Behind Every Cloud (64 page)

Ellie had never had such a good time. Sam was a wonderful companion and they laughed a lot together. He was very impressed with how she handled the producers. He was pleased that he
’
d suggested she stay on with him as his PA. She was certainly an asset to the business.

Their last stop was at the famous winery,
Château Lynch-Bages which Sam informed her was his favourite Bordeaux wine. When she tasted it, she was not in the least surprised. It felt like silk and velvet on her palate. The owner, Jean-Michel
,
gave them a tasting of vintages from as far back as 1982. It was the most magical afternoon Ellie had ever spent. He was as charmed by her as the other producers and invited them to dinner at the château that night.

“
We
’
d love to stay but unfortunately I am driving back to the city tonight and I know if I start drinking your wonderful wine, I will not be able to resist it,
”
Sam declined graciously
.

“
This has been a fantastic day,
”
Ellie said, as they drove back to Bordeaux
. “
Honestly, I don
’
t think I
’
ve ever been happier.
”

“
There
’
s a lovely bistro I know, quite close to the city. Do you fancy stopping off for a bite to eat there?
”

“
You had me at
‘
bistro
’,”
she grinned.

He
’
d noticed that Ellie hadn
’
t called David all day. This was surprising. Most girls he knew seemed to have their phones practically glued to their ear or otherwise were constantly texting, which infuriated him. Not Ellie.

“
I
’
ll go on ahead if you want to call your fiancé
,”
Sam suggested as they arrived at the restaurant.
“
They don
’
t allow mobile phones in here
,
I
’
m afraid
.”

“
Oh no, I don
’
t have to ring him,
”
she replied
.

A cloud had passed over her face
as she spoke and Sam noticed it. He had no time to question her further as the patron of the bistro came to greet Sam like an old friend
.
He showed them to a table and brought them the blackboard menu and a bottle of wine
which he told them came from his brother
’
s winery.

“
With my compliments,
”
he said as
he
opened it. He poured the wine for them and Sam told him that they would eat whatever he recommended.

“
Excellent!
”
the owner replied, rubbing his hands together. He hurried off to prepare something special for them.

“
Santé
,”
Sam toasted her.

“
Thank you for the most fabulous day ever,
”
she smiled at him, raising her glass too.
“
I feel like I
’
m in a dream and I don
’
t want to wake up.
”

He heard the emotion in her voice.
“
Is everything okay between you and David
?”
he asked, looking at her with raised eyebrows as he waited for a reply.

She hesitated and took a sip from her glass.
“
Well, I don
’
t know. Things have not been very good between us lately. I feel very disloyal saying this but honestly, I seem to be much happier when I
’
m not with him than when I am. Does that sound awful?
”

“
Well, it doesn
’
t exactly sound like a recipe for a happy marriage,
”
he said, his voice gentle.

“
It
’
s just that David has changed so much since I met him, even just since we got engaged.
”

“
Yes, well, relationships are never easy,
”
Sam observed
.

“
I feel like we
’
ve become . . .
disconnected. Do you know what I mean?
”

Sam was worried now.
“
Don
’
t you think you should sort this out with him before you walk down the aisle?
”

“
That
’
s the problem! Everything is organised for the wedding. I can
’
t back out now. It
’
s too late.
”

Sam put his glass down and took hers from her and put it on the table. Leaning towards her, he took her hands in his.
“
Ellie, listen to me. It
’
s never too late. This is the most important decision you
’
ll ever make in your life and it has to be the right one. If not
,
you
’
ll be miserable for the rest of it.
”

She looked at him, tears in her eyes, not wanting to hear what he was saying.

She was aware of the urgency in his voice. She took her hands from his and reached for her drink, spluttering as she took too large a mouthful.

He sat back in his chair and took his glass up, taking a good sip from it.

His voice was quieter as he continued.
“
I
’
ve seen my parents live in an unhappy marriage and I wouldn
’
t wish it on anyone.
”

“
Why didn
’
t they divorce?
”

“
Because my mother is too concerned with appearances.
All she cares about
is what other people think. I
’
ve told her many times that it
’
s not important but she won
’
t listen.
”
His voice was bitter as he spoke.

