indecent proposal

sandstone castle, the

rers. A giant marquee now obliterated the view of the lake from the c

-just in case the weather

g, and the soft summer air was heavy with the scent of roses and res

from its allocated

e grass to form walkways from the house to the marquee and marquee to

pired piece of f

re far too many guests

n today, a huge white canvas canopy had been

he chapel grounds. Just inside the arch a stone

window of the chapel it

exchanged their vows on what would

was very

liberately left it as

t everyone had taken their seats ready for the

aughing, joking. Famous people. Important people. People from all over

didn't mind posing for

of those photographers belonged to the press-allowed in b

e to Evie's lips as she made her way along the green carpet pathway t

er well enough, shook her hand if they didn

espite what she had pr

ngeline Delahaye could not help but

slender, she was stunni

at his fingertips than most people here could even imagine. He was a

ng so delicio

ir of the decade. The

on what the future held for them. While the couple themselves ignor

ss or their disa

uriosities at functions like this. Especially when it was so abso

cial capacity as represe

s sister t

ur photograph,

a young man who was a photographer for a well

xed because everyone here to

olitely. And kept on walking until s

ill looking impressively at ease as he stood talking to his best man an

intently to whatever Great-

to deal with me, most

e old lady's face, Evie

-until she reached the

ly, maybe, f

studied blandness softening out of her eyes

an

s from different Arab states wearing traditional Arab attire. But to h

reigned supreme over e

its gold sash wrapped around his whipcord-lean waist, and tripl

the precise moment tha

the fact that he seem

saying to him-his hea

out of time neither moved a single muscle as their usual reaction

cknowledge each other,

were communicating, because the vibrations suddenly assailing the

his face then back again. Julian noticed the thickening silence, glanc

rned her back on what

them-while the Arab st

urmured something to

aschid lowered his eye

o him and Evie slid he

now glowering at her in p

t to have a quiet word with her brother before taking her place next

guests began to fil

flustered and watery

y one of the ushers, th

se, waitin

gan began to play. The sound of a wedding march filled the canopy at the sam

st turning in her seat

down the aisle on he

ly enchanting in a flow

te Chantilly lace that w

In her hair she wore a

e an exact match in colour to the pretty organza dre

er love for Julian and his love for her that the

ht a lump to Evie's thro

he exact same expressio

e stood there watching h

and was glad that Raschid was sitting several row

witnessing this very English marriage and comparing what Christ

; Evie didn't for one

aschid had made louder

it in the face of

olemn vow of commitment as legal and spiritually binding as life itself-whereas the other would alw

itness the joining of this man an

e lifted a laceedged handkerchief to dab a

eart. The guilt of a