Page 174 of An Unholy Affair
‘It’s so beautiful,’ she whispered.
‘You’reso beautiful,’ Estelle said firmly. ‘Jack’s going to pass out or explode when he sees you.’
Eveline smiled. She was so excited, she expected to run up the aisle towards him. ‘I feel like a princess.’
‘You’re a queen, Eveline. And a goddess. You’re just perfec—oh! I almost forgot.’
Estelle turned to the bed and pulled a slim black box out of her bag.
‘What’s that?’
‘Peace offering from Gram-Gram,’ Estelle replied, opening the lid and showing Eveline what was inside.
She gasped. ‘Oh, my…’
Estelle lifted out the diamond and pearl necklace and undid the clasp. ‘It first belonged to my great-grandmother, then Gram-Gram wore it when she married my grandfather. No bride has worn it since, as Mom and Dad eloped to Paris, and when they married Mammy, it was flower garlands and antlers all the way.’
She fastened it around Eveline’s neck. ‘This is Gram-Gram’s way of saying sorry for being such a grotty cowbag over the last couple of years.’
‘She hasn’t beenthatbad…’
Estelle looked over Eveline’s shoulder at her in the mirror and pulled a face. ‘She’s my grandmother and I love her, but come on, she’s been an absolute bi—’
‘Estelle!’
Her best friend grinned. ‘Anyway, after “he-who-shall-not-be-named” was arrested, and Gram-Gram found out he’d tried to get you sacked, she changed her tune and has even—’ Estelle broke off and went to the bed to pick up a long tulle veil.
‘Has what?’
‘You’ll find out later. It’s part of Jack’s wedding present to you.’
‘But he’s already given them to me.’
‘Huh? What are you talking about?’
‘He bought me a new boiler, new washing machine, and vacuum cleaner, as well as a tumble dryer and dishwasher.’
Estelle howled with laughter. ‘Who said romance was dead?’ She clutched her sides as she guffawed. ‘Fuck me. What is this? The nineteen-fifties?’
Eveline’s mouth twitched as she tried not to smile. ‘He actually said that they weren’t presents for me, they were essentials he needed for his day-to-day life as a house-husband, and buying them was a condition of him moving in.’
‘Oh my god,’ Estelle snorted. ‘Did he order himself a pinny as well?’
Eveline blushed, remembering that in their one-sided negotiation on white goods, Jack had offered to do housework only wearing her apron. She bit the inside of her cheek to stop a sigh from escaping. Her body ached for him. It had been nearly ten days since they’d been intimate, and she’d never been this frustrated in her life.
Estelle narrowed her eyes. ‘I donotwant to know what you’re thinking about right now, missy…’
The sigh escaped. ‘I’m so happy.’
‘And so you should be. Have you heard from the Bishop yet?’
She nodded. ‘Yesterday afternoon, I got the formal correspondence saying no further action would be taken. Jonathan also rang me to say that Simon is being stripped of his post within Saint Saviour’s.’
‘Do you have anyone who can take on his role as treasurer?’
‘Your father’s offered to do it for the time being.’
‘Dad?’ Estelle spluttered.
