Roseland: The beautiful, heartrending new novel from the much loved Richard and Judy Book Club champion by Finnigan Judy

Author:Finnigan, Judy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
Published: 2023-11-09T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirty-Two

‘How did you sleep?’ Arthur asked eagerly, the following morning. ‘You picked the best hotel. I’m amazed they had a room.’ As good as his word after he’d dropped Izzy off late last night, he’d arrived in the elegant foyer of the Talland Bay Hotel bang on eleven. Aware that his mum was nervous about seeing everyone, he’d suggested they have brunch together first.

‘Luck must be on my side. For once.’ She gave him a hug. ‘Last-minute cancellation. Shall we eat in the garden? The guy on reception said we could. It’s too gorgeous to be inside.’

‘Sure,’ Arthur mumbled, dreading they might be shown to his family’s usual table. Sure enough, they were soon seated in the same shady spot where he’d had brunch only a few days ago. With Eve. At the reminder, he sighed, wishing she was with them.

‘Gorgeous place, isn’t it? I can swap with you and Eve, if you like?’ Izzy teased, seeing his glum expression. ‘Although you’re hardly slumming it at Jack’s. I seem to remember he lives in some kind of Grand Designs clifftop glass mansion. Must be an upgrade for you guys. Don’t you share a broom cupboard somewhere in west London?’

‘Studio,’ Arthur corrected. ‘But Eve’s staying at her mum’s cottage here.’

‘Ah.’ Tactfully, Izzy didn’t ask why. She’d gathered on the long drive yesterday that something was going on between the two of them. She wanted to know all about it, but only when Arthur was ready to tell. ‘I guess you could check into Roseland a couple of days early.’

‘Oh, it’s not being opened up for wedding accommodation. It’s closed to the public for forty-eight hours, too. Although there’s film crew everywhere.’

‘Film crew? What, like, TV reporters? Don’t tell me Jack’s marrying a member of the royal family.’

Arthur shook his head. ‘Rebecca’s a location manager for a production company. That’s how she and Pops met. At Roseland. They’re filming a new drama there. And the wedding. But that’s just a side hustle. A wedding gift from the crew. Nice, hey?’

‘Incredible.’ Izzy stared at her son. ‘She sounds like some kind of superwoman.’

Arthur didn’t reply until they’d given their breakfast order to a hovering waiter, then he lowered his voice as he said: ‘To be fair, we’re all still getting to know her.’

Izzy glanced suspiciously around them, before leaning forward to whisper theatrically: ‘Why are we whispering?’ Then, more loudly: ‘Don’t tell me the wedding has set tongues wagging? Is it all very scandalous? Are the locals up in arms, gossiping about them?’

Arthur winced. ‘Keep your voice down, Mum, OK? I know you’re joking, but yeah. As it happens, there’s loads of gossip flying about. You know how well-known Jack is in the village. And what with everything that happened to Eloise . . .’

‘Everyone is burning with curiosity about Rebecca.’ Izzy rolled her eyes. ‘Poor woman. I almost feel sorry for her. Anyway, you said you don’t know her very well. How come? I thought you were down here most weekends?’

‘Yep. But not recently.

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