Page 2 of Snow Going Back

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 suitseveryone. 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’sgrey,’ 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. Sheknowsyou’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 mewrong, Lance. Shecanlook fantastic, of course, in so many colours. In fact, almostanyother colour. Just not grey.’ Eleanor shook her head again, looking at Kate with sympathy. ‘It’s like shewantedyou to look washed out.’

‘Thank you,’ Kate replied wryly.

‘Well…’ Eleanor gave her a conspiratorial look. ‘Perhaps that wasexactlywhat she was thinking. Youhavealways been prettier than her.’

‘Mum!’ Kate exclaimed. ‘Would youkeep 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 bejustthe same when it comes toyourwedding. 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. ‘Whatdidyou 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 lookedawful. 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 wearhideouscreations 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.

‘Whenwillwe be cooking up plans for bridesmaids dresses, anyway, Katherine?’ Eleanor asked, arching an eyebrow with asideways 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. Andyou’renot 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’senough,’ Kate snapped, feeling angry and embarrassed. ‘Firstly, I’m not in thewinterofanything,thank you very much. Secondly, and more importantly, we’re here to celebrate Amy and Rick, so I suggest we all get back tothat.’ She glared at Eleanor warningly.

Eleanor, however, was not backing down. ‘I’m not saying it’s abadthing, 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’msureI just saw Hilary Lane follow Henry outside.’

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

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

Eleanor grasped his arm. ‘Come, you must show me where they went. Iknewthat 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 beenwidowed 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 hadalwaysbulldozed 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 anywherenearthe point of discussing weddings or children. They were still just dating – they didn’t evenlivetogether! 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.’

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