‘Because I saw you. The other night, at the bonfire.’ The volume of Archie’s voice has increased so he’s almost booming. ‘I saw you and Emily, out the back, kissing.’
‘What?’ Alice’s mouth is a round ‘o’ of shock as she looks at the three of us in turn before her eyes settle on me.
‘Emily?’ Her eyes flick to Tom for the briefest moment. ‘Is this true?’
Chapter Thirty-Seven
‘It’s true.’ I meet Alice’s eyes, my gaze unwavering. ‘And I’m not sorry in the slightest.’
‘I was devastated, obviously,’ Archie says before Alice can say a word. ‘But I thought I could make it work.’
‘Oh, for God’s sake!’ I’ve had enough of The Archie Show. ‘You’re acting as though I cheated on you, but we weren’t even in a relationship! We hadn’t even kissed. I don’t like you, Archie, and never have. I only ever feigned interest to get Alice off my back.’
‘What?’ Alice’s mouth is gaping again, but my focus is on Tom and his reaction. I never wanted to let him know like this, in front of an audience of Alice, Archie and anyone else who happens to overhear, but at least it’s out there now.
‘You’re not seeing Archie?’ he asks, and I shake my head. ‘You lied about it?’
I swallow hard and nod again. This isn’t exactly painting me in the best light.
Shaking his head, Tom takes a step away from me. ‘I don’t understand.’
‘You will. I’ll explain everything. You might not like it. You might think I’m a total bitch, but you’ll know the truth.’
‘I’d quite like to know the truth myself.’ Alice’s hands are on her hips, her eyebrow quirked in a way that shows she means business. But again, I’m more interested in Tom’s reaction.
‘Please, Tom. Can we go somewhere and talk? So I can explain?’ I need to explain. I need Tom to understand that I never did any of this to hurt him or fool him. It was a stupid decision, born of frustration and self-preservation. Because if he doesn’t see that, this could be it for us. Game over before we even start the match. I’ve rejected so many guys over the past year, but I’m not ready to say goodbye to Tom. We have a chance, don’t we?
‘I need some air.’ Tom is backing away, his head shaking as though answering my internal question. I can’t let him go, not like this. But Alice’s hand is on my arm as I attempt to follow. I try to shake her off, but Alice is a feisty little one when she wants to be.
‘Is everything okay over here?’ Francelia, sniffing a bit of drama, is swooping in. She isn’t the only one to have noticed; several people are rubbernecking, ears pricked for the juicy goss.
‘Everything’s fine, Aunt Francelia.’ Archie flashes his well-rehearsed enigmatic smile. ‘I think I’ll go and check on Tom Thumb though, just to be sure.’
‘No.’ I make a fresh attempt to escape Alice’s clutches, knowing Archie will only make matters worse, but she isn’t letting go in a hurry. Archie strides away with his usual air of confidence while Alice quizzes me about her step-cousin and Tom. I tell her everything, in as few words as I can so I can try to catch up with Tom and reverse any further damage Archie might have caused in the meantime. Eventually, Alice releases me, though she doesn’t look happy about any of it. Still, I don’t have time to stick around and appease her.
Bursting from the ballroom, my head turns from left to right while I try to figure out which direction to head in. Tom wanted air, but there are so many exits from the castle. Would he head to the courtyard? The woods? Or perhaps the rose garden? Maybe he’s even gone back to the cottage, to call it quits with the wedding. To call it quits with me.
Surging forward, I head towards the pool room, so I can slip out of the door and into the field at the back, but I hear voices as I start to open the door.
‘That was a low blow, mentioning the kiss in front of everyone.’ It’s Tom, sitting with his back to me on one of the sunloungers. ‘Especially Alice. I get that you’re upset…’
Archie, who’s sitting next to Tom, barks out a laugh. He must have caught Tom before he reached the exit and now they’re sitting down to dissect everything that just happened. I need to stop this, but the laugh unnerves me. It’s a harsh sound. Cold. I decide to hang back for a moment.
‘I’m not upset. Far from it, mate, but the bitch deserves everything she gets.’
