THE BRIDE FOR HIRE
The weddings off! declared Emily over supper, leaving her parents speechless.
Her mother nearly choked on her shepherds pie, caught off-guard by her daughters revelation.
Emily! Have you lost your senses? The dress is bought, the rings are polishedyour fathers put down the deposit for the pub, and your Daniels been waiting for this wedding like a drought waits for rain Emmy, please tell me youre joking, her mother pleaded, voice brittle with worry.
No, Mum. No jokes. Charles and I are leaving for London soon. Its all settled now, said Emily, her tone final as a period.
London? Everythings strange there! Foreign faces, foreign streets, no one to help if you get into a pinch. Dont be daft, love. Charles has swept your mind away, hasnt he? Hes probably married already, with kids in every borough. Hes twice your age! Your Daniel has loved you since he was knee-high to a grasshopper. Hes family, dear. Dont hurt loveaccount must always be paid, her mother begged, wringing the hem of the tea towel.
Ill answer for myself, dont fret, Emily assured, her resolve unshaken.
A fortnight later, Emily and Charles were rumbling down the M1 toward London.
Since her girlhood, Emily dreamt of peeking behind the curtains of another life. Shed learnt perfect French in school, conquered English accents, and was tackling Spanishjust in case fate fancied sending her further afield. Shed worked as a translator for a travel agency after university. There, at a soggy dinner for visiting guests, she first met Charles. Escorting him to gallery after gallery, shed become the object of his focus.
Emily was easy to talk to and always carried laughter tucked into the corners of her smile. Her youth was her charm: herself just twenty-three, Charles with lines of forty-six years on his hands. At first, Emily had been dismissive of his advances. She never imagined hed ask for her hand in marriage within a week of meeting. She never told Charles she was days away from marrying Daniel, her sweetheart.
Her mind tangled in confusionwhat now? Few girls get the chance to marry an Englishman from London! How could she let it slip? Love for Charles was absent, but a new life beckoned: joyous, sparkling, wild. Shed owe her thanks to Charles and thought that would sufficedidnt young wives always make older gents happy? Daniel would suffer, but time would mend him; he was young. Hed find his own golden thread.
So Emily told Daniel everything by phone. Stunned, Daniel wished his almost-bride happiness, packed his broken heart, and fell into a months-long, beer-soaked rut.
Emily and Charles landed on the patchwork of London. Happiness nearly strangled her; she could hardly believe her daydreams had strolled into waking life. She wanted to wrap her arms around the city, anxious that her bird of luck might fly off if she wasnt careful.
Charles took his bride-to-be to a sprawling old house in Richmond. The rest of the household greeted her: two grown sons, Hugh and Evan. (In time, Emily would marry Evan and find bottomless joy with him.) Out from her own room strutted Charless ex-wife, Margareta smartly turned-out, sharply critical woman.
She flared up at once.
Lost the plot, have you, Charlie? Whos this lass? Whereve you dragged her from? Shes not moving in, is she? Margarets voice sharpened, then soared.
Yes, shell live here. Dont forget, Margaret, I own this house. Emily is soon to be my wife. Dont make her life hard, Charles replieda mix of apology and plea in his tone.
The atmosphere left Emily uneasy. This family, broken as it was, still lived together under the grandest roof shed ever seen. It became evident that Margaret held everyone on the tightest leash. But already, Evan haunted Emilys thoughtsno Daniel, stuttering through apologies on his knees after a binge. This was different. This was cosmic love, clear and unbreakable.
Charless youngest, Evan, was twenty-four, as handsome and clever as his mother. He noticed the enigmatic newcomer brought into their lives. A charge fizzed between the two, a longing without words. Their hearts nearly trembled out of their chestswhat could be more spellbinding?
One day, Charles informed Emily theyd have to delay the wedding, offering no explanations. She acceded, not planning to return home anyway. She was given a charming attic room (the house duly obliged), while relations with Charles remained kindly and innocent. Margaret, for her part, ignored Emily with a dogged coldness.
Three months passed. Emily and Evan had become friends, and Evan confided the tangled truth about his family. Charles, he said, was still hopelessly lovestruck by his ex-wife, and she by himbut a monstrous argument had ripped their marriage apart. With no peace in sight, Charles hatched a plan to win Margaret back by jealousy; he would parade a new fiancée. Emily, unwittingly, was the perfect candidate. When peace was restored, shed be sent on her merry way, with a ticket home and a box of shortbread.
Emily, upon learning this, let out a wild, helpless laugh.
So thats what I ama bride for hire! After I ran off and left my own wedding Evan, what should I do?
I cant do without you, Em! Evan blurted.
Nor I. At last, youve said it! I thought youd never dare, Emily breathed in relief.
How could I confess, seeing you as my fathers bride? I never knew about their games until Hugh told me. Lord, was I gladthe girl I loved was free!
But would you have married your father, Emily? Evan asked, searching.
Oh, Evan! From the moment I saw you, my plans tripped over themselves. Id have told your father no without a second thought, she smiled.
They hugged, familiar as kin. Emily forgave Charles and Margaretthe strange lengths people go for love! Lifes path is slippery, even with the map in hand. Lovers quarrel, but they warm the heart. In that messy tale, one truth sparkled: Emily had met Evana match sent by fate, waiting round the far side of the earth.
People chase happiness, but sometimes it lies at their very feet. Emily and Evan married before anyone could blink.
Still, Evan feared Emily might bolt for home, so he was quick to suggest they start a family. A son came first, then, after a couple of years, a daughterRosie. Evan smothered Emily and the children in gentle, unflagging care. Their home, always filled with laughter, warmed their hearts every day.
Incidentally, Charles and Margaret, enlightened by experience, reconciled in their own gentle trucehaving learned that every hurt has its day. Together, they tended their beloved grandchildren with the deepest delight.
One day, a letter thumped onto Emilys doormat. It was from her mother, worry soaking through every word: she begged Emily to visit home a spell. Emily packed, leaving her children with Granny Margaretthey were too young for such a journey.
Dark clouds hovered as Emily travelled north. Her mother opened the door in tears, and before Emily could step inside, out rushed the news:
Oh, Emily, your Daniels gone! Took his wife with himmotorbike crash, poor girls orphaned, three and a half, bless her soul! Everything went upside down.
You know, Emily, even after you left, Daniel couldnt forget you. He tried not to pinefound himself a wife, not much to look at, but she followed him around and doted on him. She gave him a daughter, and named her Emily, for you. Brightest of girlscant say whose brains shes got! Now the poor mite is left with no one but an orphanage looming. And only last week, Daniel said to me, I want to give something to your Emily. So shell never forget me. Death was already at his door. He tried to help your dad and me about the house, even when the drink had him firmly by the throat. Life always seemed out of his grasp. You and your London ways
He never managed, the poor, poor lad Her mother wept, the hem of her pinny sodden.
Emily waited and took it all in. After a pause, she tied up her answer tight and true:
He managed, Mum. Evan and I will take Daniels little Emily as our own. Thats Daniels true gift to us.
I know Evan will agree. Everything in life comes round, Mum. You know that. Now, feed me, pleaseIm starved from the journey. Id love a crisp apple or a pickled onion. Expecting mothers must eat for twoand Emily winked at her mum, mysterious and bright-eyed as a dreamer in spring.
