Moments In Time (23 page)

“Not at all,” Luke assured him. “We’ll put you to work. J.D., I see Judith pulling into the drive. You and Hobie give her a hand with whatever it is she’s doing there.” Luke turned to Maggie and handed her the scissors, saying, “Some of the light pink phlox would be lovely, I think, Maggie. Snip some, if you would—leave the stems long, remember—while I get this lavender into some water.” She bustled toward the house, a thousand unfinished details buzzing in her head.

“Please, Aden, sit and visit with me while a cut a few of these for Luke.” Maggie motioned toward a stone bench. “Have you been here before? In England, I mean.”

“Only once”—Aden’s voice was clear, her words slightly clipped—“to visit Narood’s mother before we were married. It was then that I first met your husband, his family. Narood is most fond of them, J.D. and Luke.”

Maggie smiled to herself that Aden referred to Hobie by his last name only.

“This is my first trip,” Maggie confided. “I was so nervous meeting J.D.’s mother for the first time, wondering what she would be like
, what she would think of me…”

“I was also unnerved,” Aden told her. “It was so strange, a new country to see, everything so different. Narood’s mother did n
ot approve. It was unpleasant…
She had wanted Narood to marry Western, not in keeping with the traditions of his father.”

“I’m sorry,” Maggie offered.

“Narood’s mother had much bitterness to her husband and did not wish Narood to know him, even after his death,” she explained. “Narood came to Anjjoli to find his family and found also himself. Our uncle convinced him to
follow Anjjolan tradition when it came time to look for a wife.”

Maggie glanced up quizzically.

“It is the custom in Anjjoli to marry first from within the family,” Aden continued.

“Within the family?”

“Narood’s father and my f
ather were of the same tribe…
cousins.”

Maggie recalled J.D. telling her that Anjjolan custom also permitted more than one wife and wondered if subsequent wives had to be from the same “family” as well.

As if she’d read Maggie’s mind, Aden added, “Secondary marriages may involve other tribes. In Narood’s case, however, it does not matter. There will be no other wives.” Her eyes twinkled as she made her proud pronouncement.

“Good for you,” Maggie whispered, and Aden laughed heartily.

“That is one Western custom we agreed to follow,” she told Maggie.

“Your dress is wonderful.” Maggie admired the richness of the cloth, deep purple and gold in color.

“It is traditional,” Aden said simply, “woven on hand looms.”

“I didn’t know anyone still wove fabric on hand looms. Except maybe a few leftovers from the sixties.”

“It is not so difficult.” Aden shrugged.

“You know how to do that?” Maggie, who could not sew a straight seam if her life depended on it, was obviously impressed.

“Of course. It is quite a relaxing pastime actually. Though this particular design”—she fingered the hem of her dress —“became a bit tedious.”

“You made that? The fabric?” Maggie put her flower basket down, bending closer to inspect the cloth. “It’s positively wonderful. I’m in awe. How long would something like this take?”

“Some weeks”—Aden shrugged—“you do a bit now, a bit a little later.”

“But you don’t make the cloth for all your clothes
…”
Maggie marveled that women still did such things. Particularly this woman, married, as she was, to a man who was certainly well-off.

“Only for special things. Like your wedding party,” Aden told her. “We live very simply in Anjjoli. When last we came here, Narood bought Western clothes for me to wear, but I did not like them. Very contrived, I thou
ght. And very uncomfortable…
your undergarments.” She shook her head at the memory.

“I know exactly what you mean.” Maggie laughed and stood up, her arms loaded with flowers. “We’d better get these in to Luke, she’s in a bit of a frenzy. Let’s see if we can give her a hand.”

Shortly before two, several cars pulled into the flat field across the road and parked. Maggie watched from a hall window as Rick alighted from a dark blue sedan and took the arm of his blond companion as they hurried toward the house. She gasped with pleasure. It was Lindy.

“What a wonderful surprise,” she exclaimed as she hugged her old friend. “I had no idea you’d planned to come.”

