Isabel's Wedding

by Pamela Oldfield

  Once inside the appropriate ward she was at once approached by a nurse who smiled enquiringly and introduced herself as Nurse Watson.

  ‘I’m looking for a Miss Alice Redmond—’ Olivia began.

  ‘Ah yes! You were summoned, I believe.’ She tutted. ‘Miss Redmond would not eat any breakfast until a telegram had been dispatched to you. Doctor Long was rather annoyed. She has had a mild heart attack although she refuses to accept the fact.’ She indicated a bed near the nurses’ station. ‘She’s over there behind the curtains. Last time I looked in she was awake. You can talk to her for ten minutes – unless you want to speak with the doctor in which case you will have to wait more than an hour as he is busy on another ward with his students.’

  ‘I think I’ll speak to her now. We have a family wedding tomorrow and I shall have to get back later today or my sister will also be having a heart attack!’ She laughed but the nurse was obviously not amused.

  She led the way to Alice’s bed and pulled back the curtains. ‘You have a visitor, Miss Redmond,’ she said in a firm tone. ‘But there is to be no talk of you discharging yourself until the doctor has given his permission.’

  Alice threw back the bedcovers but the nurse darted forward. ‘Stay where you are, Miss Redmond! You know what Doctor Long told you.’ She turned to Olivia. ‘Miss Redmond is not a good patient, I fear. Too wilful by far. You are allowed ten minutes. Please see that the patient stays in bed and don’t allow her to become excited or I shall have to ask you to leave.’

  Alice looked very pale and her eyes seemed to have sunk into their sockets. She looked at least ten years older, thought Olivia, trying to hide her dismay. This frail, fretful creature was unfamiliar to her.

  Before she could speak Alice said loudly, ‘I want my clothes. They have taken my clothes!’

  ‘They are quite safe, Miss Redmond and if – and it’s a big “if” – you are allowed to leave your bed, your clothes will be returned to you.’

  Alice watched the nurse walk away then turned imperiously towards her visitor. ‘Find out where they have taken my clothes, Olivia, and fetch them for me. I intend to discharge myself and no one can stop me. You must call a taxi and we will travel down to Canterbury together. I shall be perfectly comfortable. Every taxi carries a rug for the knees.’

  ‘But you are probably not fit enough to—’

  ‘Let me be the judge of that!’ She glared at Olivia. ‘I have to talk to Lucas before he totally ruins his life. Fenella indeed! I’ve never heard of such nonsense. She will soon discover that she is no match for me and Luke will realize that she is not worth his throwing away a glittering career.’

  Olivia sat down on the bedside chair. ‘You do realize, don’t you, that it’s Isabel’s wedding tomorrow? We shall all be very distracted and—’

  ‘Wedding or no wedding, I intend to talk to Lucas and put him straight about Fenella. Don’t try and change my mind, Olivia. You know me better than that.’ A touch of colour had appeared in her cheeks and Olivia recalled the nurse’s warning.

  ‘Please don’t get excited, Aunt Alice. You have to take care of—’

  ‘Oh do stop fussing! You always were a worrier!’ She made another effort to slide from the bed but Olivia prevented her.

  ‘I shall call the nurse back if you don’t behave yourself!’ she said. ‘You know it’s for your own good.’

  Reluctantly her godmother gave in but a sulky expression took over her face. ‘I didn’t think you were so bossy, Olivia. She’s only a nurse and I shall speak directly to Doctor Long when he arrives. Then we shall see!’

  ‘Wouldn’t it be better if you remain here for a few days and then came down to talk to Luke after the wedding?’

  ‘No it would not. I’ve already told you what I intend to do. Now go and find my clothes and bring them to me then ring for a taxi.’ Suddenly breathless, she put a hand to her chest. ‘You see what you have done? You’re upsetting me!’

  Olivia closed her eyes and counted to ten. Her mind was racing. Did she want the doctor to discharge Alice, she wondered. Her aunt appeared very fragile and hardly up to a long journey by taxi . . . And then when they reached home she would no doubt quarrel with Luke and that might bring on another attack. Staring down at her aunt Olivia had another thought. How would Aunt Alice react when she came face to face with Larry?

  ‘Get along, Olivia, and find my clothes. You can’t expect me to travel in this ridiculous hospital gown.’

