by Emma Davies
Hattie let out the giggle. Whether she was intending to or not, it broke the tension. Not for the first time Lia wondered why she couldn’t be more like her friend. Hattie had a way of putting people at ease that she had never had.
‘Blimey!’ she exclaimed. ‘Your parents really didn’t think that one through, did they?’ she said, totally without guile. ‘Never mind, we won’t hold it against you,’ she added, giving a theatrical wink, which made Lia blush and Jasper laugh.
‘That’s settled then. Where shall we go?’
Lia sighed. There was no way she could do this. ‘It’s a really kind offer, Jasper,’ she said as gently as she could, ‘but I’m afraid I don’t think I’d be much in the way of company tonight. I’ve got a headache threatening, and besides, I have to get back home.’ She flicked a glance towards her friend. ‘Sorry, Hattie, I hope you don’t mind.’
She received a slightly quizzical look, but really Hattie would be much better off without her. ‘Don’t let me stop you two going, though – really.’
Two heads turned towards her, but Hattie was beaming. Lia turned to smile at Jasper to confirm what a wonderful idea this was, only to find his expression more serious again. He held out his hand rather formally.
‘I wanted to say thank you, Lia. You’ve been perfectly lovely when I suspect I’ve been nothing of the sort and have rather ruined your enjoyment tonight. Will I see you again next week?’
Lia took his hand and gave a feeble smile. She hadn’t a clue what to say and was desperately trying to think of something that wouldn’t sound like an encouragement when Jasper gave her hand a final squeeze.
‘I hope you feel better soon,’ he said, then turned to Hattie and ramped up the smile. ‘Right then, shall we get going?’
Lia bent down to pick up her bag, smiling at them both as they turned away from her.
‘See you next week,’ she said as lightly as she could, the memory of Jasper’s eyes burning into her brain as she watched his retreating back.
Chapter Fourteen
Hattie could scarcely believe her luck. She’d never tried her hand at matchmaking before, but this was all falling into her lap rather nicely. Jasper was gorgeous and she’d checked his left hand on at least twenty occasions now, and there was definitely no sign of a ring. If there was anyone who deserved a fine male specimen in her life it was Lia, and if she’d read the signals right, Jasper was certainly interested. The opportunity to turn the tables and have a little chat with him on her own was too good to miss.
She watched his back at the bar as he waited to be served, musing over the direction her evening had suddenly taken. Another woman on the other side of the bar looked up with interest and Hattie smiled to herself; Jasper was certainly attracting a fair amount of attention, and who could blame anyone? A slightly drizzly, cool autumn evening in the local wine bar wasn’t generally the time or place to see such exotic creatures. With his beautiful eyes and perfectly chiselled jaw, she might have given him a second look herself had her circumstances been different, but with Poppy still so young she had no desire for a relationship just yet; it wouldn’t be fair. Perhaps even more appealing than Jasper’s looks was the way he seemed to be so completely unaware of the appraising glances thrown in his direction. He was making his way back to her now, a cup of coffee in each hand, his lips pursed in concentration.
Hattie listened to him chatter away in nervous excitement for at least fifteen minutes, until he casually leaned forward and rested a hand on his freckled chin.
‘Have you and Lia been friends for long?’ he asked.
She suppressed a smile; so, she had read him right. She took another sip of her coffee and stared into his olive-green eyes that twinkled at the mention of Lia’s name.
‘Not at all, really, no,’ she replied. ‘I’ve not long moved into the area, you see,’ she continued, wondering how much else to add and then deciding that there really was no point in hiding anything. ‘I’m a single mum, and Lia and I met through a book club at the local library. She’s her mum’s carer so doesn’t get out much either and we just sort of hit it off.’ She smiled. ‘The dancing is her thing, though, really; I’m just along for mutual support, although I will admit it’s a lot more fun than I thought it was going to be.’
