Lorenzo's Reward. Catherine George

Doesn’t he mind having his wedding cluttered up with your former lovers?”

      “Just one,” said Leonie tartly. “Not that Roberto was ever my lover, as you well know. Anyway, I invited the Ravellos, who own the school in Florence. And since it’s through them that I met Roberto when I was teaching there it seemed only polite to send him an invitation, too. Mind you, I never dreamed he’d accept.”

      “Jonah’s not put out?”

      “He’s all for it.”

      Jess chuckled. “You mean he’s very happy for Roberto to look on, grinding his teeth, while you take Jonah Savage for your lawful wedded husband.”

      “Exactly.” Leonie gave a wry little laugh. “Anyway, Jess, do try to smooth things over with Roberto. He’s a good friend of mine, remember, and I’m fond of him. Poor man. Women invariably chase after Roberto Forli, not run away from him.”

      CHAPTER TWO

      THE DRIVE home was long and hot, the motorway crowded with holiday traffic, and Jess felt her spirits lift when she saw the twin towers of the older Severn bridge soaring white against the blue sky. She hummed happily in tune with the car radio as she drove across the bridge, then down through Chepstow and on for the remaining miles towards home. She swept in through the gates of Friars Wood at last, gunned the car up the bends of the drive past the Stables where Adam lived, and roared past the main house to park in a crunch of gravel in her usual spot under the trees near the summerhouse at the end of the terrace.

      Jess sounded her horn, indignant when no one came rushing out of the house to greet her. Then she jumped out of the car, laughing, as six-year-old Fenella came hurtling up the garden, with a large golden retriever in panting pursuit. Leonie came following behind in more leisurely fashion, attired in shrunken vest top, khaki shorts and battered old sneakers, her bronze hair bundled up in an untidy knot.

      “You’re a very messy bride, Leo!” called Jess, hugging Fenny as she fended off Marzi, who was frisking around them in a frenzy of excitement. “Where is everyone?”

      “Adam’s driven Kate to her friend’s house to get some books,” panted Fenny, gazing, round-eyed, at Jess’s hair.

      “And Dad’s taken Mother to the hairdresser,” said Leonie. “Fenny got impatient, waiting for you, so we went off to throw a ball for the dog before he’s banished to the farm for the weekend.” She gave Jess a kiss, then stood back, grinning. “I love the hair.”

      “Do you? Really?” Jess smiled, relieved. “I suppose I should have asked your approval first. It’s your wedding. But I was tired of my girly bob. I fancied something wilder for a change.”

      “Dad will hate it,” said Leonie, laughing. “But I love the way it falls over one eye like that. Dead sexy. Come and have tea; you must be hot after the drive. Fen, shall I take Marzi’s lead?”

      “No, I can do it,” insisted the little girl.

      “You’re obviously not bothering with a hairdresser, Leo,” commented Jess, as they went into the cool house together.

      “Nope. I’ll wash the flowing locks myself, as usual. I just want to look my normal self.”

      “Which is exactly what Jonah requires, of course. Always has,” added Jess.

      Leonie nodded, her dark eyes luminous. “I know. I’m so lucky.”

      “So is Jonah,” said Jess gruffly. “Now, where’s that tea?”

      “Mother said you’d probably skip lunch,” said Leonie. “So I made you some salad, and hid some of Mother’s little mushroom tarts from Adam.”

      “And the coconut cake,” said Fenny, eyes gleaming as they fastened on the snowy confection under a glass dome. “Can I have some, Leo? Please?”

      “So what’s happening tonight?” said Jess, helping herself to salad.

      “Jonah’s having dinner with his family in Pennington tonight, at the company flat, and we’ll just have a family supper here.” Leonie cut a slice of cake for Fenny. “Roberto’s staying in Pennington too, with the Ravellos,” she said casually. “So you could ring the Chesterton tonight and have a chat with him. If you like.”

      Jess choked on a crumb of pastry, her dark eyes bright with dismay as they met her sister’s. “Must I?”

      “I thought you might like to. So that everything’s nice and friendly for tomorrow.”

      Jess’s groan was cut off by the arrival of Tom and Frances Dysart, who came hurrying in with Adam and Kate close behind them. Jess sprang up to embrace them all, and there was general laughter when her father blenched theatrically as he noticed her hair. The kitchen filled with exuberant noise as all the Dysarts began talking at once and the dog began barking in excitement in counterpoint. Jess breathed in a deep, happy sigh. She was home.

      After supper, which they ate early so that Fenny could share it with them, Adam went for a run down to the farm to hand over the dog, Kate took herself off to revise for her next exam, and Frances and Tom Dysart retired to the study for some peace and quiet while Jess admired wedding presents in Leonie’s room.

      “I hope Jonah won’t be disappointed because I’m not wearing a meringue-type wedding dress and veil and so on,” said Leonie, as she repacked a Baccarat crystal vase.

      “Of course he won’t!” said Jess with scorn. “The dress is perfect. What did you decide on for your hair in the end?”

      “I wasn’t going to wear anything at first. But when Dad mentioned a jewellery auction he was holding at Dysart’s, Jonah bid for the most amazing pair of antique earrings for a wedding present—showers of baroque pearls on tiny gold chains, with a matching brooch. I’ve sewn the brooch to a silk barrette to fasten in my hair.” Leonie took it from its nest of tissue paper and secured a tress of bronze hair back with it. “What do you think?”

      Jess eyed the result with approval. “Perfect! Now put the earrings on so I can see the full effect.”

      Leonie rummaged in a drawer, then spun round, her eyes meeting her sister’s in sudden panic. “Jess, they’re not here—Jonah took them into a jeweller in Pennington to rethread some of the pearls. And it’s Saturday night! What if he’s forgotten to collect them?” Sudden tears poured down her face, astonishing her sister. “I wanted everything to be so perfect—”

      “Hey, hey,” said Jess, dismayed.

      “Don’t get upset. Ring him now and ask him.”

      “I’m not supposed to,” sobbed Leonie. “It’s unlucky the night before the wedding!”

      “Then I will.” Jess passed her sister a bunch of tissues. “Calm down, Leo. This isn’t like you!”

      “Sorry.” Leonie blew her nose, then gave Jess a watery, radiant smile. “It must be hormones. Can you keep a secret? I haven’t told Mother, in case she’s worried about me tomorrow, in fact I haven’t told a soul yet—not even Jonah—but I found out today for sure that I’m pregnant.”

      Jess enveloped her sister in a crushing hug. “And you’re thrilled to bits, obviously. Wonderful! When are you going to give Jonah the glad news?”

      Leonie gave a wicked grin. “I thought tomorrow night, maybe? Late tomorrow night, in the honeymoon suite in our hotel in Paris. A sort of extra wedding present.”

      Jess chuckled, then reached for her sister’s cellphone. “Right, then. Let’s ring the bridegroom. You want earrings, little mother, you shall have earrings—even if Jonah has to bribe the jeweller to open up again tonight.”

      But when Jonah was questioned it seemed he’d collected them the day before and merely forgotten to hand them over. Jess gave him a laughing telling-off, and, when he was all for driving over right away, informed him that Leonie forbade him to set foot