Read Online An Enormously English Monsoon Wedding by Christina Jones - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Christina Jones
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be wearing a Nehru suit. And that’s as far as I’m going too.’
Thank goodness for that, Erin thought, wishing that her future parents-in-law would shut up about the bloody wedding. Surely there was nothing left to say?
The gods – of whatever religion – were smiling on her.
Deena glanced at her watch. ‘Tavish, it’s getting late – we’re not even going to have time for coffee. We really ought to be going. I have a client at three-thirty.’
Oh, goody, Erin thought.
Deena ran a beauty parlour and therapy centre. She was absolutely ace at head massages and eyebrow threading and fitting elaborately decorated acrylic nails.
‘And I’m in surgery, and Erin has to be back at work, too,’ Jay said. ‘No, put your wallet away, Dad. It’s all taken care of. This is our treat.’
Some treat, Erin thought darkly, managing to stretch her lips into a charming daughter-in-law-to-be beam at the same time.
Tavish scraped up the last drops of his Jersey cream. ‘Thank you both, then. It’s been lovely. And it’s hopefully answered all your mother’s questions and put her mind at rest.’
Judging by the way Deena snorted and snatched at her Radley bag as she stood up, Erin reckoned Tavish was going to get both barrels of thwarted fury all the way back home. She hoped Nalisha had her iPod to plug in and drown out the worst of the barrage.
‘Not entirely,’ Deena said. ‘But it has at least given me some idea of what’s needed before September. So much to do, so little time. Now, darlings, we’ll have to fly. Thank you for a lovely lunch and we’ll be in touch very soon.’
Can’t wait, Erin thoughtdarkly, as they thanked the Swan’s staff, and trailed out of the dining room.
Nalisha, her arm now linked snakily through Jay’s, turned every male head in the restaurant.
Outside in the car park, the early afternoon sun broiled relentlessly in the cloudless sky and the Swan’s shady dining room and tastefully hidden air con was very quickly a thing of the past.
Nalisha hugged Erin, then moved away and kissed Jay. Erin tried not to look, or listen as they laughed together.
Be grown up, she told herself. Nalisha will be whizzing up the motorway in a few moments and you won’t have to see her again for weeks.
‘Bye then.’ Nalisha beamed at Erin. ‘It’s been lovely to meet you.’
‘And you.’ Erin smiled fixedly as Jay helped Deena ease herself into the Mercedes and held the door open for Nalisha.
Nalisha paused and smiled secretively at Erin. ‘I’m so pleased we’re going to be friends. And don’t forget what I said. Leave Deena to me.’
‘I will – thank you.’ Erin wondered just why she’d worried about Nalisha who was clearly a very nice woman indeed and simply an old friend of Jay’s and no threat whatsoever.
‘Oh!’ Nalisha smiled suddenly. ‘Your sandals, Erin! I hadn’t noticed them before. How sweet.’
Erin looked down at her pale-blue, slender-strapped sandals and laughed. ‘Thank you. I’ve been practising – rather unsuccessfully – walking in heels before the wedding.’
‘Oh, I love them.’ Nalisha continued to smile. ‘It’s amazing how well the cheap shoe shops can copy the designers these days, isn’t it? I had an original pair of those a couple of seasons ago when they were fashionable.’
Erin’s mouth was still openas Nalisha slid herself into the Mercedes.
‘Well,’ Jay said, waving as Tavish started to drive away. ‘That wasn’t too bad, was it?’
Was he
mad
? Hadn’t he
heard
?
‘And it was fabulous to see Nalisha again.’ Jay, clearly unaware of Erin holding herself tightly in check, slid his hand down her arm and stroked her fingers. ‘I’m sorry it went a bit astray. But no one can spoil our wedding day, Erin. No one. Not even my mother.’
‘What?’ Erin was still smarting. ‘Possibly not, but she’s having a damn good try.’
‘She means well. Honestly.’
