Behind Every Cloud (65 page)

“
I
’
m so sorry, so sorry,
”
he said,
still avoiding her eyes.

“
David, what are you talking about?
What
’
s happened?
”
she said, not caring that she was almost shrieking.

“
Well, you
’
ll have to agree that things have been terrible between us lately,
”
he said, looking at her finally.
“
And I now realise that I love someone else. I
’
m sorry.
”

She looked at him stupefied.
“
Who?
”
she asked, wondering how and when this could have happened.

“
This is so difficult for me,
”
he replied, wringing his ha
nds.
“
It
’
s Sandrine,
”
he whispered, so low that she could
hardly hear him.

“
Sandrine? My sister Sandrine?
”
She stared at him disbelievingly, her mouth open.

“
Yes. I
’
m so sorry. I feel terrible about it but that
’
s how it is and it wouldn
’
t be right to marry you when I feel like that. It would have been a terrible mistake. I hope you can forgive me.
”

“
What
does Sandrine have to say about this?
”
she asked, starting to feel angry.

“
Well, she says she
’
s loved me for quite a while,
”
he mumbled sheepishly.

“
My own sister! How could you?
”
she cried.
“
And how could she do this to me?
”

“
I know it
’
s terrible but these things happen.
”

“
I can
’
t believe it. So, I take it our wedding is off?
”

The neighbouring couple were goggle
-
eyed and not even trying to hide their interest in the conversation any
more. Ellie didn
’
t care about them but David was very uncomfortable and shifting in his seat.

“
I
’
m sorry,
”
he repeated yet again.
“
You have to admit that it
’
s as much your fault as mine.
”

“
Don
’
t give me that shit!
”
She had raised her voice again and now other people nearby were looking on.
“
That
’
s because you
’
ve changed so much since you started working for that bloody company. In fact, I
’
m beginning to think that you didn
’
t really want to get married in the first place. Well, I hope my bloody sister makes you happy. You deserve each other.
”
And with as much dignity as she could muster, she got up and
,
with her head held high, marched out of the pub leaving David embarrassed and the other customers open-mouthed.

She couldn
’
t believe it! What had just happened? All her future plans had been blown sky-high. No wedding, no David. And to think it was her own sister who had betrayed her. She felt utterly deceived but somewhere in the back of her mind she remembered that she hadn
’
t wanted to come home to him but would happily have stayed on in Bordeaux.

Confused and upset
,
she walked along the seafront trying to make sense of it all. She realised that what upset her most was the fact that it was Sandrine he was leaving her for. But that wasn
’
t right. She should have been devastated that the man she was about to marry had left her, regardless of who he was leaving her for.

Her mind was a muddle. She needed to think clearly. She couldn
’
t go home as her mother would know something was wrong and she didn
’
t feel like she could discuss it with her quite yet. Somehow she found herself on Sam
’
s doorstep.

“
Ellie, what a surprise . . .
”
He broke off, seeing the look on her face.
“
What
’
s wrong? Come in.
”
He ushered her inside.
“
You look like you could do with a drink
.”
He poured her a glass of wine from a bottle that was open on the coffee table.

“
What
’
s happened?
”
he asked again, concern in his eyes.

She gulped the wine.
“
David
’
s broken it off with me
.”

“
He
’
s what?
”

“
Yes, he
’
s in love with someone else.
”
She took another
large swig out of the glass.
“
My sister, Sandrine.
”

“
Is he crazy?
”
Sam cried
,
jumping up and pacing the room.
“
Are you serious?
”

“
Deadly,
”
she replied
,
nodding her head.
“
Still, I suppose it
’
s better that I found out now than after the wedding
.”
Suddenly the reality hit her and she started to cry.

“
Don
’
t cry. He isn
’
t worth it,
”
Sam said, sitting down beside her on the sofa
. “
He
’
s a right little shit!
”

“
I know
!”
she bawled
. “
I could have taken it if he
’
d said that he was having doubts about it, like I am, but to be leaving me for my sister
!”

He handed her a pristine white handkerchief and she
wiped her eyes and blew her nose loudly in it.
“
Oh, sorry. I
’
ll wash it and bring it back to you,
”
she said apologetically.

“
Never mind! You know
,
Ellie, after what you told me in Bordeaux I was
beginning to think that David was not the right man for you anyway and I think you would have come to that conclusion too, sooner or later
.
I think you
’
ve had a lucky escape.
”

“
Do you really think so?
”
she asked
,
as he refilled their glasses
.

“
Absolutely!
”

“
I suppose if I
’
m honest it
’
s the fact that it
’
s my sister that hurts more than anything. She
’
s always wanted everything I had.
”

“
Well, they deserve one another.
”

“
That
’
s what I told him as I got up and left.
”
Ellie giggled at the thought.

“
Think about it this way. Now that he
’
s the one to break it off
,
you won
’
t have to.
”

Ellie was feeling much better. Sam was right, she thought
,
as she threw back her wine.
She would not have been happy living the life David wanted. In a way it was a relief.

“
This calls for a celebration,
”
Sam exclaimed, leaving the room.

He returned brandishing a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket and two glasses.
“
Only the best,
”
he said, showing her the label.
“
Krug!
”
He poured two glasses and handed her one.

“
To my lucky escape!
”
she said, smiling as she raised her glass to him.

“
I
’
ll drink to that.
”
Sam smiled at her.

“
Oh Sam, what would I do without you? Here was I thinking it was the end of the world but now I realise it
’
s the start of a new one. You
’
re right, he
’
s an asshole and I
’
m better off without him.
”

“
You
’
re worth much more than that, Ellie,
and never forget it!
”

“
It
’
s true what you
’
re always saying
,”
she smiled at him.
“
There is a silver lining behind every cloud.
”

When Marie-Noelle heard that David had called off the wedding because of Sandrine she almost had a fit.

“
I don
’
t believe it,
”
she cried, appalled at what Ellie was saying.
“
I
’
ll kill her!
”

“
No
,
Mum, don
’
t be angry. In fact she did me a favour. David was wrong for me – I know that now.
Sam helped me to see it.
”

“
Sam?
”
her mother asked
,
surprised.
“
What has Sam got to do with it?
”

Ellie blushed.
“
Well, I called around to him after David gave me the news.
”

“
You called around to Sam?
”

“
Yes.
”
She felt embarrassed now.
“
Yeah, well, I didn
’
t really want to face you straight away and Sam and I had a long chat in Bordeaux about my relationship with David. Then tonight, after David
’
s announcement
,
I found myself on Sam
’
s doorstep without realising it. Sorry.
”

“
That
’
s okay.
”

“
Anyway, he
’
s made me see that I
’
ve had a lucky escape. David and I were not right for each other.
”

“
You
’
re certain about that?
”

“
Absolutely!
So no wedding, I
’
m afraid. I guess you
’
d better call Bridal Heaven and see if you can get your money back for my wedding dress.
”

Ellie was feeling pretty rotten about that.

Marie-Noelle was relieved but hated to think of all the work Ellie had put into organising the wedding, now gone to waste. It was a shame but without doubt it was all for the best. Much better that than ending up married to the wrong man
.

73

Ronan went down to Blessington the following Sunday to find Fiona in exuberant form.
He was amazed at how much Oisín had grown. He was almost three
months
old now and was smiling and gurgling at everyone he met. He was sleeping through the night now too, Fiona explained, which meant she was much less tired than before. She had also lost weight and Ronan could see that she had a terrific figure. He
’
d only ever known her pregnant.