Midsummer Magic (13 page)

‘What?’ said Harry.

‘I think it’s time you two had a little chat,’ said Ant.

‘Sorry?’ Harry still felt totally befuddled.

Josie was looking a little awkward, so Ant pushed her towards Harry and said, ‘Go on, lovebirds. Do what lovebirds are meant to do – kiss and make up.’

Feeling sick with misery, Harry tried to work out how to say sorry for making Josie suspicious, when all he was doing was having a fag, which sounded lamer than lame, and sorry for coming home drunk.

Josie helped him out.

‘Why didn’t you just say you’d been smoking?’ she said.

It sounded pretty stupid when she put it like that.

‘Because I’m an idiot?’ said Harry. ‘I knew you wouldn’t like me smoking, so I didn’t tell you. But that’s all I was doing. Honestly. I’m sorry.’

‘I know,’ said Josie, sitting down on the bed. ‘But since we’ve been here, you’ve been … so distant, like you’re not interested in the wedding … and you came to bed so late last night, I thought you were avoiding me … and then I thought … I thought …’

Her composure faltered, and to Harry’s dismay, he saw she was about to cry. He couldn’t bear that he’d made her cry. She was his gorgeous Josie, and he wanted to spend every day of her life making her happy, not making her cry.

‘Oh, Jose,’ he said. ‘You mean everything to me. I could never ever let you down. Come here, you dope.’

He pulled her close and held her tight.

‘My work here is done,’ said Ant and left the room, but Harry barely noticed. He drank in the smell of her, felt her respond to his touch. His gorgeous, gorgeous Josie. He only ever wanted to be with her.

‘Sorry about staying out so late,’ he said. ‘Your dad’s a hard man to resist.’

‘Tell me about it,’ said Josie laughing as she snuggled back up to him. ‘Years of Mum putting up with him, means he does more or less exactly as he pleases.’

‘I shall have to take a leaf out of his book, then,’ teased Harry.

‘You most certainly will not,’ said Josie. ‘I’m not going to spend the next twenty years playing the little wifey at home, or there’ll be trouble.’

‘Hmm, I like the sound of that,’ said Harry, and started tickling her. They romped around on the bed for a bit and then Josie stopped and sat up. She looked at him really seriously and said, ‘Harry, you are okay about all this, aren’t you?’

‘About this?’ said Harry snaking his arm up her back.

‘Not that,’ said Josie, smacking his hand, ‘though that of course is very nice. No, I mean about the wedding. Only you don’t seem to be as enthusiastic as you once were. I know I’ve been a bit OTT about it …’

Harry smiled, ‘A bit?’ he said.

‘That bad?’ said Josie looking stricken.

‘Worse,’ said Harry.

‘I’m sorry. I just want everything to be right.’

‘And it will be,’ said Harry.

‘So you’re okay?’

‘Apart from being super intimidated by your dad,’ said Harry, ‘I’m fine. Don’t worry, it’s all going to be wonderful. Now, where were we?’

Josie sank back onto the bed with a blissful expression on her face. Harry gently bent over her and stroked her face. ‘It’s all going to be brilliant,’ he said, ‘you wait and see.’ But as he took her in his arms, he wasn’t sure if he was convincing Josie or himself …

Everyone seemed to have disappeared. Peter, ostensibly to his study to work, but Diana suspected he was having a little snooze. She’d spotted a recliner in there when Josie had shown them round. Nicola had disappeared into the kitchen again to prepare another huge meal, and Ant, Harry and Josie had all gone off to the annexe. Diana didn’t know whether to join them or not.

She was just thinking about going in, when Ant came strolling back, dressed in the briefest of swimming briefs. His tanned torso was broad and rippled in all the right places. Clearly he still worked out. Diana watched him carefully from underneath her sunglasses, while pretending to read her magazine.

He certainly still had it, she thought, what a bod. If she didn’t know him, it might have been fun to have a pre-wedding flirty fling with Ant. But she did know him, and despite her hormones betraying her horribly, she wouldn’t go there again.

Being Ant, he was acting as if he had an audience anyway. His every move was slowly calculated. He walked up to the pool, dived in and swam several lengths of perfect crawl, scything his way through the water with impressive speed. Then he hauled himself lightly out of the pool. Diana had to smother a giggle. Any minute now he’d shake himself off like a springer spaniel.

‘Move over Michael Phelps,’ said Diana. ‘Is there no end to your talents?’