‘Easy. There’s no need for that,’ Tom says, and a little bit of hope that Tom has forgiven me flares up. If it wasn’t for his face when he found out I’d lied to him…
‘Isn’t there? She played me, and nobody humiliates me and gets away with it.’ Archie leans in towards Tom. ‘You of all people should know that.’
My cheeks are hot. I want to march into the room and tell Archie what a turd he is, but what would that achieve? If only Alice could hear Archie talking like this. Could see the real Archie and not the version he’s so good at presenting to the world.
But maybe Alice can see it for herself. Keeping the door wedged open a crack with my foot, I quietly slip my phone out of my bag and set it to record. The door creaks slightly as I need to widen the gap to capture the footage. I hold my breath, fully expecting both Tom and Archie to wheel round and catch me out, but luckily they haven’t heard a thing.
‘The silly little tart was only cosying up to me to make Alice jealous anyway,’ Archie is saying. ‘And do you know what?’ He snorts and shakes his head. ‘I was doing the same.’
‘You were trying to make Alice jealous?’
‘Yep.’ Archie sighs. ‘Didn’t work though. She’s been trying to push us closer together. She just doesn’t get it.’
There’s a pause, and I move back slightly in case their chat is over, but I keep recording. Neither makes any move, however, and then Tom speaks again, his voice laced with unease.
‘You’ve still got your little crush on Alice? After all this time?’
‘It isn’t a “little crush”.’
‘What?’ Tom shifts in his seat so he can take a good look at Archie. ‘You actually think you’re in love with her?’
‘I don’t think anything.’
Oh my God! Archie’s in love with Alice? And he’s been using me to try to make her jealous! I knew he was a creep, but still…
‘You do know she doesn’t feel the same way, don’t you?’
Archie shrugs. ‘She will do, once she realises there’s nobody else out there who’ll love her like I do. Francelia is doing a fine job of chasing them away, but I have stepped in and given her a gentle nudge when necessary.’ He laughs to himself. ‘There was this one guy who had a criminal record. I mean, he’d only been cautioned for possession of cannabis when he was fifteen, but my info was enough to convince Francelia he had to go. Bad for the family image and all that. The funny thing is, it was a much lesser offence than Alice would have been slapped with if I hadn’t convinced Old Francie not to press charges when Alice stole her necklace.’
‘She didn’t steal anything.’ Tom’s voice is firm, unwavering in its confidence.
‘We know that, but everybody else thinks she’s as guilty as.’
I press a hand to my mouth to stop myself from gasping. I’ve only gone and inadvertently proved Alice’s innocence! I can’t wait to replay this to Alice, especially as Archie seems to know this for a fact too but has kept some crucial evidence to himself. He’s well and truly shot himself in the foot.
‘But you’re not going to say anything, are you, Tom Thumb?’ Archie claps Tom on the back, quite hard. ‘Tried that already, didn’t you? And where did it get you? Nowhere. Nobody believed you – and your old pa nearly lost his job.’ He chuckles and shakes his head. ‘Couldn’t have planned it better, could I?’
Tom shrugs off Archie’s hand, which is still resting across his shoulder blades, and stands up. I try to move out of the way, to shield myself behind the door, but Tom turns around too quickly. His eyebrows shoot up when he sees me, my phone aimed at the pair. But it doesn’t matter. I have the footage I need to sh
ow Alice and Francelia and anyone else who’s been fooled by Archie.
‘The thing I don’t get,’ Tom says as he sits back down on the sunlounger, ‘is why you framed Alice in the first place. Why did you take the necklace and plant it in her room? I assume you were the one who tipped Francelia off too?’
Oh, good man! He’s fishing for more evidence! I could kiss Tom right now. Again.
‘She’d humiliated me.’ Archie shrugs, as though this alone is explanation enough for his actions. ‘Laughing at me with you and Carolyn behind my back. Stomping all over my feelings. I heard you all, taking the piss.’
So it was Archie. ‘Mr Charming’ himself set Alice up! She trusted him. Still trusts him to this day. Even I’m shocked and I already knew he wasn’t the charismatic character he presents to the world.
‘But you’ve forgiven her?’
Archie sighs. ‘I love her. I’d forgive her anything.’
