Chapter 31

Around three o'clock that afternoon a van arrived outside the house with the hospital bed. With it were a bedside table and a wheelchair. The two men that brought it set it up in the dining room and explained how it functioned. They also explained how the wheel chair should be adjusted.

At half past four Ellie arrived. She was in cracking form, delighted at being out of hospital at last. She was moved into the house in the wheelchair and the ambulance crew demonstrated how to move her from the chair to the bed and vice versa. They left her sitting in the chair looking very pleased with herself.

Nick had not seen her for over a week and rejoiced to see how much better her face was looking. Her lips had healed too and she was able to laugh and smile uninhibitedly. He realised that she was a pretty woman and he could see a clear resemblance to Sally.

Dr Surridge had written a letter to Sally. He had arranged for a nurse to visit three days a week to check on Ellie and also to give her a bath. He asked Sally to learn how to do it as this could not be a long-standing arrangement. He had also arranged for a physiotherapist to visit twice a week. This again was only temporary and once Ellie was up to it she would be required to come in for treatment. He hoped that the whole business would be over in six weeks.

They had supper earlier than usual for Ellie's sake but she only began to flag towards the end of the meal. She had been thrilled when Nick offered her a gin and tonic beforehand.

"I think I'm going to like this hotel," she said.

Sally chuckled. "Not when you have to do the washing-up," she retorted.

Ellie was unfazed. "Oh, I don't mind turning the machine on," she said, "as long as I still get some gin."

When they went to bed that night Sally said slightly sadly that she did not think Ellie would be ready to go and stay with Geraldine. "Dr Surridge is talking of six weeks but we're getting married in two."

She was right but Ellie showed her spirit, doing her physiotherapy with determination and religiously following the exercise regime. By the time of the wedding she was able to walk, with the help of sticks, to the car and from it into the registry office.

Geraldine, as planned, came to meet her. Ellie appeared totally unworried by this slightly grand lady and the two got on like a house on fire. Geraldine unveiled her plan. Ellie was taken with it. Her worry was that she would not see all that much of Sally but she agreed wholeheartedly with Geraldine that she should not become a permanent lodger. She promised to think about it.

In all the excitement of the visit, Ellie moving in and the impending wedding Gerry Gardner had been forgotten until Sergeant Crawshaw rang. He had appeared in the magistrates court, had pleaded guilty and been remanded in custody to the Crown Court. Provided he maintained that plea no one would be required to appear in court to give evidence. Sergeant Crawshaw promised to let them know the outcome.

Ellie having thought about Geraldine's plan for forty-eight hours brought it up in a roundabout way.

"How often do you see your parents, Nick?" she asked.

"Not as often as I should."

"How often should you see them?"

"Once a month."

"Is it a long drive?"

"No, just over an hour. Why are you asking?"

"It's just that your mother said there's a cottage in their village to let indefinitely and suggested that I take it. She said I'd find cleaning jobs with no problem. The trouble is I'd be quite a way from Sally and wouldn't see her as often as I'd like."

"I'm sure we could find you somewhere nearer, Mum," said Sally.

"I don't want to be breathing down your necks though."

"You wouldn't."

"I don't know how long they'll send him down for but if I was the other side of the Pennines when he comes out he'd never find me."

"I don't think he'll bother, Mum, not after you've divorced him."

"I can't divorce him, not as a Catholic I can't."

"I think you probably could, Ellie. I'll find out. I'll tell you another thing. If you were to rent this cottage you could do it for six months to start with and then, if you don't like it, start again."

"Mmm."

Ellie was clearly not going to make a decision at that point and Nick and Sally let it drop.

Ellie was quite clear about one thing though. Despite the fact that Nick and Sally had been living together for the best part of three months, Nick was to spend the Friday night before the wedding elsewhere and to make his own way to the registry office. Sally supported her.

"It'll be all the more fun when we get home," she teased her eyes twinkling with mischief.

Nick pretended to grumble but was actually quite moved by their romanticism. He booked into the same hotel as the Kirkwoods and Holdsworths, not that they were there that night. It was arranged that Nigel and Geraldine would pick up the Gardners and take them to the registry office.

Nick, of course, arrived at the registry office absurdly early and then paced about distractedly. The thought crossed his mind that it might be less nerve-wracking if he was a smoker. He observed two couples and thought smugly that neither of the brides, though pretty and smiling, matched up to his Sally.

At twenty-five past eleven Catriona and Jerry arrived. Catriona kissed Nick warmly.

"Relax, Nick," she whispered in his ear. "She's here."

Jerry shook his hand warmly. "You're stuck," he grinned. "There's two fierce Gardner women out there."

Nick smiled back and relaxed.

On the dot of half past Sally entered the waiting area followed by the parents. Nick looked at her with awe and pride. Her dress was ivory. It had a scooped neck but no cleavage showed. It was nipped in at the waist and fell to just below her knees. The sleeves were long. Round her waist was tied a pale green sash with tasselled ends hanging down her left hip. Round her neck was a double strand of pearls which accentuated its slimness and length. On her head she wore a completely transparent veil held in place by small tiara. In her left hand was a bouquet of delicate pink roses. Nick was incapable of words. All he could do was to take her right hand and smile. That smile said everything and Sally returned it with one that spoke the strength of her love.

At that moment they were summoned into the office. The registrar was warm and friendly but nevertheless the ceremony was pretty clinical. When Nick had placed the ring on Sally's finger Catriona came forward and handed her a ring which she slipped onto Nick's finger. The registrar pronounced them man and wife, their eyes engaged and they kissed softly.

"And now I'm really yours," whispered Sally.

Nick nodded, once again reduced to speechlessness. It was Sally that thanked the registrar.

Catriona brought him down to earth. She beat everyone else to it and kissed him on the cheek.

"Well done, my darling brother, but pull yourself together or you'll be had for driving without due care and attention."

Jerry shook his hand again and kissed Sally.

That brought Nick to his senses. He sought out Ellie and hugged her fiercely.

"Thank you for having such a wonderful daughter," he said.

She smiled up at him. "And thank you, Nick, for making her into the girl she is. I've always been proud of her but now..."

Nick squeezed and kissed her again. "So you should be," he said gently, "and it shows what a wonderful mother you are despite that bloody man."

Ellie's eyes shone. "So now you'd better live up to it," she said with a grin, "because I'll be watching you."

"Heaven help me."