide their interest in the conversation anymore. Ellie didn’t care about them but David was very uncomfortable and shifting in his seat.
“I’m sorry,” he repeated yet again. “You have to admit that it’s as much your fault as mine.”
“Don’t give me that shit!” She had raised her voice again and now other people nearby were looking on. “That’s because you’ve changed so much since you started working for that bloody company. In fact, I’m beginning to think that you didn’t really want to get married in the first place. Well, I hope my bloody sister makes you happy. You deserve each other.” And with as much dignity as she could muster, she got up and, with her head held high, marched out of the pub leaving David embarrassed and the other customers open-mouthed.
She couldn’t believe it! What had just happened? All her future plans had been blown sky-high. No wedding, no David. And to think it was her own sister who had betrayed her. She felt utterly deceived but somewhere in the back of her mind she remembered that she hadn’t wanted to come home to him but would happily have stayed on in Bordeaux.
Confused and upset, she walked along the seafront t
rying to make sense of it all. She realised that what upset her most was the fact that it was Sandrine he was leaving her for. But that wasn’t right. She should have been devastated that the man she was about to marry had left her, regardless of who he was leaving her for.
Her mind was a muddle. She needed to think clearly. She couldn’t go home as her mother would know something was wrong and she didn’t feel like she could discuss it with her quite yet. Somehow she found herself on Sam’s doorstep.
“Ellie, what a surprise . . .” He broke off, seeing the look on her face. “What’s wrong? Come in.” He ushered her inside. “You look like you could do with a drink.” He poured her a glass of wine from a bottle that was open on the coffee table.
“What’s happened?” he asked again, concern in his eyes.
She gulped the wine. “David’s broken it off with me.”
“He’s what?”
“Yes, he’s in love with someone else.” She took another large swig out of the glass. “My sister, Sandrine.”
“Is he crazy?” Sam cried, jumping up and pacing the room. “Are you serious?”
“Deadly,” she replied, nodding her head. “Still, I suppose it’s better that I found out now than after the wedding.” Suddenly the reality hit her and she started to cry.
“Don’t cry. He isn’t worth it,” Sam said, sitting down beside her on the sofa. “He’s a right little shit!”
“I know!” she bawled. “I could have taken it if he’d said that he was having doubts about it, like I am, but to be leaving me for my sister!”
He handed her a pristine white handkerchief and she wiped her eyes and blew her nose loudly in it. “Oh, sorry. I’ll wash it and bring it back to you,” she said apologetically.
“Never mind! You know, Ellie, after what you told me in Bordeaux I wasbeginning to think that David was not the right man for you anyway and I think you would have come to that conclusion too, sooner or later. I think you’ve had a lucky escape.”
“Do you really think so?” she asked, as he refilled their glasses.
“Absolutely!”
“I suppose if I’m honest it’s the fact that it’s my sister that hurts more than anything. She’s always wanted everything I had.”
“Well, they deserve one another.”
“That’s what I told him as I got up and left.” Ellie giggled at the thought.
“Think about it this way. Now that he’s the one to break it off, you won’t have to.”
Ellie was feeling much better. Sam was right, she thought, as she threw back her wine.She would not have been happy living the life David wanted. In a way it was a relief.
“This calls for a celebration,” Sam exclaimed, leaving the room.
He returned brandishing a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket and two glasses. “Only the best,” he said, showing her the label. “Krug!” He poured two glasses and handed her one.
“To my lucky escape!” she said, smiling as she raised her glass to him.
“I’ll drink to that.” Sam smiled at her.
“Oh Sam, what would I do without you? Here was I thinking it was the end of the world but now I realise it’s the start of a new one. You’re right, he’s an asshole and I’m better off without him.”
“You’re worth much more than that, Ellie,and never forget it!”
“It’s true what you’re always saying,” she smiled at him. “There is a silver lining behind every cloud.”
When Marie-Noelle heard that David had called off the wedding because of Sandrine she almost had a fit.
“I don’t believe it,” she cried, appalled at what Ellie was saying. “I’ll kill her!”
“No, Mum, don’t be angry. In fact she did me a favour. David was wrong for me – I know that now.Sam helped me to see it.”
“Sam?” her mother asked, surprised. “What has Sam got to do with it?”
Ellie blushed. “Well, I called around to him after David gave me the news.”
“You called around to Sam?”
“Yes.” She felt embarrassed now. “Yeah, well, I didn’t really want to face you straight away and Sam and I had a long chat in Bordeaux about my relationship with David. Then tonight, after David’s announcement, I found myself on Sam’s doorstep without realising it. Sorry.”
“That’s okay.”
“Anyway, he’s made me see that I’ve had a lucky escape. David and I were not right for each other.”
“You’re certain about that?”
“Absolutely!So no wedding, I’m afraid. I guess you’d better call Bridal Heaven and see if you can get your money back for my wedding dress.”
