Читать книгу Lady E - Jeanette Walker - Страница 4

HER WEDDING CEREMONY had been planned to take place in just over a week.

Last night she had driven for three hours from her home in the Brisbane suburb of Aspley. Staying overnight in a motel at Hervey Bay enabled her to catch the 8am flight north to Lady Elliot Island.

Running away? Perhaps.

But in the last few days her family had all received the clear message from her that she would not now, or ever, marry her childhood sweetheart Richard Hogan.

Poor Richard, she thought, and wiping away a small tear, took a deep breath, composing herself before other tears had a chance to follow it.

She’d known Richard since high school, eventually drifting into a relationship that lasted four years. Four years! They became engaged, she now realized, mainly due to pressure from well-meaning family and friends. Setting a date for their wedding was the next step everyone expected them to follow. She kept asking herself why she’d let things go on as long as they did.

Now, thinking back, her mother and Richard’s mother planned first the engagement party, then the wedding. Then Richard’s mother in particular, continually bought her items to put away for their home. Sheets, pillows, crockery, cutlery – you name it! – Jillian was given it all. It became too difficult not to think they wouldn’t just get married and settle down to a ‘normal’ routine.

Now everything was cancelled. She’d survived protests thrown at her from all directions. Well-meaning friends told her it was just pre-marriage nerves causing the upset. She ignored them all, knowing in her heart that she’d done the right thing.

She now shuddered at the thought of waking every day, going to work, saving to buy the perfect house together in perfect suburbia, and then raising the perfect family and being at home every night to welcome home the perfect husband!

There just had to be more to life than that!

Where she’d plucked up the courage to tell Richard that she couldn’t marry him, she still wasn’t sure. What she did know was he looked extremely relieved when she told him. They’d parted on good terms and he’d hugged her and wished her well when she returned his lovely diamond engagement ring. She absent-mindedly touched the vacant space on her left ring-finger.

It was at one of their pre-wedding parties where she introduced Richard to a work friend. Rebecca. Before turning away to talk to another guest, Jillian noticed Richard take hold of Rebecca’s hand to shake, and hold on far longer than necessary. As she watched, he smiled deep into Rebecca’s eyes before his eyes wandered lower.

Feeling slightly jealous, Jillian had escaped to the kitchen as jarring realization hit her! Richard had never looked at her the way he was now looking at Rebecca!

From that moment, she spent several days of soul-searching, trying to analyze her true feelings for Richard, and on all counts came up with empty answers.