I sincerely hope the feeling isn’t mutual once Alice hears his confession.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
‘Thank you so much.’ I slip out of my hiding spot behind a thick pair of curtains at the window at the end of the corridor when Tom emerges from the pool room by himself. My phone is tucked safely in my handbag, the video saved and ready to unveil Archie as the real villain at Durban Castle. ‘You got him to reveal everything. I can finally show Alice his true colours.’
Tom shrugs and scratches the back of his neck. ‘His confession was a long time coming. At least now everyone will know I was telling the truth.’
‘Speaking of telling the truth…’ My hands are clasped in front of me, wringing like Lady Macbeth trying to wash away the blood. ‘Do you think we could have that talk now? So I can explain?’
Tom doesn’t say anything, and he doesn’t look too convinced, but he gives the briefest of nods. I lead him outside, and into the rose garden at the front of the castle, and tell him everything, starting at the very beginning. Starting a year ago, when Mum died and I ended my relationship with Edward. How I let the fear take hold of me, how it suffocated me until I freed myself. Freed us both, really, as I’d never been able to give myself fully to Edward. He’d wanted marriage and babies and joint mortgages, while I’d wanted safety, independence, a way out.
I tell Tom about Alice’s matchmaking. The exhausting merry-go-round of first dates, second dates, sometimes – occasionally – a third. I tell him about our pact: one week of intense matchmaking, one chance to finally find my Prince Charming, and then I would be free to live the life I wanted to. A life without complications and fear. A life on my terms. A life on my own.
I tell him I found a way out. A way to appease Alice while protecting myself: Archie. Prince Charming personified – or so Alice thinks. I used him. I pretended to like him, even when I thought he genuinely liked me. I played a silly game that neither of us could win.
And I tell him about meeting a wonderful man. A man I thought was gruff and insolent, but was actually battling his own demons. A man who seems to understand me, which is a first as I’ve never let anybody get that close to me before. I’ve never let anyone peek behind the wall I began to build up around myself when I was just a little girl. But I let Tom in. I’ve shown him everything I am, and it’s terrifying. But I would never take it back.
This is me, the real me, laid bare before him. Never have I felt so exposed, and I feel raw by the time I’ve finished. Tom has yet to say a word, simply listening as I empty everything out. I haven’t looked at him the whole time, my gaze fixed on the plump pink roses in front of me, but I peer up at him now, trying to gauge his reaction. Does he despise me? Think I’m a fool at best? I don’t even want to think about the ‘at worst’ option.
‘Tom?’ He hasn’t said anything, and I’m finding it difficult to read him.
‘I thought… When I kissed you…’ He shakes his head, his hands in his hair. ‘I felt terrible. I’ve been on the other side, and it doesn’t feel good.’
‘I know.’ I want to reach out to him, but my hands are glued to my sides. ‘But Archie isn’t the good guy in this, remember?’
‘Still.’ Tom puffs out his cheeks before releasing the air slowly. ‘It’s just all way too complicated for me at the moment, you know? I just want life to be simple again.’
I nod, totally getting where Tom is coming from. ‘I’ve been there. A lot. I’ve pushed so many people away because I was afraid of getting hurt, and that’s what you’re doing now. Pushing me away to protect yourself. Running away from your feelings because of what Lydia did to you. And I get it. I totally do. But I also know I don’t want this to be it for us. I don’t want to leave tomorrow knowing this is all we’ll ever be.’
Tom scrapes back his hair with a sigh. ‘What is it that you do want, Emily?’
‘You.’ I answer without hesitation. ‘Before I got here, I didn’t think I’d ever find someone like you. Someone I can be myself with without fear. I don’t want to lose that, Tom. I don’t want to lose you.’ I lift my hand, but it doesn’t reach Tom. ‘But I also know this is your decision to make. You know everything about me, the good and the bad. Only you can decide if you want me too.’
I turn then, much as it pains me to do so, and start to wander back towards the castle. Hope surges when Tom calls out my name.
‘What are you going to do about Archie?’
