Gracie. Marie Maxwell
wow,’ Ruby said with a knowing shake of her head. ‘Shouldn’t we be going back home now? You know, things to do and … well, things to do and guests to prepare for!’
Ruby’s subtle reminder brought Gracie straight back to her senses and, shocked at herself, she jumped up and quickly stepped away from where Edward was sitting. He carefully moved back onto the blanket that Louisa had laid out and made a big show of brushing sand off his trousers, then a few moments later Harry and Louisa were back with them.
‘Picnic time! I’m famished, let’s get the grub set up …’ Louisa said loudly, oblivious to the odd atmosphere on the beach.
Gracie and Ruby both watched as Louisa knelt down and started unpacking the cavernous basket, pulling out two plates of sandwiches, a full-size gala pie, a box of biscuits, a selection of fruit and a large home-baked fruit cake. Drinks followed, along with assorted relishes, a cruet set and a full range of crockery, cutlery and glasses which had been strapped into the sides and lid.
‘Well, that looks really wonderful. I can’t believe you brought all that to the beach …’ Ruby said as she and Gracie watched the ceremonial unpacking in fascination.
‘Join us,’ Edward said. ‘There’s plenty. Our mother still thinks we need feeding up. I think she emptied the refrigerator straight into the basket rather than divide it up.’
‘That’s right,’ Louisa said. ‘Seems she’s given us enough here to feed the forty thousand. If you don’t join us we’ll have to share it with some passing children and those squawking seagulls, I think.’
As she laughed loudly so Harry, her fiancé, joined in appreciatively but Edward merely smiled politely. His eyes, screwed up against the sun, were surreptitiously back on Gracie.
‘I’m sorry, as I said it looks wonderful but we can’t stay,’ Ruby said, taking held of Gracie’s elbow and gently squeezing it. ‘It was lovely to meet you all but we really do have to get back. Work to do …’
‘We do have lots to do but I think we can stay for a bit longer …’ Gracie looked pleadingly at her friend. ‘That spread looks wonderful.’
Ruby looked at her closely for several seconds. ‘Okay, but only if you come for a splash around while the tide’s still up. Come and cool off with me.’
As soon as they were out of earshot, Ruby looked at her friend. ‘What are you playing at – you and that Edward? I saw the way you were looking at each other. Gracie, you were flirting like you’re single!’ Ruby hissed.
‘I’m not playing at anything. Rubes, he said he wants to marry me. He followed us from the Kursaal, he sat there on purpose …’ Gracie said quietly.
Ruby started to laugh but when she saw Gracie’s expression she stopped.
‘Oh for heaven’s sake, that is just stupid. How could he say something like that after five minutes? He must have a screw loose.’
Gracie swished the water around with her feet. ‘Maybe both of us have. There’s something there; he said he felt it and I know I did. It hit me the moment I saw him. I’ve never felt anything like this before. He’s the right one, I know it. Do you believe in love at first sight?’
‘I don’t know – but I do know you’re marrying Sean this Saturday coming, three days’ time.’ Ruby paused. ‘You are going ahead with it, aren’t you? I saw you hiding your ring.’
‘Of course I am but …’ Gracie fiddled with her engagement ring.
‘Gracie, don’t do this. Let’s just go. As soon as we’re back at the hotel it’ll be as if we never met any of them, as if this never happened.’ Ruby grabbed her hand and squeezed it tight. ‘I’m telling you, no good can come out of this, let’s make our excuses and leave.’
‘Let’s just stay for an hour or so. That’s all, then we’ll go home and get ready for the wedding. The hotel is empty and there’s not that much to do. I’ll do everything I have to, promise …’ Gracie pleaded. ‘Please? I just need a bit more time. I’m not going to do anything silly, I just want to get to know him a little bit.’
‘You’re playing with fire, Gracie and you’ll regret it if you take it any further, I’m telling you, but it’s your choice. I’m not your mother or Aunt Leonora,’ Ruby said.
‘I think that the real Aunt Leonora will be up there cheering me on, even if it is through pursed lips. She never found the right one, even fleetingly,’ Gracie replied with a smile.
After their few minutes splashing around, Ruby and Gracie walked back up to where Louisa, Edward and Harry were and sat down, just off the picnic rug. Ruby sat next to Louisa and Gracie sat beside her, with Edward at the far end of the semi-circle, in her direct line of vision.
Aware that there were a lot of eyes in the group, Gracie mostly looked at the ground but she didn’t have to look up to know that Edward’s eyes were on her. She could feel them and the pull scared her.
There was no doubt that Louisa was absolutely in charge of the group; she played host with the picnic and also did most of the talking but Gracie didn’t want to join in, her appetite having been replaced by a gnawing combination of nausea and guilt. Her usual common sense had taken flight and she was away in another place … with the man called Edward, whom she had only just met.
Gracie was in a state of confusion. Her forthcoming wedding to Sean had taken up every moment of her day for months and she had been on countdown ever since they had agreed the date. She desperately wanted to be married and have a family of her own, to leave her past behind. But now that it was about to happen, she had been confronted with Edward Woodfield, who on the surface was her dream man. Suddenly Gracie wasn’t sure what she wanted anymore.
‘Who wants an ice cream?’ Edward asked after they’d all finished.
‘I do,’ Louisa put her hand up, ‘but you chaps go and get them while we clear up.’
‘I don’t want to go traipsing round looking for ice cream,’ Harry said grumpily. ‘I seriously need a nap after all that food. There are some empty deckchairs up there; I’m going to get them for us.’
‘You get the chairs and I’ll go and get the ice creams,’ Edward said quickly, ‘but Gracie or Ruby will have to come with me as they know where to go, and I don’t have enough hands for five cornets …’
Ruby rolled her eyes and looked upwards. ‘You go and get the ice creams with him, Gracie. I’ll help clear up …’ she paused for several seconds, ‘but don’t get lost, we’ve got a long shift when we get back’.
Gracie feigned reluctance, but eventually stood up and walked away along the promenade with Edward.
She knew absolutely that she shouldn’t be doing it, that she could be opening a door that should, because of Sean, remain firmly shut but she couldn’t help herself. She felt as if she had suddenly lost all self-control.
Gracie simply wanted to spend some time with Edward Woodfield, the man she had instantly recognised as the right one.
The right one at the wrong time.
‘Well? How do I look?’ Gracie asked nervously, as Ruby stepped back after pulling up the zip on her wedding dress. ‘Is it okay? I feel a bit like the fairy on the Christmas tree. I just don’t look like me, do I?’
As Gracie spoke she twirled round on the spot in front of the full-length mirror in her bedroom, making her skirt rise and fall. Her freshly lightened hair was curled and carefully pinned up under her shoulder-length veil making her neck look long and graceful, her minimal make-up was carefully applied, and her stiff new satin shoes were on her feet.
As Gracie stared at herself