‘Apologies, Vicar, you must think me most rude.’ As I spoke I noted that Isabel still hadn’t uttered a word. Her pale face showed no expression and she seemed not to notice her surroundings, the yellow dress she wore was garish and did not compliment her pallid colour or her mousy coloured hair. ‘On the contrary, Miss Harvey, I can understand you being distracted by your betrothed, especially as he is talking to such a lovely young woman.’ His eyes twinkled as he spoke, and while the vicar found this entertaining, I most certainly did not. At this moment Jared offered me a glass of sherry which I took willingly, I would like to have drunk it in one go, but sipped it as decorously as I could. Looking at Jared, the thought crossed my mind that he would be a far more attentive bridegroom, for Gareth had not even noticed my existence in the room, something I intended to rectify this instant. Swiftly I walked across to him and his beautiful companion.
