by Georgia Hill
‘Oh, how lovely.’ Millie went to them and hugged them both all over again. Tears threatened once more. ‘That’s so wonderful.’ And it was. But she couldn’t quite stop a little worm of envy. Everyone else seemed so happy. Mike and Dora. Alex and Ri.
‘Thanks, hon,’ Dora said. ‘We’re down here to try to make amends with my parents. Thought a baby onboard might force a reconciliation. And if not,’ she shrugged, ‘Well, it’s their loss.’
‘The idea of a grandchild might do it. I’m sure it will. They were saying the other day how much they missed you. I ate at Samphyre and we got talking.’
‘Get you, eating at my parents’ swanky restaurant. Who took you there?’
Millie pulled a face. ‘Long story. Tell you later.’
‘You might just be able to do that – we’ll be around a bit more. We’re buying the chalet bungalow on the hill,’ Mike explained. ‘The one I rented in the summer. So we thought we’d drive down, do the present run and some measuring up at the same time.’
Millie squealed again. She clapped her hands together. ‘Does that mean you’re coming back to live in Berecombe permanently?’
‘Millie, do stop screaming, it’s bad for the baby.’ Dora grinned. ‘It’ll be our holiday home. We’ll get back here as often as we can. After all, the sprog has to have sandcastle- making lessons from the best godmother in Devon.’
Millie looked blank.
‘I mean you,’ Dora added gently. ‘Enough with the screaming,’ she warned, as Millie launched in for another hug.
Once everything had calmed down, Dora insisted on an update on everything that had happened. ‘Amazing,’ she said, once Millie had explained. ‘Good old Berecombe. Who would have thought so much went on? Makes our London life look positively tame, doesn’t it, Mike? And Biddy and Arthur are getting married here?’
Yes, this evening.’
‘On Christmas Eve? How romantic!’
‘That’s Biddy for you.’ Then Millie’s face fell. ‘I don’t think there’s room for you, though. We’ve only got thirty places.’
‘Oh, don’t worry about that.’ Dora swayed for a second. ‘Could I sit down for a second, hon?’ She eyed the extravagantly dressed chair.
Mike shot forward protectively. ‘Are you alright, Dora?’ he asked.
She flapped a hand at him as he pulled out a chair for her. ‘I’m absolutely fine. Feeling a little light-headed, that’s all. Must be all the excitement.’
‘It’s because you haven’t eaten anything today,’ Mike scolded.
‘Morning sickness,’ Dora said, as explanation. She pulled a face at Millie and wagged a finger. ‘Never, ever get pregnant.’
‘Not much chance of that at the moment,’ Millie replied, with rancour.
‘Don’t tell me you still haven’t made up with Jed, honeybun?’
‘I’ll fill you in when you’ve got a few spare years. Tell you what,’ Millie added as a thought struck. ‘Why don’t you come along for the evening do? Biddy and Arthur would love to see you. We’re having a huge bonfire on the beach, loads of fireworks and I’m doing a nice line in espresso cocktails to go with the cake.’
‘We’ll do that.’ Dora rubbed her invisible bump. ‘Non-alcoholic for we two, though.’ She fluttered her eyelashes. ‘After all, I am pregnant.’
‘And I’m joining in for sympathy,’ Mike said.
Millie saw a glance passed between them. ‘Oh Dora. Oh Mikey. I’m so pleased for you.’ She bent to kiss Dora and then hugged Mike.
Dora levered herself, dramatically, from the chair. She put a hand to the small of her back and held the pose, waiting.
‘Do you need some help?’ Mike offered his arm. He shook his head and winked at Millie. ‘Only three months and milking it for all its worth. We’ll see you later, then.’
Dora drew herself up. ‘I am carrying your child, Michael Love. The very least you can do is offer me your hand.’ She cast a glance to the kitchen and added, ‘I’m still wondering how Eleri knew about the baby.’
Laughing, Millie saw them to the door. ‘I’ll tell you all about her sometime.’ She waved them off. As the Mercedes purred along the sea front road, she saw a grey Golf take its parking space. A tall man opened the boot and took something out. With a skip in the beat of her heart, she realised it was Jed.
Chapter 54
‘Hello Millie,’ he said softly. He held out a tray of white rose and holly buttonholes.