Jasper nodded. ‘I’ve yet to be persuaded about the fun part, but I’ll take your word for it,’ he said. ‘Actually, I feel rather bad that Lia got lumbered with me tonight,’ he added, looking up at Hattie. ‘The ballroom is not my natural habitat and although I tried to act as if I was enjoying it, I think Lia sussed me out rather quickly. I hope I didn’t upset her too much. Was the headache real, do you think?’
Hattie’s normal instinct would have been to deny any subterfuge on Lia’s part, if only to make Jasper feel a bit better, but perhaps it was time to put him straight about Lia’s real motives – that way she might even get to learn his, also.
‘I suspect it was what you might call a political headache,’ she replied. ‘Not so much that Lia herself didn’t want to come out with you, but being the generous soul she is, rather more that she thought I might enjoy being alone in your company.’
Jasper stared down at their respective hands; both cradled around their mugs on the table. They were only inches apart from one another. He gave a soft sigh, and swallowed. ‘Oh, I see…’ And then, ‘Sorry.’ He gave a rueful smile. ‘You must think I’m awful.’
Hattie smiled benevolently. ‘Not really,’ she said. ‘Lia’s agenda is no different from mine. And besides, the coffee is rather good here.’
The smile lit up his face this time. ‘You’re a good soul, Hattie,’ he said, ‘but when I saw Lia again this week, there was something about her which caught my attention, and I really can’t explain it. The trouble is that I haven’t got much time, and I really need her help… In fact what I probably need is your help, too…’
Hattie pushed her mug towards Jasper. ‘I’m a good listener,’ she said.
* * *
Two hours later and Hattie paused before she turned the key in her front door. She had texted her sister to say she would be later than usual, but she couldn’t have left any earlier even if she had wanted to; both Jasper and the story he had told her were complex and fascinating and she could have listened to him for hours. Families were strange things, she concluded as she dropped her bag on the hall table and opened the living room door.
Her sister was sitting on the sofa, a magazine on her lap. ‘Good evening, was it?’ she asked, arching her eyebrows as she flicked a page over.
Hattie grinned as she bustled through the room and on into the kitchen. She turned on the light, heading for the kettle. ‘Yes, thanks,’ she called through the door. ‘And not what you’re thinking. I just went for a drink after with some people from the dance class. It made a nice change actually,’ she added. ‘You know, some adult company.’ She certainly wasn’t about to tell her sister that she’d been for a drink with Jasper – she’d be teased mercilessly. Besides, it hadn’t been like that at all. ‘Have you got time for a coffee, Jules, or are you rushing off?’ She stuck her head around the door.
Her sister put down the magazine and looked at her watch. ‘I won’t, thank you, no. We’ve got an early start tomorrow, haven’t we? And I’m not as used to you at getting up early.’
Hattie’s heart sank a little. She, Jules and her mum were off to London in the morning, to pick up Jules’s wedding rings. It should be a wonderful day out, but she couldn’t help feeling a little apprehensive about the trip. She hadn’t been out with her mum for such a long time, and this was Jules’s special day so she would hate for there to be any unpleasantness.
Jules took one look at her sister’s face and got up from the sofa. ‘It’ll be fine, Hattie,’ she said, coming into the kitchen and giving her a squeeze. ‘Mum knows how important this is to me, and she’s been warned to be on her best behaviour. I know she’s particularly stressed at the moment, but even Dad has chipped in this time, and you know hi
m – anything for a quiet life. Don’t worry, we’re going to have a lovely day.’
Hattie smiled, but she still wasn’t entirely convinced. ‘Okay then,’ she said. ‘I’ll let you get off. Was everything with Poppy okay?’ she asked, knowing that it would have been. There was no need to even wait for the reply. ‘Listen, I’m busting for a wee, do you want to see yourself out? I’ll meet you tomorrow at the station. A quarter past nine we said, didn’t we?’