“Actually,” Lindy laughed, “I didn’t. Rick came home with me after the wedding, and he suggested I take a week or so off and come back with him. It sounded like fun, so I did.”

Rick bear-hugged Maggie.

“So,” he said, “the old man treating you okay?”

“Just fine. And I’m having the absolute time of my life here.”

“You really haven’t had a honeymoon, Maggie. Aren’t you planning on going away for a few days?” Lindy asked.

“I feel as if we have. But we will be in London this coming week. Jamey has a few appointments, so I’ll be going with him and staying for a few days. I guess that will be it until we decide what we’re doing.” Maggie had moved back into the hallway just as the door opened again and a group of ten or twelve entered.

“Hey, Rick, how you doing? Where’s the groom? And where’s the bride? We’re all dying to meet her,” a tall, bearded man with red hair greeted Rick.

“Don’t know where the groom is, Jack, but this is the bride.” Rick proceeded t
o introduce Maggie to the late-
arriving guests, all musicians, all old friends of Rick’s and J.D.’s from years past.

Maggie’s attention was drawn to the last entry into the hall, a tall, spectacular woman in her early twenties, long golden hair pulled back from the most breathtakingly beautiful face she’d ever seen. Her dress swirled around her, a silvery gossamer cloud, cut very low in the front, flowing with every curve of her body to her ankles. Maggie stared in fascination at the ethereal creature, whose entrance had made the bride, in a pale cream silk dress that pulled slightly across her growing middle, suddenly feel like the resident frump.

“So, Rick,” Maggie heard her say in the most honeyed of voices, “where’s the boy?”

“Ah, he’s about,” Rick appeared to be caught off guard by this latest arrival. “It’s nice to see you again, Glory. I hadn’t known you’d been invited.”

“Actually, I wasn’t. But Tommy kindly offered to bring me along. Now, Rick, you honestly didn’t think I’d let this pass without making an appearance. Do tell me where to find J.D. I’ve a few words for him.”

Maggie’s heart all but stopped in her chest. Who in the world was this woman? Her conversation with Rick made it apparent that she was more than a casual
acquaintance
, certainly more than just another musician friend. Maggie held her breath as J.D. walked through the front door with his sister and stopped dead in his tracks.

“Glory. What a surprise,” he managed, eyebrows raised. Judith glared with open hostility.

“I’ll just bet it is,” she purred and walked slowly to the doorway, “maybe not as great a surprise as I got when I heard you’d been married. Nice of you to let your old friends in on the secret. Are you going to introduce me to the lucky woman?”

“Of course. Maggie
…
There’s Maggie.” He turned to his wife with a wink and a look of chagrin touched with amusement. “Maggie, this is Glory Fielding. I worked on Glory’s last album with her. Produced it, actually. Glory, this is my wife, Maggie Borders.”

The tall blonde took the longest time to look Maggie over very carefully from head to toe. Maggie stared into the woman’s flint-gray eyes and willed herself not to blink.

The two women were still sizing each other up when Rick, in an attempt to avoid an exchange that could embarrass everyone, called to J.D., “Look who else is here. Andy and Harry both. How long do you think it’s been, J.D., two years, three? Come introduce your bride
…
”

A collective sigh of relief seemed to escape from most of the guests gathered in the hallway. As Maggie moved through the crowd with J.D., she sensed the real confrontation with this woman was still to come. She knew she was at a disadvantage, not knowing who she was or what role she’d played in J.D.’s life. He’d never mentioned her, not one time.

An hour or so later, Maggie had been about to go into the garden when she heard J.D.’s voice from the other side of the door.

“To tell you the truth, Glory, it never occurred to me to call you. I didn’t think we had that kind of relationship. Actually, I didn’t think we had any relationship, other than maybe friendship.”

“How can you say that to me? We lived together for six months, practically the entire six months before you left last fall.”

“Glory, you know as well as I do that was a lark. Don’t look at me as if I’m telling you something you didn’t know. You used me to get that album produced. There was no love lost there.”

