The Unconventional Bride

by Lindsay Armstrong

  She couldn’t think of anything to say but there was no need as he turned her towards the congregation and everyone rose in a delighted wave down the church. Mrs Bedwell burst into tears and rushed out to hug her. Justin, Tosh and Ewan did the same and, for some reason, as the organ swelled again for the triumphal march down the aisle, Mel felt as if she’d achieved something although she wasn’t sure what.

  And once out on the porch they were strewn with rose petals and confetti, at the centre of a happy crowd of people Mel mostly didn’t know but people who loved a wedding obviously—or were happy for Etienne Hurst.

  ‘Not so bad after all,’ Etienne said in the limousine as it drew away from the church.

  Mel leant forward to wave to the throng. ‘Who are all those people?’

  ‘Friends, business acquaintances, people who work for me. You certainly wowed them all!’

  Well, I certainly surprised myself, she thought but said instead, trying for a casual approach when in reality she could still feel his hands on her body, ‘I must be getting the hang of this wedding business.’ She sat back and brushed some rose petals off her top.

  ‘I hope that doesn’t mean you intend to make a habit of it?’ he returned wryly.

  ‘Not at all. But I wasn’t sure if I could handle it. Now I think I can get through the reception with—panache.’

  ‘Good.’ But he was laughing.

  ‘What’s so funny about that?’

  ‘Your choice of words. I’m not sure I could handle a Mel Ethridge full of panache.’

  Mel considered a reply, then a thought struck her. ‘They all seemed to be very happy for you, I mean really happy.’

  ‘Could be I’m not such a bad bloke after all.’

  Mel chose her words with care. ‘It’s not that I thought you were bad.’

  He glinted her an ironic look. ‘Just tarred with the same brush as my sister?’ he suggested.

  She placed her bouquet on the seat between them and pleated her skirt absently. ‘I don’t feel really good about myself in regard to Margot. And I apologise for tarring you with the same brush but—’

  ‘You’re still not sure about marrying me?’

  She bestowed a deep blue, enigmatic gaze on him.

  ‘What?’ he queried ruefully. ‘You’re making me nervous, Mel.’

  ‘What do you expect, Etienne? I may have enjoyed kissing you but that’s a far cry from—’ she hesitated ‘—from…’

  ‘Laying down all your arms?’ he suggested.

  ‘I would like to know…’ She stopped and cleared her throat. ‘I would like to know if I’m expected to go to bed with you tonight. I mean, I know, and accept, that it has to happen some time but—’ She stopped again.

  ‘I shouldn’t take it as an indication that you’re ready to leap into bed with me?’ He reached over to take her hand and fiddled with his wedding ring. ‘Am I correct in assuming you’re a virgin, Mel?’

  Some colour rose to her cheeks but she answered honestly, ‘Very much so, Etienne. Well, I guess you are or you aren’t, just as you can’t be a little pregnant, but I don’t seem to have had much time for that kind of thing. Either that or I was born another gene short!’ She broke off and bit her lip.

  She saw the frown in his eyes, then the recognition, then the laughter. ‘Do you always eavesdrop on each other?’

  ‘Mrs Bedwell has it down to a fine art and sometimes you have to retaliate in self-defence,’ she told him, ‘as you will probably discover for yourself. By the way, I do stop to think, frequently!’

  ‘Having seen the agony you’ve gone through this last month, I believe you,’ he said a shade drily.

  ‘Etienne,’ it was her turn to frown, ‘can you blame me? I would have thought it was a plus that I didn’t leap at your offer.’

  ‘Oh, it was,’ he drawled. ‘But now the deed is done, it would please me and help you if you relinquished the burden and left it up to me. You’ve fought the good fight, Mel.’

  She shrugged then replied candidly, ‘I don’t see what else I can do but just two things. I don’t compromise easily. And I don’t feel that I can live in a cloud of eternal gratitude to you.’

  ‘Good,’ he said again. ‘I wouldn’t enjoy that at all.’

  She stared at him narrowly, thinking that he looked rather wonderful in his dark suit then had to wrest her thoughts away… ‘So, about tonight?’

  ‘I’m of the opinion we should take it as it comes,’ he said.

