In Bed With Lord Byron

groups, hats bobbing, whispers floating: ‘. . . Kerry always was
unstable
. . . but then did you
hear
the rumours . . . according to Grandma Rose, they’re not
sexually compatible
, would you believe it . . .’ Every so often, people turned and gave us vicious glances. I hunched my
shoulders uneasily, turning away from them.
    ‘Mrs Prendeghast’s delusional. She’s convinced it’s all still meant to be. She’s just told me she’s gone to look for Kerry to bring her back and talk some
sense into her,’ Anthony said. ‘We have to leave just in case she succeeds!’
    I burst into giggles and then looked up at him nervously.
    ‘Anthony, are you sure you’re not in shock? I mean – this has all been a bit much – a bit crazy – a bit unexpected – are you sure you don’t need to just
go home?’
    Anthony gazed down at me, stroking my cheek.
    ‘You know how I really feel? Relieved. Hugely, hugely relieved. Over the last few weeks I’ve been waking up every morning feeling miserable, without knowing why. Deep down, I knew
she wasn’t right for me. I’ve been trying to blot it out, but I just felt . . .’
    ‘What?’ I asked him.
    ‘I just couldn’t believe I was about to fuck up – either way. By going through with the wedding, or calling it off. I – just – I’m so used to getting
everything
right
, Lucy. Normally everything I do, whether it’s in business or my love life – I get it right. It works out. And today . . . I just fucked up . . . big-time . . .
and I think,’ he concluded, half-smiling despite the tears in his eyes. ‘I think – well, there’s a lot I need to say to you too, Lucy, but I don’t think I can say it
here and now. I think we need to get out of here. Please?’
    I frowned suspiciously. There was still a splinter of doubt lodged in my heart.
    ‘You’re not just asking me as a rebound thing?’
    ‘Of course not!’ Anthony exploded. ‘I am asking you because I really want to go with you. I can’t think of anyone else I want to spend two weeks with.’ He reached
out and ran the tip of a trembling finger down the length of my face.
    I turned to him, biting my lip in a wobbly smile. I gently brushed his hair back.
    ‘Okay,’ I said. ‘Let’s go.’
    Anthony was so delighted that he picked me up and spun me round, laughing uproarously at the sky.
    Several people broke off and turned to stare at him, and then more whispers started up: ‘. . . d’you think he’s having a
breakdown
. . . ?’
    ‘What about your parents?’ I asked, as he hailed – with delicious inappropriateness – the bridal car.
    ‘I’ll call them.’
    ‘What about the reception?’
    ‘That’s a good point.’
    The bridal car pulled up and I slid in. Anthony turned back and clapped his hands.
    ‘I’d like to invite everyone to carry on with the celebrations and to go to the reception for lunch and champagne! Go on! Go! Enjoy yourselves!’
    Anthony dived back into the taxi, grinning.
    ‘Mrs Prendeghast has paid for three hundred bottles of champagne,’ he said, kissing my hair. ‘And I’m going to make bloody sure every one of those bottles is empty by
tonight!’
    As the car pulled away, we both started to laugh at the impetuosity of it all, until soon hysterical tears streamed down our faces. I got the driver to stop at my hotel to pick
up my luggage. As I got out of the car, Anthony pulled me back, gave me a kiss and told me to be as quick as I could. I kissed him back and promised I would run.
    Run I did. Up the lift sailed and down the corridor I sprinted. Once in my hotel room, I managed to fling all my clothes into a case within the space of two minutes. As I lifted the bedclothes,
my discarded wedding ring slithered off and hit the carpet. I picked it up and held it in my palm, musing that I could never,
ever
, have imagined that the day I got married, and Anthony
nearly got married, could end like this. I suddenly noticed the time machine, a forlorn wreck in the corner. I checked my watch with a flash of panic –
shit, if I dismantled it now by the
time I’d finished we’d never catch the flights.
    Then I let out a breath. What on earth was I going to need a time machine for when I had two weeks to spend with Anthony? I was cured of my addiction now, and I was only looking for it out of
habit.
    I went up to the machine and gently gave its dented metal side a kiss. A sudden spurt of happiness and freedom rose up inside me. All the terrible things