His cheeks reddened. ‘I’m fine, Mum. Are you two okay? You don’t know how sorry I am about what happened yesterday.’ Ben’s eyes met Alice’s. ‘They ruined the day.’
Ben’s dad, Ray, strode across the room, still dressed for the wedding, and hugged Alice. ‘How are you holding up, love?’
It was all she could to blink away the sudden onrush of emotion. ‘I’m okay,’ she whispered.
Ben and his mum moved away from the door and joined them by the desk.
‘I can’t believe they’ve messed everything up again,’ Hermione said. ‘They can’t just go around pointing fingers willy-nilly. Someone should have a word. They almost messed up your chance of going to university last time, and now this on your wedding day. It isn’t right!’
So that meant Ben’s parents had known about his previous arrest, and hadn’t thought to mention it to her on any of the occasions she’d seen them. It shouldn’t have surprised her that they would know, but that didn’t make it hurt any less that she had been excluded from the big family secret.
‘You ought to sue them,’ Hermione continued. ‘That would make them think twice about trying to frame you for things you haven’t done. Although actually, it wouldn’t surprise me if that woman was somehow behind all of this.’
‘Now now,’ Ray soothed, putting his arm around his wife’s waist. ‘I’m sure yesterday had nothing to do with all that.’ His eyes flickered with doubt, and he looked to Ben for reassurance. ‘It isn’t anything to do with all that, is it?’
Ben shook his head. ‘No, no, this was something different. Apparently, me and my friends were the last people to see the girl before she was murdered, and so they put two and two together and ended up with me as the answer.’
‘Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty?’ Hermione retorted.
‘Can we do anything?’ Ray asked. ‘Do you need anything? A lift to the airport?’
Ben wrinkled his nose in distaste. ‘Looks like we’re going to have to postpone the honeymoon for now. The police have my passport and want me to stick around in case I can provide any further help with their enquiries. I’ve told them everything I remember about that night, but they were the grounds on which they released me,’ he added with a disappointed sigh.
Alice remained in silence, watching the three of them speak dismissively of the police and their involvement in ruining the big day. What they failed to acknowledge through all of their anger was that ultimately an innocent woman had lost her life. Yes it was frustrating that the police had chosen such an inopportune moment to locate Ben, but their intention wasn’t to spoil the wedding; they’d been charged with getting a murderer off the streets. For all she and Ben knew, this Kerry Valentine had family who were grieving her loss, and the frustrations of yesterday evening paled into insignificance against that.
‘I need some air,’ Alice suddenly said, cutting off Ben mid-sentence.
‘Of course, of course,’ Ray said, shuffling his wife towards the door. ‘I’m sure the two of you have a lot to talk about. We should make ourselves scarce, but if there’s anything you need – either of you – don’t hesitate to phone.’ He directed his attention to Alice. ‘Remember, you’re family now, and nothing is too much to ask. Okay?’
Alice forced herself to smile in acknowledgement and went out on to the balcony, sucking in deep breaths as Ben showed his parents to the door.
She heard the door close, followed by Ben dropping to the bed. ‘You know the worst part of all this is the effect it’s had on you. I mean, spending the night in that cell was horrible – really sobering – and then being quizzed for three straight hours this morning, but all I keep reliving is that look on your face when they put the cuffs on my wrists. It kills me that they ruined our big day, a day you’d spent so long organizing.’
Alice looked over at the beautiful green lawn and lake, a view she had fallen in love with when they’d picked this venue, but which now just served as a reminder of what could have been.
‘Can we get out of here?’ she asked. ‘I just want to put all of this behind us as quickly as possible.’
‘Sure,’ Ben said. ‘Let’s pack our stuff and check out. Then I will spend the rest of the day proving to you how important you are to me.’
She turned to face him. ‘Just promise me one thing: no more secrets.’
He immediately agreed, but she couldn’t ignore the feeling that her nightmare was only just beginning.
The main reception desk in the grand lobby of Old Mill Lodge had the look and feel of living history; the thick varnish and ornate carvings were clearly made a time long ago. As Alice patiently waited in line for the checkout queue to process, she couldn’t help but wonder about the range of people who had passed through the hotel over the years, each with their own story and reason for staying in the grand building. How many of the brides and grooms who’d celebrated their nuptials in the same room as she and Ben were still happily married? She’d bet none had had their ceremony interrupted in quite the same way.
Ben had acquired a luggage trolley from somewhere and was busy transporting their luggage and stack of gifts down to the large taxi he had ordered. Although it had taken months of visiting different venues before she’d chosen this one, she wouldn’t now care if she never laid eyes on the hotel again.
The elderly couple ahead of Alice moved to the front of the queue and began to explain their enquiry to the young lady behind the desk. Olive-skinned and with jet black hair, the receptionist spoke with an accent Alice couldn’t place, but her grasp of English was as strong as any native.
‘It’s so inherently British, isn’t it?’ the man behind her commented.
Alice turned and looked at the man in the tan suit and red tie, smiling in her direction. He was alone with a small blue holdall at his feet.
‘Excuse me?’ Alice asked.
‘Queuing,’ he confirmed. ‘There’s nothing us Brits like quite as much as a queue, is there? I mean, on a day as glorious as this, when we should be embracing nature at her finest, we choose to stand in a stuffy room in an orderly manner.’ He smiled warmly. ‘I’m sorry, it always makes me laugh. This sort of thing just doesn’t happen in other countries.’
Alice politely smiled back. ‘No, I suppose you’re right. At least we’re nearly at the front.’
‘Are you checking in or out?’
‘Out,’ she said, smiling again.
‘Ah, well, did you happen to dine in the hotel’s restaurant last night? I’m looking for recommendations of where I can get a nice piece of sirloin for my supper.’
Alice forced a thin smile. ‘We didn’t eat here last night, I’m afraid.’
‘Not to worry,’ he continued, a mischievous look on his face. ‘Here, you weren’t at the wedding where the groom was arrested, were you?’
Shock went through her. ‘How did you hear about that?’
‘I overheard one of the staff talking about it. Were you there then?’
She nodded, and subconsciously covered her wedding ring with her right hand.
‘Oh, how awful,’ he continued. ‘The poor bride. Probably the last thing she expected to happen. Can you imagine how awful that would be? Just tied the knot and then learning that your husband is a murderer?’
Alice had to bite her tongue to keep quiet, and took a second glance towards the elderly couple in front who were still