Ellie was feeling pretty rotten about that.
Marie-Noelle was relieved but hated to think of all the work Ellie had put into organising the wedding, now gone to waste. It was a shame but without doubt it was all for the best. Much better that than ending up married to the wrong man.
73
Ronan went down to Blessington the following Sunday to find Fiona in exuberant form.He was amazed at how much Oisín had grown. He was almost threemonthsold now and was smiling and gurgling at everyone he met. He was sleeping through the night now too, Fiona explained, which meant she was much less tired than before. She had also lost weight and Ronan could see that she had a terrific figure. He’d only ever known her pregnant.
As they ate lunch Fiona’s phone rang three times and each time she cut it off.
“Simon again, I suppose,” her mother commented, rolling her eyes to heaven.
“Who is this Simon fellow?” Ronan wanted to know. “Do you have a new beau?”
Fiona blushed prettily. “Oh, just someone I met in the pub.”
“Oh, I see.”
“He rings her fifty times a day,” Doris exclaimed. “He’s obviously very keen.”
“Mum, stop!” Fiona cried. “You’re embarrassing me.”
Her phone rang again. Excusing herself she went outside to take the call.
“Who is this guy? Does she fancy him?” Ronan asked Doris.
“I don’t think so. He’s just some young fella she met in the Lakeside and he’s been calling her ever since. I’d really like her to meet someone nice.” She leaned forward to whisper. “I had high hopes that you and Fiona would get together. She’s very fond of you, you know.”
“Oh, I’m too old for her and besides I have much too much baggage. My divorce is not even through yet. No,Fiona is much better off with a young fellow, like this Simon.”
“Is there any chance that you might get back with your wife?”
“Not a chance in hell!” Ronan laughed. “I’m very much enjoying single life at the moment.”
He was more than enjoying life. He loved his job and Sam was turning into a good friend.The Higher Cert wine coursewould be starting the following week and he was really looking forward to it. Life was much better than he could ever have hoped.
Sandrine had been expecting to get an irate call from either Ellie or her mother but after a week . . . nothing. She realised that they were waiting for her tomake the first move and she was dreading it. She had no doubt that her mother would give her a bollocking and she was not looking forward to it. She was quite miffed when she heard that Ellie had said she and David deserved each other. She felt sure it wasn’t meant in a nice way. Well, tough shit! He’s mine now, Ellie!
She had hoped that David would ask her to marry him but he’d said it was much too soon to think about that. She knew he was feeling guilty about Ellie, which annoyed her. Her bloody younger sister seemed to spoil everything for her. However, she knew that once David got over his guilt everything would be okay. She had dropped hints about them both moving into the Sandymount house together but David had said, “Easy on there, let’s take things slowly. Let’s get to know each other better first.” David could never be accused of being impetuous, she thought to herself as she screwed up the courage to call her mother.
Ellie was sitting watching Downton Abbey with her mother whe
n her sister walked defiantly through the door. To Sandrine’s annoyance they told her to sit down and be quiet while they watched the final minutes of their favourite programme.
As soon as it finished, Marie-Noelle turned to Sandrine.
“Well, Miss, what do you have to say for yourself?” she demanded archly, glaring at her older daughter. “You took your time coming to face the music.”
Sandrine jutted her chin out. “It’s not me Ellie should be annoyed at, it’s David. He’s the one who left her.” She glared at them both.
“I’m not annoyed at anyone,” Ellie said sweetly, smiling.
This completely took the wind out of Sandrine’s sails. “You’re not?” She was flabbergasted to hear this.
“No. In fact, I’m grateful to you. I’ve had a lucky escape.”
“You wh . . . what?” her sister gabbled, not believing what she was hearing.
“Yes. It made me realise that I didn’t love David either.”
“You do-do-don’t love David?” Sandrine was now blabbering.
“No, not at all. So thank you, dear sister, for your help.” This Ellie said with a malicious grin.
“Well, I never!” Sandrine cried, trying to regain her composure. “And here was I thinking I was the guilty one.”
“And so you were, Miss!” Marie-Noelle was unable to stay quiet any longer. “What you did to your sister was despicable but then you’ve always wanted whatever Ellie had. She may not be angry with you anymore but I certainly won’t forget your betrayal.”
Sandrine quivered under her mother’s gaze and was even more upset when her usually quiet, gentle father cut her dead. She left the house in tears, feeling that somehow she’d lost again.
74
Carl was still reeling from the fallout of the Zita affair and was struggling to get his life back on track. He accepted now that Rachel was not going to have him back. In fact, she seemed to be almost enjoying life without him. He called to take the children out every Sunday and at least now she was talking civilly to him. She was doing it for the sake of the children, of course. Last Sunday she had actually told him that she had become much closer to them, now that she didn’t have to run around doing all that ‘political wife’ stuff. She was even considering letting Paloma go and taking care of them full-time herself. Whatever next!
Behind Every Cloud Page 32