The Importance of Being Married (46 page)

“Don’t be so bloody moral, Max,” Anthony said, rolling his eyes. “Money’s a perfectly good reason to get married, isn’t it, Jess?” He looked at me meaningfully. “Four million pounds, isn’t it? That’s a lot to walk away from.”

“Yes,” Ivana said loudly. “Four million pounds is very good reason to get merried. Say yes and then we cen all heff drink.”

I shook my head.

“Um, sorry, guys,” Roger said tentatively. “But I’m not sure I’m really following this.”

I looked at him for a moment, then sighed. “I was left some money in a will,” I said quietly. “Only, Grace—she was the one who left me the money—she thought I was married to Anthony. So she left the inheritance to Jessica Milton. Mrs. Jessica Milton.”

Roger rubbed his forehead. “I’m still not sure I entirely understand,” he said nervously. “Who’s Grace?”

“Grace is my friend,” I whispered. “Was my friend. She died.”

“Your friend?” Anthony looked at me contemptuously. “Grace,” he said, carefully, “was my mother. If anyone should have her house, it’s me, not Jess.”

There was a shocked silence. “She was your…your mother?” I asked, my voice faltering. “But how? I mean…what…I mean…You don’t have a mother. She died. You said she died…”

“She did,” he said, his lips thin. “To me, anyway. Cut me off without a penny, just because I hocked a few paintings for some cash. Didn’t even know she’d died until I read about her funeral. Then when you said you were going to a funeral, I thought that was rather interesting. And when Marcia spoke to your friend…”

“Mr. Taylor?” I asked breathlessly.

“Mr. Taylor,” Anthony said, nodding, “she told me about their interesting conversation and we decided that we’d help you along a bit.”

“Help me?” I said, shaking my head.

“Exactly,” Anthony said firmly, grabbing my arm tightly and making me flinch. “Look, this is a win–win situation. And I need that money. If I don’t get my hands on it pretty quickly, there are going to be creditors banging at the door. It’s mine. I’m owed it. Come on, Jess, do the right thing here. Do it.”

“I…I can’t,” I said, shaking my head. “I can’t marry you, not now. But I’ll pay you back for the wedding. I’ll take out a loan…”

“A loan?” Anthony snorted. “Jess, it’s not just the wedding I owe money for. I’m in debt up to my eyeballs.”

“The firm,” Max said levelly. “It’s in debt, too?”

Anthony sighed. “I thought it would be okay. I thought when my mother died…I thought she’d leave it all to me.” He turned to me and grabbed me. “You have to marry me,” he said bitterly, his hands tightening around my shoulders. “You have to. You owe me.”

“All right, easy does it. It doesn’t look like she wants to say
I do,
does it?” Sean said suddenly, stepping forward and trying to separate us. “Just give it up, yeah? Leave her alone.”

Anthony’s eyes widened and he let me go, turning his attention to Sean instead. “Bloody hell, it’s you, isn’t it?” he said angrily. “You’re her ex-boyfriend.” He turned back to me. “You invited Sean? You invited him to our wedding?”

I looked at him incredulously. “Yes, and
that’s
the problem here. If it weren’t for Sean, everything would be just fine, wouldn’t it, Anthony?”

“Still,” Anthony said, narrowing his eyes at my sarcasm. “No reason why I should put up with his presence.” He squared up to him. “Get out,” he said menacingly. “Just get out, before I make you.”

Sean raised an eyebrow. “What, you going to hit me again?”

Anthony nodded. “Yes. Maybe I am. Maybe I’ll just…” He pulled back his fist. But before he could do anything with it, Ivana launched herself at him, pushing him to the ground and pummeling him.

“No one punch my husband,” she said angrily as her nails headed for Anthony’s face. “No one.”

“Your…husband? But he’s Jess’s ex…,” Anthony managed to say before she landed on top of him.