‘Thank you.’ Millie frowned. ‘Another present from Alex? He’s being very generous.’
‘From me, actually.’ Jed stared at her. ‘You don’t know, do you?’
‘What?’
‘I’m the best man tonight. I’m Arthur’s best man. I’ve been popping in to see Daisy, and Arthur and I have ended up good friends. We worked together on the Fair Trade bid, along with Dennis.’
‘Oh.’ Millie swallowed. It was going to be a stressful enough event without having Jed’s disturbing presence around. ‘I thought Dennis was going to do it.’
Jed nodded. ‘He was, but his daughter’s just had a baby so he’s gone up to Bristol to see them. Arthur understood. It’s his first grandchild. Two months early.’
Millie softened. ‘Then he’ll be over the moon. He’s very close to his daughter. Lots of babies around, suddenly,’ she added, trying to keep the longing out of her voice.
‘Sorry?’
‘Nothing.’
‘I’ll put them on the present table so guests can pick one up as they come in.’ She inhaled the sweet scent of rose. ‘They’re gorgeous. I like the holly leaves.’
‘Prickly and strong, like Biddy.’
Millie thought about her recent encounter. ‘Yes. But kind too.’
‘Very. Once you get to know her. Always helps when she keeps her clothes on, though.’
Millie giggled, remembering the hot day back in the summer when they’d encountered Biddy and Arthur sunbathing naked. She took the tray off him and couldn’t help but breathe in Jed’s wonderful smell. Sadness that she and Jed couldn’t be together overwhelmed her. It was made all the more poignant by being surrounded by all the wedding happiness and baby news. She would have loved to have his baby. Pulling herself together, as she’d never been the sort to give in to self pity, she turned away to find a space for the buttonholes. She said briskly, ‘How are you? How’s the arm?’
‘Better. Much better, thanks. Still gets stiff, but I’m doing the physio. I’m being such a good boy that Coral agreed to go home for Christmas. Actually,’ he screwed up his face. ‘She and Ma didn’t get on too awfully well.’
Millie turned back to him. ‘You do surprise me,’ she said, drily. ‘Shame. I like Coral.’
‘She likes you too. Said she’d be in touch. Wants the recipe for your lemon drizzle.’
Millie batted her eyelashes at him. ‘I only go so far for friendship.’
He laughed. ‘I think Ma would like you too. If she got to know you.’
‘Why? Does she want my lemon drizzle recipe too? Can’t see your mother in a pinny.’
Jed shook his head. ‘Only if it came from Harvey Nicks,’ he acceded. ‘I’d like her to get to know you.’ He sounded curiously hopeful.
‘What good would that do? I’m probably out of Berecombe as soon as I’ve cleared my debts.’
Jed started. ‘To Italy?’
‘Italy? Why would I be going to Italy?’
He blew out a breath. ‘Savio?’
‘There’s no Savio, Jed. There never was.’
His shoulders slumped in relief. ‘Thank God for that. He left the hotel days ago but he didn’t say where he was going.’ He bit his lip, embarrassed. ‘I wondered if it was to here.’
Millie looked at him enquiringly. She kept her mouth shut. She hadn’t a clue where Jed was going with this.
‘You said you were getting out of Berecombe. Have you had another offer for the café?’
Millie shook her head. ‘No such luck.’ Picking up one of the buttonholes, sh
e traced a finger over the rose’s cool silkiness. ‘But I don’t think I can stay. Not in the long term. I can’t see a way I can make the business make enough money. Not without rethinking the place.’ She put the buttonhole carefully back in place.
‘You could accept my offer,’ he said, softly, sounding distinctly nervous.
‘What offer’s that, Jed? You can’t still want to invest, surely?’
‘My offer to marry you, Millie.’
Chapter 55
Millie stared at him. She thought she’d begun to speak, but nothing had come out.
‘I’ve got two offers actually, but the first and most important one is, will you marry me, Millie? I love you. I’ll never stop loving you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.’
Millie found her voice. ‘You’re not serious?’
‘Deadly. Who else am I going to get to feed me in quite the same way as you?’
Millie’s legs gave way. She sank on a chiffon-covered chair. ‘But –.’
