Finding Love at Hedgehog Hollow. Jessica Redland

shocked murmur rippled round the growing audience.

      ‘So you lied when you told me it wasn’t serious between you both.’ Her voice was loud and pitchy.

      ‘Not exactly.’

      ‘Stop lying,’ she cried, stamping her foot.

      ‘I’m not lying.’ I took a step closer to her and lowered my voice. ‘You want the truth? The truth is that it wasn’t serious between us because…’

      ‘Because what?’ she demanded when I tailed off and lowered my eyes.

      ‘Because James wasn’t serious about me,’ I muttered.

      ‘Which means you were serious about him.’

      ‘Does it matter? He’s with you. He loves you, not me. Never me.’ I could hear the desperation in my voice.

      Chloe looked at me with big, sad eyes and, for a moment, I thought she was going to hug me and maybe say sorry that I was hurting. But then she straightened up, narrowed her eyes and shook her head at me. ‘I think you should leave,’ she hissed.

      ‘What?’

      ‘You heard me. Go. Now.’ She hitched up her skirts and turned away.

      ‘Chloe!’ I dived forward and grabbed her arm but she snatched it away and spun round again.

      ‘I mean it. You’re not welcome at our wedding and, given that you’re in love with my husband, I’m not sure you’re welcome in our lives either.’

      ‘You can’t mean that.’

      ‘I can and I do. Goodbye, Samantha.’

      Picking up her skirts again, she flounced back down the corridor and into The Arundel Room, the crowd turning and following her like rats being led by the Pied Piper. Great-Aunt Agnes looked me up and down, an unmistakable sneer on her face.

      ‘What?’ I cried. ‘What did I ever do to make you hate me so much?’

      ‘Ask your father,’ she snarled, then turned and strutted away.

      Dad put his arm round me. ‘Come on. Let’s get you back to your room,’ he whispered, and I let him lead me back towards reception, the murmurs and giggles of the wedding guests becoming more muffled with each step.

      But we didn’t get far. ‘Samantha!’

      I turned to see Mum marching down the corridor towards us.

      ‘What the hell are you playing at?’ she snapped, her face flushed with anger.

      ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’

      She planted her hands on her hips and glared at me. ‘Have you heard yourself? Being in love with Chloe’s husband is hardly nothing.’

      ‘Debs, I don’t—’ Dad began.

      ‘Did I ask your opinion?’ she shouted, turning on him. ‘I should have known you’d be on her side, as always.’

      ‘It’s not about taking sides,’ Dad muttered.

      ‘No, it’s about your precious daughter being up to her usual tricks.’

      I winced. ‘What tricks?’

      ‘You’ve always been jealous of Chloe and you’ll do anything to stop her being happy. Sabotaging her wedding day is a new low, even for you.’

      ‘I love Chloe,’ I cried, astonished at Mum’s accusations. ‘I walked away from James for her.’

      ‘And now you resent her for it and you’re trying to get him back.’

      ‘I’m not.’

      ‘Could have fooled me.’ With a final filthy look at both of us, she flounced back down the corridor towards the party.

      I turned to Dad. He was staring after her, his brow furrowed, his hand rubbing the back of his neck.

      ‘Why does she hate me so much?’ I whispered, tears pooling in my eyes.

      Dad turned back to me and his expression softened. ‘She doesn’t hate you, poppet.’

      ‘We both know she does.’

      ‘Your mum is very…’ He paused as though searching for the right word. ‘Complex,’ he added eventually.

      Complex? I could think of a few other choice words for what Mum was but, right now, I had more pressing matters to deal with than yet another confrontation with her.

      Taking a deep breath and wiping at my eyes to prevent the tears from falling, I straightened up. ‘I’m going to order a taxi then get out of here. You might as well go back to the party. There’s no point in you falling out with everyone as well.’

      Dad put his arms out and pulled me into a hug. ‘I’m not going anywhere.’

      11

      Despite the hotel receptionist’s best attempts, there were no taxis available until past midnight. Dad had been drinking so he couldn’t drive me, and Hannah had already left. With limited choices, I booked a taxi for 7 a.m. so I could hopefully make my escape before anyone else arose. I’d get the driver to detour via Hedgehog Hollow so I could feed Tabby.

      Dad wanted to accompany me to my room but I was adamant that he should return to the party, reassuring him I would be fine staying watching TV. Reluctantly, he agreed, but only after I let him arrange for room service for me.

      Saying goodbye to Dad and retreating to my room, I felt confused and numb. I kept trying to put myself in Chloe’s shoes but I was struggling to comprehend her reaction. Yes, I’d lied, but it had been to make her happy. Yes, I held a torch for James, but he’d been my boyfriend for nearly a year first so she knew I cared about him. What difference did it make that I still loved him when the feelings clearly weren’t reciprocated? James and I weren’t even close friends anymore – more like acquaintances. I wasn’t any sort of threat so her reaction made no sense.

      A plate of sandwiches and savouries were delivered after thirty minutes. Despite barely eating all day, my appetite had vanished and the food remained untouched.

      An hour later, Dad checked on me. Sitting on the edge of the bed beside me, he reported that everything seemed normal, Chloe was happy being centre of attention on the dance floor, and nobody was talking about me.

      ‘I believe everything but the last point,’ I said. ‘But I won’t ask you what they’re saying. I’d rather not know.’

      ‘I’m so sorry,’ he said, squeezing my hand.

      ‘Me too.’

      ‘Do you want to talk about you and James?’

      I shook my head and sighed. ‘Not tonight, but I would like to know about Great-Aunt Agnes. What she did tonight was bang out of order.’

      ‘What do you want to know about her?’

      ‘Why does she have it in for me? She said to ask you.’

      His shoulders slumped wearily and he shook his head slowly. ‘Haven’t you had enough negativity for one evening?’

      I shrugged. ‘I can’t feel any worse than I do already.’

      Dad shifted position so he could see me better. ‘It’s not you. It’s me she hates but she’s a small-minded, bitter woman and I imagine she feels powerful taking it out on you.’ He shook his head. ‘The reason’s so stupid and I can’t believe she’s still holding it against me. I thought Bella had sorted things years ago.’

      I frowned. ‘Sorted what?’ Bella – Great-Aunt Agnes’s only child – was Mum’s cousin and they