‘Oh,’ Madeline murmured. ‘And I suppose you weren’t doing any such thing?’
‘Of course I—was,’ she confessed. ‘But since Perry was flirting with just about anyone wearing a skirt, I don’t see what right Forman had to deny me my turn!’
‘Go to it, baby!’ Madeline mockingly enthused. Vicky was so obviously head over heels in love with the big American that she had to let off steam with someone or explode. Forman Goulding was a very cool and self-contained man.
‘You’ve no room to mock,’ Vicky threw back churlishly. ‘I’ve seen the way you drool over my brother when you think no one is watching you!’
‘And how does your brother look at me?’ Madeline could not resist asking.
‘The same way,’ Vicky shrugged. She still suspected them both of having a secret affair, and hadn?
?t forgiven either of them for not telling her about it. ‘I hope you’re both very pleased with yourselves,’ she added huffily.
‘Oh, we are,’ Madeline murmured on a soft smile.
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Vicky pounced like a hungry cat.
‘Madeline, can you come and help me with this damned cravat?’ To her undying relief, her father appeared at the door to his room, red-faced with impatience. ‘What’s the use of having a wife if she’s never around when a man needs her?’ he muttered. ‘Hello, Vicky, dear.’ He stopped grumbling to smile when he saw Vicky standing next to Madeline. ‘Did your father get that magazine I sent over for him?’
‘Yes, thank you, Uncle Edward.’ The old endearment was coming easier each time Vicky said it. She had confessed to Madeline that no matter how she tried she could not call him Mr Gilburn; the formal title just simply stuck in her throat. She had been calling him Uncle for as far back in her life as she could remember. ‘He said to tell you the article was just the one he wanted to read.’
‘Huh, good, yes, well…Madeline, this damned cravat tie!’ he growled to hide his embarrassment.
Adults, Madeline decided as she followed him back into his room while Vicky carried on down the landing to Nina’s room, adults found it much harder to heal rifts than children did!
Louise’s usual calm fell apart at the seams exactly ten minutes before the car was due to take her off to the church with Perry and Forman to accompany her.
It was seeing Nina dressed in all her wedding finery that did it, and when she began sobbing into her handkerchief Madeline ushered her quickly out of the room in case she upset Nina, who had been amazingly calm until now.
‘She looks like an angel!’ Louise sobbed. ‘A sweet little angel!’
‘Which she is,’ said Madeline calmingly. Then to herself—Thank God I shan’t be put through all of this!
‘What if Charles has changed his mind?’ Louise jerked out half hysterically. ‘What if he doesn’t turn up at the church and leaves my baby—’
‘No, Louise!’ Madeline cut in sharply. ‘You know that won’t happen. Why, knowing Charles, he’s been camping outside the church since nine this morning just to make sure he gets his prize!’
In her raw silk suit of hyacinth-blue, Louise managed a thick laugh, and, relieved to see her regaining her control, Madeline quickly led her down the stairs and handed her over to her father with an expressive glance heavenwards for deliverance when she caught Perry’s amused eye.
‘OK,’ she said bracingly as she entered Nina’s room. ‘Panic over…how are you feeling, poppet?’
Not long now, she thought wearily. The strain of it all was beginning to make her head ache.
The church organ struck up a traditional bridal march and Nina stepped forward on Edward Gilburn’s proud arm, her gown of softly flowing pure white silk whispering on the carpeted aisle as she went. Madeline walked behind with Vicky, their matching gowns of rich cream silk doing different things for their contrasting colouring. She spotted Dominic immediately, standing in a pew next to the aisle. He turned to smile at her just as Charles turned to smile at Nina, and as she passed slowly by him their hands brushed, fingers briefly tangling and untangling in a single smooth movement, but it was all she needed to make her glow inside, her heart swelling with happiness and contentment as she stepped forward to relieve Nina of her pretty bouquet.
‘Dearly beloved, we are gathered in the sight of God…’
The wedding service began, and Madeline closed her eyes, listening to the words, silently repeating the vows, pretending to herself that this was her wedding-day, and that it were she and Dominic standing there in front of the altar having their union blessed by God.
* * *
Long, tiring hours later, Dominic came up behind her and slid his hands around her waist, drawing her gently back against him. ‘How much longer before we can get out of here?’
Her hands went up to cover his where they lay against the flatness of her stomach. ‘Not long now,’ she assured him. ‘Nina is due to go and get changed. When they’ve left, we’ll slip off quietly. I do so want to be alone with you, Dominic,’ she sighed out wistfully.
He pressed her closer to him until she could feel that hard imprint of his body against her back. ‘Me too,’ he murmured huskily. ‘I’ve had enough of all this secrecy, darling. You looked so beautiful today, I wanted to shout out in church that you belong to me. I love you, Madeline.’
‘Don’t, Dominic,’ she pleaded with him, glancing quickly around the room to see if they were being observed. But everyone’s attention was on the bride and groom who were dancing their final dance before leaving the celebrations.