His American Fling (35 page)

Campbell looked at me. “Sure you don’t want something stronger?”

“No, I’m so jet lagged, if I start drinking, they can forget about me being able to function at the rehearsal. I’ll have another orange juice.”  I looked at Ian, “Didn’t Fiona play with you in the cellar?”

Campbell answered for him, “Not really, she didn’t like it down there because she said it was cold and musty.”

“It is cold and musty. But then, it is a wine cellar.” Ian commented.

We stayed for another half hour and then drove back to the manor. Campbell told me a little bit about the village and the fact that his family owned 213 acres upon which the manor sat. Parts of the manor were rented out for weddings during the summer as a favor to Saffron Walden residents.

“My father frequently held festivals and other events at Robscott. He believed that the British should enjoy the estates that they helped support with their service and by buying various products made by the Falkirk holdings, including rubber from our plantations in Asia, coffee from our plantations in Africa, computer parts from factories in Ireland, and, hopefully soon, medical technology that will modernize mobile surgical units through the use of remote consultations and portable testing equipment, but that will depend on the two lawsuits pending in Germany and Paris."

When we arrived it was almost three o’clock, time to get ready for the events. I put on my makeup and my jewelry, combed my hair and only had my dress and shoes to go when the door swung open from the sitting room. It was Fiona.

“I just checked on Cam and he seems to be on time, how about you?”

I quickly grabbed my robe, holding it up to my body. “Fiona! It’s rude to just burst into someone’s room!”

“But, darling, it’s just me!  We don’t have anything to hide do we?”

“No, but…”

She was gorgeous, dressed in a lovely floral wrap dress that showed off her cleavage and tiny waist. Her long, oval face didn’t look so long because of her new, chin-length haircut. You couldn’t help but see that she was incredibly happy just from the perky way she floated around the room.

I was still clutching the robe. “I wasn’t as fat then.”

“You’re not
—” She grabbed my robe away from my body to make a point, but stopped in the middle of her sentence, her eyes bulging. “Oh, I see. It’s only a few pounds.”

“I’ve been stress eating because of the bar.”

“So, I understand from Campbell that you two are still on the outs.”

Here i
s where it begins, the lies, “Well, that’s what I wanted to tell you.” I ran over to my suitcase and pulled out a photo taken of me and a friend, a very handsome, but very gay friend of mine. He looked a lot like Rob Lowe. “Campbell and I are friends, but I’m head over heels in love with my old sweetheart from college, Tom Krier. I started seeing him when I returned and well, we’re very happy. We’re going to get married in a few months, as soon as I pass the bar.”

Fiona’s face fell and her eyebrows knitted together in one big knot of sadness and worry. “Oh, Mags, Campbell is going to be devastated.”

I was aggravated. “What has he got to be devastated about?” How could she be worried about Campbell when he went off and married Gemma?  “Besides, I don’t want you to say anything to anyone.”

She shook her head slightly. “Mags, your bridesmaid dress is rather tight.”

“I figure that if I hold my bouquet during the ceremony at this level, I can disguise a lot.”

“But there are photos to be taken, without bouquets.”

I collapsed on the bed. “I know, I know.  Can we get it altered?”

Fiona was too busy draping the dress around my wider butt.

“I assume that Gemma will be at the rehearsal tonight.”

Fiona gave me a face. “What would that cow be doing at my rehearsal? Isn’t it bad enough that she’ll be here tomorrow?”

“Where is she?” I asked.

“At Campbell’s in Cambridge.”

“Oh, I see.  It’s a blessing I guess, she’d probably make some snide remark and I’d have to be snide back to her.”

“Well what can she say? She’s happily married, isn’t she?”

“You’re right; she could gloat about that, couldn’t she?”

“I doubt it. She always thought you won the war, even if you didn’t get the fruits of your victory.”

“Hm!  How kind of her.” I finished dressing. 

There was a knock on the door as I zipped my dress up under my arm. Henry poked his head in, “Mags? Fi?
Are you ready? We need to get downstairs, the guests are arriving.”

I nodded quickly and slipped into my shoes, running as fast as I could for the door, “I’m ready Henry.”

Henry looked at Fiona, “Fi?  Come on darling, we need to meet the guests.”

Fiona joined us, but she gave me a look as if
she wasn’t buying my newfound boyfriend.
              I was just coming down off the stairs in the hall as Campbell started laughing over something Charles had said. They both looked up and smiled at me as I walked over to talk to them.

“Hello Charles, how have you been?” I gave him a kiss on his cheek.

“Maggie, it’s great to see you.  How are you doing?”

I smiled. “I’m doing fine. I graduated from law school and take the bar next month.”

“Oh, well congratulations! Have you been studying?”

I nodded as Campbell walked away. I spoke to Charles for another ten minutes and then we were all called into the garden where the vicar was waiting. The wedding was going to be rather large, the vendors and caterers were buzzing around as we all took our places.  Henry and Campbell, Nigel and Charles all stood waiting for us to make our way down the aisle. I was first, taking steps a little too quickly according to the wedding planner, occasionally smiling up at Henry who winked back at me.  Fiona’s two cousins followed me and then Fiona made her way down the aisle on the arm of her father, her mother sitting in the chairs that were lining the garden.

We spent another half hour going through the procedures. The bridesmaids and groomsmen were dismissed, giving us an excuse to walk up to the patio and start the frivolities. Champagne was popped, poured and knocked back.  I took a glass to be polite, but poured portions out when no one was looking.

We had a fun time joking, drinking and teasing, until we were finally joined by the wedding couple, Campbell, and Madeline, the maid of honor. Henry’s family and Fiona’s family joined us and we all went inside to the dining hall for dinner. It was glorious, not a single electrical light was on. The entire dining room was lit by the fireplace, and at least ten dozen candles. The seats were covered in white and gold silk. Throughout the room there were yellow roses, yellow mini calla lilies and creamy, fragrant stock with amethyst orchids.  The room was absolutely beautiful.