I swallow my disappointment as I grab my phone from my handbag and hold it up to show Tom. ‘I’m going to expose him for what he is by showing this video to everyone. He’ll be mortified, plus I’ll get to clear Alice’s name.’
Tom gives a slow nod of his head. ‘I like the idea of that. But won’t it take ages to get round to everyone?’
‘Not necessarily.’ I tuck the phone back into my handbag. ‘I have a plan up my sleeve, but I’ll need Carolyn’s help.’
Tom gives a sad, half-smile. ‘Good luck.’
‘Thank you.’ I start to move away again, but stop and turn to look at Tom. ‘You’ll think about what I said, won’t you?’
He nods, but doesn’t say anything more, so I head back to the castle to carry out my mission.
Everybody has gathered at the far end of the ballroom, in front of the little stage where the wedding band is set up, though there’s no longer any music playing. I find Alice in the middle of the throng and make my way towards her, but she barely acknowledges my presence, let alone speaks to me. Hopefully that will change when she finds out what I’ve discovered about her precious Archie.
‘I think Carolyn’s about to throw the bouquet early.’ I start when Alice finally breaks the silence between us. She was practically jumping up and down on the spot at the idea during the run up to the Big Day, but now she’s subdued, and I feel bad that I’ve put a dampener on her sister’s wedding. Perhaps the Archie reveal can wait until tomorrow…
But it’s too late. Carolyn gives a little wave in our direction from her position on the stage. She grabs the microphone and strides to the centre. My stomach churns in anticipation of what is to come.
‘Sorry about the little delay, and I’m afraid there’s going to be another one before we all head into the great hall for our delicious meal. Sorry.’ She holds up her hand. ‘I know how ravenous you are, but I’ve got a wonderful little presentation for you.’
Alice frowns and leans in to whisper, ‘She never said anything about a presentation.’
I shrug as my stomach churns again. ‘Change of plan, I guess.’
‘Francelia and I have been working hard for months to put together a slideshow of photos and video clips spanning the duration of my relationship with Piers, from our very first date to our rehearsal dinner last night.’ I’m sure I hear a few groans as Carolyn indicates the huge projector screen set up on the wall to the right. ‘We had a little preview last night, but now it’s time for the main show.’ She leans her head briefly on Piers, who’s standing to her left, before placing the microphone in its stand. She gives the nod to Piers, who starts to fiddle with t
he laptop connected to the projector. The huge screen comes to life, but it isn’t displaying a shot of the happy couple. Instead, there’s a rather shaky video image of a doorway, with a row of sunloungers coming into view.
‘The silly little tart was only cosying up to me to make Alice jealous anyway.’
Alice’s eyes widen at the unmistakable voice of Archie, and she looks among the crowd to try to spot him.
‘And do you know what? I was doing the same.’
Alice looks at me, and I give an apologetic shrug. I am sorry Alice’s bubble is about to burst, however necessary it is.
‘It isn’t a “little crush”,’ the video continues, and I see Alice’s mouth widening more and more with the video’s revelations.
‘What? You actually think you’re in love with her?’
There’s a commotion from the crowd, and then Archie appears, darting towards the stage.
‘What is this? Stop it immediately.’ He’s up on the stage, heading for the laptop, but Carolyn blocks his path. ‘This is an obscene invasion of privacy!’ He attempts to manhandle Carolyn out of the way, but Piers steps forward, leaning in close to Archie’s ear. I can’t hear what he’s saying from here, but Archie blanches and stumbles backwards, hands held aloft in defeat.
‘There was this one guy who had a criminal record. I mean, he’d only been cautioned for possession of cannabis when he was fifteen, but my info was enough to convince Francelia he had to go. Bad for the family image and all that. The funny thing is, it was a much lesser offence than Alice would have been slapped with if I hadn’t convinced Old Francie not to press charges when Alice stole her necklace.’
Archie’s face is a picture. He knows he’s about to be busted, big time, and there’s no way he can charm his way out of this.
I feel Alice tense next to me, but I place a soothing hand on her arm. All will be put right in a few seconds.
‘She didn’t steal anything.’
‘We know that, but everybody else thinks she’s as guilty as.’
The Wedding that Changed Everything Page 27
