5
Finula was busy blending the fruit cake mixture. Taking great care to add the exact amount of sherry, she squinted at the jug measurements. Well, it wasn’t every day you baked your own wedding cake was it? Marcus grinned to himself, watching his soon-to-be wife concentrate, her tongue slightly protruding from her mouth. She caught him watching her out of the corner of her eye.
‘What are you smirking at?’ she asked.
‘You.’ He laughed.
‘Well, it’s got to be right!’ she exclaimed in frustration. ‘It’s all right for you, sitting there, tapping away on your laptop.’
Marcus was in fact emailing the BBC, informing them his documentary was on schedule as originally planned. The documentary, entitledGreen and Pleasant Land?was based on the village of Treweham and explored the quintessential customs and traditions of the old English way of life. It also provided the ideal contrast to the harsh realities of the rising figures of homelessness and poverty, which is why Marcus rather cleverly decided to add a question mark to the title. Treweham had been hand-picked because of its charm and character, not to mention Marcus’ ancestral family who resided in Treweham Hall. The documentary was set to be a showstopper, culminating in the revelation that he, Marcus Devlin, the award-winning producer, was in fact the firstborn son of the late Lord Richard Cavendish-Blake.
None of this was coincidental of course. Marcus had originally intended to dishonour the Cavendish-Blakes, believing, incorrectly, that his father had hushed up the whole affair by banishing his mam to Ireland. When the truth had finally come to light, via the late Lord’s diaries, Marcus learnt that his father had never even known of his existence. In short, his mam had bolted, without any trace, shedding a whole new light on the matter. Only now was Marcus able to put the past behind him and fondly acknowledge his half-brothers, Tobias and Sebastian.
Meeting Finula whilst he and his crew stayed at The Templar when filming had been the ultimate icing on the cake – and now here was the love of his life, baking their wedding cake. He smiled at the flour on her freckled face. It had even ended up in her long blaze of red hair. Not for the first time he had likened her to the colleens of Roscommon in Ireland, where he had been brought up. Choosing to move to Shropshire a few years ago meant he was handier for London, where he often worked. He had filmed on location there and instantly felt at home with its open, green countryside, golden cornfields and space. He’d bought a black and white framed Tudor cottage, nestled in the rolling hills, and found the solace he needed to let his creative juices flow.
And flow they did. Some of his most dynamic, hard-hitting documentaries had been produced since his move to Shropshire. Marcus Devlin was fast becoming a big name in the TV world and the latest of his work involving the village of Treweham was set to top him. His only regret was that his beloved mam wasn’t there to witness it all. Marcus had been fiercely close to her and had nursed her to the end of her torturous days suffering with cancer. It was in the early hours of her last dawn that she managed to tell him, between gasps, who his father actually was, sending Marcus into shock.
After the shock came anger, an anger that had bubbled and festered into revenge. Marcus, believing his mam had been abandoned, sought to discredit his father. However, he never got the chance, as Richard Cavendish-Blake died a month after his mother. When the truth had exploded into light, it had been Finula who was there to comfort him. She had arranged with Megan and Tobias for Marcus to access his father’s diaries. After the dust had settled and Marcus had been rightfully acknowledged, relationships gradually formed and now he considered both Tobias and Sebastian as true brothers, and they him as their older brother.
The interview the three of them gave on the documentary would prove heart-warming as well as sensational. A part of Marcus wanted the truth out, while the inner, private side of him lay in trepidation for the inevitable onslaught. He’d seen how the media had taunted Tobias throughout his adult life and didn’t relish the same. The fact he was so closely linked to them could prove even more tantalising, he shrewdly thought, knowing no loyalty would be shown. A story was a story – end of. He wisely chose to get married before the documentary was aired, having seen first-hand the pandemonium Tobias and Megan’s wedding had created. He had stayed at The Templar whilst Treweham village had endured the complete and utter invasion of the press. He grimaced at the thought of the intrusion. Luckily, he and Finula would enjoy their wedding day amongst family and friends without any fuss or reporters present.
‘All done,’ cried Finula with relief, sliding the cake tins into the oven.
‘Me too,’ replied Marcus, closing his laptop. He moved away from the kitchen table to stand before her. He wrapped his arms around her body, not bothering about the flour covering her apron. ‘Love you, Mrs Devlin-to-be.’
Finula felt the stubble of his jaw against her cheek and breathed in that familiar citrus smell of him. ‘You better,’ she replied.
