A Nantucket Wedding(73)

“You asked for Coq Au Vin and they’ve signed on. And that’s it!” Heather said, clapping her hands on her lap.

Both dogs immediately sat at attention.

“Oh, sorry, sorry. Lie down, Charlie, Henry, false alarm.” Heather smiled. “They are so well trained—too well trained. David, Alison, do you have any questions?”

“I don’t,” Alison replied. “I might later, after I’ve studied all this. Heather, you are doing so much work. I’m so grateful.”

“Yes,” David said. “This is impressive. Thank you.”

Heather cleared her throat, and now she looked uncomfortable, troubled. “David, would it be possible for me to have a few moments to talk with you about…another matter?”

“Of course.”

“Would you like me to leave the room?” Alison asked, assuming Heather wanted to talk business.

“Yes,” Heather said, “well, no. I don’t know. It’s a personal matter…”

David touched Alison’s arm. “Stay.”

    “It’s about Poppy,” Heather said reluctantly.

“Ah. Why am I not surprised,” David said. “Go on.”

“Please don’t think I’m telling tales or trying to cause problems. But I need some clear direction from you. Poppy does not want me to continue with the wedding organization. She said that it’s personal, not company, business. She told me to turn all this”—Heather gestured to the folders—“over to Alison. She said it is Alison’s task. That if Alison doesn’t want to do it, or can’t do it, she should hire a wedding planner to do it, to coordinate with Brie at the Wauwinet.”

Alison took a deep breath and looked down at her hands. Next to her, David’s body had tensed.

“I see,” David said at last. “Heather, I’m sorry you got caught in the middle like this. I’m still the head of the company, and I am continuing to task you with the responsibilities for planning the wedding. I’ll talk to Poppy about this as soon as possible.”

He hadn’t shouted, but iron had entered his voice. Alison thought he must sound like this during business negotiations.

“Good. Fine. Thank you, David.”

“Thank you, Heather.”



* * *



—

Felicity was so engrossed in scanning preschool sites and organizing dinner that she didn’t check her cell until late afternoon, when a friend dropped the kids home from camp and they rushed into the backyard to play. When she saw that Jane had left several messages, her pulse quickened. Something was wrong. She called her sister.

“Jane?”

“Felicity, something’s happened to Scott. I’m at the airport. I’m going to Wales,” Jane blurted. “Well, Manchester first. Then a train to Bangor. A rescue group called me. The head of the group, I mean. They’ve found Scott’s cellphone somewhere on Mount Snowdon, but no sign of Scott. They’ve checked with his hotel and he’s not there. Derfel Aberfa told me—”

“Derfel Aberfa?”

“It’s a Welsh name. He’s the man who phoned me. He told me he’d call if he had any other information, if they found David. He hasn’t called. It’s been over six hours and he hasn’t called. Felicity, I’m so frightened.”

    Felicity could hear the fear in her sister’s voice. “Oh, Jane, this is so scary. But I’m sure Scott is okay. I’m sure he is. He’s an expert climber, you know that.”

“I do. I know. We were going to climb Mount Snowdon to prepare for climbing Mount Everest. Snowdon sounds like an easy climb, and it can be, but it’s also very tricky, fog can sweep in and block out all signs of trails, the wind can blow a person practically off a trail…”

“Jane. Jane! Listen. Do you want me to fly over and go with you?”

“Oh, Felicity, thank you.” Jane began to weep. “You’re so kind. No. No, not yet, maybe later, or maybe not. I just have to wait and see, don’t I? I mean, he is a good climber. We don’t know where he is, maybe he gave up and hiked back down and now he’s sitting in a pub having a beer and eating a sandwich.”

“But his cellphone…”

“Maybe he dropped it without noticing. That’s possible. Isn’t it? Isn’t it possible?”

“Yes, of course it’s possible. Jane, take some deep breaths for me now, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Tell me, have you eaten anything today?”

“Coffee. I’m running on coffee.”

“Eat something. Eat a doughnut. Carbs will calm you down.”

“You sound like Mother.”

“Well, I am a mother.”

Jane sobbed. “I’m not. Scott said he would divorce me so I could go have someone else’s baby.”

“Oh, Jane, no. He didn’t mean it. In the heat of the moment people say all sorts of stupid things.”

“Scott’s not like that. He’s not impulsive. He meant what he said, and that’s when I left him. But, Felicity, I love him more than I want children. I didn’t know it then, but I know it now. I wish I could make a bargain with God. If Scott is safe, I won’t ever talk about having children again.” Jane began to sob again.