“
You don
’
t get on with her, do you?
”

“
Not at all! We
’
ve always had a problem relating to one another. We
’
re too different, I suppose. I don
’
t give a damn what people think. She thinks I
’
m a social misfit and I think she
’
s shallow. I
’
m
more like my father, minus the bottom-pinching and womanising, of course.
”

Ellie laughed.
“
Thank God for that.
”

“
Seriously, Ellie, please say you won
’
t go ahead with this wedding until you
’
ve sorted things out with David.
”

“
I
’
ll talk to him, I promise.
”

The waiter arrived with their first course, much to her relief. She didn
’
t want to think of David right now. They enjoyed the fabulous food with no more mention of her fiancé. Sam drove her back to the hotel and was sad to see her go. He invited Ellie and her mother out to lunch the following day, which was to be their last
.

Tired and happy
,
Ellie gathered up her bag and shrug as she opened the car door.
“
Goodnight, Sam.
”

“
’
Night, Ellie. Sleep well!
”

“
Thanks for a brilliant day,
”
she said
,
as she leaned forward and kissed his cheek. Then she was gone.

The following day, Sam
collected them and took them out to Arcachon, on the coast, where Ellie tasted oysters for the first time. To her surprise they were delicious. They were lunching at a beachside restaurant.

“
I wish I could stay here forever,
”
Ellie sighed.

“
What about David? Aren
’
t you longing to get home to him?
”
her mother asked.

Ellie didn
’
t reply but Marie-Noelle caught the glance that passed between her and Sam. Oh, God
,
she thought,
I wonder if anything has happened between them.

When Ellie left the table to go to the restrooms, she pounced on Sam.

“
Has anything happened that I should know about?
”
she asked nervously.

“
Not at all,
”
Sam assured her, his eyes twinkling with merriment that she should have thought that.
“
But I did have a chat with Ellie.
”

“
And?
”

“
Well, it seems that she and David have lately become
. . .
disconnected, was the word she used. I did advise her to sit down and sort things out with him before it
’
s too late.
”
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
“
I do think it
’
s hitting her that there will be a life with David after the wedding and she may be having doubts about that.
”

Marie-Noelle sighed.
“
Well, we
’
ll have to wait and see. I
’
ll have a long chat with her when we get home. Thanks
,
Sam.
”
She patted his hand as Ellie came back to the table.

72

Ellie thought David was acting strangely. He hadn
’
t called her since Sunday which was unusual in itself and his texts were very brief and strange. Was he still annoyed with her that she
’
d chosen Bordeaux over his ball? She wondered if perhaps he
’
d had a miserable night as he hadn
’
t mentioned it once. But then she realised that it couldn
’
t have been that because Sandrine had texted her at 3 a.m. on Sunday to say they
’
d had a fabulous time. Ah well, no doubt she
’
d find out soon enough.

She sighed as the plane came in to land at Dublin airport. She half expected David to be there to meet her but he wasn
’
t.

He rang her shortly afterwards.

“
Hi, you
’
re home,
”
he said tersely.
“
Did you have a good time?
”

“
Wonderful,
”
she replied
,
trying not to be too enthusiastic.

“
Ellie, we need to talk. Can you meet me in The Yacht in twenty minutes?
”

She was taken aback.
“
Yeah, sure,
”
she agreed, wondering what was going on. He usually c
alled for her at home. This was weird.

He was sitting in a corner waiting for her. The minute she saw his face she knew something was wrong. Fear gripped her. She hoped nothing had happened to either of his parents.

“
What is it, David? What
’
s wrong?
”
she asked
,
sitting down opposite him.

“
Ellie, I don
’
t know how to tell you this.
”
He avoided her eyes as he spoke.

“
Oh God, what is it, David? Just tell me!
”
she cried, fearing the worst.

“
I
’
m afraid I can
’
t marry you
!”
he blurted out.

“
What?
”
she asked
,
confused.
“
What are you talking about?
”
She knew her voice had risen a couple of notches and that the couple at a neighbouring table had stopped their own conversation and were eavesdropping on them
.