Gypsy Wedding (34 page)

At least she didn’t add ‘that tart’
, thought Vicky.

‘Go through,’ said Biddy, sitting down on a bunk by the big front window.

I’m not to be trusted with her lad on my own
, she thought.
Not surprising under the circumstances
.

She went into the little side bedroom, the one they’d earmarked as the nursery when their first baby arrived. Liam, as he’d promised, wasn’t going to use the big cherry-wood bed till he could share it with his bride-to-be. Liam was lying on the bunk, his face a mass of reds and purples. Now the bruises had come out and spread his face looked even worse than it had straight after the fight. His eye was half-closed and his lip was split and swollen. It was an appalling sight.

Vicky’s hand flew to her mouth. ‘Liam!’ Tears pricked.

‘It’s a mess, isn’t it,’ he said cheerfully.

She nodded, not wanting to speak in case she cried.

‘How do you feel?’ she whispered.

‘Okay. It helps if I don’t move or smile. But you should see the other bloke,’ said Liam with an attempt at humour.

‘You were so brave.’

‘I was lucky. A lucky punch.’

‘It wasn’t lucky. Not at all.’

‘And how would you know?’

‘I watched.’

‘You did what?’ Liam sat bolt upright in bed, winced and scowled and flopped back on the pillows. He glanced at the door. ‘You did what?’ he hissed in a much lower voice. ‘Good God, Vicky, how much trouble do you want to get into? You know the rules.’

‘I couldn’t let you go through that on your own.’

‘Jeez.’ Liam shook his head. ‘I am just glad I didn’t know. I wouldn’t have been able to fight if I’d known you were there.’

‘No one knew.’

‘So how … where …?’

Vicky described her vantage point.

‘Well, don’t you ever do that again. In fact, when I’m better, I’m going to get a plank and block up that hole so you can’t.’

‘I’m never going to watch another fight, cross my heart. It was gross.’

‘It wasn’t a picnic where I was either,’ said Liam, wryly.

‘Oh, babes.’ She reached forward to take Liam’s hand but he snatched it out of the way. Clearly he didn’t want her to touch him.

With a lurch in her stomach, the thought that she now disgusted him raced through her mind. Maybe, now the fight was over and the pain had set in, he’d had time to think about the awfulness of what she’d done. Before he’d been carried away by some gypsy code of honour but perhaps now his blood had cooled, so had his feelings for her. Okay so he hadn’t told her to get lost yet. But she was sure he would. She’d blown it. Vicky felt the threatened tears spill over.

‘Hey, sweets, don’t cry,’ said Liam.

‘But you don’t want me touching you.’

‘Only because I’m so sore. You wait till I’m better, then you can touch me as much as you like – and where you like.’

Relief made Vicky giggle despite her tears. Dear God, her emotions were on a roller-coaster ride! And the elation she felt that he wasn’t about to tell her to sling her hook was all the sweeter because of the despair she’d felt just a second earlier. ‘I’ll hold you to that promise,’ she snuffled happily.

‘I’d do it again for you,’ he said quietly, looking into her eyes. ‘I’d do anything for you, you know that, don’t you?’

Vicky nodded. ‘Yes. And I promise I’m going to be such a perfect wife. I’m going to look after you so well I shall make every other traveller man mad with envy.’

‘They’re mad with envy already. They’d all give their right arms to be in my position, to be engaged to the most beautiful woman in the world.’

Vicky blushed.

From the living room they heard Biddy clear her throat noisily, as if to tell Vicky that she was outstaying her welcome. The two lovers looked at each other and burst out giggling.

Liam reached forward to stroke Vicky’s face and she could see just what a state his knuckles were in. She gasped.

‘Liam, shouldn’t you get this seen to?’ She pointed a shaky finger at his mangled hands.

‘They’ll be all right in a few days. They just need time to heal.’

‘You’re sure? Your hands are your living.’

‘I’m a chippy, Vick, not a concert pianist, they’ll be fine.’