  Taking her chance, Olivia nodded and made her way out of the ward, her thoughts spinning and her head beginning to ache.

  Outside the ward she hesitated, wishing that Doctor Long would somehow materialize and tell her what she should do but instead a nurse appeared and eyed her enquiringly.

  Olivia explained briefly what was happening and the nurse tutted.

  ‘I’m afraid your aunt is too self-willed for her own good!’ she told Olivia. ‘You might find Doctor Long in his office – first on the right, third door on the left. You can’t miss it. If he agrees that she can go home I’ll find her clothes for you and the reception will call a taxi.’

  Olivia had the feeling that the hospital would be quite happy to see the back of her aunt. On her way to the office, Olivia found her way blocked by a woman in a wheelchair surrounded by a small group of people who might be members of her family. The woman apparently had the opposite problem to Aunt Alice – she was insisting that they had no right to discharge her when she was still ill.

  ‘But they must know, Ma,’ one of the younger women protested. ‘If they say you’re cured then you’re cured! You can’t just stay on. They need your bed for someone else.’

  The young man pushing the wheelchair nodded. ‘It’s a hospital, Ma, not a hotel!’

  Finding Doctor Long’s office, Olivia knocked and was told to enter. Small and decidedly round, the doctor was not quite what she had expected but, seated at his desk, he adjusted his spectacles on a small nose and peered up at her through small brown eyes.

  ‘Doctor Long, I’m worried about Alice Redmond who is my godmother and who is—’

  He was already nodding. ‘Ah yes! The heart attack patient and rather troublesome if I may say so.’ He smiled to soften the words. ‘She will be discharged tomorrow or the next day, when I think she is strong enough.’

  ‘She’s demanding I fetch her clothes . . .’

  ‘I don’t doubt it but I can assure you she will not be discharged today – clothes or no clothes!’

  ‘I’m finding it difficult to convince her that—’

  ‘Then don’t. Go home and leave her with us. We are used to these arguments, Mrs – er, you didn’t give me your name.’

  ‘It’s Miss. Miss Fratton.’

  ‘Go straight home, Miss Fratton. I shall tell her you were sent away on my orders. She is not to be bothered by visitors! Telephone us tomorrow around eleven for a further progress report.’

  Olivia frowned. ‘We have a family wedding tomorrow. No one would be free to come up and fetch her.’

  ‘A wedding? How splendid! Then you won’t be able to deal with a fractious old woman!’ He beamed at her. ‘Leave her with us. She’ll be in good hands and she needs rest, not excitement. She may believe that she is fit to attend a wedding but I assure you she is not.’

  Olivia reflected that the wedding would be the least of her worries if Aunt Alice came face to face with Fenella or Larry but she felt vaguely treacherous at thus colluding to thwart her godmother’s plans.

  ‘Thank you, doctor.’ Olivia, only partly reassured, gave in gratefully. ‘Then I’ll . . .’ She hesitated.

  ‘Just slip away, Miss Fratton.’ Doctor Long stood up, gathering papers from the desk and shuffling them into a manageable pile which he then rolled and fastened with an elastic band, clearly signalling that the short interview was at an end.

  Olivia preceded him from the room, said goodbye and pushed her doubts to the back of her mind. She took a deep breath, hurried back the way she had come a
nd gratefully ‘slipped away’.

  Arriving back home two hours later Olivia was about to put her key in the lock of the front door when it opened and Miss Denny came out. She looked flustered and indignant and glared at Olivia.

  ‘Really, Miss Fratton, I’m astonished that you could abandon your sister on the eve of her wedding!’ she told Olivia, drawing herself up to her full height. ‘Poor Isabel is quite beside herself and no wonder. Your place was here! That poor girl. Tears before her wedding! That’s a terrible omen! Can you imagine anything worse?’

  Olivia began to say that she could – that she could imagine Isabel’s godmother dying alone in a London hospital, which would certainly cast a deep shadow over the proceedings – but Miss Denny rushed on.

  ‘I’ve stayed as long as I could, trying to be of some comfort, trying to pour oil on troubled water, but meanwhile you go gallivanting up to London . . .’

  Breathlessly, she fell silent and tried to push her way past Olivia but the latter caught her arm. ‘Isabel’s godmother is in hospital after a heart attack,’ she said angrily. ‘Didn’t my sister tell you?’

