Rafferty's Legacy (20 page)

Teresa smiled. 'No, I'm quite all right, thank you, Mrs Ray, and thank you for the help you've given me. It's very sweet of you ...' She hesitated, not quite knowing how to put what she was thinking into words, and then went on slowly, 'I hope I don't turn out to be a disappointment to everyone. I know I'm considered an outsider,' she said quietly.

Mrs Ray's homely face broke into a beaming smile. 'That makes two of us,' she said. 'We'll keep the old home fires burning, you'll see if we don't,' she added kindly.

Teresa could have hugged her. It wasn't quite what she meant, but she had a feeling that Mrs Ray had known exactly what she was getting at, and had vanquished her fears the only way she knew how.

Her day, Teresa felt, would be made if Uncle Patrick would toe the line. She asked for nothing more, and her eyes swept over the small gathering of guests for some sign of her uncle as she made her way through the hall towards the games room. If he were there, surely he would be waiting outside the room to lead her down the aisle? Her uncle, however, was not there, but Doctor Turnbull was, dressed resplendently in top hat and tails, and his eyes twinkled as he offered her his arm. Teresa, taking it, tried not to show her disappointment at not seeing her uncle.

'Patrick's been held up,' explained the doctor, who saw through her bright smile. 'I'm deputising for him, with your consent, of course,' and at her quick nod he went on. 'I'm sure he'll explain when he gets here,' he added kindly. 'Now, are you ready?'

Teresa ought to have thought of nothing but the tall fair man, dressed immaculately in a dark pinstripe, who stood waiting for her at the end of the room, and who turned as she neared him, his eyes telling her he loved her. But a touch of sorrow had intruded where none should be, for she was convinced that her uncle had boycotted the ceremony, and she had so much wanted him to be there.

Her quietness did not go unnoticed by Carl, who drew her aside the first moment he could after they had received the congratulations of all present. `What is it, my sweet?' he asked anxiously. 'Your head's not aching, is it?'

Teresa shook her head, and in spite of her determination to appear gay she found to her horror that tears were welling up in her eyes. 'Uncle Patrick,' she said in a low voice. 'He didn't come, did he?'

Carl placed an arm round her waist and pulled her close to him. 'You're really fond of that old scallywag, aren't you?' he asked softly. 'Well, you can put your mind at rest. In a way, it's my fault.' He added quickly, seeing the look of reproach this brought from her, 'No, we haven't quarrelled again. In fact I think we'll get a lot more co-operation from him in future.'

Teresa had no time to ask him what he meant, for at that moment in walked the man himself; although Teresa tad to look twice to confirm that it was Uncle Patrick, for he wore top hat and tails, and bright polished shoes. Her wondering eyes saw him swagger, she couldn't put it any other way, down the room towards them, and Carl gave her a slight squeeze as he called, 'Someone get Mr Rafferty a glass of champagne! '

'Whist, girl! 'Tis sorry I am to have missed your nuptials. The fool of a tailor mislaid me gear, and I wasn't turning up in anything but the best,' he said as he brushed a speck of white off his sleeve. 'Sure, I'm a man of consequence now, so I am! ' He darted a quick look at Carl as if he dared to contradict him.

'Patrick,' explained Carl carefully, 'has kindly

agreed to run my transport section for me. There'll be a lot of movement from here to the northern station, and he knows those routes like the back of his hand. Means an office job, of course, but he's the right man for the job.'

'Sure, I couldn't,' boasted Uncle Patrick as he accepted the glass that had been brought to him, 'have put it better meself,' and lifted the glass up in salute to Carl and Teresa. `To the Eltons and the Raffertys ' he said solemnly, and drank their health.

Teresa's heart was full as she stood a little apart and watched her uncle and her husband in earnest discussion on the coming project, and nearly burst as she heard her uncle say, 'So this is the games room, is it? I heard Joe Spang mention it a couple of times.' His eyes roamed the room. 'He said it was a fair size,' he commented.

Carl's eyes went to Teresa as he answered with a bland expression on his face, 'Well, I'm thinking of having it extended. We're expecting a rugby team, you know! '

Later that day, when they were finally alone, Teresa had just one little bone to pick with her beloved. 'You realise, I suppose,' she remarked with a hint of reproach in her eyes, 'that nearly everyone will be of the opinion that you had to marry me? Although,' she said airily, as she ran her fingers lightly over the firm lines of his jaw, 'I don't suppose that little fact ever entered your autocratic head.'

Carl grinned, and caught her hand to his lips. `There isn't a single soul in this town,' he told her

wickedly, 'who doesn't know how I feel about you—or that I was having trouble in bringing you to heel. If anything, my sweet, you have their sympathy for arousing the passion of such a ruthless character!