‘She’s right,’ Thomasina said, ‘which means we should also discount these two here. Try the blue, and if that’s no good I’ll raid the children’s section and see what we’ve got.’
The children’s section? Every time Amy thought RomFest couldn’t hammer her self-respect any harder, she discovered she was wrong.
She pulled the sky-blue gown over her head and prayed for it to a) fit, and b) not look terrible. It was made of a floaty georgette silk– a lighter-than-air sort of fabric that slipped easily through her fingers and seemed designed to make the wearer’s movements look more graceful. The empire waist was dressed with a strip of simple cream lace, as were the edges of its short, slightly puffed sleeves. It had a low, square neckline that strongly hinted at a more impressive bosom than Amy had ever previously suspected she could boast– but the elegance of the dress undercut her fear of looking like one of the ‘ladies of the night’ from Philippa’s books.
‘Oh mylife,’ Nisha said when Amy emerged from the fitting room. She flapped her hands at her face. ‘I think I’m going to cry!’
Amy reddened. ‘Calm down, Nish, we’re not choosing my wedding gown here.’
‘Oh! I wish you were,’ Pearl said dreamily. ‘I think it would make Uncle Sam very happy to marry you. And you look so beautiful.’
‘You do look lovely,’ Meg concurred, neatly ignoring this reference to her older brother so as not to prompt more gushing. ‘That’s the one, Amy. It makes your eyes bluer than I’ve ever seen them. It’s stunning.’
A short while later, Amy had selected a pair of dancing shoes, a simple necklace of seed pearls and– at Nisha’s insistence– a headdress. She’d point-blank refused anything involving feathers or flowers, opting instead for a band with cream ribbon that could be woven artfully through an updo.
‘I’lldo your hair on the day, Amy,’ Nisha announced, evidently not prepared to trust Amy with such a vitally important task.
‘Good,’ Amy said. ‘I’m useless at anything other than putting a wave in it with the GHDs.’
Thomasina rang up Amy’s bill. ‘I told you we’d sort you out,’ she said smugly. ‘You’ll look wonderful. Send me some photos, would you?’
Grateful for her help, Amy promised she would– and that she’d make sure the shop was tagged in some social media posts.
The four of them arrived back in Rowton tired but a little giddy after their adventure. They headed to Meg’s tiny two-up, two-down cottage and hunkered down in front of the TV with cold glasses of orange cordial. It was already past Pearl’s usual dinner time, so Nisha ordered a pile of pizzas and sides from the Italian in the next village. Before long, they were tucking into huge slices of quattro formaggi, chunks of fried courgette and breaded mozzarella sticks with Pearl’s latest Disney obsession,Turning Red, on the TV.
To Amy’s amusement, Pearl fell asleep before the end of the movie– her head resting on Nisha, who had also drifted off.
‘Bless her. It’s been a busy day,’ Meg cooed.
‘It has. She’s a lovely kid, Meg,’ said Amy.
Meg laughed under her breath. ‘I meant Nish.’
Amy stifled a hoot, realising this was the first time in days she’d felt so light.
‘She’s lovely, too,’ Amy said, smiling. ‘An absolute force, but lovely.’
‘I hoped I’d get a chance to say this away from eager ears,’ Meg said, suddenly conspiratorial, ‘so I’ll take this one. I’m sorry Pearl was so … indiscreet earlier. About Sam. I hope it didn’t make you uncomfortable.’
‘No more so than I was already,’ Amy sighed.
Meg nodded. ‘I gather there’s been some argument. Worse than usual?’ She arched an eyebrow, and Amy knew she was trying to add levity to a conversation that already felt fraught.
‘There were some harsh words, some home truths …’ Amy pressed her fingertips to her forehead and groaned. ‘I think I’ve misunderstood a lot of things over the past few months– not to mention back when we were teenagers.’
‘I always believed that something had happened between you that summer,’ Meg said, in a way that made clear she wasn’t digging for gossip. ‘He never said anything, but it was obvious even though I was so much younger. He was devastated when Hari died, but losing you as well … His heart was broken, I think. My parents insisted he go travelling– pull himself together, get a fresh perspective … It was a disaster. He ended up in a Thai hospital with alcohol poisoning. He was seriously unwell.’
‘Oh my God,’ Amy breathed. Her heart contracted painfully at the thought of Sam so sick and so far from home. ‘I had no idea.’
‘Why would you?’ Meg said kindly. ‘I don’t really know why I’m telling you all this, except it seems to me there’s something between you even now. He’s been different these past few months– more alive than I’ve seen him in a long while, as well as more prone to tearing his own hair out. And Pearl isneverwrong, especially not when it comes to her Uncle Sam. If she thinks he’s in love with you, there’s a very decent chance it’s true.’
‘Oh, Meg,’ Amy said, her chest suddenly heavy and her eyes prickling with tears. ‘I’ve fucked up so badly. Made so many mistakes– assumed I knew all I needed to about what he was doing and why without ever justaskinghim. And I know what my problem is: if I’d asked questions, straight up, it would have seemed as if I cared about the answers. I’ve always been so terrified of letting that show.’ Her voice cracked and she took a breath, then swallowed back a sob.
‘Amy, I’m going to be honest here,’ Meg said. ‘I think that– for some of us at least– italreadyshows.’
‘What’s my tell?’ Amy asked, grimacing, but appreciating Meg’s attempt at humour.
‘Well. For a start there was that tussle at the bake sale. Fisticuffs on Old Rowton high street over an oat and raisin cookie? After that, I think it was all of five minutes before someone first muttered “there’s a thin line between love and hate”. Much to Simon’s dismay, naturally.’
