“Perhaps,” Saskia said, but allowed herself to be distracted by Eva re-appearing with another friend that she wanted them to meet. And so the early afternoon progressed, Toto having the time of his life with all the new people to see and scents to sniff, Kivi steering Saskia around by the arm she had firmly clamped in hers. If anyone thought it was odd for a guest house proprietor to link arms with a guest, they didn’t say anything, and by the time two o’clock came, Saskia was actually feeling quite relaxed.
Over the course of the last half-an-hour, she had become aware of an increasing number of women with turquoise T-shirts populating the crowd, and now they were gathered on the stage. Making their way over, she spotted Jean among them by the vibrancy of their purple hair, organising them into three long rows. Then they went over to a piano, at which a statuesque auburn-haired woman was sitting, said something to her and then kissed her on the cheek. That must be Petra – Jean had mentioned their wife several times over the course of their time together the other week. Then Jean moved to the centre of the stage, and turned their back on the audience, facing the choir. They lifted their arms, Petra played a single note, and the crowd fell silent as the choir began to sing.
This was the first time Saskia had actually heard the choir in person, and almost immediately she could see why Cass and Felicia wanted them to perform at the wedding. In fact, she could see the two of theminthe choir. They were very good, moving between different genres of music with only a minutes’break between songs, from the classicalPanis Angelicusin Latin to an upbeat, poppy number, and then something-or-other in Welsh that Saskia didn’t really understand. The harmonies were exquisite, and even when some members of the audience grew tired or distracted and moved away, Saskia found herself rooted to the spot, just watching and listening. Kivi remained at her side, and when she glanced over at her between songs, seemed equally transfixed. Anastasia also joined them, standing on Saskia’s other side, but she didn’t say anything, also content to watch the singers.
One song in particular connected with her. She’d heardUnchained Melodybefore, loads of times, but not like this. Not so… tranquilly. It was partly due to the arrangement, of course, but also because of… everything. An intensely romantic song, in what proved (when Kivi wrapped her arms around her and hugged her close from behind) to be an intensely romantic moment. It was a song about love lasting despite distance and time, and Saskia knew that she didn’t want it to be her and Kivi. She couldn’t stand to be parted from her, at least not for any extended length of time. Quite big feelings to be having when they’d only been together for a week, but she felt them all the same. She felt them in her bones, with the kind of conviction she hadn’t felt for a very long time.
As the singers concluded the piece, she felt Kivi’s lips graze her neck. A dangerous thing to do in public, when their relationship was still technically private and Saskia wasn’t even out to her own family, but she couldn’t bring herself to mind. Not when that song had made her feel like this. Like she… like she was in the process offalling in lovewith Kivi.
And she was powerless to do a single thing to slow it.
Chapter Forty
Kivi
It may have been a dangerous game, to stake her claim on Saskia in public when neither of them were out about their relationship, but something about the moment was making Kivi feel reckless.
She’d been aching to touch Saskia all afternoon. There was something about her, her effortless grace and poise and charisma as Kivi introduced her to all sorts of village residents and stalwarts, that made Kivi want to wrap her arms around her and tell them all, “She’s mine.” She also looked exceedingly beautiful today, wearing a blush-pink V-necked blouse that was cutjusthigh enough to be appropriate, tucked into blue ripped jeans that poured themselves down her legs until they stopped at her stiletto-clad feet. Several men had sent approving glances, and it boiled Kivi’s blood. Never before had she felt a possessiveness on this scale, and Saskia being so bloody irresistible didn’t help either.
Combine that with music, and Kivi was screwed. Just like movies, music was a sure-fire way to connect with her heart. Especially when it was unapologetically, vomit-inducingly soppy and romantic, like this song. As the ladies on stage sung heartrendingly about being desperate for a connection with one’s lover, the three parts of the choir coming together toconclude in a final long, sustained note, Kivi tightened the grip her arms had around Saskia’s waist, uncaring of who saw them. She had to make her feelings known, even subtly. She could already tell that she was starting to fall for this spiky, secretive writer.