As soon as she heard the front door click she made her way back down the hallway. She didn’t need the loo and she didn’t really want a cup of coffee either so instead, pushing thoughts of tomorrow out of her head, went to sit on the sofa to hug the thought of her conversation with Jasper to her for a little while longer. It was so exciting, she couldn’t wait to see Lia’s reaction when he told her. It wasn’t until she was brushing her teeth a little later that she wondered whether giving Lia’s address to Jasper might have been a little rash.
Chapter Fifteen
Hattie had argued that they should have booked tickets, but, as usual, no-one had listened to her and now they hadn’t even managed to end up sitting together. The train was busy and as they’d walked up the aisle searching for seats her mum had pulled Jules into a spare pair, leaving Hattie to continue looking alone. Now she was squashed into a space three rows down from them, trying to accommodate her legs around the large holdall belonging to the woman sitting next to her. She pulled her headphones out of her bag, resolutely stuck them into her phone and wished she’d never agreed to come.
She’d had a day like this herself when she was in the throes of organising her own wedding. A girly day out with her mum and sister, which she remembered being filled with laughter and excitement; a rite of passage on her way to becoming a married woman. Apart from collecting Jules’s rings, they would be taking afternoon tea at The Ritz and visiting a specialist haberdasher so that Jules could pick out some lavish adornments for her dress. It should be a lovely day for all of them, but try as she might Hattie still couldn’t rid herself of the notion that her mum would have preferred it if she’d stayed behind.
Sorry I couldn’t get to sit with you, she texted. But can’t wait to see your rings! Xx She clicked send and waited for Jules to reply.
Almost immediately a text pinged back. Me neither! I hope I luuurvve them. Pity Ryan isn’t here with us, but having you and Mum is the next best thing xx
Hattie smiled and settled back into her seat, chiding herself. Perhaps it was going to be okay after all.
At one time in her life, London had been a familiar place for her. She and her fiancé had often come up for the weekend to attend parties, the theatre, or some opening of a show that he had managed to snag tickets for. They shopped and dined, moving about with an assurance that only truly came to those who believed they were entitled to it. But now, too many years had gone by and Hattie had lost her self-confidence. She had also lost her taste for that kind of lifestyle; it seemed shallow and meaningless now. And, although it had hurt at the time, her break-up – along with the birth of her daughter – had taught her what was important in life; family, love, friendship, honesty and integrity – not how much you earned or the size of your house. Jules and Ryan were spending a huge amount of money on their wedding, just as she had, and at times it sent warning bells echoing through her head; she couldn’t bear for her sister to make the same mistakes she had.
Hattie pushed the thoughts away. Jules was a different person from her and she shouldn’t forget that. More importantly, her relationship with Ryan seemed to be a good one, and if she wasn’t careful Hattie ran the risk of appearing critical of them, which was not her intention at all. This was Jules’s special day, she reminded herself, and she would do all she could to help make it one.
* * *
Hattie’s heart sank as she linked arms with Jules and followed her mum through the door of the Bond Street jewellers. She wanted her sister to be treated like royalty but the snooty reception they received as they entered the quiet room was far from welcoming. The rings were stunning, she couldn’t deny that, but they were in and back out onto the street again within minutes and the whole thing felt a little flat to her. She felt rather sorry for Jules, that her special moment had been so disappointing, but she needn’t have worried – Jules burst out laughing seconds later.
‘Thank God we’re out of there! Did you see that woman’s face when my stomach gurgled?’ she exclaimed. ‘Remind me never to eat that many jelly beans on the train again.’ And as if to illustrate her point her stomach gurgled again, causing Hattie to clutch her sides in an agony of laughter. Even her mum joined in, and it was several minutes before they were able to move on.
The good humour lasted right through the rest of their shopping and their afternoon tea. They had such a good day Hattie had almost forgotten that things between them had ever been difficult until about an hour before they were due to catch the tube to the train station. The haberdashery shop was vast and Hattie wished she had more time to stare open-mouthed at the array of dressmaking equipment and bolts of the most exquisite material she had ever seen. But Jules was on a mission, and it soon became clear that the vision she had for her wedding dress was morphing into something far beyond what she and Hattie had originally discussed.
