Lizzie Marshall's Wedding (14 page)

‘I would have told them to Fu ... get lost. You’re nothing short of a saint Becky.’

‘I’m far from that. Actually, I did some horrible things. I boxed up all his things, the stuff he’d left; he only took a few things when he left.’

‘Apart from all the money you mean?’

‘Apart from that, and I drove over to their place, dumped it all on their doorstep, rang the bell and left. Even the wedding photos, in fact, every photo I ever had of him. That was mean.’

‘No it wasn’t. What happened about the money? Sorry, I’m not prying but did you sue his firm for negligence, fraud and embezzlement or something?’

‘No. I hired a solicitor but they argued that I couldn’t prove it wasn’t my signature, that Jeremy was my husband and therefore I had full knowledge, and that he’d taken the money from me after the funds had left their control. That part was true. He transferred the money to our joint account then out again to one in his own name. He did it over a period of several months and not in a lump sum, so no one ever questioned it, me included. I had a separate business account, thank God and I was so involved with my business and that account that Jeremy handled all our personal stuff. He did ask me to sign a couple of things regarding the inheritance fund and told me they were for investment and such like. I didn’t check properly. I trusted him, completely and utterly.’

‘And he took every penny?’

‘Two hundred and fifty thousand pounds and change.’

‘Two ...!’ Max almost swerved the car. ‘Sorry but sh..God. Did he leave you with anything?’

‘He left me Lily and she’s worth more to me than all the money in the world.’

Max didn’t respond.

‘I know it’s unbelievable that I had no idea and it was my fault because I never checked our bank account, but Jeremy always asked me if I needed any cash and he drew it out and gave it to me. I actually thought he was being considerate and saving me the effort. It was only during that last week that I started to worry because I got a call from the bank holding my business account. They were checking my request to transfer all the money into my joint account at another bank. The business account was in my sole name, fortunately. I said I’d made no such request so they stopped the transaction. I had to go and see them and they showed me a form with my signature on. It was only then I started to panic and check the other accounts. They were empty. I honestly thought we’d been hacked or something, you know, that someone had stolen our identities. I couldn’t get hold of Jeremy, he wasn’t answering his phone and when I called his firm, to ask about my inheritance fund they said they no longer dealt with it as I’d instructed another firm – which I hadn’t. One of the partners spoke to me and suggested I needed to speak to my husband, urgently, and said that they had fired him two days before, on suspicion of attempting to embezzle client funds. They had contacted the police.’

‘Bloody Hell! And every penny of yours had gone?’

‘All of it and a lot more besides.’

Max glanced across at her. ‘What does that mean?’

‘It means, not only did he waste all of our money, apart from the money in my business account but he also borrowed a further forty thousand pounds from various banks, credit cards and loan companies, all in joint names. I managed to reach an agreement with them all, or I thought I had, to stop the interest accruing, repay reduced amounts and in monthly instalments. I’ve spent the last five years trying to do that but it may all be to no avail.’

‘Jesus Christ Becky!’

‘I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m telling you all this. No one knows the full details apart from Jess and Susie, my solicitor, Jeremy’s parents and all the creditors of course. His firm managed to keep it out of the press and obviously, there was no prosecution.’

‘I’m glad you’ve told me. Why did you say to no avail?’

‘I got a letter on Friday saying that one of the creditors hadn’t agreed to the reduced repayment scheme. This creditor has been taken over and they are going for the full amount owed and all the interest, so they’re all saying the agreement’s void and going for the lot. With actual interest, the debts come to something in the region of sixty or seventy thousand or more and I’ve only paid off about fifteen. I’ve got about another ten to pay assuming the original agreement still stands. If it doesn’t, well, I’ll lose everything.’

‘Good God Becky!’

They travelled for a while in silence until Max pulled up outside Rosemary Cottage.

‘Listen. I know now isn’t the time because you want to be with your daughter but this is rubbish. Your solicitor is clearly useless. I’ll come back later, when Lily’s in bed and you’re going to give me all the paperwork on this and I’m going to get it sorted. We’ll make an appointment to see my solicitor. Don’t argue. I was a banker remember? Oh sh.. I mean, no wonder you took an instant dislike to me. You must really hate the banks. I remember you called me “an arrogant London banker”.’

