The Bridesmaid's Wedding

Possibly, but she only wanted Rafe.

So Lainie hoped and prayed and didn’t enter into any other relationship. The worst part, she truly loved both of them. Ally and Rafe. She would have to have a talk with Ally as soon as she possibly could. Find out the lay of the land.

Tumultuous cheering broke out as Rebecca and Brod climbed into the limousine that was to take them to the airport. Everybody began to wave. Ally, hair flying, holding the little flower girl’s hand, ran once more to the car and leant in to land yet another kiss on bride and groom. “Take care, you two. Have a wonderful time! I’ll be expecting to hear from you,” Ally said.

Rebecca smiled at her and her small stepsister. “Darling little Christina! I’ll miss you. I’ll miss you both so much.”

“With me by your side?” Brod, looking unbelievably handsome in a well cut grey suit, laughed at his bride.

“You know what I mean, darling.” She leaned to kiss him, a kiss that tasted of champagne and strawberries.

“It’s a good thing I do.” Brod’s eyes left his bride’s beautiful face for a moment. “Take care, Ally. You’ll be hearing from us often. I’ve asked Rafe to keep an eye on Kimbara. When he can find the time. Ted’s a good man but it makes me happy knowing Rafe is on hand. I’m grateful to him for so many things.”

“So you should be!” Rafe, overhearing, called with affection. “Have the best time in the world, you two. Now take it away.” He signalled to the chauffeur as the bridal party threw more confetti. Fee wiped it laughingly from her own and David Westbury’s clothes then grasped the little flower girl’s hand while Rafe got an arm around Ally’s narrow waist drawing her backwards so he could shut the limousine door.

Heat like an electric charge, rushed up his arm as it came in contact with her body. Heat to his heart, to his head, to his loins. For a moment he almost despised himself with his reaction. This was like a haunting. There had to be some way to exorcise Ally. He let go of her before his whole body dissolved.

They all watched until the limousine was lost to sight then everyone began to walk back to the house, those that weren’t going on to the theatre starting to say their goodbyes although Rebecca’s father assured them they were welcome to stay as long as they liked, an offer a lot took up.

Lainie waited until the powder room cleared before she decided to conduct her own little investigation. She had to find out for sure if Ally still carried a torch for Rafe. She knew in her heart she would find it hard to come between them if they still cared for one another. Though one didn’t hear too much about grand passions any more, thank the Lord. She could talk to Ally. Woman to woman. They went back a long way. Big TV star or not, a member of one of the great pastoral families. Well, a patrician in this part of the world, Ally was very down-to-earth and friendly.

“You look wonderful, Ally. Superb,” Lainie said for starters, her large, soft, brown eyes admiring as she watched Ally make a few minor repairs to her make-up. Gosh, how did she get her eyeshadow like that? It made her slanting green eyes look like emeralds.

“Thanks, Lainie.” Ally gave her lovely smile. “It’s been such a beautiful day. A day I’ll remember with great joy. A little sadness, too.” She began to remove the decorations from a braid. They’d be too much for the theatre. Fran had removed hers, twisting her beautiful hair into a very elegant knot. Maybe she could do the same even if she couldn’t get the same result. Fran’s hair was wonderfully manageable, hers was downright difficult. Ally experimented for a moment until she became aware of Lainie’s expression. “For heaven’s sake, Lainie, why are you staring at me like that?” she asked wryly. “Has my mascara run?”

When it actually came to it, Lainie’s mouth went dry. “Sorry, pal. I apologise. I was staring, I know. You must be used to it, anyway. You’re gorgeous.”

“You’re not too bad, either,” Ally reminded her. “That dress looks wonderful on you.”

“I haven’t been able to eat to get into it,” Lainie freely admitted. “Ally, I just wanted to ask you something personal—I’d never ask if I didn’t think…I mean I’d never…”

“You want to know if Rafe and I still mean something to each other?” Ally had a shot at it.

“Right on,” Lainie sighed in relief. “Please don’t tell me if you don’t want to. I’m not a person who is ever going to be called confrontational.”

“Fairly forthright nevertheless, my girl.” Ally felt she no longer had the energy to fool around with her hair. She would have to leave it as it was. “Lainie, love,” she explained patiently, “you know as well as anyone Rafe and I are an old story.”

“But you were wonderful together.” Perversely Lainie mourned. “Mum thought you had to be nuts.”