“No,” I pleaded as Roger and Max did their best to separate them. “No, he’s not. He’s…he only pretended to be my ex. He isn’t really…”

“Another lie,” Max said bitterly as he managed to prize Anthony out of Ivana’s clutches. “Any more you’d like to confess to while we’re at it? Is your name really Jessica Wild, or is that a lie, too?”

“No. I mean yes. I mean…,” I said desperately. But before I could work out how to explain, the sound of more footsteps echoing toward us halted me in my tracks. When I looked up to see who it was, I felt my head roll back on my neck.

“I’m very sorry to interrupt,” a worried-looking Mr. Taylor said, rushing toward us. “I meant to come here earlier. Ended up in Scotland, I’m afraid. But I wonder if I might delay proceedings a little. I’m afraid that I need to talk to Miss Jessica Wild as a matter of some urgency.”

Roger the vicar stared at him, then at Max, then at me.

“Another matter? Or is this about Grace, too?”

“About Grace?” Mr. Taylor said curiously. “Well yes, I suppose it is.”

“I suppose you want to stop Jess from marrying this young man, too?” Roger asked weakly.

Mr. Taylor frowned. “This man?” he asked, looking at Anthony in surprise. “But this man is gay. No, I want to stop her from marrying that man,” he said, pointing at Max. “Anthony Milton.”

“I’m Anthony Milton,” Anthony said angrily. “And I’m not gay.”

“You’re not?” Mr. Taylor raised his eyebrows. “Are you sure?” He peered at Anthony. “You know,” he continued, “perhaps I can see the resemblance, after all. It’s been such a long time.”

Anthony pulled back his fist; quickly, Max restrained him.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Roger asked, “but do I take it that this marriage is off? Because if it is, perhaps I should let the congregation know.”

I nodded. “Yes. Yes, it is,” I said.

“Wait a sec,” Helen said, coming forward and grabbing my hand. “Jess, do what you have to do. But you do know that if you don’t marry him, you’ll lose everything. I mean, if you marry him, at least you’ll get fifty percent. That’s something, isn’t it?”

“No,” I said, shaking slightly. “If I don’t marry him, I’ll lose the money and the house. I know that. But if I do marry Anthony I’ll lose a lot more.” I looked at Max; for a second, he stared at me intently. Then he looked away.

“I’ve had enough of this, I’m afraid,” he said tightly. “I think it’s time I left.”

“No! Don’t! Max, let me explain,” I called after him. “Max, I only did it to protect Grace’s house. I thought…I thought…”

But my words were lost; Max didn’t turn around. He kept on walking, right out of the church.

I could feel tears pricking at my eyes, and I wiped them away distractedly. It was over, I realized. It was all over. Then I looked at Mr. Taylor and cleared my throat. “Mr. Taylor, I’m afraid I can’t accept Grace’s inheritance after all. She left her money and house to someone she thought she could trust to look after it, and I’ve proved that I’m not that person.” I felt a lump in my throat develop. “So I’m afraid I won’t be able to complete the paperwork after all. You see, I’m not Mrs. Milton. I never was. Never will be, either. I let Grace down. And I’m really sorry.”

Mr. Taylor shook his head and tutted to himself. “Oh dear,” he said. “Oh dear me, I knew this was a mistake. I knew…”

“Of course you knew,” I said in a strangled voice. “You suspected from the start, didn’t you? God, I’ve been such an idiot. I’ve been such a complete prize idiot…” I let my head fall into my hands. “This is all my fault,” I said, big fat tears beginning to roll down my face. “It’s all my stupid fault. And I’m so sorry. I’m so very sorry.”

“Actually,” Mr. Taylor said, his voice tentative, “actually, I don’t think it is your fault, Ms. Wild. I told Grace it was a bad idea, but she wouldn’t listen. She did like her little schemes, you see. She did so like to interfere…”

Chapter 32

IT TOOK A FEW SECONDS
to register what Mr. Taylor had said. Then, slowly, I lifted my head and wiped my eyes with the back of my hand.

