Everyone turned to them when Prentice dragged Isabella to the group and then fixed her to his side again with a strong arm at her waist.
“Are we ready?” he asked.
“Daddy, are you wearing lipstick?” Sally asked in return, her voice high and disbelieving, her face agog.
Fergus coughed into his hand.
Annie started giggling.
Clarissa beamed.
Jennifer stared.
Patty and Hannah started shuffling, ducking their grinning faces.
Isabella closed her eyes tight.
When she opened them, Prentice was casually wiping her lipstick from his mouth with a handkerchief.
When he’d completed this task, he tilted his head down to look at her and grinned before he whispered, “You might want to fix your lips, baby.”
Then he bent low, touched his lips to hers in front of everybody (including Sally!), left her swaying and entered the church.
* * * * *
Fiona
Fiona really wished she could get drunk.
Sure, it was lovely watching Annie and Dougal say, “I do”.
Bella had cried, Clarissa had cried, Old Lady Kilbride had cried, hell, there was barely a dry eye in the house even amongst the men. Even Sally had burst into tears, just for the sake of not being left out at which Bella had handed her and Annie’s bouquets to the next bridesmaid in line and picked Sally up, right in front of the congregation, cuddling her close as Sally sobbed baffled tears.
Fiona had also cried.
Hell, if you didn’t cry, you’d have to have a heart of stone.
Then they all went to the reception and in front of all and sundry, Prentice had pulled Isabella away while she was in the act of gracefully entering the Rolls.
With everyone watching in stunned, avid silence, he whirled her around and manhandled her into his Range Rover with Sally alternately skipping and dancing behind them, swinging her empty flower girl basket. Jason had followed slowly, a knowing but happy smirk on his face.
At the reception, Prentice glued Bella to his side. If she even considered making a run for it, Fiona would have sworn he’d have tackled her and wrestled her to his 4x4 and driven off into the sunset (after he’d ordered Jason and Sally into the car, of course).
He didn’t only glue her to his side, he made a public statement (but Fiona reckoned this statement was mostly directed at Bella) by being openly affectionate toward her in a way that could in no way be misread.
Annie looked delighted. It was the wedding gift she wanted above all, that was plain to see.
Dougal, at first, looked concerned. Then, as Prentice glared at the villagers, practically daring them to be mean to Bella so he could take them out (he’d even raised his brows at Hattie Fennick when she was approaching them, a nasty look on her face, but she read Prentice’s challenge, visibly paled and then switched directions at the last minute) Dougal started to become amused. Then he approached his friend, clapped him on the back and gave a surprised Bella a genuine, hearty hug.
Fergus and Clarissa were both obviously gleeful. As was Old Lady Kilbride.
And Mikey was practically crowing.
Some of the villagers seemed wary but most of them went with the flow.
It was only Bella who seemed to swing between puzzled and alarmed. The only time she seemed sure of herself was when she was with Jason or Sally (which went a long way at helping the villagers to decide to go with the flow).
And Fiona didn’t get it.