Snow Going Back

Chapter 2

TWO

The melodic sounds of the string quartet filled the grand ballroom, where everyone was thoroughly enjoying the wedding reception, and Kate leaned back against the bar, sipping the ice-cold champagne she’d just been handed by one of the waiters.

‘It really is a fabulous wedding,’ Lance said, joining her.

‘It is,’ Kate agreed. Across the room, Rick leaned in to kiss Amy’s cheek for the hundredth time since they’d left the church, and Kate smiled fondly. ‘It’s everything she’s ever wanted. She’s always had very specific ideas.’

‘Well, of course. Doesn’t every woman have their wedding planned out in their head?’ Lance asked, tipping his head back to finish the last of his champagne.

‘Not every woman,’ Kate replied.

Lance’s eyebrows rose, and the corner of his mouth tugged upwards, but as he opened it to reply, a high-pitched indignant voice suddenly cut through the air.

‘ There you are!’

Kate turned with a resigned smile. ‘Hello, Mother.’

‘Where have you been , Katherine?’ Her mother’s expression was as indignant as her tone. ‘I’ve been looking all over for you.’

‘Right here,’ Kate replied brightly.

‘Can I get you a drink, Eleanor?’ Lance asked.

‘Oh, go on then,’ she said, immediately more cheerful. ‘I’ll have a gin and tonic, thank you, Lance.’

‘A double gin and tonic and a Laphroaig on the rocks,’ Lance said to the barman. ‘Have I mentioned how lovely you look today, Eleanor?’

Eleanor preened and patted her salt-and-pepper pinned-up curls. ‘Well, thank you, Lance. You are a good boy. And you’re looking dashing as always, of course. Grey suits you, dear.’ She eyed Kate’s dress, her smile morphing into a look of disapproval. ‘Though it’s not a colour that suits everyone . I really don’t know why Amy put you girls in grey, too.’

‘It’s silver,’ Kate replied, ignoring the insult. She was too used to her mother’s critical and unfiltered opinions on her general appearance for it to be a surprise. ‘Where’s Dad, anyway? You haven’t left him alone, have you?’ She looked around hopefully.

‘He’s fine, and it’s grey ,’ Eleanor replied. ‘You can dress it up all you want, but silver is simply grey with a shimmer, darling.’ She tutted. ‘I don’t understand why she didn’t pick a nice bright colour. She knows you’re too pale to wear grey.’

‘It’s silver,’ Kate repeated flatly. ‘And that’s the colour theme, as you know.’

Kate eyed her glass, wishing she’d gone for something stronger than champagne. Her mother was a dish best paired with something like whisky or vodka.

‘Well, I think she looks fantastic,’ Lance stated, handing Eleanor her gin.

‘Oh, don’t get me wrong , Lance. She can look fantastic, of course, in so many colours. In fact, almost any other colour. Just not grey.’ Eleanor shook her head again, looking at Kate with sympathy. ‘It’s like she wanted you to look washed out.’

‘Thank you,’ Kate replied wryly.

‘Well…’ Eleanor gave her a conspiratorial look. ‘Perhaps that was exactly what she was thinking. You have always been prettier than her.’

‘Mum!’ Kate exclaimed. ‘Would you keep your voice down . What a thing to say – and at her wedding!’ She double-checked no one else had heard and exhaled a long, stressed breath.

‘ What ? You are.’ Eleanor shrugged. ‘And no one wants to be outshined by a bridesmaid.’ She caught Kate’s look of disapproval. ‘Oh, don’t give me that look, you’ll be just the same when it comes to your wedding. You wait.’ A devilish smile spread across her face. ‘You should have seen what I did to your aunt Helen and Jenny.’

Kate frowned warily. ‘What did you do to them?’ The only picture she’d seen from her parents’ wedding was of the two of them.

Eleanor’s eyes twinkled. ‘I had their dresses made up from your grandmother’s old curtains. Brown and orange swirls. They looked awful . Big flowers along the neckline and full puffed sleeves.’ She giggled naughtily, and Kate couldn’t help but grin.

‘You’re terrible,’ she accused wryly. ‘Aunt Helen would have been so happy for you, too.’

‘Oh, she was fine.’ Eleanor waved her hand dismissively. ‘As was Jenny. They both made me wear hideous creations at theirs. As Amy has done to you…’ She gestured towards the elegant silver slip dress that, until ten minutes ago, Kate had rather liked. ‘It’s a time-honoured tradition.’

Kate sipped her champagne, bored of the subject, and looked across the ballroom, wondering once more where her father had gone. He was probably quietly enjoying the peaceful respite from her mother somewhere, she supposed.