  With that she had to be content, as the limousine drew up in front of the garden restaurant where the reception was to be held.

  Three hours later, Mel left her wedding reception wearing a rather lovely lime linen trouser. Mrs Bedwell had insisted on it and helped her to choose it as well as new silk underwear to wear beneath it, Mel’s only concession to a trousseau. She’d changed in the suite provided by the restaurant with Mrs Bedwell’s help, after throwing her garter and bouquet. A stranger had caught her garter but a schoolfriend had caught her bouquet.

  In truth, though, she’d enjoyed her wedding reception. So had everyone else—perhaps it had been contagious? Along with the delicious food, the best champagne and a lively band? Not that she’d eaten or drunk much at all but she did love to dance and Etienne had proved a good partner. Also, her brothers had enjoyed every minute of it although she suspected even Tosh was a little tipsy.

  Now she stood on the pavement beside a sleek, very new-looking sapphire sports car coupé, obviously Etienne’s, although she’d never seen it before, with her next test looming, their honeymoon.

  She’d made one proviso regarding a honeymoon. She would not consider his lighthouse retreat for the week he’d decided to take off, she’d told him.

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘Too many associations with other women,’ she’d replied crisply.

  He hadn’t looked chastened, he’d looked amused if anything, but he had said, ‘I sold that lease so I could devote more time to Raspberry Hill. You choose a honeymoon, then.’

  She’d gazed at him with a frown. Then, ‘No, thank you. I’ll leave it up to you!’ She’d walked away.

  Consequently, she now had no idea what lay before her in more ways than one. So, despite the success of the reception, she was a little distracted and it was Justin who drew her attention to something that had escaped her.

  ‘Way to go, Mel!’ he enthused. ‘I hope you’ll let me drive it.’

  ‘Drive what?’

  He raised his eyes heavenwards and drew her around to the front of the car. ‘Look at that.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘The registration, dummy!’

  Mel obeyed and blinked. The registration plate said ‘MEL 1’. ‘What…do you mean…?’ she stammered and turned to Etienne.

  ‘All yours.’ He pulled a silver, diamond-studded keyring in the shape of an M from his pocket and put it in her hand.

  ‘I can’t accept this,’ she protested.

  ‘Mel!’ Justin looked horrified.

  ‘No! It’s…I mean…’

  ‘It’s your wedding present,’ Etienne murmured smoothly. ‘It is an accepted custom.’

  ‘It is not! This must have cost thousands—’

  ‘Try a hundred of them,’ Justin put in airily.

  ‘And I haven’t got you anything— How many?’ Mel swung towards Justin with her eyes wide.

  ‘Sis—’

  ‘Justin,’ Etienne said firmly, ‘butt out, will you?’ He took the keyring still sitting in Mel’s palm back. ‘I’ll drive until you get the hang of it,’ he added to Mel and opened the nearside door. ‘After you, Mrs Hurst.’

  ‘But—’

  ‘I don’t think it’s a good idea to have our first domestic here and now,’ he said softly and at the same time Mrs Bedwell surged up and took Mel in her arms.

  ‘You lucky, lucky girl,’ she crooned—also tipsy, Mel decided.

  Then Tosh and Ewan were on the pavement, both obviously in transports over the car.

 
‘Will you drive us to school in it, Mel—please?’ Tosh begged.

  ‘No one, no one,’ Ewan emphasised with awe, ‘in the whole bloody district has one of these.’

  ‘Don’t swear,’ Mel said automatically, ‘and I think it would be a good idea if you three, all of you,’ she included Mrs Bedwell in her glance around, ‘sobered up!’

  ‘Why don’t you take her away, Etienne,’ Justin suggested, ‘before she spoils a good party?’

  ‘I will take her away but only because I want her to myself,’ Etienne replied with a grin. ‘But if I were you, I’d take the last part of her advice. In you get, Mel.’

  Mel hesitated but by now there were all sorts of people on the pavement enthusing over the car and what a lucky young bride she was! So she climbed in reluctantly, then she got out and kissed the boys and Mrs Bedwell warmly, and, reluctantly, got in again. They drove away in another shower of confetti.

  ‘I hope they’ll be all right.’ She looked back anxiously.