“Are you telling me you didn’t love me?” Maggie could almost see the woman’s lips form a seductive pout.

“Are you telling me you ever thought I did?”

“J.D., you’re a bastard. You know very well how I feel about you.” Glory’s voice was a silken purr. “You left the
country without so much as a good-bye and the next thing I know, you’re coming back with a wife. I’ll never forgive you for this.”

“Look, Glory, I’m sorry that, well, that apparently you and I had a totally different idea as to what went on between us. I never thought for a moment you took me any more seriously than I took you. And very honestly, you’ll forgive me if I tend to view your theatrics as less than heartfelt. I think your pride may be a bit wounded, but I sincerely doubt if your heart’s broken.”

“You are a callous son of a bitch. I loved you, J.D. I still do.”

“You needed me, Glory. And right now, it would appear that what you need is a little help getting a new contract, judging by your escort today.”

“That was a cheap shot. Tommy adores me. He’s a nice guy.”

“He also owns the second largest record company in the country.”

“Well, think twice if you expect them to sign you up as a solo. You’ll have to get past me to get to Tommy, J.D.” Her venom spewed out in the sweetest of voices.

“Well, I think Tommy’s a better businessman than that. However, if I have to go to another company, I’ll do it. Or I can go to the States if necessary,” he replied calmly. “I’m just sorry you’re talking on this way, Glory. It never occurred to me we wouldn’t be friends.”

“I don’t want to be your friend. I want things to be the way they were.”

“No chance. I am very much in love with my wife, Glory. You’re wasting your time.”

“We’ll see. I’ll always be around.”

Their conversation was interrupted by Judith, who took her brother by the arm to steer him to his grandmother. Glory opened the door and all but fell on Maggie, who’d hastily taken a step or two back to make it appear that she was about to go outside. The look on Glory’s face as she sized up Maggie was chilling.

“So, the little bride. You’re not what I’d have expected
him to take up with—‘cute’ really isn’t his style, you know?” Her eyes narrowed into thin slits. “Don’t think for a minute that you’ll be able to keep him. I don’t expect it will take much to coax him from your bed back into mine, so
I
wouldn’t go to the bo
ther of having the sheets mono
grammed.”

Maggie was mesmerized—the mouse spellbound in fascination by the snake.

“I believe in being up front about things, so you might as well know. I want him back, Maggie.” The words were delivered matter-of-factly, as if there could be no question that she would succeed. “And I don’t easily give up when I want something.”

Before Maggie could open her mouth, Glory was past her, into the dining room where she gathered up her escort, sashaying from the house with not so much as a glance over her shoulder. Maggie was still riveted to the spot when she felt a hand on her arm and turned, ashen-faced, to look up into Rick’s eyes.

“Ah, I see Glory’s gotten to you,” he whispered. “Don’t take her seriously, Maggie, not for one second. She never meant a thing to J.D. I know that for a fact.”

“She’s so intimidating. So gorgeous and sure of herself,” Maggie said, grimacing, then confided uneasily, “I heard her tell Jamey she’s in love with him.”

“Rubbish,” Rick laughed. “Glory doesn’t know the meaning of the word. And I doubt she ever had such a notion before she’d heard he was married.”

“She said she’d
get him back…”

“She never had him to begin with.” Rick put his arm around her gently.

“I never even heard him speak of her.”

“I’ve no doubt. Look, Maggie, you should talk to J.D. I’m sure he’ll reassure you that she doesn’t mean a thing to him. Don’t give her another thought. Trust me, there’s nothing for you to be worried about as far as she’s concerned. Now let’s do something that will bring that smile back to your face.” He fished inside his jacket pocket. “Here, take a look at the photos I took at your wedding last week. Great shot of
your mother, don’t you think? And here, here’s the bride and groom
…
Handsome couple, wouldn’t you say? And look at this one of Caroline
…
She’s beautiful, isn’t she?”