“Grace?” I asked. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Mr. Taylor said anxiously, “I had a feeling this would not end well. I did try to warn Lady Hampton, but she wouldn’t listen.”

“Warn her about what?” Helen asked, frowning. “What wouldn’t she listen to?”

“Reason,” Mr. Taylor said, looking around vaguely.

“Would you like to sit down?” I asked, standing up and offering him my chair.

He nodded gratefully. “Thank you. I…if you don’t mind. Yes, yes, I think sitting down would be a good idea. I think…”

He lowered himself into the chair, his head shaking from side to side. Then he leaned forward and looked at me, his face crumpled and serious. “When she first heard you talking about Anthony Milton, she couldn’t help herself,” he said. “She hadn’t heard from him in years, and suddenly she could find out all about him.”

I stared at him uncertainly. “You mean he really is her son? Was, I mean?”

Mr. Taylor nodded sadly.

“So what you’re saying is that…that our friendship, everything was just…just a ruse so she could hear about Anthony?” I was frowning in disbelief.

“No, no.” Mr. Taylor shook his head. “At least it might have been at first, but not for long. She liked you. Loved you, of that I have no doubt. But at first, she was also very curious. And then, she started getting ideas. Plans. Plans that I’m afraid you allowed yourself to walk into, my dear.”

“Plans?” I asked, confused. “I don’t understand.”

“Nor do I,” Anthony said irritably. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Mr. Taylor raised an eyebrow. “Yes,” he said, looking Anthony up and down. “I can see what Grace meant about you.” He turned back to me. “She thought that if you and Anthony were to get together, you’d be a restraining influence on him. She became quite obsessed with the idea.”

“Me and Anthony?”

Mr. Taylor nodded again as I digested the news.

“So when she thought we’d gotten married?” I asked tentatively.

Mr Taylor smiled. “I’m afraid she knew you weren’t married,” he said wistfully. “The Anthony you described was just too different from the Anthony she knew. She asked me to…to check up on the situation. And I did.”

I gulped. “And you discovered…”

“That you weren’t married? Yes, I’m afraid I did. But Grace didn’t seem to mind. She saw it as a grand romantic challenge. One in which she might play Cupid.”

“So she knew?” My voice was barely audible. “She knew it was all lies?”

“Dreams, she preferred to call them,” Mr. Taylor said gently.

“Dreams that she hoped might come true with a little…encouragement. It was her dream, too, you see. That you and her son…that the two of you might be happy together.”

“You mean she left the money and house to Jess to get me to marry her?” Anthony said, shaking his head incredulously, a grin appearing on his face. “She wanted me to have it all along?”

“No. She was clear that she wanted Ms. Wild to have the money,” Mr. Taylor said, shooting a reproachful look at Anthony.

“But she assumed that Ms. Wild was in love with you. She wanted you both to be happy. And she hoped that under Ms. Wild’s influence you…you might reform your ways.”

“Really? Because that’s not the way I see it. Or how a court will see it,” Anthony said dismissively. “The money’s been left to Mrs. Milton. So whoever I marry will get the money, right? I’m going to challenge the will and I’m going to win.”

“You can have the money,” I said, my shoulders hanging heavily. “I don’t want it. I don’t deserve it.”

“Oh but you do. Mrs. Hampton wanted you to have it,” Mr. Taylor said gently.

“But…but I’m not Jessica Milton.” I faltered. “And I’m not in love with her son.”

“No, you’re not,” Mr. Taylor agreed. “Which is why there is a clause in the will stating that if Jessica Milton is, in actual fact, still Jessica Wild, then the moneys and property should pass to her anyway.”

“But that’s outrageous! That’s vindictive.” Anthony said angrily, turning on Mr. Taylor. “You blame me for trying to get what was mine early? I knew she’d stitch me up. Total cow.”

Mr. Taylor regarded him coolly. “There’s also a trust of two million pounds to go to her son, so long as he doesn’t contest the will,” he said quietly.