nicest possible way, and her respect for her children and their individuality was obvious. That each child adored their mother was also obvious, and as Cory noticed the easy relationship Catherine had with both her sons-in-law she reflected that Nick’s mother was a wise as well as loving mother.
The nibbles Nick had spoken of turned out to be a fullscale buffet at ten o’clock, and as Nick had paid for an open bar all night everyone was enjoying themselves to the full—some a little too much. But everyone was pleasant and happy and the band was excellent, and as far as Cory was concerned it was wonderful to be in Nick’s arms again on the dance floor.
She had danced with Nick’s brothers-in-law and he had danced with his sisters a couple of times, as well as his mother, but Cory noticed he hadn’t asked Margaret to dance. Margaret had stuck to their table like glue, slipping into a seat on the other side of Nick when folk had first begun to occupy the tables scattered around the dance floor.
It was around one o’clock in the morning, when Nick was having a last dance with his mother—Catherine having stated a minute or so before that she had called a taxi to take her home but that the rest of them must continue enjoying themselves—that Cory found herself in a conversation about Margaret with Jenny. Nick’s sister was standing at the buffet table idly chewing on a stick of celery when Cory joined her, with her eyes fixed on her husband and Margaret, together on the dance floor.
‘Look at her,’ Jenny said in an undertone, with the candidness that was typical of her. ‘She can’t resist trying to bewitch every man who crosses her path. Poor Rod looks scared to death. He’s not used to dancing with a praying mantis. And it was me who told him to ask her to dance, with her not having a partner. He’ll never forgive me.’
Cory couldn’t help laughing. Jenny’s husband did have a hunted expression on his face. ‘Why didn’t she bring someone? I can’t imagine she’d have any problem in finding a date.’
‘Because of Nick, of course.’ And then Jenny clapped her hand over her mouth. ‘Sorry, that was incredibly tactless.’
Cory’s stomach had done a flip but she managed to keep her voice casual. ‘No, it’s all right. I’d gathered she likes him.’
‘Likes him?’ Jenny eyed her grimly. ‘She’s like a leech at any family do but with her parents being great friends of ours Margaret’s always been around. Funnily enough, her mum and dad are really nice. You’d like them. They’re away in the Caribbean at the moment, though.’
Cory nodded. She wasn’t interested in Margaret’s parents.
‘Look, let me explain something.’ Jenny took her arm, leading her to a quiet corner. ‘Nick would kill me if he knew I was talking like this so don’t let on, but I think it’s better you should know. So you don’t get the wrong idea.’
Cory kept her face bland even as her heart sank like a stone. She wasn’t going to like this, whatever it was.
‘Margaret’s always had a thing for Nick, right from when we were all kids together. She’s Rosie’s age and with our parents all being friends she was always at our house, supposedly to play with Rosie and me but in reality to traipse after Nick and his pals. When Nick married Joanna, well…’ Jenny paused as if not knowing how to go on.
‘Margaret didn’t like it?’ Cory put in.
‘That’s putting it mildly. She was nearly eighteen when we heard Nick and Joanna had done one of these sudden registry office things but even at that age she thought she was the cat’s whiskers. I honestly don’t think it had occurred to her that Nick might not want her. Then Joanna was killed.’ Jenny shook her head. ‘It was a bad time.’
‘I can imagine.’ His shock and grief must have been terrible.
‘Nick came home for a while, more to decide where his life went from that point than anything else, but Margaret was never off the doorstep. It must have driven him mad. It certainly drove him away,’ she added bitterly.
‘That’s a shame.’ He would have needed his family desperately.
‘Then, all of a sudden, she was off to university and seeing this boy and that. I mean she really put it around,’ Jenny said darkly. ‘She got a First, went on to greater and greater things, got married, then divorced, and we all