Vicky longed to take them in her own and kiss them better but she was scared of causing Liam any more pain. She’d caused quite enough to last him a lifetime. There was no way she was knowingly ever going to cause him any, ever again. She knew now, totally, completely and absolutely just how much Liam loved her and she loved him. And wasn’t that all that mattered? What did making a few frocks compare to a lifetime of happiness?

Vicky moved across the deep blue carpet of her hotel room, stared at herself in the mirror and caught her breath. The ivory silk and dark green complemented her dramatic colouring, the sash made her already neat waist look minute, the choker made her neck look long, slim and elegant and the almost transparent veil over her hair gave her a dream-like quality. Either side of her the yards of fabric billowed out in a vast cloud and every move she made caused the silk to rustle like forest leaves. It was the dress Vicky had dreamed about having: the most wonderful, the biggest, the most beautiful dress she’d ever possess, and it was perfect. She turned slightly and the huge skirt, flawlessly designed to hang just half an inch above the floor, swished round, the folds and pleats rippling and the sequins in the delicate embroidery on the bodice catching the light.
Beyond perfect
, she thought, as she watched her skirts sway and settle.

Mary-Rose, looking fabulous in daffodil yellow, gave a sob, and even Biddy dabbed away a tear.

‘Perfect,’ said Vicky, under her breath. ‘Just like a real princess.’

It was the look of the young girl in the portrait that Mrs Mead had shown her, the look she’d wanted to recreate. The look of a princess; not just a Disney, fairy-tale one but a
real
one. The sort of princess that Liam – darling Liam – deserved.

She glanced at her watch. ‘Nearly time to go,’ she said. She felt amazingly calm. This was her destiny, after all. She and Liam had been meant to be together since birth. And now they would be.
Till death do us part
, she thought.

There was a quiet knock on the door and then it opened. Kelly put her head round.

‘Oh my,’ she said when she saw her best friend. ‘Oh Vick …’ She smiled at Vicky, although her eyes were glistening with happy tears. She squeezed her dress through the door to Vicky’s suite, pressing down the massive petticoats to get into the room.

‘Don’t cry,’ said Vicky. ‘Firstly you’ll wreck your make-up and then you’ll set me off.’

Kelly rustled across the thick carpet and took a tissue from the box on Vicky’s dressing table, then carefully dabbed at her eyeliner.

Vicky had barely seen her best friend since she’d been taken home by her father in near disgrace. There were things she was desperate to say to Kelly, but in private. She nodded at the two mothers in the room. ‘Mammy, Bridget, could we have a moment alone? Please?’

The women exchanged a look but said nothing as they left, shutting the door behind them.

‘They still don’t approve of me,’ said Kelly with a sigh.

‘They’ll come round, honest.’

‘No. They think I’m some sort of devil child for leading you astray with the evils of drink.’

‘They so don’t. For a start, Biddy knows nothing about my time at your house or what I got up to and Mammy … Well, Mammy will get over it.’

‘And Liam?’

‘Liam knows how much your friendship means to me.’

‘Really?’

Vicky nodded. ‘Truly. And I’m so pleased you’re my maid of honour. And so is Liam.’

Kelly raised her eyebrows. ‘Are you sure?’

‘Are you joking me? When he sees you in that dress he’s going to be blown away.’

‘Don’t talk daft, Vick. He’s not going to have eyes for anyone else but you. I mean look at you!’

Vicky couldn’t help glancing again at the mirror. ‘But you’re beautiful too.’

‘Not freaky?’ said Kelly with a naughty glint in her eye.

‘Not freaky in the least. And I know I’ve said it before but I need you to understand just how grateful I am that you stood by me when … when it all got tricky at home.’

Kelly squeezed Vicky’s arm. ‘That’s what friends do, Vick. Real ones, anyway.’

The door to Vicky’s suite opened again and Mary-Rose appeared, now wearing a huge cartwheel of a hat that matched her dress and jacket.

‘It’s nearly time, Vicky darlin’. The car’ll be here any minute. Biddy and I are heading off to the church now and your dad’s waiting for you downstairs.’