‘But nothing.’ Jed got down on one knee. ‘I always said that if I ever proposed to you, I’d do it properly.’ He took a deep breath. ‘Emilia Fudge, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?’ He reached into his jacket pocket, took out a box and flipped the lid. Inside was an old-fashioned ring; a small diamond surrounded by tiny rubies. He held it out. It wavered slightly in his hand as she didn’t respond.
‘Jed, you said it was all over between us,’ Millie managed, croakily.
A frown creased his brow. ‘Did I? When?’
‘When I came to see you at the hotel. Just after you’d got home. When you were ill.’
‘Oh that,’ he said, cheerfully. ‘Are you holding me to words said under the influence of several mind-altering drugs?’
‘I thought,’ Millie tried to gulp the tears back. ‘I thought you meant it.’ Her lips quivered.
‘Oh God, Millie, I’m sorry.’ He looked aghast. ‘There were days when I thought Alex had morphed into a giraffe. I didn’t know what I was saying.’
‘But you haven’t said anything to me since?’ Millie stuttered. ‘About us, I mean.’
‘Well, you told me it was all over. In no uncertain terms. I didn’t want to believe it, but then you had me thinking you were about to run off with an Italian millionaire. Jeez, Millie, the thought of that nearly finished me.’ He sobered. ‘Getting shot for you was nothing in comparison.’
‘What do you mean you got shot for me? Oh, do get up,’ she added, irritably.
Jed looked chastened. ‘This isn’t going quite as I’d hoped.’ He sat in the next chair, putting the ring box on the table between them. ‘Millie,’ he began, taking her hands, ‘You must know that everything I did, joining Blue Elephant, the James Bond stuff, it was all for –.’
‘For the town. Yes I know. I saw it on the news. You did it so the town would get its Fair Trade status. And it’s important too,’ she added hastily, ‘That we drink responsibly sourced coffee. I get it. And I agree.’
‘I did it for those reasons, yes. But really I did it for you. I did it all for you, Millie. So that you could keep your café. Because,’ he took a deep breath. ‘I did it because I am hopelessly, impossibly, in love with you.’
She stared at him, trying to take it all in. ‘You did it for me?’ It came out on a squeak.
‘Yes.’ He shook his head a little. ‘I don’t know what else I can say to convince you.’ He brushed a hand over his eyes. ‘But if you tell me it’s all over, and I know you’ve said that before, if you tell me there’s no hope for us, I’ll go away and never ever bother you again.’
‘You said once that you’d prove yourself worthy of me. Is that what it was all about?’
‘I suppose. Maybe.’ He screwed up his face. ‘It got a bit out of hand, though. I thought I might get a few dirty facts on Blue Elephant. Then I saw those poor kids working until they dropped. That made it all get a bit serious.’ He looked at her from beneath dark lashes. ‘Didn’t think I’d get shot, though. I’m really not hero material.’
Millie began to giggle through her tears. ‘Stop talking, Jed. Stop talking now or you’ll spoil it.’ She slid forward. ‘You’re a hero to me.’ She rested her hands on his shoulders. ‘I love you, Jed.’ She kissed him. ‘I love you so much.’
‘And?’ he asked, as they emerged from the kiss. He nodded to the ring.
‘What about your mother?’
He smiled. ‘She’s given us her blessing. That’s my grandmother’s ring. I thought it was more you, somehow, than some huge solitaire. Ma gave it to me to give to you.’ He arched a brow. ‘If you say no, you’ll have to answer to her.’
The tears began in earnest. ‘Oh Jed. How then, could I possibly say no?’ She kissed him again and he slipped the engagement ring onto her finger.
Chapter 56
The wedding was a triumph. Everyone said so. Biddy was complimented on her beautiful outfit, the food was devoured and the champagne flowed. The service, held against the shifting black sea, was simple and moving and fragranced with the scent of a hundred white roses. The dogs carried out their roles impeccably, without even so much as a cocked leg against the wedding arch. Worn out by their arduous role, they snuggled up with Trevor in his basket by the radiator. They’d be put safely in the flat once the fireworks began. Biddy had even thrown her bouquet and, to everyone’s delight, Berecombe’s favourite café owner had caught it.