Ant glared at her. He’d clearly been hoping she was impressed. She
was
impressed, but she certainly wasn’t going to let him see that.

‘You didn’t honestly think I was going to fall for that little piece of peacock behaviour, did you?’ said Diana.

‘No more than I’d fall for you baring yourself to the world, like some floozy,’ sneered Ant.

‘Floozy, am I?’ said Diana. ‘That’s rich, coming from the biggest male stud I know.’

They glared at each other angrily, and then Ant burst out laughing.

‘What’s so funny?’ said Diana crossly.

‘Us,’ said Ant. ‘I told Freddie Puck it would never work.’

‘What would never work?’

‘He reckons he could hypnotise a couple and make them fall in love on Midsummer’s Eve at the Standing Stones, like in the legend. He’s invited us all over to Tresgothen Manor tomorrow to give it a go. He even thought he could make it happen for us.’

‘Ha, ha, ha,’ Diana nearly spilt her drink. ‘I don’t think so.’

‘That’s what I told him,’ said Ant. ‘In fact, I’ve got a bet on it.’

‘A bet I think you’ll win,’ said Diana. ‘Maybe we should get him to work on Josie and Harry, though. I’m a bit worried that Harry’s getting cold feet.’

‘It’s all right,’ said Ant. ‘I sorted it. Put Josie right about your little rendezvous in the garden with Harry last night.’

‘It wasn’t a rendezvous,’ snapped Diana, cross again. ‘Poor guy was feeling stressed and I gave him a fag.’

‘Which is what I told Josie,’ said Ant. ‘Anyway, they should be okay now.’

‘Why do you care?’ said Diana curiously. ‘You’ve hardly been the biggest fan of this wedding.’

‘Harry’s my best mate,’ said Ant, looking a little embarrassed. ‘I don’t like seeing him down.’

Diana felt something unfamiliar squirm inside her. A small nasty part of her had been slightly enjoying Josie’s misery today, and here was Ant thinking about their friends, trying to put things right for them. It shamed her to think it, but since being here, she’d felt jealous of her friend and unexpectedly drawn to Harry. Shut up, she said to herself, shut up. You’re not to think that.

‘So what do you think?’ said Ant. ‘Shall we do this stupid experiment? We even get paid a bit for it.’

‘We get paid?’ Diana’s ears pricked up. She’d got some savings, but any little extra was a help till she found a new job.

‘Didn’t I say?’

‘Nope,’ said Diana. ‘As it happens, I could do with the money. We know it will never work, but it might be a laugh.’

Ant was feeling quite pleased with himself. Josie and Harry had arrived together for dinner, looking pleasantly flushed and slightly coy. No prizes for guessing what they’d been up to. Maybe Josie would get off his case now. Despite Diana’s admiration of his actions, he hadn’t been entirely straight with her. If Josie thought he was on her side, maybe she wouldn’t be quite so hostile. It had alarmed him this weekend how much Harry seemed to take store by what Josie said, and how little time he was prepared to give his friend. Once they were married Josie could stop Harry seeing Ant altogether, and that would be a disaster.

Personally, Ant thought Harry should take a leaf out of Peter’s book. He seemed to have got things completely sussed. Nicola seemed happy pottering around at home and Peter seemed to do exactly what he liked. Ant suspected he would have happily stayed out all afternoon, had Harry not insisted they get back. Peter had been far more relaxed about things. ‘Nicola won’t mind,’ he’d said. Ant was overcome with admiration. What a man. And Nicola really
hadn’t
seemed to mind, rustling up sandwiches when they got back without a murmur, despite the fact the girls had eaten in town. And now producing another delicious meal. She must spend her whole life in the kitchen, but she seemed quite content. If you had to get married, the answer was clearly to marry someone like Nicola, Ant thought. Yup, Peter had it sorted; he got to do what he liked, when he liked, and had a pretty appreciative wife when he came home. If Ant did ever settle down, he was going to have that kind of marriage.

‘Everything okay now?’ he whispered, as Josie came to sit down.

‘Yes, thanks, Ant,’ she glanced fondly over at Harry, and squeezed Ant’s shoulder in thanks as she sat down. Ant grinned. Project win over Josie was underway. Now if he could get this hypnotist thing to work and have Diana fall for him again as a laugh, his cup of happiness would be complete. It might even have been worthwhile, his coming for the weekend …

Josie was feeling much better as they sat down to dinner. Mum had produced yet another fantastic meal – braised lamb and onion stew, with new potatoes and asparagus from the garden, followed by raspberry cheesecake and steaming apple pie. She could tell Harry was in heaven. He loved her mum’s apple pie. She wondered if that was what had won Nicola around.