After the applause, the choir took a step back as one, and Jean moved to the side to let Petra and Miss Berry take centre-stage. Miss Berry wielded a microphone as if it were a weapon she would use against anybody who dared interrupt what she was about to say, while Petra seemed her usual calm and collected self. From the little she knew about the pair, Kivi would have expected them to be the other way around – but if Saskia had taught her anything over the last few weeks, it was that nobody was quite as they seemed.
“Thank you, everybody, for your attendance at our treasured annual gathering,” Miss Berry said into the microphone. At the first syllable of her words, the playground hushed, everyone turning their attention to the headmistress. “It’s wonderful to see you all here. As you may recall, I was absent from last year’s summer fete, and since last year’s Christmas bazaar was cancelled due to the snow, this means that I am addressing you all now for the first time in two years.”
Saskia shifted, and for a horrible second, Kivi thought she was moving away from her. But then she felt Saskia’s hand on her leg. Her hip. Pulling her closer, in what was almost an equally possessive gesture. She lost her breath, and nearly missed the next thing that Miss Berry said. How could she listen, when Saskia had just given her unspoken permission toclaimher…?
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your patience over the last year as I adjusted back into my role as headteacher, following my car accident last spring. I could not have asked for a better team to keep the school going. And Icould not have asked for a better deputy to step into my shoes while I was away. Petra – thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Now Petra stepped forward, and Kivi noticed she was holding a microphone too. This was a first. Aside from last year, Petra never spoke at these events. “I echo your sentiments. Notjustthe bit about me being an awesome deputy…” The crowd chuckled. “But about the staff. Each and every one of them were essential last year when I took over the reins, and continue to be so now. But really, I’d like to take this opportunity to thankyou,Miss Berry. I know you don’t hold with gushing words or overly long sentiments of affirmation, but I really would like everyone to know how hard you worked to get back here. Without giving too many details – it was a long hard slog, wasn’t it?”
“It was,” Miss Berry confirmed, the only hint of her embarrassment being the tight fist with which she clenched the microphone. “But I didn’t do it alone. Without the support of you, Petra, and my partner, Miss Anastasia Savchenko, it would have been even harder.”
Petra turned back to the crowd. “That is why I would like to draw everybody’s attention to Miss Berry. A fighter if ever I saw one. What do we say to three cheers for Miss Berry, everybody? Hip-hip?”
“Hooray!”
“Hip-hip?”
“Hooray!”
“Hip-hip?”
“Hooray!”
“Thank you,” Miss Berry said, still the very picture of calm. “Thank you for your kind sentiments. And now, we will leave youto enjoy the rest of the afternoon, after one final performance ofA Medley of Broadway Smash-Hits,arranged and conducted by Mx Jean Taylor.”
Miss Berry followed Petra off the stage, and the choir stepped back into position.
“It took a lot of persuading for Victoria to agree to that,” Anastasia said in a low voice.Jesus Christ, how long has she been there?“It’s the very antithesis of everything she’s comfortable with, and everything she’s stood for. But it’s a necessary step, if we’re going to reframe the public’s opinion of her. She’s fed up of being viewed as this dragonesque ice queen. She wants to be just that little bit more human. And ultimately, we want to announce…” She reached down the front of her top, and pulled out a ring, which was attached to a thin chain around her neck. “This.”
“Congratulations!” Kivi said, feeling a rush of happiness for her friend. “Oh, my goodness. When did this happen?”
“At Christmas, actually,” Anastasia said. “We’ve been keeping it very much under wraps. Until just now, she’s never even squeaked a word publicly about our relationship.”
“Why?” Saskia said, brow furrowed. “What business is it of theirs whether you’re together or not?”
“It shouldn’t be their business, but it is,” Anastasia sighed. “She’s pretty much the most well-known person in the village. It seems odd, for a village headteacher, but almost every resident has had children or grandchildren go through the school under her jurisdiction, so they’ve all encountered her. Add to that her public image, and she’s become this mythical creature who nobody dares to approach. After her accident, and after we got together, she decided that she didn’t want that any more. Hence Petra’s little…” she waved a hand, “…endeavour.”