  ‘No she did not. She was too busy quarrelling with her brother and you might well ask why! Did you know that he is planning to invite Fenella Anders to the wedding against Isabel’s wishes? That is Mrs Fenella Anders!’ She clutched her chest which was heaving with righteous indignation. ‘The village is full of it. You had no right to allow him to invite that woman into the church . . . to intrude on a service of Holy Matrimony.’

  Olivia said, ‘I’m not aware that any of this is your business, Miss Denny, but perhaps you would remember that I am not Lucas’s mother nor am I Isabel’s mother and I am doing my best to deal with everything and . . .’ Her voice began to shake ominously. Oh Lord! I’m going to cry, she thought, panic-stricken. Once I start I shall never stop.

  At that moment she was aware of a firm hand on her arm and turned to see Larry, his face full of concern. He turned to Miss Denny and said firmly, ‘You’ve been very kind, Miss Denny, but now Olivia is back I think we can manage.’

  Miss Denny wavered but then drew herself up. ‘Of all the hypocritical things to say! Perhaps if you had returned when you should have done, to look after your family—’

  Hastily Olivia intervened. ‘Thank you for your help, Miss Denny, but I think you should go now before you say something you may regret.’

  The dressmaker still had things she wanted to say but there was now a look in Olivia’s eyes which deterred her. She said, ‘Well then. I’ll say no more!’ With a final icy look in Olivia’s direction she turned and walked away, her back stiff with disapproval.

  Larry slid a comforting arm round Olivia’s shoulders. ‘Good to see you back. It’s been chaos but the kettle’s boiling and Isabel is supposed to be making a pot of tea.’

  Olivia said, ‘I wonder if Aunt Alice will come tomorrow. She’s been invited.’

  He shrugged. ‘Her choice!’

  Olivia closed her eyes, willing away the tears that would betray her if she allowed them to do so. She found Isabel sitting alone, dabbing at her eyes with a damp handkerchief.

  Isabel glanced up balefully. ‘You stayed in London for ages!’

  ‘Your godmother is in a poor way,’ Olivia snapped. ‘Thank you for asking after her!’

  ‘Oh . . . good. Is she coming to the wedding? Because if she is she will find Fenella and—’

  ‘I doubt if she will be well enough. Where’s Luke?’

  ‘Gone to fetch his lady friend!’

  ‘Do stop it, Izzie!’

  ‘She’s not invited but he’s determined to bring her. I never thought he could be so selfish. Miss Denny thinks he’s—’

  Olivia snapped, ‘Miss Denny should mind her own business!’

  ‘Miss Denny’s on my side!’ A resentful expression settled on her face. ‘You don’t care. Nobody does.’ Her voice shook. ‘I hate this family. I really do! I sometimes wish I’d never been born!’

  Larry said sharply, ‘Don’t say that. Your mother gave her life for you! I’m sure she adored you.’

  ‘How would you know? You weren’t here!’

  ‘I’m sorry. Your father should have been here for you.’

  She stared at him, eyes wide with indignation. ‘How do you dare say such a thing?’ she demanded. ‘It was up to you but you didn’t come back. It seemed as if you didn’t care about me.’

  ‘I . . . He should have . . .’ Stricken by his slip, he glanced at Olivia for help.

  ‘Please!’ Olivia, disconcerted by the direction of the conversation, glanced fearfully at her sister but Isabel seemed oblivious of Larry’s confusion. ‘You have to stop this, Isabel. Things happen that are nobody’s fault. People make wrong decisions and then it’s impossible to change things; impossible to put things right. No one can turn the clock back and reinvent the past. You have to rise above it – for Bertie’s sake if not your own. It’s his wedding day, you know, as well as yours.’

  ‘It’s easy for you to say that but if you were in my shoes . . .’ She sniffed. ‘Everything’s going wrong.’

  ‘No it isn’t. All along you wanted one thing for your wedding day – that your father could be here to give you away and—’ She broke off abruptly. She had intended to say ‘here he is’ but that was a lie. At some time in the future the truth would emerge and Isabel would probably resent the deceit for the rest of her life. If, however, she was told the truth now she would be devastated. It was an impasse. Shocked and helpless she stared at her sister but Isabel had jumped to her feet.