Vicky suddenly felt a little tingle of excitement and nerves. This was it.

Kelly came as close to Vicky as their skirts would allow and leaned over to give Vicky a peck on the cheek. ‘See you in church, babe.’

Vicky nodded. ‘And remember,’ she said, ‘no snogging the best man before the ceremony!’

For a minute or two Vicky was alone in her room while she composed herself and made sure she looked perfect for Liam. Then slowly and with great care Vicky left the room and made her way along the corridor and down the wide stairs. At the bottom the staff from the hotel were waiting for her and they burst into a spontaneous round of applause as she glided past them and into the arms of her father.

‘Vicky, me darlin’, you’re a beauty, to be sure.’ He blinked back a tear and cleared his throat. ‘The car’s waiting. Are you ready?’

Vicky nodded. ‘I’ve never been more ready for anything in my life,’ she said with total sincerity.

When she arrived at the church, just half a mile from the hotel, her seven bridesmaids were there waiting for her and they too applauded when she emerged from the white limo. Kelly made sure her skirts were arranged to perfection while the photographer bustled about snapping the group as they got ready to make their grand entrance.

Little Kylie, bursting with pride, led the procession looking completely darling in her dark green frock. Then came Vicky, radiant, calm and happy, hanging onto her father’s arm, her skirts filling the space between the pews, while half the congregation seemed to be in tears and the other half cheered. And finally Kelly and the six other bridesmaids, all looking stunning in their dark green frocks, followed her down the aisle.

Liam turned around when she was halfway to the steps of the altar and his face lit up. She didn’t need to be able to lip-read to see he whispered ‘Wow!’

He nudged his best man, who also grinned at Vicky before his gaze slid from her to clock Kelly and then he winked in approval. Vicky almost laughed and wondered if he knew that the bird he seemed to be already planning to cop off with was a non-traveller.

She arrived next to Liam, who was grinning like he’d won the lottery. His hand groped for hers among the folds of silk and then he twined his fingers in hers as Johnnie took her bouquet of cream roses and placed her left hand on Liam’s right one before squeezing past her train of bridesmaids and taking his place beside a tearful Mary-Rose.

‘I don’t deserve you,’ whispered Liam. ‘You’re far too beautiful for the likes of me.’

‘And I don’t deserve you,’ whispered back Vicky. ‘But I love you more than anyone on this earth.’

‘Dearly beloved,’ began the priest as Liam squeezed Vicky’s hand again.

The wedding mass passed in a blur of sheer delight until the moment came and the priest said, ‘You may now kiss the bride.’

Vicky, her veil already lifted back from her face, turned to her husband and gazed into his wonderful blue eyes. She felt his arms encircle her waist as he pulled her towards him before his lips met hers. It began as the softest, gentlest of kisses until she felt his tongue just flicker over her own lips. And as she parted them, just a fraction, she felt an explosion of warmth and joy surge through her.

Her kiss with Jordan might have lit her up like a sparkler but this was a huge great Roman candle – heat, light, fizzing electricity and unbelievable chemistry powered between them. She drew back, breathless, and then, almost unable to believe what she’d just experienced, to the whoops, whirr of cameras clicking and applause of the congregation around them, she leaned in to kiss Liam again.

How could she have doubted her decision, she wondered and why on earth had she not married Liam months ago? Her insides exploded with happiness as he led her off to the back of the church to sign the register where they were joined by her parents and his, all hollering, crying and laughing and grabbing kisses with each other.

The entire congregation erupted into cheers when she and Liam returned and made their triumphant procession back down the aisle before clambering into the limo to take them back to the country hotel.

As the car drew up outside the pale gold stone mansion Vicky was, once again, stunned at how beautiful the place was with its immaculate gardens and beautiful lawns. A flunky in a white jacket with brass buttons leapt to open the door of the vehicle and help her out. By the time she was out of the car and her skirts had been sorted out again, her bridesmaids were piling out of another limo and family members were starting to arrive from the direction of the car park.