  ‘They’ll be fine.’

  She turned to Etienne. ‘How can you know that?’

  ‘Mary Lees is going to see that they get home safe and sound.’

  Mel subsided. ‘You don’t leave anything to chance, do you?’

  He considered. ‘Not normally.’

  ‘I can’t think of one single instance lately,’ she said crossly.

  ‘I didn’t plan on you being upset about the car.’

  Mel allowed a mile to elapse in silence. Etienne had changed into buff trousers and a tweed sports jacket. As the car ate up the tree-shade dappled road in the late-afternoon sunlight, he looked relaxed but very worldly.

  ‘It didn’t occur to you,’ she asked cautiously, ‘that I might feel—bought?’

  He flicked her a glance. ‘Do you?’

  ‘I’m asking you, Etienne.’

  ‘Mel,’ he changed gear as they climbed a hill with the flick of a wrist, ‘what would you consider suitable repayment for your delectable but reluctant body?’

  Her eyes nearly fell out on stalks.

  ‘After all,’ he continued smoothly, ‘you did say you realised that the time must come when we would sleep together, leaving me, apart from anything else, to gather that the prospect didn’t fill you with much joy.’

  She opened and closed her mouth several times but nothing came out.

  ‘Not,’ he looked at her wryly, ‘that I hadn’t guessed it, although you don’t seem to mind me kissing you.’

  ‘Etienne—’ Speech came to her at last. ‘This is still a marriage of convenience. You’re not in love with me and vice versa, so somehow or other we’ll have to accommodate that side of marriage but—’

  ‘Precisely,’ he broke in. ‘And, as a way of making you feel better about it, I thought you might like to have a nice car to drive.’

  ‘You freely admit you thought that?’ She regarded him with astonishment.

  He shrugged. ‘That’s what marriages of convenience are about, give and take.’

  ‘That’s what all marriages are about, I suspect,’ she replied tartly, ‘but you seem to be doing all the giving here.’

  ‘At the moment.’ He looked at her briefly but long enough to send a shiver down her spine because it was one of those looks and left her in no doubt of how he meant the balance of give and take to be set.

  ‘But you knew what it was all about, Mel, and,’ he paused and flicked her a glance with a glint of something she didn’t recognise in his eyes this time, ‘I do have my pride.’

  She blinked. ‘I don’t understand.’

  ‘I’d rather not have my wife driving around in a battered old utility about to fall apart.’

  ‘I don’t believe I’m saying this,’ Mel smoothed the pale grey leather seat with a flash of humour in her eyes, ‘but how far could this car be from a new ute, which, I do admit, I need?’

  ‘So you wouldn’t have any reservations about a new ute?’ he came back swiftly.

  ‘I didn’t say that. But I guess your part of the bargain, as I saw it, was getting Raspberry Hill back on its feet and keeping the boys happy and on the right track, not showering me with wildly expensive presents.’

  ‘Then you’ll just have to learn to live with it.’

  He slowed the car and pulled into a lay-by. ‘Do you or do you not like to live a little dangerously at times?’

  ‘I…if I have that reputation, it’s a bit misleading.’

  He got out and came round to her side, opening the door. She looked up at him questioningly.

  ‘Have a drive, Mel. And to allay your fears all I expect in return at this stage is a pleasant companion.’

  Mel looked at the walnut dash, the silver spokes of the steering wheel and she breathed in the new leather. And discovered that her fingers were itching, her feet could feel the pedals beneath them. She’d been driving since she was twelve, only on the property until she got her licence, but she was experienced, good at it and knew enough about cars to appreciate the mechanical marvels of this one, not to mention its style and elegance.

  ‘Oh, OK.’ She got out and walked round to the driver’s side.

  Etienne got in and leaned forward to adjust the driver’s seat. ‘Try that.’

  She fitted herself into the seat and marvelled at the comfort of it compared to her ute—she’d had to import a cushion to the ute to protect her bottom from springs sticking up. And she put her hands on the steering wheel but had to sit forward a bit, so he told her how to move the back of the seat forward.

  ‘That feels fine, thanks. Well, here goes!’ She switched the motor on and drove out of the lay-by, then looked at him comically. ‘Where are we going?’

