Double Wedding by Patricia Scanlan

Author:Patricia Scanlan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Atria Books

25

‘Hi, Liz. Hi, Tara.’ Carol greeted the sisters affably, following Jessica into the sitting-room. She’d jogged up from Phibsboro to see them. ‘Did you have a good day shopping?’

‘Very productive,’ Tara informed her. She was sprawled on Jessica’s couch with her shoes off, drinking red wine. She looked very fit and healthy for a woman in her late forties, Carol thought sourly. Tara did a lot of hill-walking and her shapely tanned legs would be the envy of many a twenty-year-old.

‘What did you buy?’ Carol perched on the side of an armchair and smiled down at Liz.

‘I bought nothing. Tara bought a blouse and a new set of pinking shears and Jessie bought her wedding outfit.’

‘What! Already?’ Carol couldn’t believe it. ‘What did she buy? Let’s see it. Did she bring it home?’

Tara held up her hand authoritatively. ‘Sorry! No viewing until the day of the wedding. It’s my baby until the wedding day.’

‘Aw, Tara, come on, don’t be a meanie,’ Carol protested. ‘Jessie, let’s see what you bought. Have you bought everything?’ she asked her friend, who had just walked back into the sitting-room.

‘I sure did. I’ve no intentions of traipsing around day in day out trying to decide what to wear. I knew what I wanted; I went for it, and I’ve got the material and my shoes—’

‘Your shoes as well? Were they an awful price? I was shocked when I went looking,’ Carol said ruefully.

‘Forty euro in Barratts,’ Jessica informed her cheerfully. ‘Glass of wine?’

‘Forty euro in Barratts. You bought your wedding shoes in Barratts?’ Carol couldn’t believe her ears as she shook her head at the offer of wine.

‘I certainly did, and they’re gorgeous, and if you’ve any sense you’ll do the same and not be spending a small fortune on a pair of shoes that you’ll get precious little wear out of.’

‘But it’s your wedding day!’ protested Carol.

‘So?’ Jessica said coolly.

‘But don’t you want everything to be special?’

‘Of course I do. I’m not going to walk down the aisle looking like Secondhand Rose, Carol, but I’m not spending a fortune either. We don’t have a fortune to spend.’

‘Did you get Katie’s dress yet?’ Carol changed the subject.

‘No. We’re going to have to shop for it one of these days.’

‘Have you bought yours yet or are you having it made?’ Tara said silkily.

‘Actually I’m buying mine.’ Carol fiddled with her engagement ring. She liked Tara about as much as she liked Katie. Mother and daughter were too alike for her tastes.

‘Some of them are fairly pricey, if the ones we were looking at today were anything to go by. Do you remember that satin sheath we saw? It was outrageous. One thousand, five hundred euro. I’d make it for the price of the material,’ Tara remarked.

‘Not everyone is as talented as you, Tara,’ Carol said drily, not sure whether she was being got at or not.

‘We’re heading out for dinner. I’ve booked a table in Kelly and Ping’s at eight-thirty if you’d like to come,’ Jessica interjected swiftly.

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