‘I did and I’m so sorry about that. I had no right to take it out on you. And, I shouldn’t really hate the banks, it isn’t really their fault. They didn’t know Jeremy was a lying, cheating, thief. But I can’t ask you to get involved in this, it’s a real nightmare, I can assure you. You’ve got better things to occupy your time.’

‘Not until I can see you again I haven’t and you didn’t ask, I offered. I can help Becky, trust me, I know how the banks work and I will sort this out for you. What I don’t know or can’t sort, my solicitor will. He’s one of the best in the City.’

‘But ... I can’t afford –’

‘Oh for heaven’s sake Becky, forget about that. I know this is difficult for you and I know you may feel you hardly know me, although, after last night, I think you know me a lot better than most people.’ He smiled. ‘Now, come on, the sooner we do this the sooner you can stop worrying about it and it must have been one hell of a worry if you’ve been struggling to pay all that money back over the last five years with the prospect of another few years to go.’

He turned round to see Lily. She was fast asleep and her head was lolling to one side, her bear clutched firmly in her little hand.

Becky turned round too and their eyes met.

‘The carefree innocence of childhood,’ he said. ‘You open the door and I’ll bring her in and her bag.’

He got out and gently lifted Lily into his right arm, then grabbed her bag with his left hand. She let out a little sigh and nuzzled up against him. He realised he couldn’t remember ever picking up a child before, although he thought he must have, at some stage. Some of his friends had kids.

She smelt of soap and he had the most bizarre and overwhelming urge to protect this little girl from any and all harm. Stupid, he knew and yet he couldn’t deny he felt it, just like he couldn’t deny that, the more he got to know about Becky, the more he realised, he would find it very hard to leave.

‘Can you put her on the sofa please? I don’t want to take her to her room. Having been away for so long I don’t want her to wake up and feel disorientated.’

Max put her down gently and covered her with the throw resting on the sofa back.

Becky watched him, surprised and yet not, by his thoughtfulness. She realised she had totally misjudged him when she’d met him on Saturday morning and it struck her that people are so often not what we think. But she also knew how easy it was for people to deceive.

She had thought Jeremy was considerate and caring, although his mood swings had troubled her from early on; she just chose to ignore them. When he proposed, she had doubts but she’d come to depend on him and, apart from Jess and Susie, she had no one to turn to. She thought she loved him but, more importantly, she thought he loved her. He promised to protect her and take care of her and at the time, she had really needed someone to do that.

Almost as soon as they married, he changed. His moods got worse and she had wondered, more often than she cared to admit, whether Jeremy had, in fact just married her for her inheritance. He knew about it because he worked for the firm handling her parents’ estate; he also knew it became hers on her twenty-fifth birthday, the year they married.

Max could turn out to be the same, she realised. He wasn’t after her money – she didn’t have any now – but he wanted her and he could, if it suited him, she thought, lie and cheat to get what he wanted. Yet there was something about him that made her feel safe. She’d told him more about herself in the last twenty-four hours than she’d told most people who’d known her all her life and he hadn’t judged her or belittled her but he had taken control, and that did remind her of Jeremy. The similarity ended there, as Max’s next words proved.

‘Okay, as she’s asleep, do you want to dig out the papers now? I can take them with me or read them here, whichever you’d prefer. Naturally, I won’t do anything without asking you first but I would like to see if I know anyone at the banks involved and to chat it over with my solicitor, if that’s okay with you. I’ll tell you exactly what he says – or we can phone him together, if you’d prefer. He’ll be in the office now.’

‘No ... in case Lily wakes up, I’d rather she doesn’t hear it. I know she’s young and wouldn’t understand but children pick up much more than we think. I’ll get them and you can read them here or take them, I don’t mind either way.’

Max nodded. ‘Shall I make some tea?’

‘Oh, sorry. Yes please, if you don’t mind.’

‘Don’t be sorry Becky. It’s not a problem. Come here.’ He walked towards her and she met him halfway. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and kissed the top of her head then he let her go, smiled at her and went to the kitchen to make the tea.

Becky found the papers with ease; she kept them all together in a large box. She picked it up and carried it to the kitchen, placing it on the counter. ‘Are you sure you don’t want to reconsider? There are a lot of papers.’