  He named a luxury resort south of Yeppoon, adding, ‘For two nights, then we’re off to Great Keppel Island—I hope you approve?’

  This time she read the glint in his eyes accurately—sheer wicked amusement.

  ‘How nice,’ she said. ‘I love Keppel! Why blue?’

  He raised an eyebrow.

  Mel took a hand off the steering wheel and gestured towards the bonnet beyond the windscreen. ‘I was wondering why you chose blue.’

  ‘To match your eyes.’

  Mel’s fingers tightened on the wheel. ‘Oh. Thanks.’

  ‘My pleasure.’

  She made a frustrated little sound as the power of the car flowed through her fingertips. ‘Thank you very much. I’ll take great care of it. I’m sorry I haven’t got anything for you.’ She gestured. ‘I mean, cufflinks or—whatever brides give their bridegrooms.’

  His lips twisted. ‘Never mind. You can always rectify that on our first wedding anniversary. Incidentally, just so that we don’t go through this all over again, I—bought you some clothes.’

  Mel took both hands off the steering wheel to throw them in the air. ‘I give up!’ She grabbed the wheel again. ‘Do I dress badly enough to affect your pride in your wife?’

  ‘It’s not that. I have no problem with your taste. But,’ he paused, ‘you might need some more clothes, that’s all.’

  ‘All,’ she muttered darkly.

  ‘You can take them back and change them if you want to.’

  ‘On a Saturday afternoon?’

  He grinned. ‘Well, maybe not.’

  ‘Have you any more confessions to make, Etienne?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Just as well—oh, is that the turn-off?’

  ‘Yep, we’re almost there.’

  ‘Good, because, and believe me, it’s the first time I’ve ever said this, but I need a drink.’

  ‘I’ll join you in that. It’s the first time I’ve ever got married too.’

  She regarded him gravely then a reluctant smile curved her lips. ‘Join the club.’

  They had a bure overlooking the beach and the waters of Keppel Bay. The roof was steep and thatched with no ceiling, the walls dark wood and the whole ambiance was exotic.

  ‘Like being nestled in a Javanese jungle hideaway,’ Mel commented. ‘Oh, wow! Look at th
is!’

  ‘This’ was an indoor pool and spa, set amongst pebbles, lush plants and some exquisite statues.

  Further inspection revealed a bedroom with a four-poster bed draped with turquoise and silver hangings.

  And Mel discovered that not only did she have new clothes but also new luggage, in the form of a blue-to-match-the-car roller suitcase. Next to it, her suitcase from her boarding-school days looked shabby. She grimaced and wished devoutly that she hadn’t decided to be quite so unconventional a bride and splurged a bit, thereby saving herself this embarrassment.

  Not that there was much to splurge, she reminded herself. But before she opened the new case, in fact she was looking around a bit dazedly, Etienne put a glass of champagne in her hand and drew her out onto the veranda.

  ‘More of this and who knows?’ She attempted to look whimsical.

  ‘You were the only member of the family who didn’t tuck into the champers at the reception,’ he remarked. ‘It’s nice here, isn’t it?’

  She sank down into a chair. The sun was setting, and even in an area renowned for fabulous sunsets, it was a beauty. All the colours of the rainbow were layered across the sky and reflected in the waters. Great Keppel and North Keppel Islands were a deep, misty blue and as she watched the sea turned to violet as the colours slowly faded from the sky.

  She thought suddenly of Raspberry Hill, not that far away as the crow flew, and how she had a favourite spot on the headland where she often watched the sun set. And it came to her that Raspberry Hill was safe but above all the boys were safe, so whatever price she had to pay was worth it.

  She took a sip of champagne, then another and looked across at Etienne. ‘Cheers.’ She raised her glass. ‘To us!’

  He raised his glass in reply. ‘To us, Mel. Feeling better?’

  She nodded and drained her glass. ‘I might even get ready for dinner. Or,’ she paused, ‘are honeymooners expected to dine in on their wedding night?’

  ‘Honeymooners can do what they like. I don’t know about you but I’m starving and I know they serve a wonderful flambéd grill here, so let’s try the restaurant.’

  ‘You know, I hardly ate a thing at the reception! Yes, let’s.’