‘Mmmm. Maybe. And what about Nalisha?’
Nalisha the
Thank goodness for that, Erin thought, wishing that her future parents-in-law would shut up about the bloody wedding. Surely there was nothing left to say?
The gods – of whatever religion – were smiling on her.
Deena glanced at her watch. ‘Tavish, it’s getting late – we’re not even going to have time for coffee. We really ought to be going. I have a client at three-thirty.’
Oh, goody, Erin thought.
Deena ran a beauty parlour and therapy centre. She was absolutely ace at head massages and eyebrow threading and fitting elaborately decorated acrylic nails.
‘And I’m in surgery, and Erin has to be back at work, too,’ Jay said. ‘No, put your wallet away, Dad. It’s all taken care of. This is our treat.’
Some treat, Erin thought darkly, managing to stretch her lips into a charming daughter-in-law-to-be beam at the same time.
Tavish scraped up the last drops of his Jersey cream. ‘Thank you both, then. It’s been lovely. And it’s hopefully answered all your mother’s questions and put her mind at rest.’
Judging by the way Deena snorted and snatched at her Radley bag as she stood up, Erin reckoned Tavish was going to get both barrels of thwarted fury all the way back home. She hoped Nalisha had her iPod to plug in and drown out the worst of the barrage.
‘Not entirely,’ Deena said. ‘But it has at least given me some idea of what’s needed before September. So much to do, so little time. Now, darlings, we’ll have to fly. Thank you for a lovely lunch and we’ll be in touch very soon.’
Can’t wait, Erin thoughtdarkly, as they thanked the Swan’s staff, and trailed out of the dining room.
Nalisha, her arm now linked snakily through Jay’s, turned every male head in the restaurant.
Outside in the car park, the early afternoon sun broiled relentlessly in the cloudless sky and the Swan’s shady dining room and tastefully hidden air con was very quickly a thing of the past.
Nalisha hugged Erin, then moved away and kissed Jay. Erin tried not to look, or listen as they laughed together.
Be grown up, she told herself. Nalisha will be whizzing up the motorway in a few moments and you won’t have to see her again for weeks.
‘Bye then.’ Nalisha beamed at Erin. ‘It’s been lovely to meet you.’
‘And you.’ Erin smiled fixedly as Jay helped Deena ease herself into the Mercedes and held the door open for Nalisha.
Nalisha paused and smiled secretively at Erin. ‘I’m so pleased we’re going to be friends. And don’t forget what I said. Leave Deena to me.’
‘I will – thank you.’ Erin wondered just why she’d worried about Nalisha who was clearly a very nice woman indeed and simply an old friend of Jay’s and no threat whatsoever.
‘Oh!’ Nalisha smiled suddenly. ‘Your sandals, Erin! I hadn’t noticed them before. How sweet.’
Erin looked down at her pale-blue, slender-strapped sandals and laughed. ‘Thank you. I’ve been practising – rather unsuccessfully – walking in heels before the wedding.’
‘Oh, I love them.’ Nalisha continued to smile. ‘It’s amazing how well the cheap shoe shops can copy the designers these days, isn’t it? I had an original pair of those a couple of seasons ago when they were fashionable.’
Erin’s mouth was still openas Nalisha slid herself into the Mercedes.
‘Well,’ Jay said, waving as Tavish started to drive away. ‘That wasn’t too bad, was it?’
Was he
mad
? Hadn’t he
heard
?
‘And it was fabulous to see Nalisha again.’ Jay, clearly unaware of Erin holding herself tightly in check, slid his hand down her arm and stroked her fingers. ‘I’m sorry it went a bit astray. But no one can spoil our wedding day, Erin. No one. Not even my mother.’
‘What?’ Erin was still smarting. ‘Possibly not, but she’s having a damn good try.’
‘She means well. Honestly.’
‘Mmmm. Maybe. And what about Nalisha?’
Nalisha the
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