‘You look stunning, lassie’ Betty said, watching Stevie put the finishing touches to her make-up. ‘Turn around and let me look at you.’ Stevie turned, and Betty let out a whistle.
‘You don’t look too bad yourself,’ Stevie said.
The old lady was dressed from head to foot in crimson and white silk. On anyone else, the gown would have looked rather ridiculous, but it suited Betty perfectly. Stevie wondered if she’d found it in a vintage shop or whether Betty had bought it new at some time during the last century. She suspected the latter.
The red skirt was full, pleated and floor length, while the bodice was white with capped three-quarter sleeves and a modest neckline, which Betty had covered with several strings of gigantic pearls. She had draped a red silk scarf over her head, and she looked every inch an elegant Hollywood film star from the 1940s. Betty was even wearing a matching shade of lipstick.
The carpet slippers on her feet spoiled the effect a little, but Stevie hoped the dress was long enough so no one would notice.
Stevie was wearing a deep midnight sheath dress, with a halter neck and a ruffled skirt. It hugged her curves yet floated around her feet as though she was walking on air.
She’d fallen in love with it the minute she’d seen it but had been put off by the plunging back. After Leanne and Tia had urged her to try it on and had then convinced her the back wasn’t as plunging as she thought it was, Stevie had given in and bought it. And a matching clutch bag. And shoes.
This damned ball had better be worth it, Stevie thought, turning back to the mirror and swiping the mascara wand across her lashes once more, her eyes and mouth both open wide.
‘That colour really suits you,’ Betty said. ‘Black would have been too harsh with your skin tone and anyway, who wants to look like they’re off to a funeral instead of a party. Woot, woot! Break out the bubbly.’
“The bubbly” was an inexpensive bottle of Prosecco, and Stevie did as she was asked with alacrity. She could do with a couple of fortifying glasses before they left. And no, the fortification had nothing to do with a certain man, she told herself.
‘Nick Saunders is bound to be there,’ Betty said, and Stevie sent her a sharp look. Did the old lady just read her mind?
‘In fact, the whole village will probably be there,’ Betty added. ‘I’ve heard there’s always a good turn out.’
‘Don’t you usually go?’ Stevie asked, curiously. She’d assumed Betty attended the ball every year.
Betty picked up her glass with both hands and took a long drink. When she put it back on the table, Stevie noticed the old lady’s hands were shaking.
‘Haven’t been for years. Not since…’ Betty glanced down at her dress and stroked the fabric, frowning slightly. Then she blinked and heaved a big sigh. ‘Never mind,’ she said, but the too-bright smile which she now wore told Stevie that Betty did mind. Very much indeed.
‘Tia’s nice,’ the old lady said, and Stevie guessed she was trying to change the subject.
‘She is.’ If Betty didn’t want to talk about it, then Stevie respected her wishes, so she added, ‘I told you she’s going to live with her mum, didn’t I? It’s a pity, because we could have been good friends. She’s really sweet when you get to know her.’
‘I’ve known Tia since her and Nick came to live here,’ Betty said.
Righto, back to Nick again. Great, Stevie thought.
‘Did she tell you how she came to be in a wheelchair?’ Betty asked.
‘No, and I didn’t like to mention it.’
‘Horses. She used to ride and was almost as good as her brother. He was doing a training session with her and from what I gather, he put the bar thing up a notch and the horse she was riding refused to go over it. They fell and the animal rolled on her. Broke her back.’
Stevie’s heart went out to Tia. ‘Oh, that’s awful.’
‘The accident was bad enough, but now it’s needlessly ruining four lives,’ Betty said.
‘Four?’
‘Her brother has been blaming himself,’ Betty stated, picking up her matching handbag and rooting inside for her lipstick. ‘Nick Saunders needs to let go of his guilt. He’s been kidding himself he is too busy and maybe he was in the beginning when his sister relied on him so much, but he’s not got that excuse now. The second is Tia, but not because she’s in a wheelchair, but because she’s letting her disability get in the way of living. Tia’s ruining her own life and she’s too bloody silly to see it.’ Betty paused, dramatically.
Stevie’s heart filled with sorrow for her new friend. Poor Tia – she just wished she could do something to help.
‘The third is William Ferris,’ Betty announced.
Stevie failed to see the connection, and she shook her head. ‘You’ve lost me.’
‘He loves her. She loves him.’
‘Really? Oh my! She never said.’
‘She wouldn’t,’ Betty said. ‘She’s far too private for her own good, that one.’
‘Hang on, how do you know Tia and William Ferris are in love?’
‘I didn’t say, “they are in love”. I said, they love each other. “In love” suggests a relationship when there isn’t. She flatly refuses to have anything to do with him.’
‘How do you know all this?’
Betty tapped the side of her nose. ‘The same way I know Nick Saunders feels the same way about you as you do about him, but he’s not going to do anything about it because he thinks you’re dating Saul Green.’
‘I’m not dating Saul!’ Stevie said, then paused. ‘Who is the fourth?’ she asked, despite herself, because she had a feeling she already knew the answer.
‘You are, my dear.’