“Do I?” I do a little twirl. “It’s a lovely dress, isn’t it? And it fits so well—”
“I wasn’t looking at the dress,” says Luke. His eyes meet mine with a wicked glint and I feel a flicker of pleasure. “Is Suze decent?” he adds. “I just wanted to wish her well.”
“Oh yes,” I say. “Go on in. Hey, Luke, you’ll never guess!”
I’ve been absolutely dying to tell Luke about Suze’s baby for the last two days, and now the words slip out before I can stop them.
“What?”
“She’s…” I can’t tell him, I just can’t. Suze would kill me. “She’s… got a really nice wedding dress,” I finish lamely.
“Good!” says Luke, giving me a curious look. “There’s a surprise. Well, I’ll just pop in and have a quick word. See you later.”
I cautiously make my way to Suze’s mother’s bedroom and give a gentle knock.
“Hellooo?” thunders a voice in return, and the door is flung open by Suze’s mother, Caroline. She’s about six feet tall with long rangy legs, gray hair in a knot, and a weatherbeaten face that creases into a smile when she sees me.
“Rebecca!” she booms, and looks at her watch. “Not time yet, is it?”
“Not quite!” I smile gingerly and run my eyes over her outfit of ancient navy blue sweatshirt, jodhpurs, and riding boots. She’s got an amazing figure for a woman her age. No wonder Suze is so skinny. I glance around the room, but I can’t see any telltale suit-carriers or hatboxes.
“So, um, Caroline… I was just wondering what you were planning to wear today. As mother of the bride!”
“Mother of the bride?” She stares at me. “Good God, I suppose I am. Hadn’t thought of it like that.”
“Right! So, you… haven’t got a special outfit ready?”
“Bit early to be dressing up, isn’t it?” says Caroline. “I’ll just fling something on before we go.”
“Well, why don’t I help you choose?” I say firmly, and head toward the wardrobe. I throw open the doors, preparing myself for a shock — and gape in astonishment.
This has got to be the most extraordinary collection of clothes I’ve ever seen. Riding habits, ball dresses, and thirties suits are jostling for space with Indian saris, Mexican ponchos… and an extraordinary array of tribal jewelry.
“These clothes!” I breathe.
“I know.” Caroline looks at them dismissively. “A load of old rubbish, really.”
“Old rubbish? My God, if you found any of these in a vintage shop in New York…” I pull out a pale blue satin coat edged with ribbon. “This is fantastic.”
“D’you like it?” says Caroline in surprise. “Have it.”
“I couldn’t!”
“Dear girl, I don’t want it.”
“But surely the sentimental value… I mean, your memories—”
“My memories are in here.” She taps her head. “Not in there.” She surveys the melee of clothes, then picks up a small piece of bone on a leather cord. “Now, this I’m rather fond of.”
“That?” I say, trying to summon some enthusiasm. “Well, it’s—”
“It was given to me by a Masai chief, many years ago now. We were driving at dawn to find a pride of elephants, when a chieftain flagged us down. A tribeswoman was in a fever after giving birth. We helped bring down her temperature and the tribe honored us with gifts. Have you been to the Masai Mara, Rebecca?”
“Er… no. I’ve never actually been to—”
“And this little lovely.” She picks up an embroidered purse. “I bought this at a street market in Konya. Bartered for it with my last packet of cigarettes before we trekked up the Nemrut Dagi. Have you been to Turkey?”
“No, not there, either,” I say, feeling rather inadequate. God, I feel undertraveled. I scrabble around in my mind, trying to think of somewhere I’ve been that will impress her — but it’s a pretty paltry lineup, now that I think about it. France a few times, Spain, Crete… and that’s about it. Why haven’t I been anywhere exciting? Why haven’t I been trekking round Mongolia?
I was going to go to Thailand once, come to think of it. But then I decided to go to France instead and spend the money I saved on a Lulu Guinness handbag.
“I haven’t really traveled much at all,” I admit reluctantly.
“Well, you must, dear girl!” booms Caroline. “You must broaden your horizons. Learn about life from real people. One of the dearest friends I have in the world is a Bolivian peasant woman. We ground maize together on the plains of the Llanos.”
“Wow.”
A little clock on the mantelpiece chimes the half hour, and I suddenly realize we’re not getting anywhere.
“So anyway… did you have any ideas for a wedding outfit?”
“Something warm and colorful,” says Caroline, reaching for a thick red and yellow poncho.
“Erm… I’m not so sure that would be entirely appropriate…” I push between the jackets and dresses, and suddenly see a flash of apricot silk. “Ooh! This is nice.” I haul it out — and I don’t believe it. It’s Balenciaga.
“My going-away outfit,” says Caroline reminiscently. “We traveled on the Orient Express to Venice, then explored the caves of Postojna. Do you know that region?”
“You have to wear this!” I say, my voice rising to a squeak of excitement. “You’ll look spectacular. And it’s so romantic, wearing your own going-away outfit!”
“I suppose it might be rather fun.” She holds it up against herself with red, weatherbeaten hands that make me wince every time I look at them. “That should still fit, shouldn’t it? Now, there must be a hat around here somewhere…” She puts down the suit and starts rooting around on a shelf.
“So — you must be really happy for Suze,” I say, picking up an enameled hand mirror and examining it.
“Tarquin’s a dear boy.” She turns round and taps her beaky nose confidentially. “Very well endowed.”
This is true. Tarquin is the fifteenth richest person in the country, or something. But I’m a bit surprised at Suze’s mother bringing it up.
“Well, yes…” I say. “Although I don’t suppose Suze really needs the money…”
“I’m not talking about money!” She gives me a knowing smile and suddenly I realize what she means.
“Oh!” I feel myself blushing furiously. “Right! I see!”
“All the Cleath-Stuart men are the same. They’re famous for it. Never a divorce in the family,” she adds, plonking a green felt hat on top of her head.
Gosh. I’m going to look at Tarquin a bit differently now.
It takes me a while to persuade Caroline out of the green felt hat and into a chic black cloche. As I’m walking back along the corridor toward Suze’s room, I hear some familiar voices in the hall downstairs.
“It’s common knowledge. Foot-and-mouth was caused by carrier pigeons.”
“Pigeons? You’re telling me that this huge epidemic, which has wiped out stocks of cattle across Europe, was caused by a few harmless pigeons?”
“Harmless? Graham, they’re vermin!”
Mum and Dad! I hurry to the banisters — and there they are, standing by the fireplace. Dad’s in morning dress with a top hat under his arm, and Mum’s dressed in a navy jacket, floral skirt, and bright red shoes, which don’t quite match her red hat.
“Mum?”
“Becky!”
“Mum! Dad!” I hurry down the stairs and envelop them both in a hug, breathing in the familiar scent of Yardley’s talc and Tweed.
This trip is getting more emotional by the minute. I haven’t seen my parents since they came out to visit me in New York four months ago. And even then, they only stayed for three days before going off to Florida to see the Everglades.
