Blue Bedroom and Other Stories by Rosamunde Pilcher Page A

her mother. She had not been back into the church since the funeral; had made a lot of excuses for missing the wedding rehearsal yesterday. “I’m the only bridesmaid, and I know what I have to do. There’s no point in my coming, and there’s so much to do here. I’ll help move furniture, and vacuum the drawing-room carpet.”
    But today—today was the wedding and there could be no excuse.
    And no excuse to stay in bed. Laurie got up, dressed, and brushed her hair, then went along to see Jane. Jane had been given breakfast in bed which, being lazy, she loved. Laurie hated breakfast in bed because she always ended up sitting on crumbs.
    She said, “Good morning, how are you feeling?” and went to give Jane a kiss, and Jane said, “I don’t know. How should I be feeling?”
    â€œNervous?”
    â€œNot nervous at all. Just cosy and comfortable and cossetted.”
    â€œIt’s a super day,” said Laurie, and pulled Teddy out from under the pillow. “Hi, Teddy,” she said to him. “Your days are numbered.”
    â€œNot at all,” said Jane, snatching him back. “There’s life in him yet. He’s got to survive to be mauled by all our children. Have a bit of toast.”
    â€œNo, you eat it. You’ve got to keep your strength up.”
    â€œYou’ve got to keep your strength up, too. You’ve got to do all the right things, like catching the bouquet when I hurl it in your direction, and being charming to the best man.”
    â€œOh, Jane. ”
    â€œWell, come on, it’s William Boscawan. Surely it isn’t impossible to be charming to William? I know you usually snarl like a wounded animal if he so much as walks into the room, but that’s your fault. He’s never been anything but civil to you.”
    â€œHe’s always treated me like a ten-year-old.”
    William Boscawan was an old bone of contention. His father was the family lawyer and William had joined the firm some five years ago, and so had returned to live and work in the neighbourhood. And not only to live and work, but also to break the heart of every girl in the county. He had even had a small fling with Jane until he had lost her affections, permanently, to Andrew Latham, but this had made no difference to his friendship with Andrew, and when the wedding arrangements were made, nobody was surprised when Andrew announced that William was to be his best man.
    â€œI can’t think why you don’t like him.”
    â€œI like him all right. There’s nothing wrong with him. It’s just that he’s so smooth.”
    â€œHe’s not a bit smooth. He’s sweet.”
    â€œI mean … oh, you know what I mean. That car, and that boat, and all those girls batting their eyelashes every time his glance swivels their way.”
    â€œYou’re being very mean. He can’t help it if girls fall in love with him.”
    â€œI’d like him better if he wasn’t quite so successful.”
    â€œThat’s just a sort of inverted sour-grapery. Just because other people like him, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t like him too.”
    â€œI’ve told you, I don’t dislike him. I mean, there’s nothing about him to dislike. I just wish sometimes he’d get spots on his face, or have a blow-out in that fast car of his, or fall in the water when he’s sailing.”
    â€œYou’re impossible. You’ll end up with some old academic bore with glasses like the bottoms of bottles.”
    â€œYes, those are the sort of men I go round with all the time.”
    They glared at each other, and then started to laugh. Jane said, “I give up. Your aggressions have defeated me.”
    â€œJust as well,” said Laurie. “Now, I’m going down to have some breakfast.” She made for the door, but as she opened it, Jane said “Laurie” in quite a different tone of voice,