  ‘I’m going over to see Bertie,’ she announced. ‘At least his family are on my side.’

  ‘It’s not a matter of taking sides!’ Olivia’s voice was rising in spite of her determination to stay calm. ‘This isn’t a war, Isabel!’

  ‘It feels like one to me!’ She ran from the kitchen and as Olivia moved to run after her, they heard the front door open and slam.

  Larry shrugged. ‘Let her go. They’ll put it down to nerves. They’ll make the right soothing noises.’

  ‘Do you think so? I hope you’re right.’

  ‘Now tell me what happened at the hospital.’

  Less than an hour later Lucas appeared at the back door holding Fenella by the hand. She looked apprehensive and Olivia felt sorry for her. What an unpleasant situation she had been drawn into!

  Lucas said, ‘Is Aunt Alice here?’

  Olivia held open the door and said, ‘Come in both of you,’ and smiled at Fenella. To her brother she said, ‘As far as I know Aunt Alice will have to remain at the hospital so I’m not expecting her to appear.’

  They came in almost reluctantly and she saw that Lucas was carrying a bag which presumably contained Fenella’s clothes. He said, ‘Fenella’s going to have my room. I’ll manage somewhere else,’ and slid his free arm round her waist. Looking round he asked where Isabel was hiding.

  ‘She’s gone over to be with Bertie for a while. Finding us all rather troublesome.’ She smiled.

  Fenella said, ‘I’m quite happy to stay here and not come to church but Lucas—’

  ‘She’s coming to church with me or else neither of us are going to be there!’ He glared at Olivia as though somehow she was responsible for the difficulties.

  Olivia felt like screaming but instead she nodded. ‘Do whatever feels right for you.’

  Larry chose that moment to return from wherever he had been. He smiled at Lucas and shook hands with Fenella. ‘Call me Jack,’ he told her. ‘I think we met at the Coach and Horses when you showed me Luke’s painting.’

  ‘Of the cathedral. I remember.’

  Olivia and Larry watched the two young people set off upstairs then exchanged a look of mutual sympathy.

  Olivia smiled uncertainly. ‘I am beginning to give up hope,’ she confessed. ‘Will the time ever come when Isabel’s wedding is in the past and we can start our lives again? It seems to have been looming over us forever!’

  Larry laughed.
‘I promise you the time will come – and then you and I will have a talk about the future. We do have a future, you know, Olivia.’ He looked at her earnestly.

  She sighed. ‘Life goes on. I know. That’s what I tell myself but . . .’ She shrugged. ‘I can’t quite see where mine is going. It’s always been the family – the four of us – rattling along together but after tomorrow . . .’ Her voice wavered and she blinked rapidly. She had promised herself that she would put all her doubts to one side and devote herself to the wedding and now here was Jack undermining her, albeit unintentionally.

  Seeing how fragile she was feeling he said quickly, ‘But that’s for us to think about next week, when we’ve recovered from all the excitement.’ He winked at her. ‘There’s safety in numbers and I have a great plan for the two of us.’

  Now she stared at him. ‘You mean that you’re staying here?’

  He shook his head, grinning, watching her expression. ‘Not on your life! I mean I’m going back to California and you’re coming with me!’

  Startled, Olivia stared at him. Was he seriously suggesting taking her to America? She stammered, ‘Oh no! I mean I couldn’t. I’ll be quite happy here. Mrs Whinnie has offered me a job as her companion.’

  She began to explain the connection but he held up his hand.

  ‘I don’t see you as a companion, Olivia.’

  ‘I’ll be near to Isabel and Theo and I’ll always be welcome in Cornwall with Luke and Fenella.’

  Before he could reply there was a rush of footsteps at the side of the house and Theo appeared at the back door, a broad grin on his face. ‘Congratulations, Auntie Olivia!’ he cried, hugging her. ‘You now have a little niece! And you, Father, have been promoted to grandfather!’ Smiling broadly, the two men shook hands. ‘Cicely sends her love and says you must come round in the morning and see the little one.’ He glanced round the kitchen. ‘So where is everyone?’

  Olivia rolled her eyes. ‘A good question!’ She laughed. ‘Izzie has gone round to see Bertie and Lucas is upstairs with Fenella!’