Hattie’s heart filled with dread as Jules moved over to a huge mahogany counter displaying beads, sequins and crystals of every shade and size, and imported gems of every colour.
Jules ran her hands through a pile of Swarovski crystals, greedily. ‘This is just what I want, Hattie. See, I told you they were beautiful.’
Everything inside Hattie sank. ‘Gosh, they’re very… bling,’ was the best she could say when all she wanted to shout was, No, please no – what are you thinking? Hattie had been working night and day to make Jules’s dress from the finest, sleekest mulberry silk. They had chosen the final design together after looking at numerous ideas that Hattie had supplied and she had given a lot of thought to how the dress would look, how it would flatter and accentuate Jules’s figure. Sewing crystals of that size onto it would cause the material to pucker and distort, ruining the line and totally destroying the elegant gown Hattie had created.
She looked over at her sister’s face, which was filled with excitement and wonder, and it was suddenly obvious that the dress Hattie had designed for her wasn’t what she wanted at all. What on earth was she going to do? She looked anxiously to her mum for help, only to find her rolling a crystal around in her palm with glee.
‘Oh Jules, these are going to look stunning. What do you think, Hattie?’
Hattie’s stomach twisted as she took the bead from her mum, holding it up towards the light as if to see it better. It was beautiful. On the right dress they would look stunning, but sadly that wasn’t the dress currently laid out in Hattie’s spare bedroom. She tried desperately to think of something to say that wouldn’t sound too negative.
‘They are gorgeous, Jules, but have you seen the price?’ As excuses went it was a pretty good one. The beads were several pounds each, and she would need hundreds of them.
‘Yeah, I know how much they cost. But I don’t want my friends thinking I’m a cheapskate just because my dress is handmade.’
Hattie could feel the heat rising up from her toes. She knew Jules didn’t mean it the way it sounded, but she couldn’t help feeling hurt. Apart from the hours spent on it, Jules’s dress was a unique creation, and Hattie had poured everything she could into it. She opened her mouth to reply, but before she could speak, her mother’s cold voice came between them.
‘Don’t you like them, Hattie?’
‘No, it’s not that, it’s just—’
‘Only you’ve got that look on your face.’
The breath caught in her throat.
‘And before we know it you’ll say something which will really upset Jules.’
Hattie stared at her mum in horror, tears welling up out of nowhere. That was so unfair. There was a shocked intak
e of breath beside her.
‘For goodness’ sake keep your voice down, Mum,’ hissed Jules. ‘And you promised!’
The look between them was implicit and Hattie understood exactly what had been said behind her back before they had even arrived in London.
Her mum sucked in her cheeks. ‘Well, honestly – I knew she’d do something to upset you, and now she has.’
‘I haven’t done anything!’ protested Hattie. ‘I didn’t say I disliked the crystals – just pointed out that they’re a bit on the expensive side, that’s all.’
‘And what’s wrong with that?’ Despite Jules’s caution, her mum wasn’t finished yet. ‘Why can’t Jules have what she wants? You did, I seem to remember.’
Hattie dug her nails into the palm of her hand, trying to keep calm. The last thing she wanted to do was have an argument today. ‘I didn’t say that either, Mum.’
‘No, but you implied it. Anyone would think you were jealous. Just because your wedding never happened, don’t go pouring cold water over Jules’s dreams.’
Hattie bit her lip, beginning to tremble. ‘I’ve always been the first to admit I made a lot of mistakes over our wedding. I got so caught up in everything having to be the best there was that I forgot what was important about getting married. I know that Jules isn’t going to make those same mistakes, but I can’t help feeling the way I do. I’m just trying to help.’ She gave her sister a beseeching look. ‘Of course you can have what you want, Jules.’
It was the only thing she could say under the circumstances, but she felt her heart sink even further. The beads would ruin the dress, and Hattie so desperately wanted it to be perfect for her sister.
