Flowers for My Love (18 page)

‘Lovely house,’ she said. ‘Very homely.’

He drew her into his arms. ‘Isn’t it?’ he answered slowly in between kissing the side of her neck. ‘We’ll have one like it if you like.’

She said seriously, ‘But we are staying at your flat for a while after we’re married, aren’t we?’

‘It will be a bit cramped. You’ll be glad to get out of it.’

‘I won’t ... at least, not for a while.’

He lifted his head and gazed at her in surprise.

‘Aren’t you eager for a place of your own?’

‘Of course I am. But your flat is conveniently near to the flower shop.’

‘So what?’ he asked curtly. ‘You won’t be going to the flower shop when we’re married.’

‘For a little while. I must help Cheryl to get into the scheme of things before I give it up. After all, you’re insisting on an early wedding. You have to make some concession.’

‘I shall have my way on this,’ he said. ‘No wife of mine is going to work. I have a certain amount of entertainment to do in my job and I want you there.’

‘I will be,’ she promised, winding her arms around his neck. ‘Just try to get rid of me, Mr. Tabor, and you’ll see.’

Nick answered by kissing her very thoroughly, then he opened the bathroom door and gave her a gentle push inside.

‘See you downstairs,’ he said.

Davina washed and dried herself on one of the white fluffy towels and after making herself presentable went downstairs. Nick was at the foot of the stairs waiting for her and he escorted her into the lounge to meet his father.

Waiting for them, John Tabor smiled at the slender Davina with the sun slanting across the room on her shiny hair highlighting the green eyes, staring at him apprehensively.

‘This is a very pleasant occasion,’ he said, holding out his hand to her. ‘I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time and it’s certainly been worth waiting for. Delighted to meet you, my dear.’

Davina gave him her hand, hesitated for a moment, then she was giving him an affectionate smile and her eyes with their enchanting slight tilt laughed up at him.

‘I’m pleased to meet you too,’ she said. ‘Did you enjoy your stay abroad?’

He assured her that he had but was glad to be back. His grey eyes, so like Nick’s, gently mocked her.

He said, ‘Had we have known there was going to be a welcome surprise like this at the end of it we might have come sooner. We’ve been wanting Nick to settle down for a long time.’

Davina, conscious of Nick’s tall figure beside her, said,

‘You don’t think it’s too soon?’

‘It’s beautifully soon,’ Nick said softly above her ear as he put a possessive arm around her. ‘Don’t you think so, Dad?’

His father laughed. ‘My advice is grab her before someone else does!’

Nina Tabor was watching them in amusement. ‘Stop talking about Davina as though she isn’t here. Let’s go out and sit in the garden. Pity to waste the time indoors.’

On the front lawn of the house Davina and Nina sat in garden chairs while the two men lay on the grass. While the two women talked about things which interested them the two men discussed business.

They had tea and later dinner which they went indoors for. There were just the four of them in the dining room with its tall French windows looking out on to the gardens. The table with tall candles in heavy silver candlesticks sparkled with crystal and beautiful tableware on gay mats.

The meal, the wine, was excellent. There were no awkward moments of people meeting for the first time.

‘After dinner we’ll go for a walk,’ Nick had said. They strolled through the grounds arm in arm in the cool evening air.

Davina said, ‘I like your parents. They’re sweet.’

‘They’ll soon be yours,’ he answered. ‘Three weeks from now. I thought we could spend our wedding night here and go away the following day. As we shall have the wedding celebrations here I thought it would be more convenient.’

They had sat down on a garden seat. It was not quite dark with the moon casting a waxen glow over the silent garden and giving the flowers an artificial bloom.

Davina, meeting his mocking eyes and reading knowledge of her embarrassment in them, felt the colour rush warmly to her face.

‘You appear to have arranged everything. Aren’t I to be consulted?’

He laughed and hugged her against him. ‘We’re getting married, so I don’t see that it matters who makes the arrangements—especially as you’re fighting shy of it.’

She lifted her chin. ‘That isn’t fair! I happen to have commitments. I just can’t drop anything at the drop of a hat. There’s the shop.’

‘Ah yes, the shop. The bone of contention between us. It will have to go unless Cheryl wants to keep it on which I very much doubt.’

Davina felt her heart lurch and she stared down at the ground with troubled eyes. Family was invading the sweetness and passion they shared, she and Nick. The evening breeze stirred her hair and a cold hand seemed to touch her heart.

‘I’ll have you know,’ she managed in a choked little voice, ‘I’ve built the business up. It’s been my baby. Now you write it off just like that!’

‘That’s right. You’ll have real babies in exchange.’

Davina twisted herself from his hold and stood up to walk a few paces from him.

Presenting him with her back, she said in a low voice,

‘I can’t be as casual as you about it. I can’t tear up my roots in three weeks flat, neither can I expect Cheryl and Darren to do the same.

You’re being so matter-of-fact about it.’

‘Of course I’m being matter-of-fact about it. It’s the way I am. One has to do things deliberately in order to get things done. I’ve never been one who believes in compromise. You need someone to take care of you, and I’m doing just that.’

He had moved behind her to put his hands on her shoulders and Davina held her breath at the deceptive lightness of his grip. Part of her wanted to say that the wedding was off, to say nasty things to drive him away, while the other part was goading her to lie back against him—to end the deadlock.

Clenching her hands, Davina knew that she had no valid argument.

Either she loved Nick or she didn’t. And she did love him better than life itself. A whisper of common sense urged her to take what the gods offered, but there was no peace for her if she did. There would always be Darren to condemn her.

‘Davina.’ His voice was low and musical, turning the sound of her name on his lips into a thing of beauty. ‘There’s nothing to worry about. Everything will work out.’

