‘The oysters are ready, yes.’ I carry on sweeping furiously.
‘Good. Our guests have started arriving and everything’s ready for our engagement party tonight.’
I give an ironic laugh.
She looks around the shed, her boots clip, clipping on the stone floor. ‘I’d invite you, but I know you have a lot on,’ she says pointedly.
‘Well … actually, everything is ready. All I have to do now is tell Sean about your cosy set-up with Henri.’ I lean on the broom.
‘Like I say, you’ll be busy … packing for one thing,’ Nancy glares at me. The smile is gone and her lip is curled. Her eyes are as dark as the sky outside.
‘Oh, I’m not leaving … certainly not until I’ve told Sean what you’re up to and who with.’
‘Oh yes you are. I want you out of here. Those oysters are finally about to make me, and I don’t want you … distracting Sean. We’re engaged now. Those oysters are half mine and I don’t want anything or anyone coming between us.’ She’s pointing a black-gloved finger at me. If I am going, I’m not going quietly, I decide there and then.
‘You don’t love Sean. You’re tucking him up. You’re not even letting him in on the deal. You’re going to pay him a flat fee for the oysters and sell the ones you don’t need on to lover boy, I presume. I heard it all.’ I grip my broom.
‘Like I say, I don’t want you around causing trouble. I want you gone by the time those oysters leave here for the kitchen. By the time they’re served up to the guests and the shucking competition, you will be on a plane out ofhere. I take it you heard that too?’
I lift my chin.
‘Where to?’
‘Anywhere!’ she spits.
I have to ask and I do it with a shrug, ‘And if I don’t?’
‘Without me and our contract Sean won’t have a buyer. You’ll put yourself out of a job and you’ll ruin him. Jimmy Power will call in his debt and Sean will have to sell. That’s not what you want, is it? Someone else taking over the farm? There’s already been interest,’ she says patronisingly.
Fury bubbles up inside me. ‘Sean has to know! He’ll find another buyer. You’re not the only oyster broker or restaurateur who wants those oysters. In fact, the place will be heaving with new customers at the festival tomorrow. You’ve done him a favour!’
‘Those oysters are staying with me. There will also be a lot of press coming tomorrow. I can think of a couple of tabloid magazines who would love to know the story of the woman jilted by her gay groom, who left her at the altar for the best man. And him a minor celebrity! Ex-rugby player turned radio presenter. That sounds like just the sort of story they’ll love.’ She’s holding my envelope, the one from Brian. She’s been in my bedroom!
‘Give me that!’ I shout, and snatch the letter from her hand, but it’s too late; she knows more about what’s written in it than I do.
‘Brian knows where you are now, what you’re doing,’ she says, confirming more details of the letter. I hold it to my tightening chest.
‘I want you gone,’ she says, turning on her heel. ‘Or else everyone will know about your wedding day fiasco and how you ended up an oyster farmer’s assistant in the middle of nowhere. You’ll turn this farm into a tabloid tourist destination. There’ll be strangers crawling all overthe place wanting to get a glimpse of the runaway bride.’
‘And what about Sean, what about what he wants?’
‘Sean doesn’t want unwanted visitors! You’ve seen what happens when members of the public come up here. He wants his farm and the quiet life. He’ll do anything to keep it. We both get what we want from this,’ she shouts over her shoulder. ‘Sean pays his licence, I get my oysters. We’re both happy. Sean would never pick you over his farm,’ she laughs hollowly and goes to get into her car.
Just at that moment Sean’s van comes down the lane. He pulls up next to Nancy and gets out quickly.
‘What’s going on?’ he asks, concerned, looking from Nancy to me. I don’t know what to do. Should I tell him? Or is she right? Would I ruin him if I say anything? Will I ruin him if I stay?
‘Fi and I were just going over the arrangements for the weekend. Making sure we understand exactly what needs to happen.’ She pulls down her dark glasses and walks towards her car.
Humiliation returns to hit me round the face like a wet fish. This time it’s worse than before, with Brian. This time I’d had my eyes wide open; I knew he was taken. Only this time I actually fell in love. But he chose Nancy, not me. He chose his business, not me. I feel used, stupid and ashamed.
I look at the pair of them. ‘You know what, you two deserve each other.’ I throw down the broom with a clatter and walk towards them. I don’t have anything to lose any more. ‘I would rather spend one day with someone I love and who loves me back than a lifetime married to someone because it “worked” for me. I thank God my fiancé Brian didn’t have the balls to go through with married life. At least I’ve finally managed to find out what it means to really love someone. And if I never feel that again, at least I will have known what it was like.’ I take a deep breath to stop any tears falling and then turn and run off down the lane towards town.
‘Fi, wait!’ I hear Sean shout, but I just keep running, well, until I’m out of sight of the farm. My heart is pumping and so are my veins. I put my hands to my knees and take huge dragging breaths. Then slowly I stand up and walk the rest of the way into town. I am going to leave, like Nancy said, because I don’t want to stay and watch Sean and Nancy get married. I can’t see him with someone else, someone he doesn’t love. But I won’t go to my mum’s. I’m not going back to that. I need to keep moving forwards. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll be able to stop running.
Chapter Forty-one
When I reach the chalet in Rosie’s garden I knock loudly.