Millie put a protective hand over Jed’s ring that she’d put safe in the pocket of her specially made green apron. She looked around the café and glowed with pleasure. Now most of the wedding was done, she could relax. The happy buzzy sound of contented people filled the space. She hadn’t realised how many friends she and Biddy had in common. And they were all here tonight. Tessa and family, Zoe and her parents, the Levis from the B&B, Percy the butcher, George Small and Old Davey too. Even the Simpsons were here, looking far more relaxed now the pressure of owning the Lord was off them. They’d nodded to Alex and had a brief conversation. Then he’d returned to Eleri, a bewitched look on his face.
Just as the speeches finished, Dora and Mike sidled in.
‘Are you sure the happy couple won’t mind?’ Dora hissed.
Millie shook her head. ‘They’ll be delighted to see you. Biddy’s been on the fizz all evening. She loves everyone tonight.’
Once she’d spotted her, Biddy launched herself at Dora and engulfed her in a bear hug. ‘Dora, my girl. How wonderful to see you. How’s your dear father?’
Dora decided she didn’t want to know how Biddy knew her father and looked relieved when Jed, in loosened tie and flushed from the success of his impromptu best man’s speech, joined them. He put an arm around Millie and kissed her on the temple.
‘Have you two made up? In the time I’ve been at my parents, have you two got back together again?’ Dora asked, eyeing them.
‘What’s that?’ Biddy boomed.
As an answer, Millie blushed.
Jed tightened his hold. ‘Actually, Dora, we’ve more than made up.’ He winked at Millie, who tried to shush him. ‘Millie has made me the happiest man possible. She’s agreed to marry me.’
It was meant for Dora’s ears only, but Biddy chose that moment to hear perfectly. ‘What’s that?’ she yelled. ‘You two getting married?’ She clapped her hands together. ‘Marvellous. Simply marvellous,’ she said it so loudly every guest heard.
In the rush of congratulations, Millie, embarrassed, blushed some more and tried to deflect the attention back onto the wedding couple.
‘Nonsense, child,’ was Biddy’s rebuttal. ‘On a day full of good news and happiness, let’s pile on some more! And, you know,’ she added, as a cunning gleam appeared in her eyes, ‘The celebrant is over there drinking your delicious espresso cocktail. There’s a beautiful wedding arch still out on the beach. The lanterns are still lit, the burners are still going. You could avail yourself of the amenities. What’s more, all of your friends are here as witnesses.’
‘What do you mean?’ asked Millie, thoroughly flustered.
‘She means, my love,’ Jed put in. ‘That we could get married tonight too.’
‘Oh, don’t be so ridiculous,’ Millie began. ‘We couldn’t possibly. It’s Biddy and Arthur’s day.’
Arthur joined them and heard. ‘Nothing would give us greater pleasure than for my wife and I,’ at this Biddy simpered, ‘To share our happiest of days with you. Jed, my man,’ he clapped him on the shoulder, at which Jed tried not to wince. ‘You have become a trusted friend and you’ve been a wonderful best man.’ He winked. ‘Although we won’t tell Dennis that.’ He took Millie’s hands. ‘Emilia, my dear, Biddy and I wouldn’t have met if it weren’t for you. Allow us to make this happen for you and Jed. And, dear girl, I would be honoured if you would let me give you away.’ He hesitated. ‘Let us, in our own unique and very humble way, act as your parents tonight and give you a wedding to remember.’
‘Oh Arthur.’ Millie blinked back the tears and hugged him. She turned to Jed. ‘What about your parents? They ought to be here too.’
‘Oh, don’t worry. Ma won’t let us get away with it. She loves any excuse to buy an unspeakably expensive hat and we’ll have to do it officially anyway. If you can tolerate a marquee on the lawn up at the Lord and as much Pimm’s as you can drink, we can do it all again, properly, in the summer.’ He took Millie’s hands and drew her to him. ‘Nothing, my sweet Millie Fudge, would give me greater pleasure than to make you my wife under the starlight and in front of our friends.’ He kissed her.
The noise of the cheering nearly took the café roof off.
‘Well,’ Millie said, beyond flustered now. ‘I don’t seem to have an option.’ She blushed even more.
‘I don’t think you do, Mil,’ said Dora grinning. ‘And I’m all in favour of a repeat performance. By the time the summer comes, I’ll be able to get into a killer dress.’
‘Dress!’ Millie clapped her hand to her mouth in horror. ‘I can’t get married in a green pinafore. It can’t happen tonight, I haven’t got anything to wear.’