Slowly he turned her round to face him. ‘All these foolish notions you have about your family—they’ll be taken care of.’

‘You don’t understand.’ She lifted large troubled eyes, green pools in the lovely paleness of her face. ‘I have to do this thing my way or not at all.’

He smiled down at her. ‘But you won’t, my darling. You’ll put yourself into my hands—and do you know why? Because you love me.’ As he captured her startled upward glance there was a steely pur-pose in his eyes, to be banished almost at once by a return to his old derision. ‘Darling, this is your life and mine. We belong together.’

His arms closed around her, gathering her into a world of protection that only contained them both. And as his lips claimed hers Davina knew that with him lay life’s fulfilment and all that there was of everything that mattered in life.

The weeks that followed went in a dream for Davina. At times she was in a panic to see how quickly time was flying. At other times she told herself that when they were married she would manage Nick. If he loved her he would at least grant her some things she wanted, like keeping on the shop and going there while he was away. By continuing to work up the business she could sell the good will when the time came and the proceeds would add to the investments they already had in the family. Even Darren would hardly object to that. There would be money enough for him to complete his studies and also a nest egg for his future, and it would not be Nick’s money. It would be his by right of family.

They were to be married on the Saturday. The shop was open until Friday night for Davina and Cheryl to attend to all the orders. It was an exhausting time, what with the rehearsals for the wedding in the village church attended by Nick and his parents through the years, and everything else the wedding entailed.

By the time her wedding day arrived Davina was a bundle of nerves bordering on hysteria. Not that there was anything to worry about. The dress was a dream and Nick telephoned in the morning to ask how she was feeling.

Juleen arrived to help with her husband, who took Darren off to see his new car. Darren was to give away the bride, who was thinking for the umpteenth time that noon was far too late for the ceremony. It was too wearing on the nerves, Davina told herself. Far better to get it over early in the morning and go away.

Then suddenly there she was in a breathtaking wedding dress of white lace and a flowing veil fitting snugly over the thick brown cap of silky, shining hair. Her trembling fingers closed around the bouquet and she was ready.

The small country church was beautiful as it basked in the sun.

Rainbow beams of sunlight spraying through the windows warmed her slender frame as she laid pearl-tipped fingers on Darren’s arm to walk gracefully down the aisle. Cheryl, in cherry red velvet, was close behind her as the organ pealed.

Staring down at the blood red roses and fern making a splash against the white of her gown, Davina was aware of a small select congregation comprising mostly Nick’s family and friends. And he was there waiting for her with the sun resting on the wide shoulders and the tight cap of curls.

His suit was an impeccable grey and he looked aggressively handsome and very male. He turned his head as she reached his side and Davina saw the subtle perceptiveness of his steady grey gaze change to one of worshipping adoration. Their eyes met, clung, and from then on everything passed with a dreamlike quality for Davina.

When he slipped the ring on her finger she felt the peace and love of the church was over her. Then his lips met hers in a kiss that was skilfully casual, a kiss that could in no way be compared with those later in the car going to the reception. His embrace then was enchanting, his face smoothly shaved and fragrant with after-shave lotion was cool. His kisses lingered until she was out of breath.

‘Well, Mrs. Tabor,’ he whispered with a hint of mockery, ‘the first real kisses from your husband. Love me?’

Davina, beyond words, put her hand in his and curled her fingers round it until they reached the house.

There in the entrance hall banked high with flowers they welcomed their guests as they arrived. Lunch was laid out in the dining room with Nick’s parents joining the guests as they all trooped in.

Nick’s hand was firm over hers as they cut the cake and there were the usual speeches. Nick was all sparkle and kinetic magnetism while Davina quietly glowed.

But by the time the long lunch was over Davina was relying on forced energy. The excitement and exhausting preparations along with work at the shop had drained her. It was Nick who had drawn her aside and told her to go to their room to rest for an hour or so in the afternoon.

The suggestion had been more than welcome, for Davina did not know what was heavier, the ring on her finger or her painfully throbbing head. Their room had two spacious bow windows that gave panoramic views of the countryside. Davina found herself looking out on scenes familiar to Nick as a boy which she took in as vaguely as the big bed situated between the two bay windows. It spelt rest and peace for a while.

She was awakened by the running of water through wedding dress, but the cool sheets were heaven to her tired limbs. Gradually she relaxed and closed her eyes.

She was awakened by the running of water through the pipes in the house, which meant that the guests were freshening up for the buffet and dance arranged for the evening. It was seven o’clock by her watch and Davina looked at it clear-eyed.

Her headache had gone and she felt utterly rested. She took her time under the shower, dressed leisurely in her fine lace and silk undies and shook out one of her new evening dresses, part of her trousseau. She was getting into it when Nick strode into the room.

‘Let me zip you up,’ he said as she stepped into the dress and hastened to pull it up.

Before he did so he bent to kiss the smooth skin of her back.

‘How are you feeling? I came in about an hour ago to change and you were sleeping like a baby.’ She looked at his reflection behind her own in the dressing table mirror. His face had the healthy bronze laid on by countless sojourns abroad and his curly head looked almost white in contrast. His eyes met hers in a slow smile and his hands came round to cup her firm small bust.

‘Pity we have to go down again,’ he whispered with his lips against the side of her neck.

She said lightly, ‘This is my day, so it has to last as long as possible.’

Reluctantly he dropped his hands. ‘Which reminds me,’ he said, and drew a flat packet from his pocket. ‘A present for my bride.’

He placed the necklace around her throat and fastened it expertly.

‘What about a kiss?’ he said.

‘Oh, Nick!’ she cried. ‘You’ve already bought me a ring. You’re spoiling me!’

Her arms slid around his neck and it was some minutes before they came to earth again.

‘Roll on tonight,’ Nick groaned as he reluctantly let her go.