“About…?” his eyes told her he knew what she meant. “Nothing. Of course.”
He held her gaze for a long moment then asked softly, “Tomorrow?”
Before she could even think about it, she’d nodded, and the brightest smile broke on his face.
They’d had time for no more because a loud cheer erupted from the crowd. The boat had docked. Millie and George helped Lord M disembark and the people surged forward to welcome him. Gabriel had to attend to his duties as photographer.
But he’d been about to say something else, she’d sensed it in him, something important.
She looked around for Nicole. Where was she? Having organised this shindig, why was she not there?
Pierre was too preoccupied with her brief conversation with Gabriel to give this much thought.
What had he meant about “nothing of course”? But there had been no time to talk to him afterwards.
Another difficult night had followed as questions kept her awake. Did it mean that he didn’t think Nicole needed to know? Because…there was nothingtoknow? Or was it because he felt guilty, because she was his secret, his cheating?
There was of course another, and much better, possibility. That he didn’t talk about it to Nicole because he was having serious second thoughts about their engagement and didn’t feel able to confide in her. Was he in fact teetering on the edge of a break-up?
The next morning, Lord M sent for her. He welcomed her as soon as she entered his study. “Tell me everything. I’ve been away for ten days and have lost touch with my island, so I’m relying on you to bring me up to date on everything.” He beckoned her to sit next to him. “How is the dress? And the church rehearsals and the music and of course how is the article? I want to know about each and everyone in the house and what the gossips on the island are saying.”
“Only that?” She suppressed a smile. He was back, her boss with all his energy and enthusiasm.
“It’s enough to be getting on with this morning. I have another big job for you in a couple of hours.”
“Don’t make me wish for the days when you were too sick to pay attention.” She ducked quickly as he aimed a mock punch at her head.
She ran through the practical arrangements, the huge marquee erected outside the church for the wedding breakfast, and the menu of lavender scones, rosemary and lemon biscuits, fireweed jelly, wild berry cupcakes.
He listened avidly, hungry for all the details. She told him about the music playlist she’d made of all his favourite love songs from the 1950s to the 1980s.
“Excellent. I can’t stand this new rubbish. Now.” He fixed her with his sharp blue eyes. “How is the romance?”
Her heart gave a sudden and painful thud. “Which romance?”
“All of them.”
“Well…” She could feel heat rising through her neck and got up pretending to open the window to hide her face from him.
“George and Millie have mostly been with you—”
“Not them,” he interrupted. “Tell me about Laura first.”
She watched him, trying to decide how much to tell him, but he surprised her. “Laura and Adam. You think me blind? I’ve seen that coming from the beginning.”
She gaped at him.
“Come on, girl. You’re normally much more observant. What else have you missed? Liam?”
“Oh yes, he’s been applying for a house on the island. I think he might be ready to settle down.”
“It warms my heart to see young people settling here. There was a time when the migration was very much in the opposite direction. Now I think Adam might stay, and if he does, it means Laura will too. And how about the photographer?”
“I think he is going to America.”
“Is he?” The way he asked made Pierre pause. What else had he seen?
“I thought you’ve been out of touch, yet you know more than me.”
