Laura laughed. “I don’t mind you seeing it, but all the women here have been dying to have a look and I want it to be…”
“A surprise?”
“It’s hard not to be distracted by people’s reactions when it’s still a work in progress, and then you lose confidence.”
Pierre checked her watch; she still had time. Part of her wanted Gabriel to get there before her because she hated waiting for people. Better to dawdle a few minutes here with Laura.
“You’re a bit of an artist, aren’t you?”
“I don’t know about artist; let’s call me an anxious perfectionist. I hope Millie falls in love with it. I keep having nightmares that she’s changed her mind and commissioned Nicole to buy her a grand designer gown from Vera Wang.”
Despite the jokey tone, there was real anxiety in Laura’s voice. She and Nicole had nearly come to blows when Nicole had insisted that as wedding planner it was her place to organise the wedding gown. Perhaps she had a point, but surely it was the bride’s decision, and Millie had chosen Laura.
On impulse, Pierre decided to trust Laura. “Can I ask why you left your last job?”
Laura’s eyes widened with surprise before realisation dawned. “Let me guess,” she said, amused. “Nicole wants to know if I’d been sacked for incompetence.”
“No. No,” Pierre lied quickly.
In fact, that was exactly what Nicole was trying to find out and had instructed Pierre to investigate. She had no intention of snooping for Nicole but if there was something, then perhaps she could deal with it quietly. “She has to handle the press and they’re bound to ask, so we just need to make sure there are no surprises.”
Laura shrugged. “You’re welcome to ask them. I resigned. I was engaged and we were going to get married and move to Sweden.”
She didn’t need to say more. Since she was here,not in Sweden, and had no ring on her finger, the marriage had fallen through.
“Anyway,” Laura said. “You wanted a piece of plain silk?” She picked up a small, folded square of the softest white fabric. “Am I allowed to ask why?”
“As long as you promise not to laugh. I’m going to this festival with some pagan traditions. Apparently, you can look at the new moon and find out how long it’ll be before you get married. I need to write about for Lord M, so this is field research.”
A thought occurred to her. “Why don’t you come? All single women are welcome.”
“I’ve already had my predictionyearsago.” Laura stretched the word ‘years’ for emphasis. “I know the answer.”
“Are you going to tell me?”
Laura shrugged, as if she didn’t care. “Never.”
“Go on, please. I promise to tell you what I find out tonight.”
“Never, as in I’m never going to be married.”
“How do you know?”
“Tarot card reading.”
“So why did you get engaged to…the Swedish man?”
Laura’s dark, beautiful eyes stared into the middle distance before answering. “Because people are stupid and can’t help dreaming even when all the signs are against them.” She smiled the kind of smile Oscar nominees wear when someone else wins.
Pierre closed the distance between them and thew her arms around Laura. “Never give up hope. Dreams are the most precious thing in the world and sometimes you just have to keep trying until you catch the right dream for you.”
Not wanting to force more intimacy than Laura was ready for, Pierre gave her a final squeeze then stepped back.
Half-an-hour later, the sun was just sinking below the horizon as Margo’s Arch loomed into view over the tops of trees.
Thirteen
The heat and noise hit her first. The clearing, which had been empty a few days ago, shone with a huge bonfire. Close to a hundred people — men, women, young and old — were gathered around, talking, and laughing.
