The tension created by a potential intervention of some kind, along with the busyness of coping with a minimal team for security reasons, seemed to be taking the normal anticipation and excitement of a wedding day to a whole new level, and the hours flew past for Sophie. Henri’s mother and sisters arrived in the early afternoon along with Henri and his groomsmen. With a dozen bedrooms in the house, it was easy to keep the preparations for each party separate. Guests began arriving by private limousine or boat by mid-afternoon and it wasn’t until Natalia was almost ready to make her grand, but very exclusive, entrance by way of the floating staircase that Sophie remembered to check the weather bureau for any updates on the storm alert.
The orange warning had been extended. Violent thunderstorms were possible late this evening that may reach coastal areas.
Sophie didn’t pass the warning on. There was no wedding breakfast being catered for in the villa or elsewhere. A champagne cocktail party after the ceremony was the only delay that the bridal couple had wanted. By nine, when the golden hour was done and dusted, they would be escaping the unpredictable summer storm, en route to arrive on their private island as the sun was rising again tomorrow morning. The only adverse effect an approaching storm might have could be on the sunset photos Luc was hoping to take, down on the rocks of the lower beach terrace, but who knew? Maybe the eerie kind of light that preceded a thunderstorm would provide something even more unique than anything the Phoenix could hope to engineer?
‘You look stunning,’ she told Natalia, who was standing in front of a full-length mirror in the dressing room of the master bedroom’s suite, fitting the butterfly clip to the back of a diamond stud earring.
Her ivory Vera Wang mermaid wedding dress was strapless, the beaded Chantilly lace motifs over a soft lining hugging her body until the skirt flared out into soft folds at knee level and then puddled on to the floor in a profusion of floral lace.
‘Those earrings are perfect. Understated but elegant – just like you.’
Natalia’s smile was misty. ‘These are Henri’s wedding gift to me,’ she said, softly. ‘I love that they’re not too dressy. It means I can wear them, every day, for the rest of my life.’
‘It’s your something new.’ Sophie smiled, picking up the wedding bouquet to hand to Natalia. ‘And the rosary that’s been woven into your flowers is the something old, yes?’
Natalia nodded. ‘It belonged to Henri’s grandmama.’ Her glance was curious. ‘You’re English, aren’t you?’
‘Yes. Why?’
‘It’s that saying. It’s not a French thing. What does it mean?’
‘It dates back to Queen Victoria in England. I think it’s supposed to ensure protection. And good fortune.’
‘How does it go?’
‘Something old, something new. Something borrowed, something blue,’ Sophie recited. ‘And a silver sixpence in her shoe, but nobody bothers with the sixpence these days.’
‘That’s what we need,’ Natalia said wistfully. ‘Protection.’ The glance she gave Sophie looked almost fearful. ‘I don’t have anything blue.’
‘Look outside,’ Sophie said gently. ‘You have the entire sea and the sky. They couldn’t be more blue.’
‘But…’ Natalia’s eyes shone with tears forming. ‘I have nothing I can borrow.’
Sophie could see the hairdresser waiting patiently to secure Natalia’s veil to her hair. They were due to descend the staircase in less than a minute. Henri would be waiting for the love of his life by the doors to the terrace and they would walk out alone, hand in hand, to where their guests were already seated and waiting.
This should be the happiest moment of Natalia’s life but she was looking as though fate was about to snatch the joy away.
Sophie only hesitated for a heartbeat. ‘Would you like to borrow this?’ She touched her necklace with her fingertip.
‘Your necklace? Oh… I couldn’t. It looks like it’s very special to you.’
‘It is,’ Sophie agreed quietly. ‘But the person who gave it to me was the kindest man in the world. It’s just the sort of thing he would have done.’ She reached to unclasp the necklace and she put it around Natalia’s neck. She was blinking back her own tears now. Tom had never seen her wearing this gift. It had been Hannah who’d given it to her, the day after the funeral. She had fastened it for Sophie because her own hands were shaking too much.
‘He’d want you to remember,’ Hannah had said, through her tears.‘Wear it to always remember that he loved you. So much. And that he’d want you to be happy.’
She had been wearing it for almost ten years now. It was hard taking it off because her hands were shaking a little but she’d been sincere in saying that it was just the sort of thing Tom would have done for someone. He’d be proud of her doing this, just as much as he’d approve of her taking care of Luc – if he would ever let her close enough to do so.
‘Wear it with joy,’ Sophie whispered to Natalia. ‘And be happy. You have all the charms now but you’re already lucky. You’ve found your love.’
* * *
The ceremony was everything it needed to be. Uninterrupted, private and tearjerkingly romantic.
Luc stood to one side, focussing on capturing the depth of emotion that both Henri and Natalia couldn’t hide as they shared the heartfelt vows they’d written to share their promise that they would be together forever. They exchanged rings, having chosen not to do that during the ceremony at themairieand then they lit a candle together and Luc managed to catch them gazing into each other’s eyes with the glow of the candlelight on their faces.
‘The past is the past,’ Henri announced.
‘This light symbolises our future,’ Natalia added.