“Unfortunately I was.” Ally looked her regret. “But that was years ago. I was younger than you are now. I thought I needed more time before I could face so much responsibility. Rafe was master of all he surveyed. We all know what the Camerons are like. I wanted to find myself, show the world what I could do.”

“Oh, I know, Ally.” Lainie was understanding. “You wanted to be like your aunty. She was very famous though you don’t hear much of her these days. But those challenges lost you Rafe.”

“You don’t have to sound pleased about it,” Ally said reproachfully.

“Oh, I’m not pleased.” Lainie’s reply was genuine and hasty. “I feel sad. Like everyone else did. We thought we were guaranteed a huge wedding on Kimbara. You might even have chosen me for a bridesmaid.”

That really shook Ally. It could have been a possibility. Now she was looking on Lainie as a possible successor.

“Are you still in love with him?” Lainie wanted everything made clear to her.

“What do you want me to say?” Ally held out a hand for Lainie to get up. It was time to go. “Rafe will always have a place in my heart. The Camerons and the Kinrosses are almost kin. We grew up together. But things happen. Rafe and I have changed. We’re different people now. I have my career. It’s no secret I’ve had movie offers.”

Ally stayed a hand as Lainie’s pretty mouth framed “What?” “Rafe is wedded to Opal Downs. Like Brod, his inheritance is his life. We’ve moved on as people.”

Lainie’s cheeks flushed as wild relief swept her. She clasped Ally’s hand tightly. “So you don’t mind if…?”

“You have my blessing, Lainie.” Ally freed herself gently from Lainie’s surprisingly strong grip. “But I should add some sisterly advice. I don’t want to see you hurt, either. Rafe has any number of women clamouring for his attention. At least four of them are probably waiting patiently for us outside the door.”

“But he was having a ball with me,” Lainie argued.

“That’s what one does at a wedding, Lainie,” Ally warned her. “Have a ball.”

Lainie considered that for a time. “You’re the only one who worried me,” she said finally. “Mum woke me up to the fact Rafe might consider me for a girlfriend.”

“So good luck, then,” Ally answered feeling she had done her best. Having a ball at a wedding didn’t add up to a romance. Or did it?

The theatre show was as brilliantly entertaining as the reviews had promised. Everyone came out of the theatre feeling a flood of warmth, smiling, humming snatches of the catchy tunes.

“You’re coming on with us to the nightclub, aren’t you, Ally?” Francesca asked as they stood amid the swirling crowd in the foyer.

Ally was long used to all the glances of recognition that came her way. In another minute someone would come up and ask for an autograph. Meanwhile she smiled at her cousin, anxious now to be off. She certainly didn’t want to see any more of Rafe with Lainie in tow. “I have to fly back to Sydney in the morning, Fran,” she explained. “I have a pretty hectic schedule next week.”

“What a pity. I’d have loved you to come.” Francesca couldn’t hide her disappointment even as she understood.

“So how are you getting home?” Grant, who was holding Francesca’s slender arm, turned his tawny head to see if he could catch sight of his brother. “Rafe is somewhere back there. Maybe he could give you a lift?”

“No, that’s okay.” Ally smiled back. She realised Grant, like her own brother, Brod, had never given up hope she and Rafe would some day be reunited. “I can catch a cab.”

“You can share ours.” Francesca didn’t like the idea of Ally’s going home on her own.

“You’re going the other way, love,” Ally reminded her.

“That doesn’t matter.” Francesca looked up to Grant for confirmation.

“Of course not.” He was more than happy to oblige. “We can drop Ally off then come back into town. Where is it, Ally? Some friend lent you their unit, didn’t they?”

Ally nodded. “Pam is holidaying on the Barrier Reef for a week. It seemed nicer than staying at a hotel. I like to be a bit anonymous.” Keep my whereabouts a secret, she thought a little grimly.

“Ah, there’s Rafe now. Rafe?” Grant called to his brother who was clearly enjoying something Lainie was saying to him.

“Be with you.” Rafe lifted a long arm, turning to shake the hand of a male guest who was moving off.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think it’s a good idea if Lainie falls in love with Rafe,” Grant announced out of the blue.

“You think she might?” Fran looked like she’d never considered it for a minute.

“I’m sure she already has,” Ally confirmed, turning to a youngster who came up with a program to be autographed.