Page 72 of The Honeymoon Affair

‘I’m getting married!’ The words burst from him, and for a moment I don’t understand what he’s saying. Married? What is he talking about?

‘This evening a wonderful woman has made me the luckiest man in the world by agreeing to become my wife,’ he goes on. ‘And here she is – Iseult O’Connor, soon to be the new Mrs Miller, and I couldn’t be happier.’

He turns around and grabs the hand of the person standing behind him. I gasp as I recognise the girl in the green dress. She looks rather like a rabbit caught in the headlights as she stands beside him. He puts his arm around her and kisses her, and I feel my stomach flip over. It’s all I can do not to vomit on the floor.

‘Gosh,’ says Sydney, who’s still beside me. ‘I wasn’t expecting that. Were you?’

My mouth is so dry I can’t speak. I simply shake my head while keeping my eyes fixed on the two of them.

‘She’s quite young,’ observes Sydney.

Yes, she is. A lot younger than me. And therefore a hell of a lot younger than Charles. Who on earth is she? What in God’s name is he thinking? And what on earth has he told her about us?

Meanwhile, people are applauding and raising glasses to the . . . what, newly engaged couple? A few men are patting Charles on the back while the girl stands there looking embarrassed. She’s suddenly embraced by a young woman in a sequinned dress. They were together earlier. They must be friends. And Charles was obviously the one to invite them, because I haven’t a clue who they are.

I try to push my way forward, but there are too many people in the way.

‘Tell him I said congratulations,’ says Sydney, who’s heading towards the front door. ‘And I’ll be in touch about the edits.’

‘Sure.’ I hope I sound like a professional agent and not someone who feels as though she’s been kicked in the stomach. Or stabbed in the back. Or both.

I can’t believe Charles has done this to me.

Not after everything. And not in front of everyone.

Iseult

I said yes. I’m in shock at saying it, but even as the words left my mouth, I was sure I was doing the right thing. I knew deep down it wasn’t just a holiday romance. There’s something between us that I can’t even explain to myself. I know we haven’t been together long, but when he’s not with me, I feel as though something is missing. Being with him makes me feel as though I’m part of someone’s life in a way I never did with Steve. My emotions are more mature. I feel more mature too. I’ve moved on to being someone else, Iseult instead of Izzy. A woman who knows what she wants from life.

‘I love you so much,’ he said, when I accepted his proposal in the freezing garden, along with the small opal ring that he said was temporary until we could go into town and buy the one I wanted. ‘I know we were meant to be. I really do.’

‘I was afraid to be in love with you,’ I said. ‘I thought it was just a brief thing. That it didn’t really matter. That I didn’t matter.’

‘Iseult.’ He looked at me with those amazing blue eyes. ‘You matter more to me than anyone else in the world. I’m overwhelmed by how much you matter. It took me some time to realise that I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you. And I’m going inside right now to tell everyone, so this is your one and only chance to back out.’

‘Why would I do that?’ I asked. ‘I think I fell in love with you the moment I first set eyes on you.’

‘Really? When was that?’

‘When I saw you at the White Sands. Sitting all alone at your table.’

‘Don’t tell me you wanted to mother me?’

‘No.’ I grinned. ‘I wanted to fuck you.’

‘If only I’d known.’

He laughed as he took me by the hand and led me back into the house.

‘Before you make a big announcement – if you truly want to do that – please let me tell Celeste,’ I begged. ‘She’ll never forgive me if I don’t give her a heads-up.’

He shrugged, and I went looking for my best friend. She was alone in front of a sideboard laden with strawberries dipped in chocolate.

‘I’m eating far too many of these,’ she said. ‘But hey, the diet starts tomorrow.’

‘The best day for a diet to start,’ I agreed. ‘Listen, I’ve something to tell you.’

‘Shoot.’