‘When will we be cooking up plans for bridesmaids dresses, anyway, Katherine?’ Eleanor asked, arching an eyebrow with a sideways look at Lance. ‘I’m not a young woman, you know, Lance. I can’t wait forever to become a grandmother.’

Kate’s eyes widened in mortified shock. ‘ Mother !’

Lance choked on his whisky and coughed, thumping his chest as he put his drink back down on the bar.

‘I’m only speaking the truth. Nearly all of my friends have grandchildren now, and some of them are a lot younger than me. And you’re not exactly a spring chicken either anymore, you know, Katherine,’ Eleanor continued, ignoring her daughter’s horrified expression. ‘She’s thirty-five, Lance. Nearing the winter of her childbearing years. And you’ll want to be married awhile before starting a family?—’

‘OK, that’s enough ,’ Kate snapped, feeling angry and embarrassed. ‘Firstly, I’m not in the winter of anything, thank you very much. Secondly, and more importantly, we’re here to celebrate Amy and Rick, so I suggest we all get back to that .’ She glared at Eleanor warningly.

Eleanor, however, was not backing down. ‘I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, Katherine. You’ve been busy with your career, and I’m very proud of how much you’ve achieved. I’m just pointing out that?—’

‘Eleanor.’ Lance stepped between them as Kate opened her mouth, cutting them both off. ‘I’m sure I just saw Hilary Lane follow Henry outside.’

‘ What ? Where ?’ Eleanor’s eyes flew wide and she swivelled around.

‘Yes, I think – I think it was her. I might be wrong,’ Lance continued.

Eleanor grasped his arm. ‘Come, you must show me where they went. I knew that hussy had eyes on my Henry…’

Lance squeezed Kate’s hand and led Eleanor off on a well-timed wild goose chase, defusing the situation with expert precision. Hilary Lane was a friend of Amy’s mother who’d been widowed a few years before, and who Eleanor had firmly, and completely unfairly, decided was now trying to steal all their husbands. She was also currently on holiday, in Aruba.

Kate silently seethed as she watched them leave. Eleanor had always bulldozed her way into Kate’s private affairs with all the grace of a rhino and intentionally blind to any normal boundaries, but to bring up something like that in front of Lance was way over the line. She and Lance weren’t anywhere near the point of discussing weddings or children. They were still just dating – they didn’t even live together! They’d met just over a year ago at one of Rick’s parties that she’d attended with Amy. She’d been drawn in by his charismatic charm and interesting conversation, and they’d ended up talking all night until the weak rays of early morning light had rudely interrupted. Upon realising the time, Lance had invited her out for breakfast, and they’d been dating ever since.

It had been a refreshingly easy relationship to slip into. Although they worked in different fields, both she and Lance were lawyers, which meant they understood how hectic life could get. They spent weekends together and grabbed the odd date night in the week, and totally understood each other’s need for space when a case became all-consuming. Their setup worked perfectly for them both.

Amy sidled up with a knowing look. ‘The last time I saw you throw daggers at your mother’s back like that was the time she made us miss the school disco to help out at that charity festival.’

Kate laughed at the memory. ‘I’d forgotten all about that.’

‘ I hadn’t ,’ Amy replied. ‘I’d planned to declare my undying love to Kevin Barker that night and he ended up copping off with Cheryl McCall instead. I was heartbroken.’

‘It was probably for the best. I bet he’s really ugly or in prison now,’ Kate joked.

‘Actually, he’s drop-dead gorgeous, owns a string of hotels and lives in Tuscany,’ Amy replied, sipping her champagne.

‘ Really ?’ Kate asked, surprised.

‘Yes. But he’s also married to a six-foot Italian called Antonio, so you’re right, it probably was for the best,’ Amy told her. ‘Anyway, what’s Eleanor done this time?’

Kate sighed irritably. ‘She basically outright asked Lance when he’s going to marry me and get me pregnant, like I’m about to hit my expiration date and fall to the shelf of barren old maids!’ She shook her head. ‘It was so inappropriate.’

Amy’s jaw dropped. ‘Wow. And you didn’t strangle her to death with the strap of your handbag right there and then?’ She blew out a long breath. ‘Well, I applaud you.’ She patted her on the back. ‘Seriously, well done.’

Kate laughed and linked her arm through Amy’s, pulling her away from the bar. ‘Come on – let’s dance. We’re here to celebrate your wedding, not plot the early demise of my excruciatingly embarrassing mother.’

‘Who says we can’t do both?’ Amy replied.

Kate laughed again, but there was an edge to her tone, and she threw a dark look towards the door Lance and Eleanor had disappeared through. ‘Don’t tempt me…’