He turned and glanced at the box, raising his eyebrows in mock surprise. ‘I needed something to read.’

She went to him and put her arms around his waist, tilting her face up to his. ‘Lily’s clearly a better judge of character than I am. You really are a nice man, aren’t you? How will I ever be able to thank you for all this?’

A wicked smile spread across his lips and he pulled her tighter to him. ‘The same way you did this morning, only, not right now, of course. I’ll accept delayed thanks.’

‘And, will you take instalments?’

‘I’ll take anything I can get.’

He kissed her tenderly, a long, slow, gentle kiss that seemed to touch her heart and soothe her soul.

When they finally stopped, Becky saw Lily standing by the kitchen door, watching them. She had one finger in her mouth and was holding her bear in her other hand. ‘Lily!’ Becky pulled herself away from Max. She hadn’t wanted her daughter to see this.

‘Was the nice man kissing you, Mummy? Like they do on the telly?’

‘Um!’

‘Yes,’ Max said in a gentle tone, before Becky could think of anything to say. ‘Your Mummy and I like one another. Do you mind me kissing her?’

Becky looked horrified but Lily tilted her head to one side then shook her abundant curls and smiled. ‘No. It’s nice of you to kiss Mummy. Nobody kisses her ‘cept me. Do you like it?’

‘Yes, I like it very much.’

‘Do you like it Mummy?’

Becky was stunned. Max had handled Lily’s question truthfully and simply, whereas she would have made up some silly excuse, effectively lying to her child. ‘Yes, Lily, I like it very much.’

Lily nodded several times as if she agreed. ‘May I go and play with my dolls?’

‘Of course you may darling. Would you like something to drink?’

‘No thank you.’ She smiled at Max. ‘You may kiss Mummy again, if you like.’

‘Thank you Lily, I will.’

Lily turned and skipped off to her room, humming a tune.

‘Definitely five going on fifteen,’ Max said. ‘Now, as I have your daughter’s permission, where were we?’

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Max left fifteen minutes later, taking the box of papers with him and saying he’d call. When the phone rang an hour later, Becky thought it might be him. She saw the number on caller display and recognised it as the number Margaret had given her, for Lizzie.

‘Hi, Becky, this is Lizzie Marshall, is this a convenient time to have a quick chat?’

She sounded nice, Becky thought. ‘Hi Lizzie, yes, it’s fine. I’m looking forward to working with you on your wedding.’

‘Me too. Margaret says you are very experienced so I’m open to your suggestions but I just want a small wedding, nothing too fancy, despite the fact that Max and Margaret are footing the bill and have no doubt told you, to spare no expense.’ She giggled.

‘Um, actually yes, they have.’

‘I knew it. They are such lovely, generous people. Have you known them long?’

This question took her a little by surprise. ‘Um. No. In fact, I only met Mrs ... I mean, Margaret on Monday and Max on Saturday but they both seem very nice.’

‘Oh, they are. Now, Margaret also says your two best friends own a hairdressers and a Bridal shop, is that true?’

‘Yes, Jess owns “Prime Cuts Too” and Susie owns “Beckleston Bridal Belles”. I can highly recommend them both, not just because they’re my friends but because they are true professionals and both very talented. Susie designs and makes many of the wedding and bridesmaids dresses herself. The men’s formal wear is standard, either for sale or hire. She sells everything you could want and has an online store as well as a website, showing her designs. If you give me your email, I can send you their details if you like?’

‘That would be great. Is there a local florist too?’

‘Yes, “Stephanie’s Stems”, I’ll send you Stephanie’s details as well.’

‘Excellent. I’m hoping to get down in a month or so, when the weather improves so we can all meet up then, if that’s convenient but in the meantime, shall I just email you my thoughts and you can let me know what you think and any ideas you may have.’

‘That would be great.’

They exchanged details and said their goodbyes and Becky rejoined her daughter. She’d been playing with her dolls and interestingly, the male doll with the blond hair had been renamed Max and the female doll with the brown hair, Mummy. Becky wasn’t totally convinced she wanted to play this game but as it seemed to involve lots of drinking tea and kissing, it wasn’t too bad.