‘I thought you could have done better than a journalist,’ had been her mum’s plaintive complaint when she’d first been introduced to Harry, but she softened when Harry had used all his natural charm on her, including helping her with the washing up; something Dad never did.

‘So what’s the plan for the evening then?’ said Diana as they passed the pudding around.

‘I thought a stroll to the Lover’s Rest might be in order,’ said Ant. ‘Unless Harry’s still recovering from his hangover. Freddie Puck said he might be in again.’

‘You’re not still thinking about that stupid programme, are you?’

‘Why not? At least let’s find out more about it,’ said Ant. ‘It might be a laugh. We can earn some dosh and we’d be on the telly.’

‘Sounds ridiculous,’ sniffed Peter.

‘Is it dangerous?’ said Nicola. ‘You do hear such funny things.’

‘I don’t think so,’ said Ant. ‘Otherwise they’d never get anyone to do it.’

‘I still think it sounds silly,’ said Josie.

‘I don’t know,’ piped up Harry. ‘It could be fun.’

‘I bet it won’t work.’ Diana looked levelly at Ant when she said this.

‘What? Frightened you’ll fall for me?’ said Ant.

‘Frightened I won’t?’ shot back Di.

‘Children, children,’ said Nicola. ‘Go on, off to the pub with you. I’ll clear up here.’

‘No, Mum, you
won’t
,’ said Josie firmly. ‘You’ve been running round after us all day.’

‘Yes, let me help, Nicola,’ said Diana, jumping up.

Harry sat where he was, until Josie nudged him.

‘Of course,’ he said. ‘Here, let me. Sit down, Josie.’

He took the plates out of Josie’s hands and followed Nicola and Diana into the kitchen.

Peter and Ant had no such qualms and much as she loved her dad, Josie felt like thumping him. That was never ever going to happen to her.

Harry smiled at her as he went out, a secret, shared smile that warmed her to her core. He was hers, not Ant’s, and for the first time all weekend, Josie felt herself relax.

Tatiana held the phone as she rifled through her Filofax, wondering if she should really go ahead with it. God, how many numbers did she have for him? Bron seemed to have moved around such a lot since she’d left him, never staying in one place or with one woman for very long.

Aha! Here was the latest number. She felt shaky, this might be a big mistake, but she didn’t want to do this without hearing his voice; without, she could admit now, having his blessing.

She’d waited till she was completely alone in her hotel room, having dismissed everyone, even her mum, saying she wanted a lie down before dinner. When really she wanted this. One last chance to hear his voice.

‘Darling, how are you?’ Tatiana hadn’t been sure of the reception she’d get. Hell, she wasn’t even sure till the last minute she was going to dial his number. She’d had to down nearly a bottle of wine to have the confidence to ring him. And when he answered the phone, her knees sagged, and she thought she might faint. His voice resonated on the other end of the phone. So near, and yet so far. How could he still have this power over her? After all this time, it didn’t seem possible.

Help, I think I’m drowning, is what she wanted to say.
Save me
. She was shouting inside.

This was stupid. Why was she ringing Bron of all people? As if he’d be interested in her now.

Instead, she said, ‘I’m getting married tomorrow.’

There was a pause, and then, ‘I know, I read it in the papers.’

Below the belt, but fair point. They hadn’t spoken to each other in months.

‘Sorry, I didn’t know how to tell you.’

‘Tati, my darling, it is of no consequence to me,’ his voice was light, ironic, wounding. ‘We’re both grown-ups and we’ve moved on. I’m thinking of settling down myself. Time we both did, don’t you think?’

Tatiana felt a punch in the stomach. He didn’t care any more. She’d been idiotic to phone. She was getting married in the morning. What on earth had she expected? Auberon to come riding along on his white charger and rescue her at the last minute? And rescue her from what? She and Simon were in love, and were going to live happily ever after. The tabloids told her so daily. It must be true.

‘Oh,’ she squeaked. ‘Good for you.’

Inside, she felt herself die a little. That chapter of her life was finally over. Bron was closing the door. And it was all her own fault. She let out a half sob, but suppressed it, hoping he hadn’t heard.

There was a pregnant pause.

‘Tati, is everything all right?’ It was the old Bron, the one she fell in love with, all touching concern.

He’s only being nice, she reminded herself, it’s what he does.