I was seated next to Henry. Campbell was sitting at the end of the table with Fiona who was in a rather animated conversation with both Campbell and her cousin, Madeline.  I loved hearing Campbell laugh again, it made me smile. Henry reached over and put his hand on mine and squeezed. 

“Mags, it’s so good to see you again. I wish you’d come back to England. Fiona really
does miss you and frequently talks about you.  I know Campbell misses you.”

“Campbell has Gemma.”

Henry burst out with a laugh. “Maggie, they hardly even talk these days. She has what she wants, so they keep their distance from each other.”

I was about to inquire about their estrangement when Henry was distracted by Charles who had been teasing Fiona. “Henry, Fiona says that if you don’t behave, she’ll run off with Campbell.”

“I guess I’ll just have to hunt them down.”

Charles shook his head, “Oh no! The best revenge when a wife runs off with another man is to let him keep her.”

There was laughter and the conversation soon turned to honeymoons and the fact that Fiona and Henry had waited so long to start a relationship. “You two are the Charles and Camilla of our circle.” Nigel pointed out.

Henry smiled at Nigel, “Ah, but I don’t remember any late night phone calls about Fiona’s panties.”

Fiona nodded. “That’s right, why haven’t you told me how much you’d like to be my panties?”

Henry smiled. “I thought it was understood.”

“Why did it take you two so long?” Lady Stratford asked. “I knew you two were meant for each other when you were children and Henry accepted responsibility for the vase I saw Fiona break.”

Fiona grinned. “I remember that! Henry saw you rush into the room looking like you were going to kill me. He jumped up yelling, “Sorry Lady Stratford, I broke the vase.  I’m sure my father will buy you a new one!””

Henry laughed. “Impertinent wasn’t I?  Expecting my father to pick up the pieces so to speak.”

Lady Stratford smiled at Henry, “I couldn’t punish her because it would mean your great sacrifice for friendship would be ruined. So you both got away with it.”

Henry looked at Fiona with the sweetest smile. “Well, love is just friendship put to music.”

The crowd raised their glasses to toast, “Hear, hear.”

The meal, salmon in béarnaise sauce, was punctuated by the occasional flash from the photographer’s camera.  Afterwards, we adjourned to the back room, about half the size of the ballroom, but with windows looking out on the garden in back.  The large carpets had been removed, the chairs were pushed back to along the sides and there was enough room to dance.  There was a disc jockey ready to play music over in the corner.  A few more friends arrived and the party began.

The older crowd retired to the large reception room, while we danced.  I was trying to stay under the radar, but it was Henry who pulled me out to the dance floor and demanded his right to dance with the bridesmaid. The music had been fast, but a slow dance started to play. 

“Oh, Henry, can I have the next dance?  Slow dances aren’t my cup of tea.”

He pulled me in. “Nonsense, Mags, I remember tha
t you’re a wonderful dancer. Maggie, don’t you miss us just a little?”

“Of course I do, Henry. You and Fiona are very important to me.”

“What about Campbell? Isn’t he important too?”

“Of course, I’ll always be grateful for my time with Campbell, but we’ve both moved on. Didn’t Fiona tell you about my fiancé?”

He stopped in the middle of the dance floor, his eyes wide, “You’re getting married?”  He said it loud enough that anyone within a ten foot radius would have heard it. I glanced around me and saw several pairs of eyes checking me out. “Fiona? Did you know our Mags is engaged?”

This was said loud enough that
everyone
heard it over the music.

“Yes, darling.” Fiona looked over at Campbell, who was staring at me. “Maggie has an announcement of her own, don’t you dear?”

There wasn’t an ounce of blood in my face. I felt slightly faint as I saw Campbell’s eyes scouring my finger for a ring. I tried to smile, but I was looking for somewhere to run as my head began to swim. 

Henry managed to hug me and, realizing that I was sinking, walked me to a chair, “There you go Mags, you seemed a little light-headed.”

“Thank you Henry.”

Henry smiled, tell me when this happened. “
My boyfriend, Tom and I are to be married in a few months after I take the bar exam.”

There were several people who came over to offer their congratulations, but when I finally looked around, I couldn’t see Campbell. He had disappeared.

I stood, wobbled a little and then walked over to Fiona. “Fiona?  Where’s Campbell?”

“He left after your announcement.”

“Where did he go?”

Fiona shrugged. “I suspect he went to have a stiff drink by himself.”

“But where?” The house was so big I had no idea where to start to look.

“I’d be willing to bet he went to his sitting room. But, Maggie, you’ve done enough damage, leave him alone.”

Her words stung me, but they rang true.  I knew I should leave him alone, not try to explain or comfort him. But, I felt like such a criminal. I nodded at Fiona, although a few minutes later I snuck out and went upstairs. I quietly entered my room, crossing it to the sitting room door. I opened the sitting room door, but didn’t turn on any lights, letting the light from the bedroom shine on my path to his sitting room door. I wasn’t sure if I should knock or just take advantage of the, ‘Mi casa es su casa’ policy he set that afternoon. I decided to open the door, doing it with the utmost care. I cracked it and could see him sitting in the easy chair, a fire in the fireplace and a drink on the table. There were no lights on, but from his silhouette I could see that he was leaned forward, his forehead in his hands.

I opened the door further and crossed the room. I wanted so much to kiss him, hold him,
and tell him the truth. But, I didn’t want to ruin his life again. I simply wanted to let him vent or ask whatever questions he had. Perhaps I just needed to talk to him, have closure.

My hand went over his back, causing him to jerk up in surprise.

“Oh Campbell, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”